Patent Application
20240409306
The present disclosure pertains to water storage, and more particularly to a device and system operable to manage and maintain potable water in various operational environments including in extremely cold temperatures.
Storing water in a manner that keeps the water from freezing in very cold temperatures is difficult. Generally, the larger the body of water, the longer it takes the water to freeze. However, water storage capacity is particularly limited in vessels that need to be transported over difficult terrain, such as in off-road activities including military activities, camping and the like. Further, power for heating is often limited in such off-road activities.
The present disclosure provides a water tank and system operable to manage potable water down to ambient temperatures of minus fifty (−50) degrees Fahrenheit (F) or lower with only limited power availability for heating of water and trace heating of supporting dispensing pipework. Embodiments of the vessel according to the present disclosure can be integrated to a standard joint light tactical vehicle (JLTV) trailer, a tractor truck trailer or other trailer vehicles while remaining operational after use in rough terrain. In various embodiments, the system and apparatus of the present disclosure is manufactured to manage potable water to the prevailing governmental standards. As described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure manage and maintain potable water in various operational environments that exhibit extremely cold temperatures.
Embodiments of the present disclosure further deliver mobility, stability, and freeze protection in a sustainable, efficient way of receiving, storing, and issuing potable water. Embodiments of the water tank according to the present disclosure are fully integratable with a robust, field-proven trailer that minimizes impact on the prime mover's mobility and stability, enabling water distribution throughout a wide range of terrains.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a device with a minimum capacity of 500 gallons and with growth potential to 600 gallons or more. A cold weather add-on kit can be provided in various embodiments, where each component of the kit weighs less than thirty-seven pounds and the full kit weighs 176 pounds or less.
Embodiments of a freeze prevention system in accordance with the present disclosure incorporate an on-board system as well as a cold weather add-on kit, preventing its water payload from freezing, allowing operation in a wide range of climates, and including provisions for retail dispensing in a wide range of temperatures.
Embodiments of the water tank subsystem joined to a trailer according to the present disclosure do not degrade the prime mover's mission profile when towed over relatively level, smooth, improved, and prepared hard-surfaced roads, and gravel roads at prime mover speeds. Embodiments of the water tank subsystem joined to a trailer of the present disclosure are also operable with the specified prime movers on primary and secondary road operations without leakage of potable water, without fault or defect, and maintain stability on, for example, twenty percent (20%) side slopes and ten percent (10%) longitudinal slopes with a maximum payload.
Embodiments of the freeze prevention system in accordance with the present disclosure optimize an insulation design to maximize the benefit of limited heating power typically available from the prime mover. The freeze prevention system can be permanently installed and enables the water tank to remain operational and prevent its water payload from freezing while being transported, without the aid of external power other than from its prime mover or the trailer down to twenty degrees) (20°) F. for a period of up to eight hours or more, for example. Employing permanently installed insulation assists in eliminating heat loss at joints and tank protrusions that would exist for blanket style insulation, for example.
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a corrosion-resistant design that meets mobility performance, environmental and lifecycle requirements. It will be appreciated that the present system is a fully integrated system, optimized for use under a wide range of environmental conditions. A vessel according to the present disclosure can employ major subsystems including the water tank subsystem, with its fully integrated freeze prevention subsystem providing compliant freeze protection for the potable water within the tank and dispensing subsystems and a trailer and/or skid subsystem which enables the water tank subsystem to be used on the ground and carried on any load rated transport.
The presently disclosed subject matter now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter are shown. The presently disclosed subject matter may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Indeed, many modifications and other embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the presently disclosed subject matter pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the presently disclosed subject matter is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope.
It will be appreciated that reference to “a”, “an” or other indefinite article in the present disclosure encompasses one or a plurality of the described element. Thus, for example, reference to a vent may encompass one or more vents, reference to a baffle may encompass one or more baffles and so forth.
As shown in
To minimize in-tank welding and polishing, to provide drainage at any angle and to improve cleaning access (to maintain potable water standards), a lateral baffle 80 as shown in
Regarding dispensing, fill and drainage, spigots 78 can be located at the front on either side of the trailer. In various embodiments, four spigots are provided, with each protected from splashing of non-potable water by sealed dispensing enclosures. The dispensing pipework, valves and spigots can be sized to ensure the capability of simultaneously dispensing water by gravity to canteens, personal hydration devices, and various sizes of water vessels at a minimum flow rate of two (2.0) gallons per minute (gal/min) each, with a water payload above one-quarter (¼) tank, for example. In various embodiments, water is prevented from spilling on grade and side slope by a self-draining baffled vent with a pressure and vacuum valve on the outlet.
