US 11,698,335 B1
Storage tank apparatus for online inspection
Mohammed S. Al-Saeed, Dammam (SA); Mohamed Attia, Dhahran (SA); Rami A. Al-Sulaim, Khobar (SA); and Yousef A. Alhannoush, Al-Khobar (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Feb. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/652,862.
Int. Cl. G01N 17/04 (2006.01); B65D 25/54 (2006.01); G01N 17/00 (2006.01); B65D 90/48 (2006.01); E04H 7/02 (2006.01); B65D 90/12 (2006.01); F17C 13/08 (2006.01); G01N 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 17/04 (2013.01) [B65D 25/54 (2013.01); B65D 90/12 (2013.01); B65D 90/48 (2013.01); E04H 7/02 (2013.01); F17C 13/081 (2013.01); G01N 17/006 (2013.01); G01N 17/02 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0103 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0153 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A storage tank apparatus comprising:
a tank foundation having a bottom plate support surface and at least one foundation channel;
at least one foundation tube that is housed inside the at least one foundation channel;
a bottom plate having a product side and a soil side, wherein the soil side contacts the bottom plate support surface and the product side contacts a storage material;
a tank shell connected to an outer perimeter of the bottom plate, wherein the bottom plate provides a bottom structural support for the storage material stored within the tank shell;
at least one shell tube connected to the product side of the bottom plate;
at least one foundation inspection window that provides access to the at least one foundation tube;
at least one shell inspection window that provides access to the at least one shell tube; and
testing equipment that is operatively connected to the at least one foundation tube and the at least one shell tube,
wherein the testing equipment measures a first level of corrosion on the product side of the bottom plate and a second level of corrosion on the soil side of the bottom plate to determine a bottom plate health when the storage tank apparatus is in service.