Development of a resilient cable joint for the insulation system of oil tanks

摘要

This paper presents the development procedure for a resilient cable joint that adaptively holds the insulating layer outside the wall of oil storage tanks. The proposed cable joint system produces an appropriate and reliable tension force that always firmly attaches the insulating layer to the tank wall regardless of dimensional variations in the tank. These variations are functions of seasonal ambient temperature and hydrostatic pressure. Systematic design procedure and finite element analysis were applied to calculate complex variations in the circumferential displacement of the tank wall. The design and specification of the resilient cable joint system were determined by applying TRIZ principles to avoid the rupture of the cable or the failure of the elastic elements in the cable joint. The developed flexible cable joint results in longer service duration and safer conditions for the cable and insulation system of oil storage tanks.