Tank and silo system

Abstract

A tank or silo storage system comprising a plurality of curved tessellating panels, the tessellating panels being arranged in use to form a plurality of cylindrical rings, the plurality of cylindrical rings being arranged in use to be adjacent to one another to form an elongate cylindrical tank or silo body, the panels are provided with protuberances and continuity couplings for the protuberances or the tank or silo is provided with a radially alternating stiffening arrangement.

1 . A tank storage system comprising a plurality of curved tessellating panels, the tessellating panels being arranged in use to form a plurality of cylindrical rings, the plurality of cylindrical rings being arranged in use to be adjacent to one another to form an elongate cylindrical tank body,
 wherein some or all of the plurality of curved tessellating panels comprise one or more protuberance(s) extending circumferentially along and radially from the outer surface of the panel(s), the system further comprising protuberance bridging links, each bridging link aligning at a first end with a contour of a protuberance on a first panel and at a second end with a contour of a protuberance of an adjacent panel.   
     
     
         2 . A tank storage system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the protuberances are in the form of elongate generally convex ribs extending along and around each panel and further comprising a smooth intersecting perimeter intersecting with the surface of the panel surrounding the protuberance. 
     
     
         3 . A tank storage system as claimed in  claim 1 or 2 , wherein an edge region of each panel which in use is aligned with an adjacent panel is substantially smooth. 
     
     
         4 . A tank storage system as claimed in  any preceding claim  wherein a panel comprises either (A) a single protuberance(s) extending circumferentially along and radially from the outer surface of the panel; or (B) a pair of parallel protuberance(s) extending circumferentially along and radially from the outer surface of the panel. 
     
     
         5 . A tank storage system as claimed in  any preceding claim  wherein the perimeter of each panel in provided with a plurality of holes allowing adjacent panels to be coupled together through said holes. 
     
     
         6 . A tank storage system as claimed in  any preceding claim  wherein, the end portions of the bridging links have a profile generally complementary to the outer surface of the protuberance to allow alignment and connection to a protuberance. 
     
     
         7 . A tank storage system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the central portion of each bridging link between the opposing end portions is spaced radially inwards from the radial position of the two opposing end portions so as to abut with the surfaces of two adjacent panels. 
     
     
         8 . A tank storage system as claimed in  any preceding claim  where the central portion of each bridging link between the opposing end portions comprises a plurality of holes for alignment with the perimeter holes of adjacent panels. 
     
     
         9 . A tank storage system as claimed in  any preceding claim  wherein the bridging link further comprises a radially outer link arranged in use to extend in a line between the first end portion and the second end portion of a bridging link. 
     
     
         10 . A tank storage system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the bridging link and outer link are arranged in use to be coupled to adjacent protuberances of adjacent panels at either end thereof and the central portion of the bridging link is arranged in use to be couplable to adjacent panels. 
     
     
         11 . A protuberance bridging link, for aligning in use at a first end with a contour of a protuberance on a first panel and at a second end with a contour of a protuberance of an adjacent panel of a tank storage system as claimed in  any preceding claim . 
     
     
         12 . A tank storage system comprising a plurality of curved tessellating panels, the tessellating panels being arranged in use to form a plurality of cylindrical rings, the plurality of cylindrical rings being arranged in use to be adjacent to one another to form an elongate cylindrical tank body, wherein the tessellating panels each comprise a plurality of holes allowing adjacent panels to be coupled together;
 the system further comprising one or more stiffening arrangements, the stiffening arrangement comprising:   an outer ring arrangement coaxial with and extending around the tank body; and   an intermediate ring arrangement coaxial with and extending around the tank body and located in use between the outer ring arrangement and an outer surface of the tank body,   wherein the intermediate ring arrangement is radially alternating in profile having circumferential regions in contact with the outer ring arrangement and circumferential regions in contact with the outer surface of the tank.   
     
     
         13 . A tank storage system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the circumferential regions in contact with the outer surface of the tank are positioned between circumferential regions in contact with the outer ring arrangement. 
     
     
         14 . A tank storage system as claimed in  claim 12 or 13 , wherein the outer ring arrangement and intermediate ring arrangement are formed of a plurality of discrete elements which, when coupled together, define the outer ring and intermediate ring circumferences. 
     
     
         15 . A tank storage system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of discrete elements forming the intermediate ring comprise opposing end portions radially spaced from a central region there-between, wherein the end portions comprise a coupling for connection to adjacent intermediate ring elements and the central region comprises coupling for connection to the outer surface of the tank body. 
     
     
         16 . A tank storage system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein adjacent end portions of the discrete elements forming the intermediate ring are arranged to align with a vertical line along which adjacent tessellating panels are coupled together. 
     
     
         17 . A tank storage system as claimed in any of  claims 12 to 16 , wherein the outer ring arrangement and the intermediate ring arrangement are coupled together at positions where the two are in abutment with each other. 
     
     
         18 . A tank storage system as claimed in any of  claims 12 to 17 , wherein each cylindrical ring comprises a pair of stiffening arrangements. 
     
     
         19 . A tank stiffening arrangement, the stiffening arrangement comprising:
 an outer ring arrangement coaxial with and extending around a tank body; and   an intermediate ring arrangement coaxial with and extending around the tank body and located in use between the outer ring arrangement and an outer surface of the tank body,   wherein the intermediate ring arrangement is radially alternating in profile having circumferential regions in contact with the outer ring arrangement and circumferential regions in contact with the outer surface of the tank.   
     
     
         20 . A tank storage system as claimed in  any preceding claim  wherein the stiffening ring bridging or continuous stiffening components are formed of a material selected from carbon fibre reinforced plastic, aluminium or alloys thereof, steel or alloys thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A tank storage system as claimed in  any preceding claim , wherein adjacent tessellating panels are arranged to be coupled together by a plurality of holes and bolts and wherein the linear density of bolt holes is higher at a lower height of the tank body than at a higher height of the tank body. 
     
     
         22 . A cylindrical tank for storing material comprising a combination of tank storage system as claimed in any of  claims 1 to 11  in combination with a tank storage system as claimed in any of  claims 12 to 18 .