EP2597025B2 - Vessel provided with a transfer area of a potentially dangerous liquid product - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ship, for example operating on natural gas, which is equipped with a bridge, at least part of which constitutes a transfer zone for a potentially dangerous liquid product, between at least one supply unit and a means of storing and / or using this liquid.

Such a vessel is known from the document EP2088075 , considered to be the closest prior art.

Throughout the present application, the term “ship” will be understood to mean any floating structure, which includes in particular the ships proper as well as, not exclusively, barges.

At present, when it is a question, on a ship, of transferring liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a supply unit external to the ship to a storage unit or a device consuming this gas located on the ship, it is conventional to use a fixed piping network. This methodology induces the use on board the ship of fixed storage units supplied by "bunkering" (in French "bunkering") or else removable and therefore replaceable once empty, if the connection pipes allow it.

Everyone knows that LNG is a potentially dangerous liquid product, so enormous safety measures are taken during this transfer operation.

This applies not only to liquefied natural gas but also to other liquids or gases, in particular chemicals.

From a practical point of view the connection of the transfer pipes is made either at the level of the "bunker station" for a connection with an external supply unit located on a quay or a barge, or at the level of mobile supply units arranged momentarily inside the ship.

In any case, when the pipes are connected inside the ship, there is at least one transfer station which includes at least one transfer pipe and one tap, to supply a tank or a network with liquid gas. .

Of course, the presence of this transfer station, when it comes to connecting the mobile power supply units in said area, is particularly troublesome, because it contributes to increasing the risk of an incident, and it hinders people and vehicles when moving.

The function of the present invention is precisely to overcome these difficulties.

This is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a ship, for example, running on natural gas, and provided with at least one mobile power unit, which is equipped with a bridge of which at least a part constitutes a transfer zone of a potentially dangerous liquid product between said at least one supply unit and a means for storing and / or using this liquid within said vessel, using a transfer station comprising at least at least one transfer pipe and one valve, characterized in that said zone comprises at least one reception area of said at least one mobile supply unit, that said bridge has, below its floor, at least one space of storage of said transfer station, configured to be covered with at least one removable hatch extending in the plane of said ground, and that there is no transfer station projecting from the bridge in the transfer zone.

Thus, there is no transfer station projecting from the bridge in the transfer area, so that the safety of the installation is particularly improved, as is the movement of people and vehicles.

• ledit pont comporte sous son sol une structure alvéolée, chaque alvéole formant caisson et ledit espace de stockage est délimité par au moins un de ces caissons ;
• ledit caisson comporte une paroi de fond rapportée au dit pont ;
• ladite paroi est rapportée au dit pont par l'intermédiaire de raidisseurs, créant ainsi un caisson isolé hermétiquement du pont situé en dessous ;
• ledit espace comporte au moins un logement de stockage d'au moins un tuyau flexible ;
• ledit logement a une forme cylindrique
• au moins une partie de la tuyauterie située sous le pont ou à l'extérieur dudit espace est à double enveloppe étanche ;
• ledit produit est du gaz naturel liquéfié ;
• ledit produit est utilisé comme carburant pour un moteur de propulsion.

According to other characteristics and advantages, but which are not limiting, of the invention:

• said bridge comprises a honeycomb structure under its floor, each compartment forming a box and said storage space is delimited by at least one of these boxes;
• said box has a bottom wall attached to said bridge;
• said wall is attached to said bridge by means of stiffeners, thus creating a box hermetically insulated from the bridge located below;
• said space comprises at least one housing for storing at least one flexible pipe;
• said housing has a cylindrical shape
• at least part of the piping located under the bridge or outside said space has a sealed double jacket;
• said product is liquefied natural gas;
• said product is used as fuel for a propulsion engine.

• la figure 1 est, comme précisé plus haut, un schéma montrant la structure classique d'un navire utilisant ou stockant du gaz naturel liquide ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective de la zone de transfert d'un navire transportant des unités d'alimentations mobiles;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective et de détail d'une partie de citerne et de la zone de sol du pont du navire qui reçoit une station de transfert.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is, as specified above, a diagram showing the conventional structure of a ship using or storing liquid natural gas;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view of the transfer area of a ship carrying mobile power units;
• the figure 3 is a perspective and detail view of part of the tank and the floor area of the deck of the ship receiving a transfer station.

The vessel according to the invention has substantially the same structure as that presented above and schematically illustrated on figure 1 .

However, in accordance with an essential characteristic of the invention and as illustrated in figure 2 , zone 2 comprises an area 20 for receiving at least one unit for the mobile supply of potentially dangerous liquid, in this case liquid natural gas (LNG). This transfer zone is formed by part of a bridge 4 constituting the structure of the ship.

Each mobile supply unit 3 here consists of a tank 30 resting on an axle structure, forming the trailer of a tank truck, but these units can take other forms.

On a practical level, the tank trucks parked on the quay near the ship are introduced in turn into the transfer area and each driver parks his tank 30 in the area 20 provided for this purpose.

Twelve tanks have been shown here, but it is of course possible to provide an area 20 capable of accommodating a different number of tanks, greater than or less than 12.

