CONTAINER FOR STORING AND TRANSPORTING AGGRESSIVE MEDIA, IN PARTICULAR BROMINE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tank container with a raised manhole connector (2) and a domed cover (1) for closing the raised manhole connector (2), these being lined with lead for transporting aggressive contents, such as for example bromine, wherein the domed cover (1) and the raised manhole connector (2) have nickel sealing surfaces (22, 23, 24), which are produced in particular by means of deposition welding, and also to conventional tank containers retrofitted according to the invention and to methods for this.

Claims

1. A container with raised manhole connector (2), which can be closed with a domed cover (1), wherein at least the inner wall of the container and of the raised manhole connector (2) is provided with a lead coating (9), wherein a fastening flange (25) is provided around the top opening of the raised manhole connector (2), wherein on the top side of the fastening flange (25) around the opening to the raised manhole connector (2), a nickel sealing surface (24) is applied as a seal against a domed cover (1), wherein the nickel sealing surface (24) is aligned with the opening of the raised manhole connector (2) and the lead coating (9) extends to the upper edge of the nickel sealing surface (24).

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein an extension flange (28) is mounted on the fastening flange (25), and wherein the nickel sealing surface (24) is located on the top of the extension flange (28).

3. The domed cover (1) for a container according to claim 1, wherein a nickel sealing surface (23) is provided on the bottom side of the domed cover (1) which nickel sealing surface is associated with the nickel sealing surface (24) of a raised manhole connector (2), wherein the nickel sealing surface (23) is provided on the bottom side of the domed cover (1) in the peripheral region, via which the domed cover (1) rests on the nickel sealing surface (24) of a raised manhole connector (2) during operation, and the bottom surface of the domed cover (1), which is surrounded by the sealing surface (23) is coated with a surface layer of lead (8).

4. The domed cover according to claim 3, wherein the domed cover (1) has one or more through-holes (17) to connect fittings, and wherein the layer of lead (8) extends along the bottom side of the domed cover (1) along the inner wall of the through-holes (17) and covers the inner wall.

5. The domed cover (1) according to claim 4, wherein nickel sealing surfaces (22) are provided on the top side of the domed cover (1) around the opening of the through-holes (17) in order to provide sealing with respect to a fitting, wherein the nickel sealing surfaces (22) are aligned with the through-holes (17), and the layer of lead (8) extends to the upper edge of the nickel sealing surfaces (22).

6. The domed cover (1) according to claim 5, wherein the fittings are selected from valves (4) for loading and unloading the container, valves (6) for venting the container and valves (5) for introducing gas into the container, and a safety valve (7).

7. The domed cover according to claim 3, wherein the nickel sealing surfaces (22) on the top side of the domed cover (1) and the nickel sealing surface (23) on the bottom side of the domed cover (1) have been produced by deposition welding.

8. The container according to claim 1, wherein the nickel sealing surface (24) has been produced by deposition welding.

9. A method for manufacturing a container and a domed cover according to claim 1, wherein the nickel sealing surfaces (22, 23, 24) are produced by deposition welding on the material surface.

10. The method for manufacturing a container according to claim 2, wherein an extension flange (28), which is fitted to the fastening flange (25) and onto which the nickel sealing surface (24) is applied, is mounted on the fastening flange (25) of the raised manhole connector (2).

11. The domed cover (1) for a container according to claim 2, wherein a nickel sealing surface (23) is provided on the bottom side of the domed cover (1) which nickel sealing surface is associated with the nickel sealing surface (24) of a raised manhole connector (2), wherein the nickel sealing surface (23) is provided on the bottom side of the domed cover (1) in the peripheral region, via which the domed cover (1) rests on the nickel sealing surface (24) of a raised manhole connector (2) during operation, and the bottom surface of the domed cover (1), which is surrounded by the sealing surface (23) is coated with a surface layer of lead (8).

12. The domed cover according to claim 11, wherein the domed cover (1) has one or more through-holes (17) to connect fittings, and wherein the layer of lead (8) extends along the bottom side of the domed cover (1) along the inner wall of the through-holes (17) and covers the inner wall.

