Systems and methods for monitoring the integrity of a tank
View Patent ↗A conduit is connected to the interstice between an outer and inner wall of a storage tank or the liner thereof and may be used to monitor the integrity of the interstice. The conduit comprises a coupling in fluid communication with the interstice, a tube connected at one end to the coupling and having a length sufficient to extend into a riser pipe of the tank. The conduit may also include a bushing holding the tube apart from the tank and providing for the variable positioning of the tube with respect to the tank. A method of monitoring the integrity of the interstice uses monitoring equipment connected to the conduit.
1. A method of monitoring the integrity of a storage tank comprising:
providing a double-walled tank having:
an inner wall;
an outer wall;
an interstice between the inner wall and the outer wall; and
a riser pipe;
providing a tube having two ends with a length therebetween;
rigidly connecting one end of said tube to said doubled-walled tank by attaching only a first of said two ends to said inner wall;
having an internal volume of said tube be in fluid communication with said interstice; and
monitoring the contents of said interstice using monitoring equipment connected to said interstice through said tube.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said connecting comprises connecting said tube at one end to said inner wall at a position adjacent to a location in said interstice that is designed to be a low point in elevation.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring includes monitoring the pressure of said interstice relative to ambient air pressure.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring includes detecting the presence of a liquid.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring includes detecting a change in the level of a liquid.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said interstice is created by retrofitting an existing tank with an inner wall not present at the time said tank was originally manufactured.
7. A method of monitoring the integrity of a storage tank comprising:
providing a double-walled tank having:
an outer wall;
a liner creating an inner wall;
an interstice located between the outer wall and the liner;
a riser pipe;
a cut out area in the liner; and
a coupling attached to the liner at the cut out area so there is fluid communication between the interstice and the coupling;
providing a tube having an internal volume and two ends with a length therebetween;
rigidly connecting one end of said tube to said doubled-walled tank by attaching only a first of said two ends to said coupling so the internal volume of said tube is in fluid communication with said interstice;
allowing the second of said two ends to freely extend into the riser without further attachment to the double-walled tank; and
monitoring the contents of said interstice using monitoring equipment connected to said interstice through said tube.
8. The storage tank of claim 7 wherein said first end is connected to said coupling at a position adjacent to a location in said interstice that is designed to be a low point in elevation.
9. The storage tank of claim 7 wherein said monitoring equipment monitors the pressure of said interstice relative to ambient air pressure.
10. The storage tank of claim 7 wherein said monitoring equipment detects the presence of a liquid.
11. The storage tank of claim 7 wherein said monitoring equipment detects a change in the level of a liquid.