EP3271635B1 - Method for cooling a liquefied gas - Google Patents

Method for cooling a liquefied gas Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3271635B1
EP3271635B1 EP16712971.7A EP16712971A EP3271635B1 EP 3271635 B1 EP3271635 B1 EP 3271635B1 EP 16712971 A EP16712971 A EP 16712971A EP 3271635 B1 EP3271635 B1 EP 3271635B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
gas
pressure
phase
vessel
vapor phase
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP16712971.7A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP3271635A1 (en
Inventor
Bruno Deletre
Nicolas HAQUIN
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Gaztransport et Technigaz SA
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Gaztransport et Technigaz SA
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Publication of EP3271635A1 publication Critical patent/EP3271635A1/en
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
    • F17C13/004—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels for large storage vessels not under pressure
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C3/00—Vessels not under pressure
    • F17C3/02—Vessels not under pressure with provision for thermal insulation
    • F17C3/025—Bulk storage in barges or on ships
    • F17C3/027—Wallpanels for so-called membrane tanks
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
    • F17C2201/01—Shape
    • F17C2201/0147—Shape complex
    • F17C2201/0157—Polygonal
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
    • F17C2201/05—Size
    • F17C2201/052—Size large (>1000 m3)
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/03—Thermal insulations
    • F17C2203/0304—Thermal insulations by solid means
    • F17C2203/0358—Thermal insulations by solid means in form of panels
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/03—Thermal insulations
    • F17C2203/0391—Thermal insulations by vacuum
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
    • F17C2203/0602—Wall structures; Special features thereof
    • F17C2203/0612—Wall structures
    • F17C2203/0626—Multiple walls
    • F17C2203/0629—Two walls
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
    • F17C2203/0602—Wall structures; Special features thereof
    • F17C2203/0612—Wall structures
    • F17C2203/0626—Multiple walls
    • F17C2203/0631—Three or more walls
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
    • F17C2205/03—Fluid connections, filters, valves, closure means or other attachments
    • F17C2205/0302—Fittings, valves, filters, or components in connection with the gas storage device
    • F17C2205/0323—Valves
    • F17C2205/0335—Check-valves or non-return valves
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
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    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
    • F17C2221/03—Mixtures
    • F17C2221/032—Hydrocarbons
    • F17C2221/033—Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
    • F17C2221/03—Mixtures
    • F17C2221/032—Hydrocarbons
    • F17C2221/035—Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
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    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F17C2223/0161—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F17C2223/0169—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL subcooled
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
    • F17C2223/033—Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
    • F17C2223/038—Subatmospheric pressure
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/04—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by other properties of handled fluid before transfer
    • F17C2223/041—Stratification
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
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    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/04—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by other properties of handled fluid before transfer
    • F17C2223/042—Localisation of the removal point
    • F17C2223/043—Localisation of the removal point in the gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
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    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2225/00—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2225/01—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2225/0107—Single phase
    • F17C2225/0123—Single phase gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/01—Propulsion of the fluid
    • F17C2227/0107—Propulsion of the fluid by pressurising the ullage
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    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/01—Propulsion of the fluid
    • F17C2227/0128—Propulsion of the fluid with pumps or compressors
    • F17C2227/0157—Compressors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
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    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/0302—Heat exchange with the fluid by heating
    • F17C2227/0309—Heat exchange with the fluid by heating using another fluid
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    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/03—Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/0302—Heat exchange with the fluid by heating
    • F17C2227/0309—Heat exchange with the fluid by heating using another fluid
    • F17C2227/0316—Water heating
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    • F17C2227/00—Transfer of fluids, i.e. method or means for transferring the fluid; Heat exchange with the fluid
    • F17C2227/04—Methods for emptying or filling
    • F17C2227/045—Methods for emptying or filling by vacuum
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    • F17C2260/00—Purposes of gas storage and gas handling
    • F17C2260/03—Dealing with losses
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    • F17C2260/00—Purposes of gas storage and gas handling
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    • F17C2265/00—Effects achieved by gas storage or gas handling
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0102—Applications for fluid transport or storage on or in the water
    • F17C2270/0105—Ships
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0102—Applications for fluid transport or storage on or in the water
    • F17C2270/011—Barges
    • F17C2270/0113—Barges floating

