BR122014005768A2 - watertight insulating tank arranged in a support structure - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract patent: "Watertight and insulating tank arranged in a supporting structure". The present invention relates to a bowl wall comprising a watertight barrier (6) and a support foot (10) for equipment immersed within the watertight bowl. the sealing barrier comprises a corrugated sheet metal layer (11) having at least a series of parallel corrugations (15), the corrugated sheet metal layer being interrupted at the level of a window (25) surrounding the support foot. the support foot extends longitudinally through the window. the sealing barrier comprises connecting pieces (45, 50) for sealingly attaching the support foot to a marginal portion of the corrugated sheet metal layer delimiting the window. the window (25) breaks the guidelines of a plurality (20) of the parallel undulations of the series and the support foot is centered in a position situated between the guidelines (a) of two parallel undulations (20). 20717312v1

Description

Descriptive Report of the Invention Patent for WATERPROOF AND INSULATING CUBA DISPOSED IN A SUSTAINING STRUCTURE.

[001] Divided from BR112012032016-5, deposited on May 24, 2011.

[002] The invention refers to the domain of the construction of a watertight and insulating tub arranged in a support structure, in particular to the construction of a wall of such a tub that must accommodate a support foot.

[003] Watertight and thermally insulating tanks can be used in different industries to store hot or cold products. For example, in the field of energy, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a liquid that can be stored under atmospheric pressure at around 163 ° C in terrestrial storage tanks or in tanks loaded on floating structures. Such floating structures are, in particular, ships that carry liquefied gas to transport the product and offshore installations, known notably under the acronyms FPSO and FSRU, for the storage, liquefaction or regasification of the product.

[004] In membrane reservoirs, a layer of corrugated metal sheet is used to create a watertight barrier that also has sufficient elasticity to withstand stresses that result, for example, from hydrostatic pressure, dynamic pressure in the event of load movement, and / or temperature variations. However, such a watertight barrier and the underlying thermal insulation material are relatively fragile and cannot necessarily support heavy equipment that must be immersed in the bottom of the tank, for example a pump.

[005] In accordance with an embodiment, the invention provides a watertight and insulating tub arranged in a supporting structure

2/20 tion, the vat comprising a vat wall, notably a vat bottom wall, arranged along the support structure, the vat wall comprising:

a watertight barrier, a thermal insulation barrier disposed between the watertight barrier and the support structure and which has a support surface for the watertight barrier, and a support foot for equipment immersed in the watertight tank, the barrier watertightness layer comprising a layer of corrugated metal sheet that has at least a series of parallel undulations, the layer of corrugated metal flame being interrupted at the level of a window surrounding the support foot, the support foot extending longitudinally through the window of the layer of corrugated sheet metal and having a first end portion in support against the support structure, for example against a bottom area of the support structure, and a second end portion protruding into the bowl to support the equipment at a distance from the layer sheet metal, the waterproof barrier from comprising connecting pieces arranged in the window around the support foot to tightly connect the support foot to a marginal portion of the corrugated sheet metal layer that delimits the window, in which the window interrupts the guidelines of a plurality of parallel undulations of said at least one series and the support foot is centered in a position located between the guidelines of two parallel undulations of said plurality.

[006] According to other advantageous embodiments, such a bowl may have one or more of the characteristics if

3/20 following.

[007] The support foot can take different forms, notably according to the characteristics of the equipment to be supported. According to an embodiment, the support foot has at least one lateral convex side, and the guideline of said two undulations between which the support foot is centered cuts the convex lateral side of the support foot. According to one embodiment, the support foot has a circular section.

[008] According to an embodiment, the window interrupts the guidelines of an even number of parallel undulations of said at least one series, for example, of two parallel undulations of said at least one series.

[009] According to an embodiment, the support foot is centered substantially in the middle of the guidelines of the two undulations. In a variant, the support foot can be moved from the middle, in order to be closer to one wave than the other, for example, such a positioning allows to reduce the interruption length of the ripples considering the shape of the support foot.