As shown in
According to various embodiments as shown in
Embodiments of the present disclosure facility system and device mobility and operation down to temperatures of twenty degrees) (20°) F. and below. In various embodiments, the freeze prevention subsystem 90 is permanently installed as part of the vessel, and the freeze prevention subsystem 90 enables embodiments of the present disclosure to remain operational and prevent its water payload from freezing while being transported, without the aid of external power other than from its prime mover or the trailer down to twenty degrees) (20°) F. or below for a period of up to eight hours, for example. With the cold weather add-on kit 92 installed as described herein, the system and device can operate effectively down to minus fifty degrees) (−50° F. Exemplary system diagrams are shown in
Embodiments of the freeze prevention subsystem 90 according to the present disclosure maximize the benefit of the limited heating power available from any tow vehicle employed to tow the vessel by optimizing the insulation design. The available power from the tow vehicle can be applied to a water heater and pipe trace heating separately. This allows all available power to be used for the water heater until dispensing operations require the piping to be warmed up with separately controlled trace heating. In various embodiments, the dispensing pipework on the side which includes the spigots 78 and drain/fill port 77 can be provided with trace heating applied under the insulation layer to enable their use in cold conditions. A control panel mounted on the near side enables the user to see the status of the freeze prevention subsystem 90 and control the tank heating and piping trace heating.
In various embodiments, the water heater heats the water via an insulated resistive element encased in a corrosion-resistant 316 or 304 stainless steel tube mounted below the one-quarter (¼) full level, which can be safely operated at any water level. According to embodiments of the disclosure, the heating system components in contact with potable water can be made from 316 or 304 stainless steel with a surface finish of 2B or better with internal welds ground smooth. These features assist in the maintenance of potable water.
In various embodiments, permanently installed insulation is employed to eliminate heat loss at joints and tank protrusions that would exist for blanket style insulation. For example, and as described elsewhere herein, the tank can be wrapped in sheets of self-adhesive, closed cell, ultra-low permeability foam insulation extending around and over the tank protuberances (hatch, drains, pipes). Seams in the insulation are bonded together and sealed using compatible rubber tape. In various embodiments, the hatch is enclosed in an insulated cabinet which also provides protection for the manway opening from foreign matter. Embodiments of the tank mounts 60, 64 utilize a sandwich construction with the metal rib on the tank separated from the pallet mount by a composite material. The right-hand dispensing pipe work can be enclosed in the same closed cell, ultra-low permeability foam insulation as the tank.
In various embodiments, the heating system is a 28 VDC heating system installed on the front of the tank with controls on one side. The heating system can draw power from a tow vehicle, when employed. In various embodiments, the heating element and control system can be replaced by a 120V/240V AC/28 VDC system which has sufficient heating power to enable the module to prevent freezing below twenty degrees) (20°) F. when used with a tactical quiet generator set such as generator set 95 in
In various embodiments, the system will only require power from a tow vehicle NATO 4074 intervehicle connector 96 to provide freeze prevention for temperatures down to twenty degrees) (20°) F. This can be connected to the control panel via a standard NATO 4074 intervehicle cable stored on the module, for example.
According to various embodiments, the controls can be mounted in a NEMA 250 Type 4× enclosure and protected against severe environmental conditions. The control panel can be situated on the near side and can be accessed from ground level. All controls and indicators can be permanently labeled with their function. In various embodiments, the control panel features an on/off switch for the heating system, an emergency override heat switch for controller faults and an on/off switch for the trace heating of the pipework. The on/off switch for the heating system ensures there is no need to disconnect from the power source.
In various embodiments, an emergency override heat switch provides power directly to the heaters to prevent freezing if the controller has a fault. Also, the control panel can provide blackout compliant (dimmable to zero lumen emission) operator feedback of, for example, (a) power connected to NATO 4074 intervehicle socket, (b) heater system on/off (system operating), (c) trace heater system on/off, (d) system at or above set temperature (45° F.), (e) fault with controller and (f) pipework above thirty-eight degrees) (38° F.
The system and vessel as disclosed herein is capable of being transported by highway, rail, marine, and air modes worldwide without disassembly (full or empty). It can be equipped with both tie down and lifting provisions and is also helicopter sling loadable. See, for example,
Embodiments of the system and apparatus, when attached to a suitable trailer subsystem as disclosed herein are designed to be towed behind various prime movers, including FMTV, MTV, and JLTV vehicles, and are capable of meeting additional separate mobility requirements of the JLTV including the 24″ step climb and V-ditch crossing. The system and device as disclosed herein are further capable of being transported by commercial ships and all types of military watercraft, regardless of payload.
Embodiments of the system and apparatus as disclosed herein are designed with tie down and lift provisions, including four tie down points and four separate lift points on the trailer, as well as four service lift points on the water tank subsystem 15. All lift points are designed with the various center of gravity locations taken into account to ensure proper stability during lift operations.