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the field of cooling gaseous bodies stored in a liquefied form, and relates in particular to the cooling of a combustible gas such as liquefied natural gas (LNG).
  • LNG liquefied natural gas
  • Liquefied natural gas is stored in sealed and thermally insulating tanks at cryogenic temperatures.
  • Such tanks can be part of an onshore storage facility or be installed in a floating structure, such as an LNG vessel for example.
  • the thermal insulation barriers of liquefied natural gas storage tanks are inevitably the site of a thermal flow tending to heat the contents of the tank. This heating results in an increase in the enthalpy of the contents of the tank and, consequently, in a move away of all or part of the cargo from its conditions of equilibrium at almost atmospheric pressure. This increase in enthalpy is therefore likely to cause evaporation of the liquefied natural gas and a loss of natural gas stored in liquid form.
  • An idea at the basis of the invention is to propose a method for cooling a liquefied gas and an installation for storing and cooling a liquefied gas allowing better control of the natural evaporation of the liquefied gas while maintaining a large fraction of liquefied gas in a thermodynamic state allowing its durable storage.
  • the invention provides a method for cooling a liquefied gas stored in the interior space of a sealed and thermally insulating tank according to claim 1.
  • the liquefied gas, stored in the vessel can be cooled to a temperature below its equilibrium temperature of vaporization at atmospheric pressure. Consequently, the liquefied gas can be maintained in a sub-cooled thermodynamic state allowing it to be stored or transferred to a tank at atmospheric pressure while maintaining a low, or even zero, rate of evaporation of the liquefied gas.
  • Such a process therefore allows better control of the vaporization of liquefied natural gas. This generates a reduction in the loss of cargo and therefore an increase in the financial value of the cargo.
  • the vaporization of the liquefied gas intended to supply the gas consuming equipment in the vapor phase can be carried out without the aid of an external heat source, as opposed to forced vaporization installations using a heat exchange with sea water, an intermediate liquid or combustion gases from the engine or specific burners.
  • an external heat source can also be provided in a complementary manner.
  • the invention provides an installation for storing and cooling a liquefied gas according to claim 12.
  • the invention relates to a vessel or an off-shore liquefaction equipment, such as a liquefaction barge, comprising an aforementioned installation for the storage and cooling of a liquefied gas.
  • the ship has a hull and the sealed and thermally insulating tank of the installation is placed in said hull.
  • the circuit for using the gas in the vapor phase is equipment for producing energy, such as equipment for propelling the ship.
  • the invention also provides a method for loading or unloading such a vessel, in which a fluid is conveyed through isolated pipes from or to a floating or terrestrial storage installation to or from the tank of the vessel. ship.
  • gas is generic in nature and is equally intended for a gas consisting of a single pure substance or a gas mixture consisting of a plurality of components.
  • a liquefied gas thus designates a chemical body or a mixture of chemical bodies which has been placed in a liquid phase at low temperature and which would appear in a vapor phase under normal temperature and pressure conditions.
  • an installation 1 for storing and cooling a liquefied gas according to a first embodiment is shown.
  • Such an installation 1 can be installed on land or on a floating structure such as a liquefaction or regasification barge.
  • the installation may be intended for a storage unit associated with one or more components that consume gas in the form of vapor, such as generators, steam generators, burners or any another device consuming gas in the form of vapor whether it is adjacent to the storage unit or on a gas distribution network in the vapor phase supplied by the storage unit.
  • the installation may be intended for a liquefied natural gas transport ship, such as an LNG carrier, but may also be intended for any ship including the powertrain, generators, generators vapors or any other consuming organ are supplied with gas.
  • a merchandise transport vessel such as an LNG carrier
  • a passenger transport vessel such as a passenger transport vessel
  • a fishing vessel such as a floating electricity production unit or the like.
  • the installation 1 comprises a sealed and thermally insulating tank 2.
  • the tank 2 is a membrane tank.
  • a membrane tank may in particular comprise a multilayer structure comprising, from the outside towards the inside of the tank 2, a secondary thermally insulating barrier 3 comprising insulating elements resting against a supporting structure 4, a secondary waterproofing membrane 5. resting against the secondary thermally insulating barrier 3, a primary thermally insulating barrier 6 comprising insulating elements resting against the secondary waterproofing membrane 5 and a primary waterproofing membrane 7 intended to be in contact with the liquefied gas 8 contained in the tank .
  • such membrane tanks 2 are described in patent applications WO14057221 , FR2691520 and FR2877638 .
  • the tank 1 can also be a tank of type A, B or C.
  • a tank is self-supporting and can in particular have a parallelepiped, prismatic, spherical, cylindrical or multi-Iobic shape.
  • Type C tanks have the particularity of allowing liquefied natural gas to be stored at pressures substantially higher than atmospheric pressure.
  • Liquefied gas 8 is a combustible gas.
  • the liquefied gas 8 can in particular be a liquefied natural gas (LNG), that is to say a gas mixture comprising mainly methane as well as one or more other hydrocarbons, such as ethane, propane, n- butane, i-butane, n-pentane, i-pentane, neopentane, and nitrogen in small proportions.
  • LNG liquefied natural gas
  • the fuel gas can also be ethane or a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), that is to say a mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from the refining of petroleum comprising essentially propane and butane.
  • LPG liquefied petroleum gas
  • the liquefied gas 8 is stored in the interior space of the vessel in a state of two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium.
  • the gas is therefore present in the vapor phase in the upper part of the vessel and in the liquid phase in the lower part of the vessel.
  • the equilibrium temperature of liquefied natural gas corresponding to its two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium state is approximately -162 ° C when stored at atmospheric pressure.
  • the installation 1 comprises a gas sampling circuit in the vapor phase 9.
  • the gas sampling circuit in the vapor phase 9 comprises a duct 10 passing through a wall of the vessel 2 in order to define an evacuation passage for the vapor phase, from the inside to the outside of the tank 2.
  • the duct 10 comprises an inlet 11 opening inside the interior space of the tank 2.
  • the inlet 11 opens into an upper portion of the 'interior space of the tank 2.
  • the inlet 11 can in particular open out above the maximum filling limit of the tank so as to open into the gas phase.
  • the sampling circuit 9 also comprises a vacuum pump 12 which is connected, upstream, to the pipe 10 and, downstream, to a circuit for using gas in the vapor phase 13.
  • the vacuum pump 12 is thus capable of sucking through the pipe 10 a flow of gas in the vapor phase present in the interior space of the vessel 2 and to discharge it towards the circuit for using gas in the vapor phase 13.
  • the circuit of sampling 9 comprises a valve 19 or a non-return valve, arranged upstream or downstream of the vacuum pump 12 and thus making it possible to avoid a return of the gas flow in the vapor phase towards the interior space of the tank 2.
  • the vacuum pump 12 is able to generate, in the vapor phase arranged in the upper part of the interior space of the tank 2, a pressure P1 lower than atmospheric pressure.
  • a pressure P1 lower than atmospheric pressure the vacuum pump 12 also generates a pressure P1 lower than atmospheric pressure in the vapor phase of the interior of the tank.
  • the vapor phase being placed at a pressure P1 lower than atmospheric pressure, the vaporization of the liquefied gas 8 present in the tank 2 is favored at the liquid / vapor interface while the liquefied gas 8 stored in the tank 2 is placed in a two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium state in which the liquefied gas has a temperature below the liquid-vapor equilibrium temperature of said liquefied gas at atmospheric pressure.
  • FIG. 3 represents a liquid-vapor equilibrium diagram of methane.