[0010] According to an embodiment, said at least a series of parallel undulations is distributed equidistantly. In a variant, the series of undulations can have, at least locally, a less regular distribution.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the undulations are protruding on the side of an inner face of the leak-proof barrier intended to be in contact with a fluid.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the connecting pieces comprise a plurality of pointed pieces located at a distance from the support foot in order to close the interrupted ends of the two undulations between the guidelines of which the

4/20 foot of support is centered. With such cutting edge pieces, it is possible to close all the undulations whose window interrupts the guidelines, in order to restore the continuity of the watertight barrier.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the support foot comprises a hollow casing which is generally tubular in shape, the longitudinal axis of which is substantially perpendicular to the vat wall and a transverse closing wall which closes the casing in a watertight manner. the continuity of the watertight barrier at the level of the support foot. Such a hollow shape may notably be preferred to limit the effective section of the support foot liable to create a thermal bridge.

[0014] The connecting parts intended to connect the support foot to a marginal portion of the corrugated sheet layer can have numerous shapes.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the connecting parts comprise an annular plate connected to a peripheral wall of the support foot at the level of the corrugated sheet metal layer. Such a plate can be pre-attached to the support foot.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the connecting pieces comprise an intermediate plate that has a first edge welded to the annular plate and a second edge welded to the marginal portion of the corrugated sheet layer that delimits the window.

[0017] Such a tank may have a simple barrier of watertightness or multiple successive watertight barriers, for example as a measure of reliability and safety. According to a corresponding embodiment, the thermal insulation barrier comprises a primary thermal insulation barrier arranged on the side of the waterproofing barrier, said primary waterproofing barrier, and a secondary thermal insulation barrier arranged on the side.

5/20 side of the support structure, the vat wall comprising a secondary waterproofing barrier disposed between the primary and secondary thermal insulation barriers, the secondary waterproofing barrier being watertightly connected to a peripheral wall of the support foot.

[0018] According to an embodiment, the connecting parts comprise:

[0019] a connection plate that has a wave parallel to said at least a series of parallel waves and arranged in a line displaced laterally at the distance of the support foot in relation to one of the waviness guidelines interrupted by the window and [0020] deviation pieces arranged in such a way as to connect each end of the corrugation plate to an end portion of the corrugation from which the guideline is interrupted by the window, so that the corrugation of the connection plate and the two pieces of deviation prolong the undulation from which the guideline line is interrupted in a watertight way through the window, following the line displaced laterally at the distance of the support foot. The realization of one or more undulations displaced in this way allows to limit the number of undulations made discontinuous by the support foot, and therefore to preserve more the elasticity of the watertight barrier, notably in the case where a support foot of relatively large diameter must be placed in the place.

[0021] The provisions and characteristics stated above in relation to a series of parallel undulations can, if necessary, be applied in relation to several series of parallel undulations that have different directions. According to a corresponding embodiment, the corrugated sheet metal layer has a first series of parallel corrugations and a second series of corrugations

6/20 parallel sections that are secant to the first series of parallel undulations at the level of intersections, the window interrupting the guidelines of a first plurality of parallel undulations of the first series and / or the guidelines of a second plurality of parallel undulations of the second series, the support foot being centered in a position between the guidelines of two parallel undulations of the first plurality and / or between the guidelines of two parallel undulations of the second plurality.

[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, the first series of parallel undulations is perpendicular to the second series of parallel undulations. Thus, the elasticity of the waterproof membrane can be well balanced in different directions.

[0023] The precised window can have different shapes, notably depending on the shape of the support foot and / or the shape of the constituent elements of the corrugated sheet metal layer. According to one embodiment, the window is a quadrilateral, for example, rectangle or square or parallelogram, comprising two sides parallel to the first series of undulations and two sides parallel to the second series of undulations.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the support foot is arranged at the base of a sump discharge amount, for example, to support a pump.

