System and method for supporting tanks

Abstract

A plurality of modular pad units each include a rigid foam core having a polymer coating. Each unit has a similar configuration, substantially uniform thickness and a perimeter shape that includes a circular part, a male key part configured for mating with a female keyway part. The units are arranged by interlocking the units such that the male key part of each modular pad unit mates with the female keyway part of another modular pad unit, and the circular parts of the units align to form a circle. The multiple interlocked units providing a circular storage pad that is at least ten feet in diameter and that has a thickness of at least three inches. The bottom of the storage tank is placed directly on the circular storage pad to support and isolate the tank bottom from the ground at the site.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of supporting a storage tank in the field, the method comprising the steps of:
 utilizing a plurality of modular pad units, each modular pad unit including a rigid foam core having a polymer coating thereon, each modular pad unit having a similar configuration with a substantially uniform thickness and a perimeter shape that includes a circular part, a male key part and a female keyway part, wherein the male key part is configured for mating with the female keyway part;   arranging the modular pad units at a site where the storage tank is to be located, including interlocking the modular pad units such that the male key part of each modular pad unit mates with the female keyway part of another modular pad unit and the circular parts of the modular pad units align to form a circle, the multiple interlocked modular pad units providing a circular storage pad that is at least ten feet in diameter and that has a thickness of at least three inches; and   placing a bottom of the storage tank directly on the circular storage pad, whereby the circular storage pad supports the storage tank and isolates the storage tank from the ground at the site.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polymer coating is a polyurethane or polyurea compound that is applied using a plural component spray process. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polymer coating has a thickness of at least 80 mils. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the polymer coating has a thickness of between about 80 mils and about 125 mils. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the circular storage pad has an R-value of at least 26. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least three modular pad units are interlocked to form the circular storage pad. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein at least four modular pad units are interlocked to form the circular storage pad. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a weight of each modular pad unit is less than 75 pounds. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein a weight of each modular pad unit is less than 50 pounds. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polymer coating has a tensile strength of at least 1500, an elongation of at least 200%, a tear strength of at least 300 pli and a hardness of at least D40. 
     
     
         11 . A supported tank system, comprising:
 a plurality of modular pad units, each modular pad unit including a rigid foam core encased in a polymer coating, each modular pad unit having a similar configuration with a substantially uniform thickness and a perimeter shape that includes a circular part, a male key part and a female keyway part, wherein the male key part of each modular pad unit is configured for mating with the female keyway part of another modular pad unit in a manner that inhibits the male key part from being laterally puller away from the female keyway part;   the modular pad units arranged in an interlocking manner such that the male key part of each modular pad unit mates with the female keyway part of another pad unit and the circular parts of the modular pad units align such that the multiple interlocked modular pad units providing a strapless circular storage pad that is at least ten feet in diameter and has a thickness of at least three inches; and   an upright storage tank unit supported on the circular storage pad, the storage tank having a diameter that is less than or equal to the diameter of the circular storage pad, the storage tank having a volume of at least 10,000 gallons.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the polymer coating is one of a polyurethane or polyurea compound that is applied using a plural component spray process. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the polymer coating has a thickness of at least 80 mils. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the circular storage pad has an R-value of at least 26. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein at least three modular pad units are interlocked to form the circular storage pad. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein at least four modular pad units are interlocked to form the circular storage pad. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein a weight of each modular pad unit is less than  75  pounds. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the rigid foam core is formed by a expanded polystyrene material. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the polymer coating has a tensile strength of at least 1500, an elongation of at least 200%, a tear strength of at least 300 pli and a hardness of at least D40. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a modular pad unit that can be used to produce a circular tank storage pad, the method comprising the steps of:
 creating a rigid foam core member having a substantially uniform thickness and a perimeter shape that includes a circular part, a male key part and a female keyway part;   utilizing a plural component processing system to apply a polymer coating to the rigid foam core member such that the rigid foam core member is encased in the polymer coating produce a modular pad unit;   wherein the resultant modular pad unit has a substantially uniform thickness and perimeter shape with circular part, male key part and female keyway part sized and positioned such that multiple modular pad units can be interconnected in an interlocking manner such that the male key part of each modular pad unit mates with the female keyway part of another modular pad unit and the circular parts of the modular pad units align to form a circle that is at least ten feet in diameter.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the polymer coating is polyurethane or polyurea compound. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the polymer coating is applied to provide a resulting thickness of at least 80 mils. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein a weight of the modular pad unit is less than 75 pounds. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein a weight of the modular pad unit is less than 50 pounds. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polymer coating has a tensile strength of at least 1500, an elongation of at least 200%, a tear strength of at least 300 pli and a hardness of at least D40.