The bridge 4 which was discussed above is structurally made up of a metal floor 40, which rests on a set of stiffeners primary 41 and 42, respectively transverse (beams) and longitudinal (coaming).

This is a structure that is well known per se, which gives rigidity and thickness to the entire deck 4.

On the figure 2 , we referenced 40 the floor of this bridge 4.

Although this is not visible at the figure 2 , but as shown in the figure 3 , between each pair of tanks 30, there is a transfer station 5.

In accordance with an essential characteristic of the present invention, each transfer station is placed in a storage space E which is located under the plane of the ground 40, that is to say in the thickness of the structure of the same. bridge 4.

In the present case, the bridge 4, with its floor 40 and its stiffeners 41 and 42, constitute a traditional honeycomb structure thus creating spaces forming "caissons" and said space E consists of at least one caisson C.

By the term "honeycomb" is meant, throughout the present application, any structure having at least one cavity with a bottom and side walls, whether the outline of this cavity is hexagonal or not.

These boxes are closed in their lower part by a bottom wall 43 attached to the bridge 4, and more precisely welded to the stiffeners 41 and 42.

The transfer station 5 consists of at least one transfer pipe T and at least one valve R.

This station also includes flexible pipes 50 and 51 which can be connected respectively to taps 310 and 311 integral with the associated tank 30 and capable of distributing the liquid and gaseous fractions of the stored material respectively.

In the illustration of the figure 3 , these flexible pipes are duplicated, so that another tank, not shown, can be connected to it.

Reference 52 of the figure 3 designates the sealed double-walled pipes which circulate under the floor 4 of the bridge, either towards the engine M of the ship, or towards a fixed storage enclosure for the liquid gas. Thus, a safe space is created under the bridge vis-à-vis the dangerousness of the product transported, a space which can be qualified as non-dangerous.

Under the box 5 there is a drain 7 for the evacuation of the liquids which would accumulate on the surface of the wall 43.

Finally, four housings 6, here of cylindrical shape, are provided in the box and allow the flexible pipes to be stored there when not in use.

Of course, the floor 40 of the deck 4 is provided with openings O vertically to each space E and it has as many removable hatches 53 as there are openings O. Each hatch 53 covers an opening O when the unit is not in use. the transfer station. It is therefore sufficient to open them to gain access to the station.

Each external pipe enters space E through the same wall, thus allowing the concentration of all the valves. This has the effect, in addition to being centralized, to allow the use of easily manipulated access hatches manually.

Likewise, the hoses are also positioned side by side allowing, in the same way, to use hatches of optimized dimensions for manual handling. These last hatches, which can be broken off, can be repositioned once the hoses are connected to once again allow circulation between the tanks.

This therefore allows a fast and secure connection.

An "incorporation" of the transfer stations into the structure of the bridge makes it easy to have a maximum of portable tanks on the reception area and does not interfere with the movement of vehicles and / or pedestrians, when the tanks are not available. not in place.

The routing of the product transfer pipes in the structure, via sealed and secure jacketed pipes, allows passage through areas that can now be qualified as “non-hazardous”.

In addition, there are no additional congestion penalizing traffic on the other side of the structure.

The integration of the transfer stations into the structure of the bridge itself practically does not cause overweight compared to a conventional structure.

In any case, it is incomparable with a transfer solution in gutters or on slatted floors which would have allowed a double bottom piping routing also leaving the bridge free of traffic.

In addition, the piping is structurally better protected, and maintenance of the stations is limited.

Of course, throughout the above description, it is assumed that each tank carries its own pump.

Claims (9)

1. Ship (1), for example operating on natural gas, and provided with at least one mobile supply unit (3),ship which is equipped with a deck (4) at least part (2) of which constitutes a transfer zone for transferring a potentially dangerous liquid product between said at least one mobile supply unit (3) and another means (M) of storing and/or using this liquid within said ship, by means of a transfer station (5) comprising at least one transfer pipe (T) and a valve (R), characterised by the fact that said zone (2) comprises at least one area (20) for receiving at least one mobile supply unit (3), that said deck (4) has, below its floor (40), at least one space (E) for storing said transfer station (5), able to be covered with at least one removable trapdoor (53) lying in the plane of said floor (40), and in that is no transfer station protruding from the deck into the transfer zone.
2. Ship according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that said deck (4) comprises, under its floor (40), an alveolar structure, each cell or said alveolar structure forming a chamber (C), and in that said storage space (E) is delimited by at least one of these chambers (C).
3. Ship according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that said chamber (C) comprises a bottom wall (43) attached to said deck (4).
4. Ship according to claim 3, characterised by the fact that said wall (43) is attached to said deck by means of stiffeners (41, 42), thus creating a chamber hermetically isolated from the deck situated below.
5. Ship according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said space (E) comprises at least one housing (6) for storing at least one flexible hose (50; 51).
6. Ship according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that said housing (6) has a cylindrical shape.
7. Ship according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that at least part of the pipe (T) situated under the deck (4) or outside said space (E) is of the gastight double-envelope type.
8. Ship according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said product is liquefied natural gas.
9. Ship according to claim 8, characterised by the fact that said product is used as a fuel for a propulsion engine (M).

Images