  • This diagram represents a domain, denoted L, in which the methane is present in the liquid phase and a domain, denoted V, in which the methane is present in the vapor phase, as a function of the temperature represented on the ordinate and the pressure on the abscissa.
  • Point P t1 represents a two-phase equilibrium state corresponding to the state of methane stored in a tank at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of approximately -162 ° C.
  • the methane storage pressure in the tank has dropped below atmospheric pressure, for example to an absolute pressure of about 500 mbar, the methane equilibrium shifts to the left up to point P t2 .
  • the methane thus relaxed therefore undergoes a temperature reduction of approximately 7 ° C while a part of the methane in the liquid phase is vaporized by subtracting from the liquid methane stored in the tank the calories necessary for its vaporization. .
  • the liquefied gas is maintained in a sub-cooled thermodynamic state so that a return to storage in the tank at atmospheric pressure or its subsequent transfer to a vessel at atmospheric pressure can be carried out while maintaining a low rate of evaporation of the liquefied gas, or even zero, while avoiding or reducing the phenomena of flash vaporization at the start of transfer.
  • the vacuum pump 12 is a cryogenic pump, that is to say a pump capable of withstanding cryogenic temperatures below -150 ° C. It must also comply with ATEX regulations, that is to say designed to prevent any risk of explosion.
  • FIG. 3 there is schematically shown the installation 1 to illustrate the fact that the sampling circuit 9 and the vacuum pump 12 make it possible to supply both a cooling power P to the liquefied gas contained in the tank 2 and a flow of gas in phase steam Q to the user circuit 13.
  • the demand for gas in the vapor phase desired in the utilization circuit 13 may be the main criterion for sizing and controlling the vacuum pump 12.
  • the vacuum pump 12 is controlled as a function of 'a flow setpoint generated by the circuit for using gas in the vapor phase 12.
  • the installation 1 is equipped with a flow measurement sensor capable of delivering a signal representative of the flow of steam delivered by the vacuum pump 12 and a control device 18 able to control the vacuum pump 12 so as to control the measured flow rate value to the flow rate setpoint.
  • the pressure prevailing inside the tank therefore changes as a function of time and of the flow rate setpoint generated by the use circuit 13.
  • the vacuum pump 12 is dimensioned so as to generate a sufficient flow rate to supply the utilization circuit 13.
  • the average power of the main engine in offshore vessels is typically 1. order from a few MW to a few tens of MW. If the flow of gas in the vapor phase Q delivered by the vacuum pump 12 does not make it possible to produce a cooling capacity corresponding to the totality of the need in the storage tank, it is possible to provide an auxiliary cooling device, not shown, to provide an auxiliary cooling power P to the liquefied gas contained in the tank 2.
  • the cooling power necessary to maintain the gas contained in the tank at a target temperature below its vaporization temperature at atmospheric pressure may be the criterion for sizing and controlling the vacuum pump 12, in particular if the The need for gas in the vapor phase of the user circuit 8 is high and that one does not wish to excessively cool the gas in the liquid phase contained in the container.
  • the vacuum pump is controlled as a function of a pressure setpoint prevailing in the internal space of the tank.
  • the installation 1 is equipped with a pressure sensor designed to measure the pressure in the interior space of the tank and with a control device 18 able to control the vacuum pump 12 so as to control the pressure. value of the pressure measured at the pressure setpoint.
  • Pressure absolute setpoint is greater than 120 mbar and for example between 750 mbar and 980 mbar.
  • the vacuum pump 12 is dimensioned so as to generate a vacuum in the internal space of the tank corresponding to the target pressure. Moreover, if the steady state does not make it possible to produce the flow of gas in the vapor phase corresponding to the totality of the need in the user circuit 13, it is possible to provide an auxiliary vaporization device, not shown, to provide a auxiliary steam flow Q aux to the user circuit 13.
  • the vacuum pump must have a flow / pressure characteristic adapted to the needs of the circuit for using gas in the vapor phase 13 and to the necessary cooling capacity.
  • the utilization circuit 13 may in particular include equipment for producing power from the power train, not shown, making it possible to propel the ship.
  • energy production equipment is chosen in particular from heat engines, combustion cells and gas turbines.
  • the power generation equipment is a heat engine
  • the engine can be mixed diesel-natural gas fuel.
  • Such engines can operate either in diesel mode in which the engine is supplied entirely with diesel or in natural gas mode in which the engine fuel consists mainly of natural gas while a small quantity of pilot diesel is injected to initiate the combustion. combustion.
  • the user circuit 13 further comprises a heat exchanger, not illustrated, making it possible to further heat the gas flow in the vapor phase to temperatures compatible with the operation of the equipment. gas consumer.
  • the additional heat exchanger can in particular ensure thermal contact between the flow of gas in the vapor phase and sea water, between the flow of gas in the vapor phase and combustion gases generated by energy production equipment. or by the engine directly, or between the flow of gas in vapor phase and air used as oxidizer by the engine in order to increase its efficiency.
  • the user circuit 13 may also include a compressor making it possible to heat the gas flow in the vapor phase and to compress it to pressures compatible with the specifications of energy production equipment supplied with combustible gas, for example of the order of 5 to 6 bars absolute.
  • the installation 1 also comprises a forced vaporization device which takes a flow of liquefied gas in liquid phase in the interior space of the tank 2 and vaporizes it by means of an exchanger. heat.
  • a forced vaporization device which takes a flow of liquefied gas in liquid phase in the interior space of the tank 2 and vaporizes it by means of an exchanger. heat.
  • Such a gas flow has a composition substantially identical to that of the liquefied gas contained in the interior space of the vessel. Consequently, the flow of gas in the vapor phase thus obtained can be mixed with the flow of gas withdrawn via the withdrawal circuit 9 in order to reach the contents of the most volatile components compatible with the supply of the production equipment of energy.
  • the installation 1 comprises, in the embodiment shown, a vacuum pump 16 which is connected to a pipe 17 opening into the internal space of the primary thermally insulating barrier 6 so as to allow maintenance of the gas phase of the primary thermally insulating barrier 6 at a pressure P2 below atmospheric pressure.
  • the installation comprises a vacuum pump 14 which is connected to a pipe 15 opening into the internal space of the secondary thermally insulating barrier 3 and is thus able to maintain the gas phase of the secondary thermally insulating barrier 3 under an absolute pressure P3 less than atmospheric pressure.
  • Maintaining the thermally insulating barriers at pressures P2 and P3 below atmospheric pressure is particularly advantageous. In fact, this makes it possible on the one hand to increase the insulating power of said thermally insulating barriers. On the other hand, it also ensures that the pressure prevailing in the thermally insulating barriers 3, 6 are not much greater than the pressure prevailing in the interior space of the tank 2, which would be liable to damage the sealing membranes 7, 5 and in particular the sealing membrane primary 7 by causing it to be pulled out.
  • the vacuum pumps 14, 16 are controlled such that the pressure P2 of the gas phase of the primary thermally insulating barrier 6 and the pressure P3 of the gas phase of the secondary thermally insulating barrier 3 are lower. or equal to the pressure P1 prevailing in the internal space of the tank.
  • the pressure P3 may be greater than or equal to the pressure P2, which makes it possible to prevent the liquefied gas from being sucked in, in the event of a leak in the waterproofing membranes. towards the secondary thermally insulating barrier.
  • the pressure differential between the pressures P2 and P3 is less than 100 mbar and preferably between 10 and 50 mbar.
  • the installation 1 comprises a stirring device making it possible to create a current inside the internal space of the tank 2.
  • a stirring device aims to limit thermal stratification inside the tank 2 and thus makes it possible to homogenize the temperature of the liquefied gas and, consequently, to optimize the yield of the process.