[0025] An idea on the basis of the invention is to support equipment that must be immersed inside a tub on a foot that rests directly or indirectly on the support structure, to avoid or limit an effort exerted on a relatively fragile corrugated waterproofing membrane . Another idea on the basis of the invention is to arrange such a support foot in a way that does not endanger the essential mechanical properties of the corrugated membrane, notably its tightness and its resistance

7/20 to thermal contraction or pressure efforts. Certain aspects of the invention start from the idea of interrupting ripples in a wavy tightness membrane at the level of a passage area of a support foot, and of positioning that support foot in a place that allows limiting the length of these interruptions, in order to limit the loss of elasticity of the membrane that can result from such interruptions. Other aspects of the invention start from the idea of displacing undulations locally to circumvent the passage area of the support foot without interrupting those undulations.

[0026] The invention will be better understood, and other objectives, details, characteristics and advantages of the latter will appear more clearly in the course of the following description of various special embodiments of the invention, given only by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the drawings attachments.

[0027] In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial schematic representation in section of a watertight and insulating tub according to an embodiment,

Figure 2 is a perspective representation, in cross section according to line II-II of figure 3, of a support foot and a vat wall structure that can be used in the vat in figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top view of the support foot of Figure 2 and an area of the vat wall around the support foot,

Figure 4 is a representation similar to Figure 2 to an intermediate stage of mounting the vat wall,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of zone V of figure 4,

Figure 6 is a top view of the vat wall area

8/20 of figure 4 showing the realization of the secondary barrier,

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing an intermediate stage of assembly of the primary barrier,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a tip piece that can be used in the manufacture of the primary watertight barrier,

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 3, which represents another embodiment of the primary barrier around the support foot,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a deflection part that can be used in the manufacture of the primary watertight barrier of Figure 9.

[0028] In figure 1, a watertight and thermally insulating bowl 1 is seen partially constituted by bowl walls 2 and 3 fixed on the internal surface of corresponding walls 4 and 5 of a support structure. The supporting structure is, for example, the inner hull of a double-hulled ship or a construction located on land. In order to contain a cold liquid such as LNG, the vat walls comprise at least one watertight barrier 6 and at least one thermal insulation barrier 7. For safety reasons, it is possible to provide a secondary, not shown, barrier between the structure of support and the watertight barrier 6, which is said to be primary in this case.

[0029] Bowl 1 can be made according to different well-known geometries, for example, a prismatic geometry in the hull of a ship or a cylindrical geometry on land or elsewhere. On the other hand, numerous methods are available to achieve thermal insulation and tightness barriers, for example

9/20 plo, from prefabricated elements.

[0030] On the bottom wall 3 of the tank, an elongated rigid element was represented, constituting a support foot 10, which extends through the thermal insulation barrier 7 and the waterproofing barrier 6, so that one end rests against the bottom wall 5 of the support structure and that the other end protrudes into the tank at a distance from the watertight barrier 6. The support foot 10 can, for example, serve to support equipment 9 that must be immersed inside the Cuba. For example, to support a discharge pump, it can be arranged on the basis of a pumping amount from the tank, not shown. Although the support foot is represented here on a bottom wall of the tank, a similar rigid element can be arranged in the same way in other places inside the tank, for example, as a support or spacing element to hold any object to the side. distance from the vat wall.

[0031] In order to make the sealing barrier 6, it is possible to use thin metal plate plates that have ripples that form elastic zones to absorb thermal contraction and static and dynamic pressure efforts. Such tightness barriers made of corrugated or embossed sheet, have been notably described in FR-A-1379651, FR-A-1376525, FR-A-2781557 and FR-A-2861060. This possibility will now be developed with reference to figures 2 and 3.

[0032] With reference to figure 3, the watertight barrier 6 consists of a plurality of corrugated watertight plates 11 of which the said internal face is intended to be in contact with the fluid. Watertight plates 11 are thin elements made of metal such as stainless steel or aluminum sheet and are welded together at the level of marginal overlapping areas 12. The welds are of

10/20 type overlap welding whose process is described in detail for example in patent FR-A-1387955. Watertight plates 11 can be designed in different ways with respect to their shapes and dimensions, so that the welding zones can be positioned differently.

