Floating Roof Seal

Abstract

Various implementations described herein are directed to a floating roof seal. In one implementation, a seal assembly for use in a storage tank may include a shoe seal configured to engage with a floating roof disposed in the storage tank and configured to be positioned in a rim space of the storage tank, the shoe seal having a shoe plate configured to slidably engage an inner diameter of the storage tank. The seal assembly may also include a liquid-mounted seal coupled to the shoe plate and configured to be disposed between the shoe plate and the floating roof, where the shoe plate is configured to shield the liquid-mounted seal from the inner diameter of the storage tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seal assembly for use in a storage tank, comprising:
 a shoe seal configured to engage with a floating roof disposed in the storage tank and configured to be positioned in a rim space of the storage tank, the shoe seal comprising a shoe plate configured to slidably engage an inner diameter of the storage tank; and   a liquid-mounted seal coupled to the shoe plate and configured to be disposed between the shoe plate and the floating roof, wherein the shoe plate is configured to shield the liquid-mounted seal from the inner diameter of the storage tank.   
     
     
         2 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid-mounted seal comprises a flexible core surrounded by a cover, and wherein the shoe plate is configured to shield the cover from the inner diameter of the storage tank. 
     
     
         3 . The seal assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible core comprises a binding comb. 
     
     
         4 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid-mounted seal is coupled to an inner diameter of the shoe plate. 
     
     
         5 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid-mounted seal is configured to be positioned directly on a liquid product stored within the storage tank. 
     
     
         6 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe seal and the liquid-mounted seal are configured to compress or decompress based on a horizontal movement of the floating roof. 
     
     
         7 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe seal and the liquid-mounted seal are configured to allow the floating roof to move in a horizontal direction within the storage tank, and wherein the shoe seal and the liquid-mounted seal are configured to move in conjunction with the floating roof in a vertical direction within the storage tank. 
     
     
         8 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe seal and the liquid-mounted seal are configured to minimize evaporative emissions from the rim space. 
     
     
         9 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe seal further comprises:
 a base member configured to couple to an outer diameter of the floating roof; and   an adjustable arm assembly coupled to the base member and to the shoe plate, wherein the adjustable arm assembly is configured to bias the shoe plate against the inner diameter of the storage tank.   
     
     
         10 . The seal assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid-mounted seal is disposed below the adjustable arm assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The seal assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustable arm assembly comprises a pantograph assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The seal assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the shoe seal further comprises a vapor barrier mounted between the shoe plate and the base member. 
     
     
         13 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary seal having a wiper-type seal and a secondary vapor barrier, wherein the secondary seal is configured to be positioned above the shoe seal. 
     
     
         14 . The seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rim space comprises an annular space formed between an outer diameter of the floating roof and the inner diameter of the storage tank. 
     
     
         15 . A method for forming a seal assembly for use in a storage tank, comprising:
 coupling a liquid-mounted seal to a shoe plate of a shoe seal; and   coupling the shoe seal to an outer diameter of a floating roof disposed in the storage tank, wherein the liquid-mounted seal is disposed between the shoe plate and the outer diameter of the floating roof, and wherein the shoe plate is configured to slidably engage an inner diameter of the storage tank and to shield the liquid-mounted seal from the inner diameter of the storage tank.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising positioning the shoe seal and the liquid-mounted seal in a rim space of the storage tank. 
     
     
         17 . A seal assembly for use in a storage tank, comprising:
 a liquid-mounted seal configured to engage with a floating roof disposed in the storage tank and configured to be positioned in a rim space of the storage tank, wherein the liquid-mounted seal comprises a binding comb surrounded by a cover.   
     
     
         18 . The seal assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the binding comb comprises a base portion having a plurality of picks, and wherein the binding comb is rolled into a substantially cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         19 . The seal assembly of  claim 18 , wherein each pick is rolled into a substantially circular shape, and wherein an end of each pick is positioned along an inner diameter of the rolled pick. 
     
     
         20 . The seal assembly of  claim 19 , wherein a circumference of each rolled pick decreases as a compression of the binding comb increases, and wherein the circumference of each rolled pick returns to a rest shape when the compression of the binding comb subsides.