Claims
- 1. An apparatus for storing a liquid and for preventing the formation of vapor from the liquid, the apparatus comprising:
- a support structure having a supporting surface and a rigid wall structure surrounding and extending upwardly from the supporting surface,
- a first membrane supported by the support structure, the first membrane and the supporting surface defining therebetween a fluid containment space for storing the liquid,
- a member supported by the wall structure, the member in conjunction with the first membrane and the wall structure defining therebetween a fluid-tight gas containment space, the gas containment space being adapted to house a gas under pressure, and
- means for supplying the gas under pressure to and withdrawing the gas under pressure from the gas containment space such that pressure is applied to the first membrane sufficient to maintain the liquid in the fluid containment space in a liquid state and to prevent the formation of vapor in the fluid containment space.
- 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising means for supplying liquid to and withdrawing liquid from the fluid containment space.
- 3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wall structure is a steel tank.
- 4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first membrane is fabricated of urethane fabric.
- 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a sensor for detecting foreign substances in the gas being withdrawn from the gas containment space and an alarm operably connected to the sensor such that the alarm is triggered in the event that the sensor detects foreign substance in the gas withdrawn from the gas containment space.
- 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the member is a second membrane.
- 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second membrane is fabricated of polyester fabric.
- 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the member is a cover that encloses the wall structure.
- 9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising at least one hold down bar for securing the first membrane to the support structure.
- 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising at least one hold down bar for securing the member to the wall structure.
- 11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising means for discharging a portion of the gas in the gas containment space to the atmosphere if the pressure of the gas in the gas containment space exceeds a maximum selected pressure.
- 12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for supplying the gas under pressure to and withdrawing the gas under pressure from the gas containment space includes means for maintaining the first membrane in a shape conforming to the shape of the top surface of the stored liquid.
- 13. An apparatus for preventing the formation of vapor from a stored liquid, the apparatus comprising:
- a support structure,
- a first membrane supported by the support structure, the first membrane and the support structure defining therebetween a fluid containment space for storing liquid,
- a member supported by the support structure, the member and the first membrane defining therebetween a gas containment space,
- a sensor for sensing the pressure of the gas in the gas containment space,
- a gas storage vessel,
- means for adding gas from the gas storage vessel to the gas containment space whereby a pressure is maintained on the first membrane above the vapor pressure of the stored liquid, and
- means for withdrawing gas from the gas containment space to the storage vessel when the pressure of the gas in the gas containment space exceeds a preselected pressure.
- 14. An apparatus for preventing the formation of vapor from a stored liquid as set forth in claim 13 and further comprising a sensor for detecting foreign substances in the gas being withdrawn from the gas containment space and an alarm operably connected to the sensor such that the alarm is triggered in the event that the sensor detects a foreign substance.
- 15. An apparatus for preventing the formation of vapor from a stored liquid as set forth in claim 13 and further comprising means for discharging a portion of the gas in the gas containment space to the atmosphere if the pressure of the gas in the gas containment space exceeds a maximum selected pressure.
- 16. An apparatus for preventing the formation of vapor from a stored liquid as set forth in claim 13 wherein the storage vessel is a pneumatic accumulator having a first chamber in communication with the gas containment space for supplying gas to and receiving gas from the gas containment space and having a second chamber for containing a second gas and further comprising means for adding the second gas to or withdrawing the second gas from the second chamber so as to maintain a selected pressure on the gas in the first chamber of the pneumatic accumulator.
- 17. An apparatus for preventing the formation of vapor from a stored liquid as set forth in claim 16 wherein the pneumatic accumulator further includes a membrane separating the first and second chambers.
- 18. A method for storing a liquid to prevent vapor formation, the method comprising the steps:
- providing a container having a support structure, a first membrane supported by the support structure, the first membrane and the support structure defining therebetween a fluid containment space for storing the liquid, and a member supported by the support structure, the member in conjunction with at least the first membrane defining therebetween a gas containment space,
- supplying the liquid to be stored to the fluid containment space,
- supplying gas to the gas containment space from a gas storage vessel,
- sensing the pressure of the gas in the gas containment space, and
- adding gas to the gas containment space if the pressure of the gas in the gas containment space falls below the vapor pressure of the stored liquid.
- 19. A method for storing a liquid to prevent vapor formation as set forth in claim 18 and further including the step of withdrawing gas from the gas containment space if the pressure of the gas in the gas containment exceeds a maximum selected pressure.
- 20. A method for storing a liquid to prevent vapor formation as set forth in claim 19 and further including the step of maintaining the gas in a closed system such that gas being withdrawn from the gas containment space is sent to a storage vessel and gas being added to the gas containment space comes from the storage vessel.
- 21. A method for storing a liquid to prevent vapor formation as set forth in claim 19 and further comprising the steps of sensing the gas being withdrawn from the gas containment space for foreign substances and triggering an alarm if foreign substance are detected in the gas.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 07/849,755 filed Mar. 12, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,722 entitled "VAPORLESS LIQUID CONTAINMENT SYSTEM."
US Referenced Citations (17)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
849755 |
Mar 1992 |
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