  • the stirring device may in particular include a loop for recirculating the liquefied gas.
  • the agitation device comprises one or more pumps, such as a tank unloading pump, associated with an unloading line capable of being placed in communication with a tank loading line so as to create a liquefied gas circulation loop.
  • the installation 1 further comprises a vacuum bell 20 housed in the interior space of the tank 2.
  • the vacuum bell 20 is a hollow body arranged in the upper part of the internal space of the tank 2 in such a way that its upper portion is in contact and filled with the gaseous phase of the gas stored in the tank 2 and that its lower portion is immersed in the liquid phase of the gas stored in the tank 2.
  • the vacuum bell 20 is here of cylindrical shape with circular section. However, the vacuum bell 20 may have other shapes, for example parallelepiped with a square or rectangular section.
  • the inlet 11 of the vapor phase gas sampling circuit 9 opens into the upper portion of the vacuum bell 20.
  • the vacuum pump 12 is able to generate in the upper portion of the vacuum bell a lower pressure P1. at atmospheric pressure which makes it possible to promote vaporization of the liquefied gas inside the vacuum chamber 20.
  • the pressure sensor is advantageously placed inside the upper portion of the vacuum bell 20.
  • the use of such a vacuum bell 20 has the particular advantages of reducing the dimensioning constraints of the vacuum pump 12 and of limiting the vacuum prevailing in the rest of the interior space of the tank 2 so as to limit the stresses exerted on the primary waterproofing membrane 7 in the case of a membrane tank, of type A, B or C.
  • the vacuum bell 20 makes it possible to limit the depressurization to a element of smaller dimensions than those of the tank and whose design and sizing can be optimized to meet the target depression without the entire tank being subjected to this sizing constraint.
  • the dimensioning of the tank can therefore be optimized as a function of an internal operating pressure while the vacuum bell is dimensioned as a function of the target vacuum.
  • the free surface inside the bell must be of the order of 1/10 of the free surface at inside the tank.
  • the critical buckling pressure of the vessel is therefore substantially proportional to the cube of its maximum working pressure multiplied by a constant which depends on the material used and on the safety coefficient chosen by the designer. For the majority of candidate materials, this constant is less than 1 and often less than 0.1. Thus, the critical buckling pressure when the vessel is subjected to a vacuum is often more than 10 times lower than the maximum working pressure.
  • the vacuum bell 20 therefore makes it possible to pass the vacuum likely to prevail in the rest of the gas phase of the tank from 100 mbar to 10 mbar, which makes it possible in particular to limit the thickness of the membrane of the tank. .
  • the vacuum bell 20 allows in the above case to limit the thickness of the membrane to 25 mm while 'it should have been 29 mm in the absence of the vacuum bell 20.
  • the section of the vacuum chamber is advantageously between 1/5 and 1/100 of the section of the tank.
  • the free surface of the liquefied gas inside the vessel is caused to change as a function of the filling level of the vessel. Indeed, the free surface is maximum when the tank is filled halfway up and decreases when one approaches the maximum filling level of the tank.
  • the dimensioning of the vacuum bell 20 may be different depending on whether the maximum free surface area of the liquefied gas - that is to say that corresponding to a tank which is halfway filled - or a surface free of liquefied gas when the tank is close to its maximum fill level.
  • a cylindrical vacuum bell For example, considering a pressure ratio of 10 between the vapor phase depression in the tank and in the bell, for a cylindrical tank 20 meters long and 4 meters in radius, the radius of a cylindrical vacuum bell would be about 2.25 meters considering the maximum free surface of the liquefied gas. However, since liquefied natural gas transport vessel tanks are intended to be filled close to their maximum filling level, a lower bell radius of the order of 2 meters is sufficient and makes it possible to reduce the size of the bell. vacuum 20. Under these same conditions, a vacuum bell of square section may have a side dimension of 4 meters.
  • the vacuum bell 20 has a more complex shape and its section progressively changes as a function of the height of the tank so that the ratio between the free surface inside the vacuum bell 20 and that of the free surface in the rest of the tank remains substantially constant over the entire height of the vacuum bell 20.
  • the vacuum bell 20 is for example made of metal in order to promote thermal exchanges between the gas present inside and outside the vacuum bell 20.
  • the vacuum bell 20 can be equipped with structural reinforcing elements allowing it to resist the target vacuum.
  • the reinforcing elements can be of all types and in particular be hollow or solid reinforcing elements, passing transversely through the bell or disposed at the periphery inside or outside the vacuum bell 20.
  • the vacuum bell 20 may be traversed by hollow tubes extending substantially horizontally and passing right through said vacuum bell.
  • hollow tubes allow the passage of fluid and are capable of promoting heat exchange between the gas present inside and outside the vacuum bell 20.
  • such hollow tubes are also capable of contributing to the pressure. reinforcement of the vacuum bell 20.
  • the vacuum bell 20 can in particular be supported by said loading / unloading tower in order to withstand the forces due to its weight and to the movements of the liquefied gas.
  • a loading / unloading tower extends substantially over the entire height of the tank and is suspended from the ceiling wall.
  • the tower can consist of a tripod type structure, that is to say comprising three vertical masts.
  • the loading / unloading tower supports one or more unloading lines and one or more loading lines, each of the unloading lines being associated with an unloading pump which is itself supported by the loading / unloading tower.
  • the vacuum bell 20 can however be supported by any other suitable means.
  • the vacuum bell 20 is immersed deep enough inside the liquid phase so that its lower portion remains immersed in the liquid phase when the liquefied gas is subjected to the “sloshing” phenomenon. To do this, the vacuum bell 20 can in particular extend more than 1 meter below the height of the tank corresponding to the maximum filling height.
  • FIG 4 there is a cutaway view of an LNG carrier 70 equipped with such a liquefied natural gas storage and cooling installation.
  • the figure 4 shows a sealed and insulated tank 71 of generally prismatic shape mounted in the double hull 72 of the ship.
  • the wall of the vessel 71 comprises a primary waterproof membrane intended to be in contact with the liquefied natural gas contained in the vessel, a secondary waterproof membrane arranged between the primary waterproof barrier and the double hull 72 of the vessel, and two thermally insulating barriers arranged respectively between the primary waterproofing membrane and the secondary waterproofing membrane and between the secondary waterproofing membrane and the double shell 72.
  • the loading / unloading pipes 73 arranged on the upper deck of the ship can be connected, by means of suitable connectors, to a maritime or port terminal for transferring a cargo of liquefied natural gas from or to the tank 71. .
  • the figure 4 also represents an example of a maritime terminal comprising a loading and unloading station 75, an underwater pipe 76 and an onshore installation 77.
  • the loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed off-shore installation comprising a mobile arm 74 and a tower 78 which supports the movable arm 74.
  • the movable arm 74 carries a bundle of insulated flexible pipes 79 which can be connected to the loading / unloading pipes 73.
  • the movable arm 74 can be swiveled and adapts to all sizes of LNG carriers.
  • a connecting pipe, not shown, extends inside the tower 78.
  • the loading and unloading station 75 allows the loading and unloading of the LNG carrier 70 from or to the onshore installation 77.
  • the latter comprises liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and connecting pipes 81 connected by the underwater pipe 76 to the loading or unloading station 75.
  • the underwater pipe 76 allows the transfer of the liquefied gas between the loading or unloading station 75 and the shore installation 77 over a great distance, for example 5 km, which makes it possible to keep the LNG carrier 70 at a great distance from the coast during loading and unloading operations.
  • pumps on board the ship 70 and / or pumps fitted to the shore installation 77 and / or pumps fitted to the loading and unloading station 75 are used.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Description

