isolate (deviate) flow in an opening tank? 1

[eagle1900]

Do you know any technology which could be use to deviate fluid in a big fluid receiver open to the air?

I mean the fluid has a flow higher than 6 000 m^3/hour and we don't want to stop the process for going to work on the floor receiver (maintenance). Pressure should be high and we don't want any leak of fluid.

Does it exist a kind of "balloon" technology for isolating a process flow?

Is somebody have try that before?

Thanks for your help!

 

[eagle1900]

I search somenthing to make a good wall without leak of fluid...

 

[BigInch]

What are you talking about???

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone. - Pablo Picasso

 

[eagle1900]

Yes, not easy to explain. Is like to have a river (my process which I talk) and to want to not stop the river and to find a way to be able to go do work on the floor of the river.
An other example, it's like to work in the middle of a lake without emptying the lake of its water... And to make walls to permit to the people to work not in the water...

is it much clear?

 

[BigInch]

Sheet piling, or earth dam, or dam using inflatable plastic bags. One piling or dam on each side of work to be done that will extend half-way across river. Work that half of the river until complete, then dam the other half.

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone. - Pablo Picasso

 

[eagle1900]

I add it a sketch to show what I want to do. The floor is with ceramic...

Mechanical Engineer

 

[eagle1900]

Thanks BigInch

Mechanical Engineer

 

[MikeHalloran]

Basically, you seem to want to make a cofferdam, extending from the floor of the reservoir to above the level of fluid, open at the top and bottom. The first thing that comes to mind is a large piece of pipe, with flanges top and bottom to keep it round. Face the bottom flange with rubber to seal against the ceramic floor, position it, and pump out the fluid. You probably want to brace it against the shore/tank walls so it won't/can't move from where you place it.

Will it need ventilation so the people don't have to breathe fumes of the process fluid or the exhaust of whatever power tools you put in it? Consider the issue.

It will probably need flanges or similar features at intermediate points also, because it's externally pressurized by the hydrostatic head and therefore unstable, or quasi-stable, meaning that if it's not strong enough, it will not fail in a graceful way, it will buckle and collapse instantly, with probable loss of life, so it needs to be seriously engineered.

It could be rectangular as drawn, but that will require more reinforcement than a round cylinder would.

Is the process fluid more dense than water? That will affect the pressure at depth on the outside, and needs to be accounted for.

If the cylinder were tapered, smaller end up, i.e. a cone not a tube, that would provide some hydrostatic downforce on the seal, at the expense of some added complexity of fabrication. Speaking of which, there may be load limits intrinsic to the floor that you will have to consider.

For a reservoir large enough to hold a dump truck, earthen cofferdams might be more appropriate, but you haven't so far provided a dimension to tell us the scale of the problem.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[eagle1900]

Thanks for your comments Mike.
Dimension will not be always the because my goal is to repair a "receiver". But the receiver is about 6 ft x 4ft x lenght to determine.

I like your comments that help to think and verify ideas - solutions.

Mechanical Engineer

 

[chicopee]

About diving suits?

 

[eagle1900]

I need a dry surface for doing my maintenance and reperation... But it was a good idea, thanks!

Mechanical Engineer