Techn i cal field

The invention relates to a process for preventing the losses resulting from filling, venting and evaporation mainly in horizontal cylindrical tanks containing volatile materials, as well as for the sterile storage of refreshers and alcoholic drinks, in particular fruit pulps and wine.

The invention also relates to the equipment for the performance of the process described above.

Background art

For the storage of volatile materials - as e.g. petrol- different tanks are used. These can be built-in or designed as transportable tanks. Built-in tanks may be arranged above the ground-level or underground-. Transportable tanks are mainly cylindrical or of similar shape, being arranged horizontally.

Economϊ caI i ty of storage is highly influenced by the storage losses occuring during storage.

In case of volatile materials, especially of materials with an intensive evaporat i vϊ ty, significant evaporat¬ ion losses are caused by the fact that the space above the Liquid in the tank is filled with a liquid vapour; the vapour escapes in the ambient atmosphere, accordingly the quantity of the stored material becomes less.

For diminishing evaporation losses different solutions have been known. With one of these solution the air conduit on the top of the tank used to be closed by

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means of a snap made of leather, a metal sheet, a synthetic material or of any suitable equivalent mater i al.

The drawback of this solution lies in that in course of operation the tanks e re repeatedly and regularly filled, when the air being* rich ϊ.n vapour is escaping from the space above the liquid result¬ ing in the evaporation losses mentioned before. A further deficiency lies in that a completely impermeable closure cannot be achieved by means of the said closing elements, as a consequence, even in a stationary state of the stored material evaporation losses may occur. These losses - under the influence of wind and changes in temperature - may be quite high in open-air tanks, at the same time the majority of the tanks having been designed for the industry are for open-air use.

Tanks are also known which - in order to be able to reduce evaporation losses - are designed so that two cylinder-halves with a common axis may be pushed into one another. Although this solution is to considered as efficient, but compared to monolithic tanks cost expenditure is utmost high, besides in course of charge and discharge, respectively, displacement of the upper cylϊndrϊc part required complicated mechanical equipments.

From the Hungarian patent HU-PS 154 848 a solution is known, with which the liquid having been stored in the tank is separated from the space above the liquid by means of a material floating on the surface of the liquid, not interfering with the stored liquid and not adhering to the tank wall, e.g. by a synthetic foil, inhibiting thus the occurence of evaporation. The

synthetic foil is fixed to the tank wall either by an internal overpressure or external vacuum, in an impermeable manner.

With standing cylindrical tanks a solution using a floating cover is also known, where the floating lid floating on the surface of the liquid and consist¬ ing of closed floating elements communicates with the outer atmosphere and the annular surface between the mantle of the tank and the brim of the floating lid is closed by a closing device. The closing device has to be provided with a proper sealing being resistan to the liquid stored in the tank.

However, this solution is partly complicated and expensive, partly it can be applied with standing and localized cylindrical tanks only.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the invention is to develop a process and an equipment which eliminates evaporation losses also with horizontal cylindrical transportable tanks and tank vehicles as well, production is cheap and simple, simultaneously yielding the possibility of the sub¬ sequent storing of different liquids without complicat¬ ed flusing of the tank, furtheron enabling the aseptic transport and storage of materials, as e.g. fruit-pulps, refreshers and alcoholic drinks which require sterile cond i t ions. in accordance with the invention the task is solved in such a manner that first of all a closed foil inset being resistant to the stored material is laid into the tank, subsequently the opening of the foil inset is connected to the charge pipe in a sealed manner; the material to be stored is filled into the foil inset

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and after having finished the charging procedure, the opening of the foil inset of the filling pipe having been connected thereto is closed.

When discharging, first of all connection between the racking or discharging pipe and the opening of the foil is to be established, thereafter - the material is removed from the foil inset, at* last in a given case the emptied foil inset is removed from the tank. If required, prior to laying the foil into the tank, the foil is properly sterilized.