13. The domed cover (1) according to claim 12, wherein nickel sealing surfaces (22) are provided on the top side of the domed cover (1) around the opening of the through-holes (17) in order to provide sealing with respect to a fitting, wherein the nickel sealing surfaces (22) are aligned with the through-holes (17), and the layer of lead (8) extends to the upper edge of the nickel sealing surfaces (22).

14. The domed cover (1) according to claim 13, wherein the fittings are selected from valves (4) for loading and unloading the container, valves (6) for venting the container and valves (5) for introducing gas into the container, and a safety valve (7).

15. The domed cover according to claim 4, wherein the nickel sealing surfaces (22) on the top side of the domed cover (1) and the nickel sealing surface (23) on the bottom side of the domed cover (1) have been produced by deposition welding.

16. The domed cover according to claim 5, wherein the nickel sealing surfaces (22) on the top side of the domed cover (1) and the nickel sealing surface (23) on the bottom side of the domed cover (1) have been produced by deposition welding.

17. The domed cover according to claim 6, wherein the nickel sealing surfaces (22) on the top side of the domed cover (1) and the nickel sealing surface (23) on the bottom side of the domed cover (1) have been produced by deposition welding.

18. The container according to claim 2, wherein the nickel sealing surface (24) has been produced by deposition welding.

Description

[0033] The present invention is described in more detail below with the help of the embodiments shown in the attached figures.

[0034] Shown are:

[0035] FIG. 1, a longitudinal section through a domed cover on a raised manhole connector, valve assembly on the domed cover and domed cover hood according to the prior art,

[0036] FIG. 2, a top view of the domed cover and the valve assembly on the domed cover according to FIG. 1,

[0037] FIG. 3, a longitudinal section through the safety valve shown in FIG. 2, including the associated domed cover section,

[0038] FIG. 4, a longitudinal section through a domed cover without coating and fittings,

[0039] FIG. 5, the longitudinal section according to FIG. 4 with lead coating including sealing surfaces made of lead according to the prior art,

[0040] FIG. 6, the longitudinal section according to FIG. 4 with nickel sealing surfaces and lead coating according to the invention,

[0041] FIG. 7, a preliminary domed cover according to FIG. 6 with nickel sealing surfaces,

[0042] FIG. 8, a longitudinal section through a raised manhole connector designed according to the invention,

[0043] FIG. 9, a top view of the raised manhole connector according to FIG. 8,

[0044] FIG. 10, a longitudinal section through a machined surface of a nickel sealing surface,

[0045] FIG. 11, a longitudinal section through a raised manhole connector closed with a domed cover according to the invention for a container according to the invention, in longitudinal section,

[0046] FIG. 12, a longitudinal section through a raised manhole connector retrofitted according to the invention having an extension flange with a nickel sealing surface applied thereto, and

[0047] FIG. 13, an extension flange with a nickel sealing surface for retrofitting a conventional container.

[0048] The figures exemplarily relate to a tank container as is generally known for the storage and transport of contents, in particular aggressive contents.

[0049] Dimensions given in the figures are representational only and can be modified depending on requirements and intended use.

[0050] In the figures, the corresponding tank body is omitted, whereby the lower opening of the raised manhole connector is connected to the tank body via the manhole and forms a single unit.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a raised manhole connector 1 according to the prior art.

[0052] The domed cover 1 is shown with valve assembly 4, 5, 6 in the closed state resting on a raised manhole connector 2, whereby the domed cover 1 with valve assembly 4, 5, 6 is covered with a domed cover hood 3, which serves to protect the valve assemblies 4, 5, 6.

[0053] In the longitudinal section according to FIG. 1, three valves 4, 5, 6 can be seen, which are arranged in a row along the diameter of the domed cover 1. In the arrangement shown here, the center valve 4 is used for loading and unloading the container, the left valve 5 is used to introduce gasusually dry air or nitrogento enable unloading, and the right valve 6 is used for degassing during loading.

[0054] On the bottom side of the domed cover 1 is a surface layer of lead coating 8, the edge region of which forms a sealing surface that is assigned as a counter-surface to a sealing surface 10 on the raised manhole connector 2.

[0055] The sealing surface 10 on the raised manhole connector 2 is part of the lead coating 9 of the raised manhole connector, which extends along the inner surface of the raised manhole connector 2 over the upper edge to the top of a fastening flange 25, which is only indicated here, and forms the sealing surface 10 made of lead.