Domaine techniqueTechnical area

L'invention se rapporte au domaine du refroidissement de corps gazeux stockés sous une forme liquéfiée, et concerne notamment le refroidissement d'un gaz combustible tel que du gaz naturel liquéfié (GNL).The invention relates to the field of cooling gaseous bodies stored in a liquefied form, and relates in particular to the cooling of a combustible gas such as liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Arrière-plan technologiqueTechnological background

Le gaz naturel liquéfié est stocké dans des cuves étanches et thermiquement isolantes à des températures cryogéniques. De telles cuves peuvent faire partie d'une installation de stockage terrestre ou être installées dans une structure flottante, telle qu'un navire méthanier par exemple.Liquefied natural gas is stored in sealed and thermally insulating tanks at cryogenic temperatures. Such tanks can be part of an onshore storage facility or be installed in a floating structure, such as an LNG vessel for example.

Les barrières d'isolation thermique des cuves de stockage de gaz naturel liquéfié sont inéluctablement le siège d'un flux thermique tendant à réchauffer le contenu de la cuve. Ce réchauffement se traduit par une augmentation de l'enthalpie du contenu de la cuve et, par conséquent, par un éloignement de tout ou partie de la cargaison de ses conditions d'équilibre à pression quasi-atmosphérique. Cette augmentation d'enthalpie est donc susceptible d'entraîner une évaporation du gaz naturel liquéfié et une perte de gaz naturel stocké sous forme liquide.The thermal insulation barriers of liquefied natural gas storage tanks are inevitably the site of a thermal flow tending to heat the contents of the tank. This heating results in an increase in the enthalpy of the contents of the tank and, consequently, in a move away of all or part of the cargo from its conditions of equilibrium at almost atmospheric pressure. This increase in enthalpy is therefore likely to cause evaporation of the liquefied natural gas and a loss of natural gas stored in liquid form.

