Settling or compacting granular material

摘要

A method of compacting granular insulating material in an enclosed space particularly in the annular space between an inner shell and an outer wall of a storage tank utilises an apparatus comprising a carrier (15), means (19) for moving the carrier (15) around the space and for varying the height of the carrier within the space, and a plurality of elongated pokers (22) supported by and depending from the carrier (15). The method comprises periodically lowering the carrier (15) to immerse the pokers (22) into the granular material and then raising the carrier (15) to withdraw the pokers (22) from the granular material and periodically moving the carrier (15) to different positions with the pokers (22) withdrawn from the granular material. The pokers (22) are vibrated relatively to the carrier (15).