[0056] A seal 11, which is made of a plastic that is resistant to bromine, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is typically provided between the sealing surface on the bottom side of the domed cover 1 and the sealing surface 10 on the raised manhole connector.

[0057] Around the outer circumference of the domed cover 1, a series of through-holes 12 are provided for fastening elements, for example threaded bolts or the like, with which the domed cover 1 is fastened onto the raised manhole connector 2. The fastening elements are tightened firmly in order to obtain a tight seal. This exerts a high contact pressure on the sealing surfaces made of lead on the bottom side of the domed cover 1 and its counter-surface, the lead sealing surface 10 on the raised manhole connector 2.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the domed cover 1 according to FIG. 1, wherein the structures on the bottom side of the dome cover including the upper opening 13 of the raised manhole connector 2 are also indicated.

[0059] Valves 4, 5, 6 are present on the top of the domed cover 1 as well as an additional valve 7, which is a safety valve, and through-holes 12 with fastening elements, which are arranged at a distance from one another around the peripheral region of the domed cover 1.

[0060] The individual circles indicate, from the inside to the outside, the opening 13 of the raised manhole connector 2, the outer circumference 14 of the surface layer of lead coating 8 on the bottom side of the domed cover 1, the outer circumference 15 of the domed cover 1 and the outer circumference 16 of the fastening flange 25 on the raised manhole connector 2.

[0061] The connections of the valves 4, 5, 6 and 7 to the domed cover 1 and thereby the container is shown in FIG. 3 using the example of the safety valve 7. For the connection, a through-hole 17 is provided in the domed cover 1 at the designated position.

[0062] The lead layer 8 on the bottom side of the domed cover 1 extends to the inner wall of the through-hole 17 beyond the upper edge of the through-hole 17 and forms a sealing surface 18 made of lead around the through-hole 17, on which the valve 7 is mounted.

[0063] In addition, a seal 19 made of plastic that is resistant to bromine, for example PTFE, is placed between the valve 7 and the ring-shaped lead sealing surface 18.

[0064] For fastening the valves, blind holes 20 can be provided on the top side. of the dome cover 1 around the through-holes 17 and sealing surface 18 made of lead, into which suitable fastening means 21 can be inserted, for example conventional stud bolts, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0065] The domed cover 1 in FIGS. 1 to 3 corresponds to the prior art and is made of steel. It is provided with a flat layer of lead coating 8 on the bottom side, which also coats the inner wall of the through-holes 17 for the valve connection and extends beyond the upper edge of the through-holes 17 and forms an annular disk-shaped sealing surface made of lead 18 around the through-holes 17. The valve is mounted on this annular disk-shaped sealing surface made of lead 18.

[0066] To fasten the valves onto the domed cover 1 and the domed cover 1 onto the raised manhole connector 2, the respective sealing surfaces are pressed firmly against each other in order to ensure the required sealing effect, which also results in large forces acting on these areas.

[0067] FIGS. 4 to 8 schematically show the individual stages of the arrangement of a domed cover 1 according to the prior art and according to the invention.

[0068] FIG. 4 thereby shows a longitudinal section through a still uncoated domed cover 1 along the diameter with the three through-holes 17 for connecting the valves 4, 5, 6. In addition, blind holes 20 for fastening the valves 4, 5, 6 are present in the vicinity of the through-holes 17 for connecting the valves 4, 5, 6 and, along the peripheral region of the domed cover 1, there are through-holes 12 for fastening elements for fastening the domed cover 1 to a raised manhole connector 2.

[0069] Reference number 15 indicates the outer circumference of the domed cover 1.

[0070] FIG. 5 shows the domed cover 1 according to FIG. 4 with lead glazing according to the prior art, wherein the bottom side of the domed cover, the inner wall of the through-holes 17 and the sealing surfaces 18 around the through-holes 17 are coated with a continuous layer of lead 8.

[0071] The surface layer of lead 8 on the bottom side of the domed cover 1 extends up to the through-holes 12, as indicated in FIG. 5 by the outer circumference 14 of the layer of lead 8.

