RAILROAD TANK CAR

• US 20110139032A1
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ULTX Manufacturing LLC, UTLX Manufacturing LLC
• Original Assignee: ULTX Manufacturing LLC
• Inventors: SHIRVINSKI, JAMES, DeLacerda, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 8,833,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 105/360
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 15/06 Buffer cars; Arrangements or construction of railway vehicles for protecting them in case of collisions buffers B61G11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 5/00 Tank wagons for carrying fluent materials
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 5/06 Mounting of tanks; Integral bodies and frames

Abstract

Railroad tank cars are provided that include an inner tank, an outer tank, and tank to tank clearance between the inner tank and the outer tank. Insulation and spacers can be located within the tank to tank clearance. The inner tank can shift within the outer tank, and spacers can crush, under significant force loading, such as impact forces generated during a collision or derailment. The inner tank, insulation, spacers, and outer tank thus form an energy absorbing system that reduces the likelihood that the inner tank will be breached, and that a hazardous material contained therein will be released, under such conditions.

Claims

1. A tank car comprising:

an outer tank;

an inner tank enclosed within the outer tank, the inner tank being supported by a bottom support structure, where there is a tank to tank clearance defined between the inner tank and the outer tank; and

spacers and insulation within the tank to tank clearance defined between the inner tank and the outer tank.

2. The tank car of claim 1, wherein the tank car has a shell impact energy absorption of the tank car is at least about 2.5 million foot-pounds and a head impact energy absorption of at least about 1.5 million foot-pounds at a point approximately 29 inches below the tank car centerline.

3. The tank car of claim 1, the inner tank comprising an inner tank head and an inner tank shell, wherein the inner tank is made from TC 128 Gr B steel having a thickness at the inner tank head from about ¾

of an inch to about 1 inch and a thickness at the inner tank shell from about 7/16 of an inch to about 9/16 of an inch.

4. The tank car of claim 1, the outer tank comprising an outer tank head and an outer tank shell, wherein the outer tank is made from TC 128 Gr B steel having a thickness at the outer tank head from about ¾

of an inch to about 1 inch and a thickness at the outer tank shell from about ¾

of an inch to about 1 inch.

5. The tank car of claim 1, wherein the spacers comprise A516-70 or TC128 Gr B steel or A572-50 steel.

6. The tank car of claim 1, wherein the outer tank comprises one or more openings and a spacer extends through each opening to abut to inner tank.

7. The tank car of claim 1, wherein the spacers comprise a plurality of upper spacers spaced apart along an upper half of the tank car and a plurality of lower spacers spaced apart along a lower half of the tank car.

8. The tank car of claim 7, wherein the upper spacers have a U-shape, with two legs that extend away from the inner tank and a cross piece that connects the two legs.

9. The tank car of claim 7, wherein the lower spacers include a first end and a second end, and a curve having an apex between the first end and the second end.

11. The tank car of claim 1, wherein the inner tank shifts within the outer tank under impact loading conditions and the insulation and spacers absorb energy of the impact loading conditions.

12. The tank car of claim 11, wherein the spacers absorb energy by crushing when the inner tank shifts under impact loading conditions.

13. A tank car comprising:

an outer tank;

an inner tank enclosed within the outer tank, the inner tank being supported by a bottom support structure, where there is a tank to tank clearance defined between the inner tank and the outer tank; and

spacers and insulation within the tank to tank clearance defined between the inner tank and the outer tank;

wherein the inner tank shifts within the outer tank under impact loading conditions and the insulation and spacers absorb energy of the impact loading conditions.

14. The tank car of claim 13, wherein the tank car has a shell impact energy absorption of the tank car is at least about 2.5 million foot-pounds and a head impact energy absorption of at least about 1.5 million foot-pounds at a point approximately 29 inches below the tank car centerline.

15. The tank car of claim 13, the inner tank comprising an inner tank head and an inner tank shell, wherein the inner tank is made from TC 128 Gr B steel having a thickness at the inner tank head from about ¾

of an inch to about 1 inch and a thickness at the inner tank shell from about 7/16 of an inch to about 9/16 of an inch.

16. The tank car of claim 13, the outer tank comprising an outer tank head and an outer tank shell, wherein the outer tank is made from TC 128 Gr B steel having a thickness at the outer tank head from about ¾

of an inch to about 1 inch and a thickness at the outer tank shell from about ¾

of an inch to about 1 inch.

17. The tank car of claim 13, wherein the outer tank comprises one or more openings and a spacer extends through each opening to abut to inner tank.

18. The tank car of claim 13, wherein the spacers comprise a plurality of upper spacers spaced apart along an upper half of the tank car and a plurality of lower spacers spaced apart along a lower half of the tank car.

19. The tank car of claim 18, wherein the upper spacers have a U-shape, with two legs that extent away from the inner tank and a cross piece that connects the two legs.

20. The tank car of claim 18, wherein the lower spacers include a first end and a second end, and a curve having an apex between the first end and the second end.