[0033] The watertight plates 11 comprise, on their internal face, a first series of so-called longitudinal undulations 15 and a second series of so-called transverse undulations 16 of which the respective directions are perpendicular. The first series of undulations 15 is less than the second series of undulations 16. Thus, the undulations 15 are discontinuous at the level of their intersections 18 with the undulations 16 which are continuous. The longitudinal and transverse waves 16 protrude towards the inside of the bowl 1.

[0034] The support foot 10 here presents a revolutionary shape with a circular section, with a truncated lower part 13 that joins at the level of its smaller diameter end 17 to a cylindrical upper part 14. The larger diameter base of the part trunk 13 is supported against the wall 5 of the support structure. The tapered part 13 extends through the thickness of the vat wall beyond the level of the watertight barrier 6. The cylindrical part 14 is sealed tightly by a circular plate 19, which can for example be welded on an internal flange not shown cylindrical part 14.

[0035] To allow the support foot 19 to pass, the corrugated watertight plates 11 that form the watertight barrier 6 are cut out in order to delimit a square window 25 around the support foot 10. To carry out the continuity of the barrier watertightness 6 at the level of window 25, a watertight connection of connection pieces is made between the support foot 10 and the

11/20 watertight cas 11. As the diameter of the support foot 10 is greater than the spacing between the corrugations of the first series 15, some of the longitudinal corrugations indicated in number 20 and whose guideline A cuts the support foot 10 have been interrupted at the level of window 25. Likewise, since the diameter of the support foot 10 is greater than the spacing between the undulations of the second series 16, some of the transverse undulations indicated in number 21 and whose guideline B cuts the support foot 10 were interrupted at the level of the window surrounding the support foot.

[0036] On the other hand, as seen in figure 3, the size of the window 25 is in practice greater than the diameter of the support foot 10, so that the placement of the connection pieces is relatively easy. Thus, the window 5 disposed in the corrugated sheet layer would be capable of interrupting similarly corrugations whose guideline, without effectively cutting the support foot, was too close to the support foot to allow placement in the parts connection between you and the support foot.

[0037] The center C of the support foot 10 is positioned between the guidelines A of the interrupted ripples 20 and between the guidelines B of the interrupted ripples 21, and more precisely in the middle of these guidelines in figure 3. From this positioning it results that guideline A or B cuts the support foot 10 each time according to a rope shorter than the diameter of the support foot 10. Because of this, and considering the space that must exist between the edge of the window 25 and the support foot 10 to allow the connection pieces to be put in place, this positioning of the support foot allows to interrupt each of the corrugations 20 and 21 in a shorter distance than in the case where the guideline A or B cut the foot of support according to its largest dimension

12/20 transversal, that is to say its diameter in the case of a circular section. It is advantageous to interrupt the watertight barrier undulations at the shortest possible distance, since these interruptions are likely to locally reduce the watertight barrier's flexibility and therefore favor its fatigue and wear locally.

[0038] In the case of a circular section, the centering of the support foot at half distance between the interrupted undulations 20 and at mid distance between the interrupted undulations 21 offers an optimal result. However, other section shapes and other foot positions can also be considered. A principle that can serve to adapt each time the position of the support foot between the undulations is to choose a position that minimizes, or at least decreases, the transversal dimension of the support foot that the guideline of the interrupted undulation cuts. In the event that the special geometry of the support foot and / or the special distribution of the undulations of the membrane implies interrupting several undulations in different lengths, a relevant optimization parameter to adapt the positioning of the support foot may be the length of the longest interruption or the cumulative length of the interrupts obtained.

[0039] In figure 3, window 25 presents a square shape that facilitates the clipping of the watertight plates 11 in the desired shape. However, other forms of windows can also be made, mainly due to the geometry of the support foot.