[0072] In FIG. 6, as compared to FIG. 5, a domed cover 1 designed according to the invention is seen. Here, the layer of lead 8, in the areas of the domed cover 1 that are subject to a significant pressure load, is replaced by nickel sealing surfaces 22 and 23.

[0073] These are, in particular, the areas on the top of the domed cover 1 around the through-holes 17 for the valves, which form the counter-surface for the valves, and, on the bottom side of the domed cover 1, the peripheral region with which the domed cover 1 rests on the raised manhole connector 2. In these areas, the layer of lead has been replaced by a nickel sealing surface 22 and 23 according to the invention.

[0074] Each of the nickel sealing surfaces 22, 23 have an annular disk-shaped design.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 6, the lead coating on the top side of the domed cover 1 along the circumference of the through-holes 17 for connecting the valves is replaced by an annular disk-shaped nickel sealing surface 22.

[0076] The nickel sealing surfaces 22 are located in the area between the through-hole 17 and the blind holes 20; the blind holes 20 extend from the top of the domed cover 1 downward into the domed cover 1, as can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0077] Likewise, on the bottom side of the domed cover 1, the contact surface area of the domed cover 1 on the raised manhole connector 2 is replaced by a corresponding annular disk-shaped nickel sealing surface 23. The nickel sealing surface 23 runs on the bottom side of the domed cover 1 along the inner circumferential line of the through-holes 12 for the fastening elements for fastening the domed cover 1 to the raised manhole connector 2, so that the nickel sealing surface 23 now lies between the lead coating 8 and the through-holes 12.

[0078] In the example shown here, the thickness of the nickel sealing surfaces 22 can be 6-10 mm, and the thickness of the nickel sealing surfaces 23, 24 can be 10 mm. The thickness of the nickel sealing surfaces depends on the container's application requirements. As a rule, it can be between 4 mm and 20 mm, whereby optionally the thickness for the nickel sealing surfaces 22 can be less than the thickness for the nickel sealing surfaces 23 on the bottom side of the dome cover and the nickel sealing surfaces 24 on the raised manhole connector.

[0079] To manufacture the domed cover 1, nickel coatings of the desired dimensions and thickness are first applied by means of deposition welding to the nickel sealing surfaces 22 on a steel blank corresponding to the dimensions of the domed cover at the position intended for the through-holes for the valves.

[0080] In addition, the nickel sealing surface 23 is applied to the bottom side of the dome cover by means of deposition welding.

[0081] By using the deposition welding process, the desired nickel sealing surfaces 22, 23 can be obtained easily with almost no loss of material. A full-surface metallurgical bond is created between the nickel sealing surface and the domed cover.

[0082] After applying nickel to the nickel sealing surfaces 22, 23, the through-holes 17 and the blind holes 20 for the valves, etc., are machined on the domed cover 1. The result is a preliminary domed cover as shown in FIG. 7, with through-holes 17 for the valves, nickel sealing surfaces 22 along the upper circumference of the through-holes 17 and nickel sealing surface 23 on the bottom side of the domed cover along the section where the domed cover 1 comes in contact with a raised manhole connector 2, as well as through-holes 12 for fastening elements for fastening the dome cover 1 onto the raised manhole connector 2, and blind holes 20 for fastening elements for fastening the valves to the domed cover.

[0083] Subsequently, the lead coating 8 is applied in a conventional manner, with a surface layer of lead coating 8 being applied to the bottom side of the domed cover in the area surrounded by the nickel sealing surface 23 and extended along the inner surfaces of the through-holes 17 to the upper edge of the nickel sealing surfaces 22, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0084] The result is a domed cover 1 in which, according to the invention, in particular, the critical areas that are exposed to high contact pressure during operation are selectively provided with nickel sealing surfaces 22, 23.

[0085] Unlike lead, nickel does not show any plastic deformation such as creep due to its high hardness even under high pressure. The nickel sealing surfaces 22, 23 retain their shape and thus their leak-proofness even under long periods of high pressure.

[0086] According to the invention, similar to the domed cover 1, the lead sealing surface 10 is also replaced by a nickel sealing surface 24 on the raised manhole connector 2, as shown in FIG. 8, which depicts a longitudinal section through a raised manhole connector 2.

