FUEL STATION

Abstract: The invention relates to a filling station for petrol and the like, comprising a storage tank for fuel, a liquid-impermeable container located underground in which the storage tank is placed, pipes connected to the storage tank for the conveyance of fuel to and from the storage tank, of which at least one pipe is connected to a filling station comprising at least one pump unit. The fluid-impermeable container is placed under the filling station, and the same is provided with means for recovering the fuel that has leaked during refuelling.

Description: Fuel station The invention relates to a fuel station for petrol and the like, comprising a storage tank for fuel, a liquid-impermeable container located underground in which the storage tank is placed, pipes connected to the storage tank for the conveyance of fuel to and from the storage tank, of which at least one pipe is connected to a filling station comprising at least one pump unit. US-A-4, 978,249 discloses a system for the safe storage of fuel, wherein the fuel tanks are standing in an underground compartment which is impermeable to fluid and made of reinforced concrete. The fuel tanks are coupled with pipes for the inlet and outlet of fuel, which pipes are lead through fluid-impermeable housings and exit in the fluid-impermeable compartment. This system ensures that fuel spillage can be recovered in the underground fluid-impermeable container in which the fuel tanks are placed. The filling station is located at a distance removed from the storage tanks. Usually such a filling station, comprises a plurality of pump units as shown, for example, in US-A-5.454.205. A known problem is that the fuel spilt during filling up disappears into the ground. US-A-5, 5 , 205 solves this problem by situating the filling station on a leak-proof floor, over which the traffic driving in and out of the filling station moves. The drawback of a fuel station according to the state of the art that is built to combat as much as possible environmental contamination resulting from leakage is, that it requires expensive provisions, as can be seen from the combined disclosures US-A-4 , 978 , 249 and US-A- 5,454,205. It is the object of the invention to simplify the construction of a filling station of the kind mentioned in the the preamble in order to save costs, however, without making concessions to environmental measures aimed at preventing ground contamination resulting from leakage. To this end the filling station according to the invention is characterized in that the fluid-impermeable container is placed under the filling station, and the same is provided with means for recovering the fuel that has leaked during refuelling. Despite the fact that fuel stations have long since been in use, and that in any case since the early 70s much attention has been given to the avoidance of environmental contamination, it has never been suggested before to locate the storage tanks, or at least the fluid-impermeable container in which these tanks are placed, directly under the filling station. The expensive leak-proof floor proposed in US-A-5, 454, 205 then becomes entirely unnecessary, as one can then take full advantage of the leak-proof properties of the fluid- impermeable container in which the storage tank is placed. It should be noted, that US-A-5, 664 , 696 discloses an installation involving fuel tanks located in the ground, and which fuel tanks are placed in a fluid-impermeable container. The fluid-impermeable container is intended for the recovery of fluid that has leaked from the tanks. However, the publication does not mention the placing of a filling station above the tanks, such that the fluid- impermeable container can simultaneously be used for the recovery of fuel that has leaked during refuelling. On the contrary, the publication mentions the use of moisture- proof lids over the container, in order to avoid fluid, such as leakage fluid from a filling station, from seeping into the receptacle. A further advantageous circumstance of the invention is that if an aboveground construction, such as a cantilever roof and/or an area for a cash point to settle the fuel bill is provided, the same is preferably built such that the foundation of the structure rests on the fluid-impermeable container. The extent of foundation required under the filling station can thus be limited to a portion required anyway as foundation for the fluid- impermeable container in which the storage tank is placed. It should be noted that WO 94/20341 (PCT/FI93/00570) discloses the use of a foundation for the storage tank to be shared with other parts of the filling station. However, the use of a fluid-impermeable container under the filling station, which simultaneously serves as the foundation, is not known from this publication. The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the drawing, which In Fig. 1 and 2 shows the filling station according to the invention in a cross section and longitudinal section. Identical reference numbers used in the figures refer to similar parts. The filling station 1 according to the invention is intended for refuelling with petrol, diesel oil, LPG and the like, and comprises an underground storage tank 2 for the respective fuel. The storage tank 2 is located in an underground fluid-impermeable container 3. Pipes are connected (not shown) to the storage tank 2 in a manner with which the person skilled in the art is quite familiar, which pipes serve for the conveyance of fuel from and to the storage tank 2. At least one pipe, namely the pipe serving for the conveyance of fuel from the storage tank 2, is coupled with the filling station 4 above ground, which comprises at least one pump unit 5. As is clearly shown in the Figs. 1 and 2, the fluid- impermeable container 3 is positioned under the filling station 4, the recovery container 3 being provided with means for receiving fuel leaked during refuelling. To this end the service floor 6 may, for instance, be provided with openings through which the fuel can run into the fluid-impermeable container 3. This may be executed in a manner known to the person skilled in the art, and is not shown in the Figures. The filling station 1 may further be provided with an aboveground construction in the form of a cantilever roof 7 or a building where the fuel bill can be paid. The figures merely show one construction in the form of a cantilever roof 7. In a specific aspect of the invention such a construction may be directly founded upon the fluid-impermeable container 3. Depending on the situational circumstances, the fluid-impermeable container 3 may even be founded upon piles 8.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A filling station for petrol and the like, comprising a storage tank for fuel, a liquid-impermeable container located underground in which the storage tank is placed, pipes connected to the storage tank for the conveyance of fuel to and from the storage tank, of which at least one pipe is connected to a filling station comprising at least one pump unit, characterized in that the fluid-impermeable container (3) is placed under the filling station (4), and the same is provided with means for recovering the fuel that has leaked during refuelling. 2. A filling station according to claim 1, provided with an aboveground construction, such as a cantilever roof and/or an area for a cash point to settle the fuel bill, characterized in that the construction is founded upon the liquid-impermeable container.

Inventors: DE LANGE PAULUS JOHANNES PETRU, VAN DEN TOL JOHAN, DE LANGE, PAULUS, JOHANNES, PETRUS, VAN DEN TOL, JOHAN
Applicants: DEN TOL JOHAN VAN, LANGE PAULUS JOHANNES PETRUS D, PROJECTMANAGEMENT P DE LANGE B, WACO LIESBOSCH BETON B V, DE LANGE, PAULUS, JOHANNES, PETRUS, PROJECTMANAGEMENT P. DE LANGE B.V., VAN DEN TOL, JOHAN, WACO-LIESBOSCH BETON B.V.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B67D5
IPC codes: B67D5