FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a container arrangement.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a container arrangement for transporting and storing liquids, including but not limited to fuels, like such as diesel and avgas (aviation gasoline).

BACKGROUND TO INVENTION

Water contamination is one of the chief enemies of any diesel and avgas fuelled equipment. Water has always caused rust and corrosion of fuel system components and infrastructure. Component life is also severely shortened by direct water damage, e.g. by etching, erosion, abrasion, pitting, cavitation, ice and spalling, as well as by indicated water damage, e.g. by soft solids, microbial growth and fuel oxidation. Modern fuel systems are so much less tolerant than older lower pressure systems that manufacturers now specify that zero free water must reach the engine.

This water can cause severe problems with water separators on the equipment. It can also cause the fuel injector tips to explode, resulting in expensive repairs. In fact, slugs of water in the fuel can cause sudden cooling in the engine and may result in shortened engine life.

All fuels contain some water in suspension, but unlike gasoline, diesel fuel is less refined and will hold a much larger amount. Diesel fuel can contain two types of water, water in solution or free water. Diesel fuel can contain low levels of water that may be dissolved in the fuel, thus the term 'water in solution'. These very low concentrations of water are reported in parts per million (ppm). There are various reasons that a diesel fuel may contain dissolved water. Among them are various microbes, condensation of water in a fuel tank, components in the diesel fuel which help to retain the water in solution, and fuel temperature.

But only low concentrations of water can remain as water in solution. Water cannot exist in suspension in high concentrations in standard diesel fuel due to the significant differences in the chemical properties of diesel and water. The two liquids will typically separate, with water dropping out of the diesel fuel and accumulating at the bottom of a fuel tank.

Water which is not in the diesel fuel as a dissolved component is considered 'free water.' This would include water suspended in diesel as the result of agitation or water which is phase separated from the diesel fuel. The most common cause of free water in diesel fuel is poor housekeeping of storage tanks. The most common cause of dissolved water is the composition of the fuel itself, or additives which help to dissolve the water into a solution.

Water in suspension in burning fuel reduces the amount of energy available and will result in lower horsepower output. Water in fuel tanks, lines, injectors, filters, etc., will freeze more readily than the fuel. Most fuels freeze at a lower temperature than when water freezes. It is important to understand that low levels of water dissolved in the fuel are not necessarily a problem. Diesel fuel containing low levels of dissolved water, in the ppm concentration range, will typically provide satisfactory service. However, free water in diesel fuel could result in excessive injector wear, filter plugging, power loss and corrosion of engine fuel system parts.

Various solutions to removing the free water are known including filters and sieves, though they are either expensive, mechanically unsound or not 100% efficient.

It is an object of the invention to suggest a container arrangement which will assist in overcoming the aforementioned problems with any liquid containing another unwanted substance heavier than itself, including but not limited to diesel and avgas.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention, a container arrangement includes container means having

(a) at least one inlet/outlet opening through which liquids can be inserted or removed from the container means;

(b) a main chamber;

(c) a separation chamber located below the main chamber, having a first opening to the main chamber and being adapted to trap any unwanted substance having a higher density than that of the liquid itself when the liquid is poured out of the inlet/outlet opening.

The unwanted substance may include water contamination and/or other sediment. The liquid may be water or fuel, including diesel and/or avgas. The container arrangement may be portable.

The size of the separation chamber may be determined by the expected amount of unwanted substance heavier than the liquid itself and/or the ratio of unwanted substance to the liquid.

The separation chamber may be formed by means of plate means at the bottom of the container means.

The plate means may be angled and/or tapered to enable the unwanted substance to move from the main chamber though the first opening to the separation chamber by means of gravity and due to the difference in density of the unwanted substance and the liquid.

The angle of the plate means may be around 13.13 degrees.

The first opening may be located at the lower end of the plate means.

The lower end of the plate means is located on the opposite side of the inlet/outlet opening of the container means.

The inlet/outlet opening may include pouring and/or spout means.

The unwanted substance may be removed and/or drained as follows:

(a) by means of a second opening and/or tapping point located at the high side or bottom side of the separation chamber; and/or (b) by means of a second opening and/or tapping point located at the high side or bottom side of the separation chamber after the liquid has been decanted or poured out of the main chamber; and/or

(c) by tilting the container means in the opposite direction of the pouring direction to allow the unwanted substance trapped in the separation chamber to exit via the first opening and from there via the inlet/outlet opening.

The plate means may include bleed holes adapted to control the volume of unwanted substance that can be trapped in the separation chamber after full decanting of the liquid.

The bleed holes may be selectively placed in the plate means.

The container arrangement may be provided in various sizes.

The liquid may consist of any substance, including but not limited to an oil and/or any fuel and/or any other liquid which is not miscible with water and/or other contamination/sediment or even water alone.

In this specification fuel and water contamination may refer to any two liquids which are not miscible and have different densities.

The container arrangement is not limited to any specific form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing. In the drawing there is shown a sectional side view of the container arrangement according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

Referring to the drawing, a container arrangement, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, in accordance to the invention is shown.

The container arrangement 10 includes container means 12 having

(a) at least one inlet/outlet opening 14 through which liquids can be inserted or removed from the container means 12;

(b) a main chamber 16;

(c) a separation chamber 18 located below the main chamber 16, having a first opening 20 to the main chamber 16 and being adapted to trap unwanted substances having a higher density than that of the liquid when the liquid is poured out of the inlet/outlet opening 14.

The liquid can be water or fuel including diesel and/or avgas.

The liquid can consist of any substance, including but not limited to an oil and/or any fuel and/or any other liquid which is not miscible with water and/or other contamination/sediment or even water alone.

The container arrangement 10 is portable.

The size of the separation chamber 18 is determined by the expected amount of unwanted substance in the liquid and/or the ratio of unwanted substance to the liquid. The separation chamber 18 is formed by means of plate means 22 at the bottom of the container means 12.

The plate means 22 is angled and/or tapered to enable the unwanted substance to move from the main chamber 16 though the first opening 20 to the separation chamber 18 by means of gravity and due to the difference in density of the unwanted substance and the liquid.

The angle of the plate means 22 can be around 13.13 degrees.

The first opening 20 is located at the lower end of the plate means 22.

The lower end of the plate means 22 is located on the opposite side of the inlet/outlet opening 14 of the container means 12.

The inlet/outlet opening 14 can include pouring and/or spout means.

The unwanted substance in the separation chamber 18 can be removed and/or drained as follows:

(a) by means of a second opening and/or tapping point 24 located at the high side or bottom side of the separation chamber 18; and/or

(b) by means of a second opening and/or tapping point 24 located at the high side or bottom side of the separation chamber 18 after the liquid has been decanted or poured out of the main chamber 16; and/or (c) by tilting the container means 12 in the opposite direction of the pouring direction to allow the unwanted substance trapped in the separation chamber 18 to exit via the first opening 20 and from there via the inlet/outlet opening 14.

The plate means 22 can include bleed holes 26 adapted to control the volume of unwanted substance that can be trapped in the separation chamber 18 after full decanting of the liquid.

The bleed holes 26 can be selectively placed in the plate means 22. The container arrangement 10 can be provided in various sizes. The container arrangement is not limited to any specific form.