The core working principle of the floating roof is to utilize buoyancy to rise and fall synchronously with the liquid surface inside the storage tank. Simultaneously, it seals against the tank wall and liquid surface through a sealed structure, fundamentally isolating the medium from air contact, achieving the effect of reducing evaporation and sealed storage. The core design revolves around two key aspects: buoyancy balance and dynamic sealing. It is divided into two parts: the basic buoyancy principle and the sealing anti-evaporation principle. The working logic of the internal and external floating roofs is consistent, with the only difference being the storage tank structure.
1. Basic Buoyancy Principle: Rises and falls with the liquid, always adhering to the liquid surface
The overall structural design of the floating disk conforms to Archimedes' Principle of Buoyancy, with its own weight significantly less than the buoyant force generated by the displaced storage medium (the design requires a buoyant force of at least twice the weight of the floating disk), allowing it to float stably on the liquid surface of the medium.
As the tank is filled with liquid, the liquid level rises and the buoyancy pushes the float plate to move upwards synchronously; when the tank is emptied, the liquid level falls and the float plate descends with the weight of the liquid, remaining in close contact with the liquid level throughout, without any detachment or floating.
The floating disk is equipped with a static electricity dissipation device and anti-rotation mechanism, which can prevent static accumulation during the lifting and lowering process, avoiding the disk from skewing and jamming, ensuring safe operation.
2. Dynamic Sealing Principle: Isolate air, reduce medium volatilization
The floating skimmer is equipped with special sealing elements (primarily tongue-shaped and bag-type, made of nitrile rubber,三元乙丙橡胶, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.) between its edge and the inner wall of the storage tank. This sealing structure is designed for dynamic sealing.
During the float ball lifting process, the sealing components remain tightly sealed against the tank wall and the liquid surface, completely isolating the contents within the tank from the air above the tank roof. This prevents volatilization and oxidation of the contents due to contact with air from the outset. It also shields the contents from external contaminants such as rain and dust, while reducing temperature loss of the contents within the tank, achieving energy conservation, environmental protection, and quality preservation.
In simple terms, a floating roof is a "movable sealed cover" on the surface of storage tanks, which moves with the liquid due to buoyancy and achieves medium isolation through dynamic sealing. It is the core equipment for energy-saving and environmentally friendly storage in tanks.