Tank liner

Abstract

A liquid-tight tank liner for use with elongate tanks with rounded end walls is disclosed. The liner is configured to carry the hydrostatic pressure loading which would otherwise be applied to longer side walls of the tank when the tank is filled with water or other liquid.

1 . A liquid-tight liner for installation into a tank shell of elongate shape having opposed end walls and opposed side walls, the liner being fabricated from flexible sheet material impervious to passage of water or other liquid, the liner providing a series of interconnected tubular cells extending from a base of the tank to a top of the tank shell, the configuration of the liner in its uninstalled state being such that when the liner is installed within the tank shell and is filled with water or other liquid, the cells at the respective ends of the liner will engage the adjacent end wall of the tank shell and will be deformed into a non-cylindrical shape, and the or each cell intermediate the end cells will be deformed into an elongate shape transversely of the side walls of the tank, the or each intermediate cell having part-cylindrical end walls which are positioned in relation to the side walls of the tank shell when in the installed state whereby the side walls of the tank shell will not be subject to substantial, if any, water or other liquid pressure tending to distort the side walls. 
   
   
       2 . A liner according to  claim 1  designed for use with a tank shell in which the end walls of the tank shell are of part-cylindrical shape. 
   
   
       3 . A liner according to  claim 1 , wherein the cells are fabricated as separate cells each with an upstanding wall and a base when installed in the tank shell, each cell being interconnected to an adjacent cell to provide water or other liquid flow between the cells. 
   
   
       4 . A liner according to  claim 1 , wherein the liner is constructed from panels of the sheet material welded or glued together to form the cells such that adjacent cells share a common upstanding wall provided by a single panel and a base sealed to the lower ends of the panels forming the cells when installed in the tank shell. 
   
   
       5 . A liner according to  claim 4 , wherein the welds connecting the adjacent panels are between parts of the panels directed transversely to the side walls of the tank shell when the liner is installed in the tank whereby the welded or glued connections are subject principally to a shear loading when water or other liquid is in the liner. 
   
   
       6 . A liner according to  claim 5 , wherein the upstanding wall and the base of each cell are separate components that are welded or glued or otherwise connected together. 
   
   
       7 . A liner according to  claim 6 , wherein the shape of the base is the shape required when the cell is installed in the tank shell and filled with water. 
   
   
       8 . A liner according to  claim 1  formed with water inlet and water outlet openings for when the liner is installed in a tank shell. 
   
   
       9 . A liner according to  claim 8  formed with fittings located in the openings to allow the liner to be coupled to water inlet and water outlet fittings when the liner is installed in a tank shell. 
   
   
       10 . A liquid-tight liner for installation into a tank shell of elongate shape having opposed end walls and opposed side walls, the liner being fabricated from flexible sheet material impervious to passage of water or other liquid, the liner having an upstanding peripheral wall, a base sealed to the peripheral wall, and a series of spaced baffles extending between opposed sides of the peripheral wall lying adjacent the sides of the shell when the liner is installed in the tank shell, the sheet material forming the baffles being connected to the inside face of the peripheral wall by welding or gluing, and the baffles being of such a length that when the liner is installed in the tank shell and subject to the hydrostatic pressure of water or other liquid stored within the tank, the baffles will maintain the opposed sides of the liner in relation to adjacent sides of the tank shell whereby the side walls of the tank shell will not be subject to substantial, if any, water or other liquid pressure tending to distort the side walls. 
   
   
       11 . A liner according to  claim 10 , wherein the part of the inside face of the peripheral wall to which each baffle is connected is directed transversely to the side walls of the tank shell when the liner is installed in the tank whereby the connections are subject principally to a shear loading when water or other liquid is in the liner. 
   
   
       12 . A liner according to  claim 10 , wherein the baffles are spaced longitudinally of the liner. 
   
   
       13 . A liner according to  claim 10 , wherein the baffles are spaced vertically of the liner. 
   
   
       14 . A liner according to  claim 10 , wherein the opposite ends of the liner when installed in the tank are engaged with the ends of the tank shell. 
   
   
       15 . A liquid-tight liner for installation into a tank shell of elongate shape having opposed end walls and opposed side walls, the liner being fabricated from flexible sheet material impervious to passage of water or other liquid, the liner providing a series of interconnected tubular cells and is such that when installed within the tank and filled with water or other liquid the side walls of the tank shell will not be subject to substantial, if any, water or other liquid pressure tending to distort the side walls. 
   
   
       16 . A liner according to  claim 15 , wherein the cells are fabricated as separate cells, each cell being interconnected to an adjacent cell to provide liquid flow between the cells. 
   
   
       17 . A liner according to  claim 15 , wherein the cells are directed in the liner with the axis of each cell extending substantially vertically. 
   
   
       18 . A liner according to  claim 15 , wherein the cells are directed in the liner with the axis of each cell extending substantially horizontally. 
   
   
       19 . A liquid-tight liner for installation into a tank shell of elongate shape having opposed end walls and opposed side walls, the liner being fabricated from flexible sheet material impervious to passage of water or other liquid and the liner having a structure such that when the liner is installed within the tank shell and filled with liquid the side walls of the tank shell will not be subject to substantial, if any, water or other liquid pressure tending to distort the side walls. 
   
   
       20 . A tank for water or another liquid that comprises a tank shell and a liner according to any one of the preceding claims installed in the tank shell, wherein the tank shell is an elongated shape with straight side walls and narrower end walls, wherein the liner has an upstanding wall which conforms approximately to the wall of the shell and a base sealed to the all of the liner, and wherein opposite end wall sections of the wall of the liner are braced against the end walls of the shell and are thereby supported by the shell and whereby side wall sections of the wall of the liner can carry hydrostatic pressure loading of water or other liquid in the liner around the periphery of the cells without subjecting the side walls of the shell to substantial, if any, loading tending to cause the side walls to distort. 
   
   
       21 . A tank according to  claim 20 , wherein the liner comprises a series of separate cells having cylindrical upstanding walls that can carry hydrostatic pressure loading of water or other liquid in the liner uniformly around the periphery of the cells without subjecting the side walls of the shell to substantial, if any, loading tending to cause the side walls to distort. 
   
   
       22 . A tank according to  claim 21 , wherein the end cells of the series of cells are braced against the end walls of the shell and cause intermediate cells in the series of cells to be compressed so that the cells are elongated transversely to a longitudinal axis of the shell.