The equipment according to the invention has the essential feature, in so far as it contains a closed foil inset which can be laid into the tank, respectively removed therefrom in an empty state, which is made of a material being resistant to the stored material, being dimensioned and shaped so as to conform to the internal dϊmens-ϊon and shape of the tank and which can be connected to the charging and discharging ducts so, as to enable inflow and outflow of the liquid. On the outer side of the foil inset expediently floats are to be found. With a preferred embodiment the foil inset is provided with an extension for the connection with the charging and discharging ducts; an embodiment may be considered as advantageous too, where connection is taking place by means of a connecting branch having been provided with a pair of flanges or a flanged connection.

Easy charge and discharge may be achieved by providing the end of the charging and discharging ducts protrud- ing into the foil inset with a suction basket.

At a further preferred embodiment of the invention the charging and discharging duct is led through the man-

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hole of the tank, being arranged along the dome of the tank wall and connected to the extension of the foil inset on the bottom of the tank.

For the control of the liquid level within the tank different level displayers and level measuring lines may be installed. With one of the preferred embodiments a calibrated measuring rod with a disc pene'trates into the tank through the man-hole and the disc thereof is bearing up externally on the wall of the foil insert. Compared to the presently applied methods and solutions the process and the equipment according to the invention are showing the following most essential features:

- evaporation losses of the stored liquid can be practically completely eliminated; - the stored corrosive material does not come into con¬ tact with the inner surface of the tank, as a con¬ sequence corrosion stops, useful life of the tank is prolonged;

- no contamination is able to get into the stored material from the wall of the tank;

- when the tank wears through, the stored material can¬ not escape through the hole, simultaneously possibilit of wearing through is also less;

- the vapours of the stored material do not contaminate the environment, process of transfer-storage is to be considered as a closed procedure;

- hazards of inflammability is also less, as in course of charging and discharging, respectively, incendiary and explosive gases and vapours do not get into the atmosphere;

- during charging and discharging cycles atmospheric -oisture cannot infiltrate into the stored material;

- neither in course of the chargI ng-d i scharg i ng procedure, nor meanwhile storing the material oxidizes, deteriorates; quality does not become worse, so e.g. octane number does not change.

- when storing basic materials for fruit juices, condensed fruit pulps, wines, the sterϊl-i.zed product being filled into the previously-' ^• sterilized foil inset preserves its quality since neither in course of charge and discharge, nor in course of storage microorganisms are finding access to the material.

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention will be described in detail by means of some preferred embodiments serving as an example, by means of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is showing schematically, partly in a sectional view and underground storage tank end a tank vehicle;

Fig. 2 is the view of the foil inset;

Fig. 2a is showing the section taken along the line I i-l I of figure 2;

Fig. 3 illustrates the application of the solution according to the invention in case of an underground tank, in a schematϊcal sectional v iew;

Fig. 4 is the sectional view taken along the line IV- IV of figure 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line V-V of figure 3;

Fig. 6 is showing a further embodiment of the foil i nset .

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Bes t Mode of Ca r ry _' i nσ- ou t t he I n ven t i on

Referring to Figure 1, in the tank of the transport vehicle 1 there is a closed foil inset 2, contain¬ ing the liquid to be stored - in our example a fuel- into which the racking pipe 5 penetrates. On the end of the racking pipe 5 a suction basket 11 ^'" ^s to be found, while the other end is connected to the charg¬ ing pipe 6. The charging pipe 6 is connected to the extension pipe 9, the discharging pipe 7 and the level measuring pipe 8 are also connected thereto, the latter one communicates with the underground tank 3 via a pair of flanges 14. In the tank 3 there is a closed foil inset, in the vicinity of the opening of the foil the suction basket 12 is arranged. The vent pipe 10 is connected to the top of the tank 3. The racking pipe 5 is connected to the transport vehicle 1 via a pair of flanges 13, on the top of the tank of the transport vehicle there is the dome - aperture 15. Charge and discharge are faking place in such" a manner that from the transport vehicle 1 the fuel is flowing grav imetrical ly to the tank 3. Meanwhile the tank of the transport vehicle 1 exhausts air through the dome- aperture 15, while the air in the underground tank 3 is leaving through the vent pipe 10. In a traditional case, i.e. if the foil inset according to the invention is not applied, the air leaving the tank is rich in petrol vapour, accordingly, in course of charge as many m 3 petrol vapour would leave, as many m3 petrol are filled into the tank.