[0040] With reference to figures 4 to 8, a detailed embodiment of the vat wall in the area of the support foot 10 will now be described. This embodiment is especially adapted to a vat whose walls comprise two barriers watertightness and two thermal insulation barriers. Barrier 6 will be

Therefore qualified as a primary leak-proof barrier. Only the surroundings of the support foot 10 will be described, the vat walls can on the other hand be made in accordance with the teaching of application FR-A-2781557.

[0041] Figure 4 is a half sectional view of the support foot 10 and a substantially square vat wall area around the latter at an intermediate stage of assembly. The right part is shown before placing the elements of the secondary barrier and the primary insulation barrier, the left part after placing these elements in place.

[0042] To connect to the secondary watertight barrier, the support foot 10 comprises a secondary plate 23 of square shape fixed around the trunk part 13 at a height that corresponds to the upper surface of the secondary thermal insulation barrier 22 and the barrier secondary watertight which is very thin.

[0043] To connect to the primary watertight barrier, the support foot 10 comprises a round primary plate 24 fixed around the trunk part 13 at a height that corresponds to the upper surface of the primary insulation barrier 26. The plates 23 and 24 can be made in one piece with the support foot 10.

[0044] Below the secondary plate 23, the secondary insulation barrier 22 comprises a glass wool filling 27 which also has a square outer contour. Below the primary plate 24, the primary insulation barrier 26 comprises a glass wool filling 28 which also has a circular outer contour.

[0045] Around the filling 27 and the plate 23, the secondary insulation barrier is made, the waterproofing barrier is

14/20 and the primary insulation barrier with the aid of four angle panels, one of which is visible on the right side of figure 4 with the number 30. A panel 30 has an overall shape of steps and an L shape with a L-shaped lower insulating block 31 that constitutes an element of the secondary insulating barrier 22, a flexible waterproof coating 32 that completely covers the upper L-shaped surface of block 31, and a lower L-shaped upper insulating block 33 dimension that constitutes an element of the primary insulating barrier 26. The upper block 33 is aligned with the outer sides of the lower block 31, so as to reveal an area of the watertight liner 32 located on an internal edge and on the edge edges of the lower block 31. Panel 30 can be prefabricated by gluing with materials similar to those taught in application FR-A-2781557, notably polyurethane foam and plywood for insulation barriers and a composite material made of aluminum foil and fiberglass for the secondary barrier.

[0046] The four angle panels 30 border the contour of the filling 27 and the plate 23 on their internal sides. The dimensions of the blocks 31 are designed to leave spaces between them in the form of four radial ducts 34 located each time between the end faces of two close lower blocks 31. To ensure continuity of the primary insulation barrier 22, each of the conduits 34 is filled with a sheet of fiberglass 35. The porosity of the glass fiber of the sheets 35 and the filler 27 makes it possible for gas to flow through the barrier of primary insulation 22, notably for inerting the vat wall to nitrogen.

[0047] Figure 6 represents the realization of the secondary watertight barrier in the area of the support foot 10 in top view. To carry out the continuity of the secondary waterproofing barrier

15/20 around the support foot 10, four strips 36 of the watertight composite material made of aluminum foil and fiberglass are glued on the secondary plate 27 and on the watertight coating 32 of the panels 30. A strip 36 is positioned at each time so as to overlap one side of the secondary panel 27 and the inner edges discovered of two lower blocks 31. Strips 36 overlap at the level of the end zones 37. To carry out the continuity of the secondary barrier above the ducts 35, four strips 38 of the watertight composite material made of aluminum foil and fiberglass are glued to the watertight liner 32 of the panels 30, each time so as to overlap the end edges of two lower blocks 31.

[0048] Figure 7 represents the same zone of the vat wall after placing in place of the primary insulation barrier. The latter is completed between the upper insulating blocks 33 and the support foot 10 with the aid of four angle blocks 40 and four medium blocks 41, whose inner side adjusts each time to the rounded contour of the primary plate 24 and the filling 28. These blocks 40 and 41 are also shown in the left part of figure 4.