Afin de limiter l'augmentation d'enthalpie du gaz naturel liquéfié, l'isolation thermique des cuves est régulièrement améliorée. Toutefois, bien que les capacités d'isolation thermique des cuves tendent à augmenter, le taux de réchauffement du gaz naturel liquéfié demeure substantiel.In order to limit the increase in enthalpy of liquefied natural gas, the thermal insulation of the tanks is regularly improved. However, although the thermal insulation capacities of the tanks tend to increase, the rate of heating of the liquefied natural gas remains substantial.

Il est certes connu dans l'état de la technique d'utiliser le gaz issu de l'évaporation naturelle pour alimenter un équipement utilisant du gaz naturel comme combustible. Ainsi, sur un navire méthanier par exemple, le gaz évaporé est utilisé pour l'alimentation du groupe motopropulseur permettant de propulser le navire ou des groupes électrogènes fournissant l'électricité nécessaire au fonctionnement des équipements à bord. Toutefois, si un tel procédé permet de valoriser le gaz évaporé dans la cuve, il ne permet pas de maîtriser le taux d'évaporation du gaz liquéfié ni de conserver le gaz dans un état thermodynamique permettant son stockage de manière durable. Par ailleurs, s'il est connu d'utiliser un système de liquéfaction pour reliquéfier le gaz évaporé en excès, le rendement d'un tel système de liquéfaction est faible. Le document FR 2 586 083 divulgue un procédé d'amélioration de l'isolation thermique, contribuant à refroidir le gaz liquéfié stocké.It is admittedly known in the state of the art to use the gas obtained from natural evaporation to supply equipment using natural gas as fuel. Thus, on an LNG carrier for example, the evaporated gas is used to supply the powertrain to propel the ship or the generator sets supplying the electricity necessary for the operation of the equipment on board. However, if such a process makes it possible to recover the gas evaporated in the tank, it does not make it possible to control the rate of evaporation of the liquefied gas or to keep the gas in a thermodynamic state allowing its lasting storage. Moreover, if it is known to use a liquefaction system to reliquefy the excess evaporated gas, the efficiency of such a liquefaction system is low. The document FR 2,586,083 discloses a method of improving thermal insulation, helping to cool stored liquefied gas.

Résumésummary

Une idée à la base de l'invention est de proposer un procédé de refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié et une installation de stockage et de refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié permettant une meilleure maîtrise de l'évaporation naturelle du gaz liquéfié tout en conservant une fraction importante de gaz liquéfié dans un état thermodynamique permettant son stockage de manière durable.An idea at the basis of the invention is to propose a method for cooling a liquefied gas and an installation for storing and cooling a liquefied gas allowing better control of the natural evaporation of the liquefied gas while maintaining a large fraction of liquefied gas in a thermodynamic state allowing its durable storage.

Selon un mode de réalisation, l'invention fournit un procédé de refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié stocké dans l'espace intérieur d'une cuve étanche et thermiquement isolante selon la revendication 1.According to one embodiment, the invention provides a method for cooling a liquefied gas stored in the interior space of a sealed and thermally insulating tank according to claim 1.

Ainsi, un tel procédé permet de tirer pleinement profit de la vaporisation du gaz destiné à alimenter un équipement consommateur de gaz en phase vapeur pour refroidir le gaz liquéfié stocké dans la cuve en soustrayant à celui-ci la chaleur latente de vaporisation.Thus, such a method makes it possible to take full advantage of the vaporization of the gas intended to supply equipment consuming gas in the vapor phase to cool the liquefied gas stored in the tank by subtracting the latent heat of vaporization therefrom.

De plus, en plaçant l'espace intérieur de la cuve à une pression absolue inférieure à la pression atmosphérique, le gaz liquéfié, stocké dans la cuve, peut être refroidi à une température inférieure à sa température d'équilibre de vaporisation à pression atmosphérique. Dès lors, le gaz liquéfié peut être maintenu dans un état thermodynamique sous-refroidi permettant son stockage ou son transfert dans une cuve à pression atmosphérique tout en maintenant un taux d'évaporation du gaz liquéfié faible, voire nul. Un tel procédé permet donc une meilleure maîtrise de la vaporisation du gaz naturel liquéfié. On génère ainsi une réduction de la perte de cargaison donc une augmentation de la valorisation financière de la cargaison.In addition, by placing the interior space of the vessel at an absolute pressure below atmospheric pressure, the liquefied gas, stored in the vessel, can be cooled to a temperature below its equilibrium temperature of vaporization at atmospheric pressure. Consequently, the liquefied gas can be maintained in a sub-cooled thermodynamic state allowing it to be stored or transferred to a tank at atmospheric pressure while maintaining a low, or even zero, rate of evaporation of the liquefied gas. Such a process therefore allows better control of the vaporization of liquefied natural gas. This generates a reduction in the loss of cargo and therefore an increase in the financial value of the cargo.

En outre, grâce à un tel procédé, la vaporisation du gaz liquéfié destiné à alimenter l'équipement consommateur de gaz en phase vapeur peut être réalisée sans l'aide d'une source de chaleur extérieure, par opposition aux installations de vaporisation forcée utilisant un échange de chaleur avec de l'eau de mer, un liquide intermédiaire ou des gaz de combustion issus de la motorisation ou de brûleurs spécifiques. Toutefois, dans certains modes de réalisation, une telle source de chaleur extérieure peut aussi être prévue de manière complémentaire.Furthermore, thanks to such a method, the vaporization of the liquefied gas intended to supply the gas consuming equipment in the vapor phase can be carried out without the aid of an external heat source, as opposed to forced vaporization installations using a heat exchange with sea water, an intermediate liquid or combustion gases from the engine or specific burners. However, in certain embodiments, such an external heat source can also be provided in a complementary manner.

