Abstract: An improved vacuum diffusion pump is shown. The pump consists of the conventional elements of a pump body with inlet and outlet ports, a vaporizer, a vapor jet assembly such as a vapor chimney within the pump body and cooling means associated with the outer walls of the pump body. A fan is positioned between the top of the vapor chimney and the inlet port of the diffusion pump. When rotated, the fan drives oil vapors "backstreaming" from the pump body downwardly into and against the walls of the pump body. The fan may be driven by external means but preferably is driven by a turbine positioned in or near the vapor chimney and attached to either an axial shaft supported within the chimney or directly to the fan itself. The turbine is driven by the fast moving oil vapors and in turn drives the shaft or directly rotates the fan. A cap for the chimney may also be fixed to the shaft and rotated therewith, thereby imparting a tangential flow to vapors passing out of the chimney.

Abstract: This application relates to a tank for the storage of liquids, and more specifically to a tank adapted to withstand earthquake conditions and to methods for constructing same. More specifically, this application relates to a cylindrical tank having a side wall which is banded by one or a plurality of reinforcing means at the location at which the tank wall would be subject to maximum combined stresses resulting from gravitational, horizontal and vertical accelerations under an earthquake load. The application also relates to a tank having a side wall which is tapered from a maximum thickness at its base to a minimum thickness at its top and which is surrounded by one or a plurality of reinforcing means to counteract bulging and/or failure under earthquake loads.

Abstract: A tank adapted to withstand the horizontal displacement forces and overturning moments which act upon the side walls thereof under earthquake conditions is disclosed. The tank includes a base and cylindrical side walls and a plurality of tendons are provided each of which is attached to the cylindrical side wall at one end and to an anchor fixedly positioned in the concrete base. Each of the tendons is stressed and the stress in the tendon acts downwardly and in some embodiments radially outwardly on the tank wall and substantially restrains the wall from horizontal displacement and protects the side walls from the stresses developed due to the overturning moment. Steel-wall and prestressed concrete wall tanks, particularly for cryogenic liquids, can be adapted according to the invention.

Abstract: An improved vacuum diffusion pump is shown. The pump consists of the conventional elements of a pump body with inlet and outlet ports, a vaporizer, a vapor jet assembly such as a vapor chimney within the pump body and cooling means associated with the outer walls of the pump body. A fan is positioned between the top of the vapor chimney and the inlet port of the diffusion pump. When rotated, the fan drives oil vapors "backstreaming" from the pump body downwardly into and against the walls of the pump body. The fan may be driven by external means but preferably is driven by a turbine positioned in or near the vapor chimney and attached to either an axial shaft supported within the chimney or directly to the fan itself. The turbine is driven by the fast moving oil vapors and in turn drives the shaft.

Abstract: A system for storing liquified gas, for example a tank to store liquified natural gas, wherein a vapor withdrawal piping system either within or outside the tank is provided to prevent the contact of expanding warm gas above a suspended insulated ceiling with the main body of liquified gas below the insulated ceiling due to pressure changes in the tank. In the proposed system a piping arrangement and vent manifold is used which includes a connection of the gas space above the suspended insulated ceiling in the storage tank with a vapor withdrawal line which is evacuating gas generated by heat influx into the main insulated body of gas stored in the tank.