[0049] As visible in the detail of figure 5, the upper surface of the middle blocks 41 each time presents a notch 44 delimited by a step 43. The notches 44 are precisely at the level of the primary plate 24 to offer a flat support surface to metal closing plates 45 designed to create the primary watertight barrier around the support foot 10.

[0050] As visible in figure 7, two closing plates 45 are arranged around the primary plate 24 and welded in a sealed manner to the latter in all its periphery. For this, the plates 45 are cut in a semicircle at the level of their inner edge 46, en

16/20 as far as its outer edge 47 delimits a square of slightly larger dimension than the window 25 disposed in the watertight corrugated plates 11. The two closing plates 45 overlap at the level of zones 48 where they are welded together. The closing plates 45 are fixed to blocks 40 and 41 of the primary insulation barrier with the aid of wood screws or rivets 49 arranged in the vicinity of the outer edge 47 of them in order to firmly apply the closing plates 45 against these blocks, notably because it is necessary to prevent it from rising up while they are not welded on the primary plate 24.

[0051] Returning to figures 2 and 3, it is seen that the primary watertight barrier 6 in the area of the support foot 10 is completed, on the one hand by welding the edges of the watertight plates 11 that delimit the window 25 on the plates of closing 45, and on the other hand sealingly closing the ends of the interrupted corrugations 20 and 21 with pointed pieces 50. The cutting of the watertight plates 11 is carried out in order to cover the edge of the closing plates 45 which comprise the screws 49.

[0052] An example of making a tip piece 50 is shown in figure 8. The tip piece 50 comprises a base made of two parts 51 and 52 intended to be welded in a sealed manner respectively on the closing plate 45 and on the watertight plate 11, and a shell 54 for being watertight welded at the end of the corrugation 20 or 21. A step 53 between parts 51 and 52 of the base has an amplitude substantially equal to the thickness of the watertight plate 11.

[0053] The cut of the insulating blocks and other prefabricated elements represented in figures 2, 4, 6 and 7 to constitute the secondary insulation barrier, the secondary waterproofing barrier and the primary insulation barrier is purely illustrative. Elemen

17/20 similar tiles can be cut and prefabricated according to other shapes so that the assembly of the vat wall involves a greater or lesser number of elementary pieces. According to other corresponding embodiments, the four L-shaped angle panels 30 are replaced by two U-shaped panels or a single panel that is shaped like a square frame.

[0054] As best visible in figure 3, the support foot considered above requires a window of size approximately equal to twice the spacing 55 between two waves 15 or 16, which waves are equidistant here. For this, two waves of each series were interrupted. However, this arrangement of the support foot and the vat wall in its proximity can be adapted to other dimensions of the support foot. For example, for a wider support foot, the corresponding window can interrupt a greater number of waves in one or each series, for example three or four waves or more. On the other hand, it is also possible to move the path of certain undulations locally to limit the number of undulations that must be interrupted, and thus preserve a higher level of elasticity of the waterproofing membrane. This possibility is illustrated by the embodiment of figure 9.

[0055] In figure 9, the elements identical or similar to those in figure 3 carry the same reference number increased by 100. The transverse dimension of the support foot 110 being greater, for example greater than or equal to about three times the spacing 155 between the ripples 115 or 116, the window 125 arranged in the corrugated metal membrane for the passage of the foot 110 in this case interrupts the guidelines of four respective ripples in each series. However, instead of interrupting four ripples in each series, this embodiment provides for interrupting two ripples 120, res

18/20 respectively 121, of each series as in the previous embodiment, while the two other undulations 158, respectively 159 of each series are locally displaced at the distance of the support foot 110 in relation to their original guideline, but not are finally stopped.