Selon d'autres modes de réalisation avantageux, un tel procédé de refroidissement peut présenter une ou plusieurs des caractéristiques suivantes :

  • la pression P1 est supérieure à 120 mbars absolus. Il est en effet indispensable que la pression à l'intérieur de la cuve soit supérieure à la pression correspondant au point triple du diagramme de phase du méthane de sorte à éviter une solidification du gaz naturel à l'intérieur de la cuve.
  • la pression P1 peut notamment être comprise entre 750 mbars et 980 mbars absolus.
  • l'aspiration du flux de gaz en phase vapeur est obtenue au moyen d'une pompe à dépression.
  • selon un mode de réalisation, l'on commande la pompe à dépression en fonction d'une consigne de débit généré par le circuit d'utilisation de gaz en phase vapeur.
  • selon un autre mode de réalisation, l'on mesure la pression dans la zone de la phase vapeur et l'on commande la pompe à dépression en fonction d'une consigne de pression et de la pression mesurée.
  • selon un mode de réalisation, la cuve comporte une structure multicouche montée sur une structure porteuse, la structure multicouche comprenant une membrane d'étanchéité en contact avec le gaz liquéfié contenu dans la cuve et une barrière thermiquement isolante disposée entre la membrane d'étanchéité et la structure porteuse, ladite barrière thermiquement isolante comportant des blocs isolants et une phase gazeuse, le procédé comportant l'étape de maintenir la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante à une pression P2 inférieure ou égale à la pression P1.
  • selon un mode de réalisation, la structure multicouche comprend, depuis l'extérieur vers l'intérieur de la cuve, une barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire comportant des blocs isolants reposant contre une structure porteuse et une phase gazeuse, une membrane d'étanchéité secondaire reposant contre les blocs isolants de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire, une barrière thermiquement isolante primaire comportant des éléments isolants reposant contre la membrane d'étanchéité secondaire et une phase gazeuse et une membrane d'étanchéité primaire destinée à être en contact avec le gaz liquéfié contenu dans la cuve, le procédé comportant l'étape de maintenir la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante primaire et la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire respectivement à une pression P2 et à une pression P3, lesdites pressions P2 et P3 étant inférieures ou égales à la pression P1. La pression P1 étant inférieure à la pression atmosphérique, les pressions P2 et P3 sont donc également inférieures à la pression atmosphérique.
  • de manière avantageuse, pour le mode de réalisation précité, la pression P3 est supérieure ou égale à la pression P2. Ainsi, en cas de fuites gazeuses et d'envahissement de la barrière thermiquement isolante primaire par du gaz, on évite d'aspirer du gaz au sein de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire. Ainsi, une légère surpression de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire par rapport à la barrière thermiquement isolante primaire peut même être bénéfique. Dans ce cas, le différentiel de pression entre les pressions P2 et P3 est inférieur à 100 mbars et de préférence compris entre 10 et 50 mbars.
  • la cuve est remplie d'un gaz combustible liquéfié choisi parmi le gaz naturel liquéfié, l'éthane et le gaz de pétrole liquéfié.
  • le circuit d'utilisation du gaz en phase vapeur comprend un équipement de production d'énergie.
  • selon un mode de réalisation, la cuve est équipée d'une cloche à dépression logée dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve et comportant une portion supérieure disposée dans la phase vapeur et une portion inférieure immergée dans la phase liquide et dans lequel la zone de la phase vapeur dans laquelle est aspiré le flux de gaz en phase vapeur est définie par la portion supérieure de la cloche à dépression.
  • selon un autre mode de réalisation, l'on génère la pression P1 dans une portion supérieure de la cuve contenant toute la phase vapeur.
According to other advantageous embodiments, such a cooling method may have one or more of the following characteristics:
  • the pressure P1 is greater than 120 mbar absolute. It is in fact essential that the pressure inside the tank be greater than the pressure corresponding to the triple point of the methane phase diagram so as to prevent solidification of the natural gas inside the tank.
  • the pressure P1 can in particular be between 750 mbar and 980 mbar absolute.
  • the suction of the gas stream in the vapor phase is obtained by means of a vacuum pump.
  • according to one embodiment, the vacuum pump is controlled as a function of a flow rate setpoint generated by the circuit for using gas in the vapor phase.
  • according to another embodiment, the pressure is measured in the zone of the vapor phase and the vacuum pump is controlled as a function of a pressure setpoint and of the measured pressure.
  • according to one embodiment, the vessel comprises a multilayer structure mounted on a supporting structure, the multilayer structure comprising a waterproofing membrane in contact with the liquefied gas contained in the vessel and a thermally insulating barrier arranged between the waterproofing membrane and the supporting structure, said thermally insulating barrier comprising insulating blocks and a gas phase, the method comprising the step of maintaining the gas phase of the thermally insulating barrier at a pressure P2 less than or equal to the pressure P1.
  • according to one embodiment, the multilayer structure comprises, from the outside towards the inside of the tank, a secondary thermally insulating barrier comprising insulating blocks resting against a supporting structure and a gas phase, a secondary waterproofing membrane resting against the insulating blocks of the secondary thermally insulating barrier, a primary thermally insulating barrier comprising insulating elements resting against the secondary waterproofing membrane and a gas phase and a primary waterproofing membrane intended to be in contact with the liquefied gas contained in the tank, the method comprising the step of maintaining the gas phase of the primary thermally insulating barrier and the gas phase of the secondary thermally insulating barrier respectively at a pressure P2 and at a pressure P3, said pressures P2 and P3 being less than or equal to the pressure P1. The pressure P1 being lower than atmospheric pressure, the pressures P2 and P3 are therefore also lower than atmospheric pressure.
  • advantageously, for the aforementioned embodiment, the pressure P3 is greater than or equal to the pressure P2. Thus, in the event of gas leaks and flooding of the primary thermally insulating barrier with gas, gas is avoided to suck into the secondary thermally insulating barrier. Thus, a slight overpressure of the secondary thermally insulating barrier relative to the primary thermally insulating barrier may even be beneficial. In this case, the pressure differential between the pressures P2 and P3 is less than 100 mbar and preferably between 10 and 50 mbar.
  • the vessel is filled with a liquefied fuel gas chosen from liquefied natural gas, ethane and liquefied petroleum gas.
  • the circuit for using gas in the vapor phase includes energy production equipment.
  • according to one embodiment, the vessel is equipped with a vacuum bell housed in the interior space of the vessel and comprising an upper portion disposed in the vapor phase and a lower portion immersed in the liquid phase and in which the the vapor phase in which the vapor phase gas flow is drawn is defined by the upper portion of the vacuum bell.
  • according to another embodiment, the pressure P1 is generated in an upper portion of the vessel containing all the vapor phase.