In accordance with the invention the foil inset 2 is laid into tha tank of the transport vehicle 1, while the foil inset 4 is laid into the tank 3; it goes

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without saying, that both foils are to be made of an elastic material being resistant to petrol. Prior to the first charge the foil insets 2 and 4 are to be deaerated, whereby they shrink and collapse. When a liquid is filled into the foil inset 2 and 4, respectively, the volume thereof will be pr.actically equal to the volume of the petrol charged. _. Since both the tank of the transport vehicle 1 and the tank 3 are charged from the bottom, and charge and discharge are performed through the same stub, there is no airspace over the liquid, because the evaporat¬ ing components are re-condensed.

In sense of the invention in course of charging the fuel is flowing from the closed foil inset 2 into the foil inset 4 of the' tank 3. The foil inset 2 is connected hermetically with the racking pipe 5 at the pair of flanges 13, while the foil inset is connected to the extension pipe 9 in a sealed manner at the pair of flanges 14. In course of filHng the volume of the foil inset 2 decreases, while the volume of the foil inset 4 increases. Thereafter air is streaming into the tank of the transport vehicle 1 through the dome - aperture 15, into the space outside the foil inset 2, at the sane time the clean air, free of petrol vapour is leaving the space outside the foil inset 4 through the vent pipe 10. Then the tank of the transport vehicle 1 resp. the tank 3 a re discharged, the foil 2 and 4 would be sucked in into the discharge stub, however, the suction baskets 11, 12 are preventing suction.

The inner surface of the tank 3 must be free of any kind of lugs, protrusions and uneveness, since these may lead to the disruption of the foil 4.

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As it is seen in Figure 1, in course of the transfer process of the petrol as well as at the transport vehicle, as at the underground tank 3 evaporation losses resulting from charging, venting and storage have been absolutely eliminated.

The connecting extension 22 of the foil inset 21 to be seen in Figures 2 and 2a is provided wit * a. flange 23 being similar to a sealing ring, and due to the affecting accessory strains it is made of a multϊ- layer stronger foil. The flange 23 is clamped between the pair of flanges not illustrated here. Suction of the foil inset into the suction stub is prevented by the suction basket 24, the extension pipe 24a of which projects over the extension 22, accordingly the extension 22 cannot collapse during the discharge.

In course of charging wrinkling of the foil inset 21 can be prevented by the bulged tubular floats 25 having been fixed on the outside of the foil; when the liquid level is raising, the floats are ascending to the surface and smooth the foil inset 21.

In figures 3 to 6 embodiments of the foil inset 4 are to be seen, which do not require the disassembly of the underground tank structure. In the developed western countries two steel tank are put into one another to prevent the leakage of the material stored, if one of the tanks became damaged. Prescriptions relating to ecology stipulate this rather expensive solution, as leakage of the fuel cannot be easily detected. The charging duct 16 and the discharging duct 17 are connected to the tank 3 beside the man-hole 1S of the underground tank 3 on the upper mantle-edge said

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ducts are following the line of the tank 3 and end at the lower generatrix of the tank 3, where they are continued in the suction basket 19. The foil in¬ set 4 is fixed to said ducts at the connection of the suction basket 19 and the charge duct 16 and discharge duct 17, respectively. When the tank 3 is charged, the foil inset 4 - having been provided with the extension 4a as it is to be seen in Figure 6 - encloses plastically the charging duct 16 and the discharging duct 17. The arrangement is to be seen in Figures 4 and 5.

In addition to the advantages already mentioned, the main advantage of the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 6 lies in that no earthwork is required for the installation of the fpil inset 4, the pair of flanges 14 having been arranged at the bottom of the tank 3 (Figure 1) can be omitted, while by using the foil inset 4 operational safety of the double-walled tanks can be further improved. For measuring the level or a li uid stored in the tank 3, a calibrated measuring rod 20 is applied, which is provided with a disc at its end, the rod is led through the man-hole, while the disc is bearing up against the surface of the foil inset 4.