Claims
- 1. A method of controlling a ripple-free flow, accurate mix and automated spraying unit comprised of a series of hydraulic cylinders including pistons therein which pump resin, promoters, catalysts, and other chemicals used for precision formulating composite walls of a tank or containment vessel comprising:
- a. providing a computer with a data base for controlling the ripple-free-flow, accurate mixing and automated spraying unit including at least, empirical data correlating the optimal mix of the resin, promoters, catalysts and other chemicals for a given ambient temperature,
- b. constantly determining ambient temperature,
- c. constantly providing the computer with the determined ambient temperature,
- d. repetitively calculating velocity and thus volume displaced by each of said cylinders at frequent intervals,
- e. providing the calculated velocity of each of said cylinders to the computer to control servo-mechanisms on each of said cylinders to regulate the velocity of each of said piston so that the optimal mix of said chemicals is gotten.
- 2. The method in claim 1 including monitoring the composition of the mix sprayed and automatically updating the data base within the computer in the event of changes in the composition being sprayed.
- 3. A method of depositing rigidifying material on a substrate responsive to ambient temperature comprising:
- a. providing flows of a plurality of chemicals which when combined result in said rigidifying material,
- b. monitoring flow rates of each of said chemicals,
- c. monitoring ambient temperature,
- d. constantly calculating the optimal mix of said chemicals as a function of the ambient temperature,
- d. constantly adjusting the flow of said chemicals to be deposited on said substrate based on the calculated optimal mix.
- 4. A method of manufacturing composite walls for structures of selected fiber-reinforced plastic compounds from chemicals mixed at varying ratios to arrive at an optimal mixture comprising:
- a. monitoring ambient temperature,
- b. pumping the chemicals,
- c. coordinating pumping rates of each of said chemicals to arrive at an optimal mixture as a function of the monitored temperature,
- d. continuously mixing the chemicals while maintaining the ratio within a range optimizing the curing of said chemicals,
- e. repeatedly calculating the percentage of each of said chemicals in the mixture being sprayed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 07/050,317, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,747, filed May 14, 1989 and is related to application Ser. No. 06/915,269 filed 10/3/86 by the same inventor MAX J. DYKMANS, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,859, and entitled "A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY WRAPPED PRESTRESSED STRUCTURE UTILIZING A MEMBRANE" which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 559,911 filed on 12/9/83 by the same inventor MAX J. DYKMANS, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,145, and entitled "MULTI-PURPOSE DOME STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION THEREOF".
The field of the invention is generally circumferentially wrapped prestressed structures, and their construction, which structures can be used to contain liquids, solids or gases. The invention is particularly useful in the construction of domed prestressed structures such as those set forth in the above applications which are incorporated herein by reference.
The background which gave rise to the subject invention is also set forth in the above applications. Briefly summarizing, there has been a need of reinforced plastic, fiberglass or resin sandwich composite structures of the type set forth in the above two applications where the walls are formed by inflating a membrane, applying one or more layers of rigidifying material outwardly of said membrane, prestressing the walls by circumferentially wrapping prestressing material around the rigidifying material and membrane, and then placing a protective coating or rigidifying material or other material outside of the circumferential wrapping. A reason why large fiberglass tanks have not been popular in the past is the difficulty of constructing these tanks under field conditions. The tanks are often built in deserts, or mountain tops and away from the pristine and controlled conditions of the laboratory. Resins are commonly delivered with promoters for a certain fixed temperature, normally room temperature. However, in the field, temperature will vary substantially. Certainly, variations from 32.degree. to 120.degree. F. may be expected. These conditions mean that the percent additives for promoting the resin and the percent of catalyst for the chemical reaction, which will vary widely under those temperature variations, need to be adjusted constantly for existing air temperatures. Considering that some of these percentages are very small compared to the volume of resin, accurate metering and mixing is required which presents a major hurdle to on-site construction of fiberglass tanks. Current metering systems are not believed to be accurate enough under these conditions.
Accordingly, there has been a need for the invention claimed herein--a system which will accurately meter, mix and evenly spray composite materials to make the walls of such tanks or containment vessels.
The present invention is directed to improved tanks and structures and the processes and apparatus for their construction.
In the first aspect of the present invention, a metering, mixing and pumping system is disclosed which is used to apply one or more layers of rigidifying material to form the walls of such improved tank structures. While the system has broad applications, it is used in this instance to spray rigidifying material outwardly of an inflated membrane which is thereafter circumferentially prestressed once the rigidifying material has set.
Accordingly, in another aspect of the invention, the system is used in conjunction with an automated delivery system which, in the best mode, comprises a rotatable tower structure with a mechanism to raise or lower the pump delivery system so that the totality of the tank walls can be sprayed with rigidifying material. The system meters a variety of chemicals, typically comprising resins, catalysts, and promoters, accurately mixes them, and then delivers them via a spray nozzle to form the walls of the tank. A stream of chopped filaments or small aggregates is sometimes superimposed and intermixed in the spray to add strength. A computer monitors the conditions of delivery including temperature, mix ratios, pumping speed and movement of the spray unit.
The spray unit comprises a series of parallel pump systems coordinated so that the flow remains constant throughout their operating range.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
| 3329296 |
Feb 1985 |
DEX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
50317 |
May 1987 |
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Patent Grant
5076495