[0056] For this purpose, the waterproofing barrier 106 is modified at the level of two concentric square windows 125 and 160. Outside the window 160, the waterproofing barrier 106 consists of watertight plates 111 that carry longitudinal 115 and transversal undulations 116 distributed equidistantly. Between the window 160 and the window 125, the waterproofing barrier 106 is continued with other corrugated waterproof plates, that is to say two plates 161 globally in the form of C in the present case, which take differently distributed undulations, that is to say less spaced in the present case. The corrugations of the plates 161 are notably a central segment 162, respectively 163, displaced at a distance from the supporting foot 110, for each of the corrugations 158, respectively 159, Finally, the structure of the watertight barrier 106 at the level of the window 125 and at the the inside of the latter is similar to the embodiment of figure 3.

[0057] To carry out the junction at the level of the window 160 between the central segment 162 or 163 of the undulation 158 or 159 and the undulations portions located outside the window 160, deviation parts 170 are used.

[0058] An example of making a deflection part 170 is shown in figure 10. The deflection part 170 comprises a base made of two parts 171 and 172 intended to be sealed together on a plate 11 or 161 respectively of the barrier tightness 106 and on an adjacent deflection part 170, and a curved undulation 174 of which the guideline forms an angle

19/20 chosen, for example 135 °. The curved undulation 174 is intended to be watertightly connected to the adjacent end of the undulation 158 or 159 and to the curved undulation of the adjacent deviation part. A step 173 between parts 171 and 172 of the base has an amplitude substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet used to make the watertight sheets 111 or 161 or the bypass parts 170. Preferably, a sheet of the same thickness is used for these different parts.

[0059] In another embodiment not shown, which is suitable for example for a support foot of smaller diameter, all the undulations whose window interrupts the guideline, for example two undulations of each series as in figure 3, are extended through of the window according to a displaced path, similarly to the undulations 158 and 159 of figure 9. In this embodiment, the flexibility of the membrane can be improved since no undulation is finally interrupted by a point piece at the level of the support foot.

[0060] In the embodiments described above, the primary barrier is made of sheet metal that comprises two series of mutually perpendicular undulations. However, it is possible to use similarly other types of corrugated metal membranes with less or more undulations and / or a different arrangement of the undulations.

[0061] Although the invention has been described in connection with several special embodiments, it is quite evident that it is in no way limited to them and that it comprises all the technical equivalents of the described means as well as their combinations if the latter fall within the scope of the invention.

[0062] The use of the verb behave, understand or include and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or

20/20 of steps other than those set out in a claim. The use of the indefinite article one or one for an element or a step does not exclude, unless mentioned otherwise, the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps. Several means or modules can be represented by the same material element.

[0063] In the claims, any sign or reference in parentheses cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims (19)