[0087] A fastening flange 25 is provided on the upper opening of the raised manhole connector 2, which runs around the circumference of the raised manhole connector 2 and protrudes beyond the circumference of the raised manhole connector 2. This projecting peripheral region of the fastening flange 25 is provided with through-holes 26, which are arranged spaced apart from one another around the entire circumference and serve to fasten the domed cover 1 onto the raised manhole connector 2.

[0088] The lead coating 9 extends from the upper edge of the nickel sealing surface 24, down the inner wall of the raised manhole connector 2, and along the inner wall of the container body (not shown).

[0089] A top view of the raised manhole connector 2 with fastening flange 25 according to FIG. 8 is shown in FIG. 9. In this top view, three concentrically arranged ring-shaped areas can be seen.

[0090] The outer ring-shaped area 16 is the protruding peripheral area of the fastening flange 25 with the through-holes 26, the central ring-shaped area is the annular-disk-shaped nickel sealing surface 24 and the inner ring-shaped area is the lead coating 9.

[0091] If the domed cover 1 according to the invention is placed on the raised manhole connector 2 according to the invention, the nickel sealing surface 23 on the bottom side of the domed cover 1 will lie on the nickel sealing surface 24 on the fastening flange 25 of the raised manhole connector 2. As a result, in the areas subject to contact pressure, the nickel sealing surfaces 23, 24 lie on top of one another, which, unlike the conventional lead coating, can withstand the pressure exerted by the adjacent additional component.

[0092] When the container is in use, an additional plastic seal 11, e.g. made of PTFE, is provided between the two nickel sealing surfaces 23, 24. In principle, any seal can be used as long as it is not corroded by bromine.

[0093] In one embodiment (FIG. 10), concentric grooves 27 can be provided on the top of the nickel sealing surfaces 22, 23, 24, on which the plastic seals 11, 19 are placed, so that the plastic seals 11, 19 are pressed into the grooves 27 by the contact pressure, thus improving the fit and the tightness of the seal 11, 19 and therefore the leak-proof capacity.

[0094] In principle, the manufacturing process takes place in such a way that the nickel coating on steel, in particular for the production of the sealing surfaces 22, 23 and 24, is carried out by deposition welding, and other metallic surfaces are connected by welding, for example between two steel surfaces, such as between the fastening flange 25 and the raised manhole connector 2. Lead and nickel or lead and steel, on the other hand, are preferably connected by soldering.

[0095] The welded connections (weld seams) between the individual components are marked in the figures, as per convention, by black, usually triangular areas x, e.g. in FIG. 8 between raised manhole connector and fastening flange 25.

[0096] The situation when a raised manhole connector 2 is closed with a domed cover 1 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 11 in longitudinal section.

[0097] The section again extends along the through-holes 17 for the three valves 4, 5, 6, which are arranged along the diameter of the dome cover 1. It can be clearly seen that the annular disk-shaped nickel sealing surface 23 on the bottom side of the dome cover 1 is mounted on the annular disk-shaped nickel sealing surface 24 on the fastening flange 25 of the raised manhole connector 2. A plastic seal 11 is provided between the two annular disk-shaped nickel sealing surfaces 23, 24.

[0098] Other nickel sealing surfaces 22 are arranged on the top of the domed cover around the circumference of the through-holes 17 for the valve connection. The remaining lead layer 8 extends here from the upper edge of the nickel sealing surfaces 22, along the inner wall of the through-holes 17 for the valve structures to the bottom side of the domed cover and on the bottom side of the domed cover, to the nickel sealing surface 23.

[0099] In this example, the thickness of the sealing surfaces 22, 23 and 24 is 10 mm in each case.

[0100] Similarly, the layer of lead 9 in the raised manhole connector extends from the upper edge of the nickel sealing surface 24 along the inner peripheral surface of the fastening flange 25 down into the raised manhole connector 2 and from there onto the inner wall of the corresponding container (not shown here).

[0101] Through-holes 12, 26 for the fastening elements (not shown in the figure) are provided in the peripheral regions of the domed cover 1 and fastening flange 25 that lie outside the nickel sealing surfaces 22, 23.