Embodiments of the present disclosure offer a level of mobility and stability that meets or exceeds all requirements established for prime movers and does not degrade the prime movers' mission profile when towed over relatively level, smooth, improved, and prepared hard-surfaced roads and gravel roads at prime mover speeds.
Prime movers' mobility and stability, when coupled to the device and system of the present disclosure, is maintained throughout their mission profiles regardless of water level.
The ability of embodiments of the present disclosure to move the water tank over moderate distances on unimproved surfaces is critical to achieving the mission of distributing and storing potable water regardless of the range of operations.
Normal on-road stability is achieved with a stability angle of 64° or less without longitudinal baffles. Embodiments of the present system and device achieve a stability angle of 53°, providing a significant margin over this standard. Longitudinal baffles present issues with fatigue as the vessel becomes over constrained. A rectangular tank requires longitudinal baffles whereas an oval tank reduces the liquid volume that can shift to the side. The water tank provides a minimum 500-gallon capacity. A baffled vent with a pressure and vacuum valve can be located at the top of the tank in accordance with various embodiments. This valve reduces evaporative loss while allowing automatic operation of the spigots 78 and drain/fill port 77. Dust and sand are trapped in an external filter which is enclosed for UV and mechanical protection. The combination of a self-draining baffle in the water flow path and the baffled check valve keeps the water inside the tank from empty to maximum payload across the specified range of grade and side slopes.
Embodiments of the water tank subsystem can be lifted off the trailer subsystem using capable forklifts or cranes for maintenance actions only, with the water tank drained of its water payload. As shown in
The insulation material can be Thermobreak™ material, for example, with a Flame Spread Index less than twenty-five. The tank can be insulated from the supporting structure using a fire-rated phenolic resin sheet, for example.
It will be appreciated that the length of time that embodiments of the system according to the present disclosure can be operated without freezing is dependent upon the initial water volume, initial water temperature and the rate of heat loss. The heat loss can be minimized as discussed previously and calculations show that when one quarter (¼) full (e.g., 125 gallons) with an ambient temperature of twenty degrees) (20°) F. and an internal temperature of ten degrees) (10° F., the rate of heat loss is 0.212° F. per hour. Given the low power available from the NATO Intervehicle system 96 under this specification, the rate of temperature increase with the heater connected under these conditions is 1.161° F. per hour. This means that when one quarter (¼) full, for every hour connected to the heater, embodiments of the device as disclosed herein will last an additional 5.4 hours after disconnecting the power before freezing starts. To avoid excessive power drain on the tow vehicle and prevent the system from operating when not required by ambient conditions, the heater control can be set to turn off at forty-five degrees) (45° F. At this temperature, the system will last more than four days. Exemplary performance metrics are shown in Table 3 below.
For temperatures below twenty degrees) (20°) F. and down to minus fifty degrees) (−50° F., the cold weather add-on kit 90 in accordance with the present disclosure can be employed. This kit can include an upgraded control box and heater tube that has both 28 VDC and 2000W single phase AC heating elements. The AC heating elements can be driven from a separately supplied MEP-831A 3-KW generator set 95 or prime power grids, for example. Full functionality down to twenty degress) (20°) F. using only the tow vehicle NATO intervehicle connector 96 can be maintained when the cold weather add-on kit 90 is installed. In various embodiments, the cold weather add-on kit 90 requires that the water tank is first drained of water and then can be installed by a single person using standard workshop tools.
Due to lower ambient temperatures, the rate of heat loss will be higher. To enable the presently disclosed system to last at least twenty-four hours before freezing without power connected, the temperature set point can be raised on the cold weather add-on kit 90 to fifty degrees) (50° F. The additional power available from the generator 95 or prime power grids ensures that the heating times will still be less than those without the cold weather add-on kit 90. The control panel can have all the 28 VDC controls detailed previously and will also include the controls for the AC heating elements. In various embodiments, the control panel features one or more controls such as, for example, an on/off switch for the 28V heating system; an on/off switch for the 240 VAC heating system; an emergency override heat switch for controller faults in the 28V heating system; an emergency override heat switch for controller faults in the 240 VAC heating system; and an on/off switch for the trace heating of the pipe work. The on/off switches ensure there is no need to disconnect from the power source.
In various embodiments, the control panel provides blackout compliant operator feedback of, for example, power connected to the NATO intervehicle socket 96; heater system on/off; trace heater system on/off; system at or above set temperature (e.g., 45° F.); fault with 28V controller; fault with 240 VAC controller; pipework above 38° F. Exemplary performance metrics are shown in the Table 4 below.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of this disclosure are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/471,992 filed on Jun. 9, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63471992 | Jun 2023 | US |