1. Watertight and insulating vat arranged in a support structure, the vat comprising a vat wall (3) disposed along the support structure (4), the vat wall comprising: a waterproof barrier (6, 106), a thermal insulation barrier (7, 22, 26) disposed between the waterproof barrier and the support structure, and which has a support surface for the waterproof barrier, and a foot support (10, 110) for equipment immersed inside the watertight tank, the watertight barrier comprising a layer of corrugated metal sheet (11, 111) which has at least a series of parallel undulations (15, 115), the layer of corrugated metal flame being interrupted by a window (25, 125) that surrounds the support foot, the support foot extending longitudinally through the window of the corrugated sheet layer and having a first end portion in support against the support structure and a second end portion protruding into the tank to support the equipment at a distance from the sheet metal layer, the leakage barrier comprises n connecting pieces (24, 45, 50) arranged in the window around the support foot to tightly connect the support foot to a marginal portion of the corrugated sheet metal layer that delimits the window, in which the window (25 , 125) interrupts the guidelines of a plurality (20, 120, 158, 159) of the parallel undulations of said at least one series, said plurality of parallel undulations in 2/5 including two undulations (158, 159) displaced locally at a distance from the support foot (10) in relation to their guidelines so that said two undulations are not interrupted by the support foot (10). 2. Cuba, according to claim 1, in which the support foot is centered in a position located between the guidelines (A) of two parallel undulations (20, 120, 158, 159) of the parallel undulations. 3. Cuba, according to claim 2, in which the support foot has at least one convex lateral side (13), the guidelines of the two undulations (20, 120) between which the support foot is centered by cutting the convex lateral side of the support foot. 4. Cuba according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality (20, 120, 158, 159) of parallel undulations, the guidelines of those interrupted by a window (21, 125), include at least minus three ripples. 5. Cuba, according to claim 3, in which the plurality of parallel undulations (20, 120, 158, 159), the guidelines of those interrupted by the window (25, 125), include at least one undulation interrupted by support foot (10). 6. Cuba, according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the support foot is centered substantially in the middle of the guidelines for the two undulations. 7. Bowl according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the support foot has a circular cross section. Cuba according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which at least a series of parallel undulations (15, 115) is distributed equidistantly. 9. Cuba, according to one of claims 1 to 8, in 3/5 that the corrugations (15, 115) protrude on the side of an internal face of the watertight barrier intended to be in contact with the fluid. 10. The tub according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the connecting pieces comprise a plurality of pointed pieces (50, 150) arranged at a distance from the support foot in order to close the interrupted ends of the undulations (20 , 120) interrupted by the support foot. 11. Bowl according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the support foot comprises a hollow casing (13, 14) in a globally tubular shape, of which the longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the bowl wall and a closing wall transverse (19) which closes the enclosure in a watertight manner to carry out the continuity of the watertight barrier at the level of the support foot. Bowl according to one of claims 1 to 11, in which the connecting pieces comprise an annular plate (24) connected to a peripheral wall of the support foot at the level of the corrugated sheet layer (11, 111). 13. Bowl according to one of claims 1 to 12, in which the connecting parts comprise an intermediate plate (45, 145) which has a first edge welded to the annular plate and a second edge welded to the marginal portion of the plate layer corrugated metal (11, 161) that borders the window. A tub according to one of claims 1 to 13, in which the thermal insulation barrier comprises a primary thermal insulation barrier (26) disposed on the side of the waterproofing barrier, said primary waterproofing barrier (6), and a secondary thermal insulation barrier (22) disposed on the side of the supporting structure, the vat wall comprising a heat barrier 4/5 secondary tank (23, 32, 36, 38) disposed between the primary and secondary thermal insulation barriers, the secondary barrier being watertightly connected to a peripheral wall (13) of the support foot. 15. Bowl according to one of claims 1 to 14, in which the connecting parts comprise: a connection plate (161) which has a corrugation (162) parallel to said at least a series of parallel corrugations (115) and arranged in a line displaced laterally at the distance of the supporting foot in relation to one of the interrupted corrugation guidelines through the window, and bypass parts (170) arranged in such a way as to connect each end of the corrugation plate to an end portion of the corrugation (158) from which the guideline is interrupted by the window, so that the the corrugation (162) of the connection plate and the two deflection pieces extend the corrugation (158) from which the guideline is stopped watertightly through the window, following the line displaced laterally at the distance from the support foot (110). 16. Cuba according to one of claims 1 to 15, in which the corrugated sheet metal layer has a first series of parallel corrugations (15, 115) and a second series of parallel corrugations (16, 116) which crosses the first series of parallel ripples at crossing points, the window interrupting the guidelines of a first plurality of parallel ripples of the first series and / or the guidelines of a second plurality of parallel ripples of the second series, each of the plurality of parallel ripples of the first and second series including two undulations (158, 159) displaced locally at a distance from the support foot (10) in relation to one of its guidelines so that the two undulations are not interrupted by the foot 5/5 of support (10). 17. Cuba, according to claim 16, in which the first series of parallel undulations is perpendicular to the second series of parallel undulations. 18. Cuba, according to claim 16 or 17, in which the window is a quadrilateral comprising two sides parallel to the first series of undulations and two sides parallel to the second series of undulations. 19. Bowl according to one of claims 1 to 18, in which the support foot (10, 110) is arranged at the base of an outlet amount from the bowl.