[0102] The core idea of the present invention lies in replacing the areas of the lead coating that are subject to contact pressure with corresponding nickel inserts or nickel sealing surfaces.

[0103] It is advantageous for these nickel sealing surfaces to be applied to the corresponding substrates by means of deposition welding.

[0104] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown above in the figures for illustration purposes, but is also suitable for domed covers that have no through-holes, fewer through-holes or more through-holes for valve connections.

[0105] Also, instead of the annular disk-shaped nickel sealing surfaces exemplarily shown in the figures, if required, any other shape of nickel sealing surfaces can be used.

[0106] The dimensions of the nickel sealing surfaces, such as thickness or width, can also be adapted to the requirements for the application of the container.

[0107] Another major advantage of the invention is that existing containers can also be easily retrofitted according to the invention. This means that containers that have been decommissioned due to the wearing off of the lead coating on the sealing surfaces and the associated insufficient sealing that arises can also be made fit for use again.

[0108] The retrofitting is exemplarily described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13.

[0109] FIG. 12 shows a longitudinal section through a raised manhole connector 2 that has been retrofitted according to the invention. For the retrofitting, an extension flange 28 is attached to the existing fastening flange 25, which is provided with the nickel sealing surface 24.

[0110] The dimensioning and design of the extension flange 28 with nickel sealing surface 24 and through-holes 29 for fastening elements are adapted to the existing fastening flange 25.

[0111] For retrofitting conventional containers with sealing surfaces made of lead, the old sealing surface made of lead 10 and lead coating 9 are first removed up to the interior of the raised manhole connector 2.

[0112] Then the extension flange 28 made of the same material is mounted on the existing fastening flange 25, which has an annular disk-shaped nickel sealing surface 24 in the area of the sealing surface, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, instead of the conventional lead sealing surface 10, as shown in FIG. 13.

[0113] The lead coating 9 is then recoated between the upper edge of the nickel sealing surface 24 down to the raised manhole connector 2.

[0114] In this case too, the nickel sealing surface 24 is advantageously attached to the surface of the extension flange 28 by means of deposition welding and the extension flange 28 is connected to the existing fastening flange 25 by means of welding.

[0115] The weld seam between the raised manhole connector 2 and the fastening flange 25 is, as is customary, identified by a black surface x.

[0116] A container retrofitted with a raised manhole connector 2 designed according to the invention can then be reused with a domed cover 1 according to the invention.

[0117] The present invention relates to containers, for example tank containers with raised manhole connector 2 and domed cover 1, for closing the raised manhole connector 2, these containers being coated with lead for the transport of aggressive contents, such as bromine, wherein the domed cover 1 and the raised manhole connector 2 have nickel sealing surfaces 22, 23, 24, which are prepared, in particular, by means of deposition welding, as well as conventional containers that are retrofitted according to the invention as well as methods for this purpose.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0118] 1 Domed cover [0119] 2 Raised manhole connector or connector [0120] 3 Domed cover hood [0121] 4 Center valve [0122] 5 Left valve [0123] 6 Right valve [0124] 7 Safety valve [0125] 8 Surface layer of lead [0126] 9 Lead coating (raised manhole connector) [0127] 10 Lead sealing surface (raised manhole connector) [0128] 11 Seal (between domed cover and raised manhole connector) [0129] 12 Through-hole for fastening the domed cover on the raised manhole connector [0130] 13 Opening (raised manhole connector) [0131] 14 Outer circumference of the surface layer of lead 8 [0132] 15 Outer circumference of the domed cover [0133] 16 Outer circumference of a flange ring 25 [0134] 17 Through-hole (for valve fastening) [0135] 18 Lead sealing surface (valve) [0136] 19 Seal (valve connection) [0137] 20 Blind hole (for valve fastening) [0138] 21 Fastening means (for valve) [0139] 22 Nickel sealing surface (valve) [0140] 23 Nickel sealing surface (bottom side of domed cover) [0141] 24 Nickel sealing surface (raised manhole connector) [0142] 25 Fastening flange (with outer circumference 16) [0143] 26 Through-hole (fastening flange 25) [0144] 27 Concentric grooves [0145] 28 Extension flange [0146] 29 Through-hole (extension flange 28) [0147] x Weld seam