Selon un mode de réalisation, l'invention fournit une installation de stockage et de refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié selon la revendication 12.According to one embodiment, the invention provides an installation for storing and cooling a liquefied gas according to claim 12.

Selon d'autres modes de réalisation avantageux, une telle installation peut présenter une ou plusieurs des caractéristiques suivantes :

  • l'installation comporte un capteur de mesure de débit apte à délivrer un signal représentatif du débit du flux de vapeur aspiré à travers l'admission et refoulé vers le circuit d'utilisation et un dispositif de commande apte à commander la pompe à dépression en fonction du signal représentatif du débit du flux de vapeur et d'une consigne de débit généré par le circuit d'utilisation de gaz en phase vapeur.
  • l'installation comporte un capteur de pression apte à délivrer un signal représentatif de la pression régnant dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve au-dessus de la hauteur maximale de remplissage et un dispositif de commande apte à commander la pompe à dépression en fonction du signal représentatif de la pression et d'une consigne de pression.
  • l'installation comporte en outre un circuit d'utilisation de gaz en phase vapeur comprenant un équipement de production d'énergie.
  • la cuve comporte une structure multicouche montée sur une structure porteuse, la structure multicouche comprenant une membrane d'étanchéité en contact avec le gaz liquéfié contenu dans la cuve et une barrière thermiquement isolante disposée entre la membrane d'étanchéité et la structure porteuse et comportant des blocs isolants et une phase gazeuse, l'installation comportant en outre une pompe à dépression agencée pour maintenir la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante à une pression P2 inférieure ou égale à la pression P1.
  • la structure multicouche comprend, depuis l'extérieur vers l'intérieur de la cuve, une barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire comportant des blocs isolants reposant contre une structure porteuse et une phase gazeuse, une membrane d'étanchéité secondaire reposant contre les blocs isolants de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire, une barrière thermiquement isolante primaire comportant des éléments isolants reposant contre la membrane d'étanchéité secondaire et une phase gazeuse et une membrane d'étanchéité primaire destinée à être en contact avec le gaz liquéfié contenu dans la cuve, l'installation comportant en outre une première pompe à dépression agencée pour maintenir la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante primaire à une pression P2 inférieure ou égale à la pression P1 et une seconde pompe à dépression agencée pour maintenir la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire à une pression P3 inférieure ou égale à la pression P1.
  • la cuve est équipée d'une cloche à dépression logée dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve et comportant une portion supérieure destinée à être mise en contact avec la phase vapeur du gaz liquéfié stocké dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve et une portion inférieure destinée à être immergée dans la phase liquide du gaz liquéfié stocké dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve et dans laquelle l'admission du circuit de prélèvement de gaz en phase vapeur débouche à l'intérieur de la portion supérieure de la cloche à dépression.
  • la cloche à dépression est réalisée en métal.
  • la cloche à dépression comporte une section horizontale comprise entre 1/5 et 1/100 de la section horizontale de la cuve, par exemple de l'ordre de 1/10.
  • selon un mode de réalisation, la cloche à dépression comporte des tubes creux la traversant transversalement de part en part.
  • l'installation comporte un capteur de pression apte à délivrer un signal représentatif de la pression régnant dans la portion supérieure de la cloche à dépression.
According to other advantageous embodiments, such an installation may have one or more of the following characteristics:
  • the installation comprises a flow measurement sensor able to deliver a signal representative of the flow rate of the flow of vapor drawn in through the inlet and delivered to the user circuit and a control device able to control the vacuum pump in function of the signal representative of the flow rate of the vapor flow and of a flow setpoint generated by the gas utilization circuit in the vapor phase.
  • the installation comprises a pressure sensor capable of delivering a signal representative of the pressure prevailing in the interior space of the tank above the maximum filling height and a control device capable of controlling the vacuum pump according to the signal representative of the pressure and of a pressure setpoint.
  • the installation further comprises a circuit for using gas in the vapor phase comprising energy production equipment.
  • the vessel comprises a multilayer structure mounted on a supporting structure, the multilayer structure comprising a waterproofing membrane in contact with the liquefied gas contained in the vessel and a thermally insulating barrier disposed between the waterproofing membrane and the carrier structure and comprising insulating blocks and a gas phase, the installation further comprising a vacuum pump arranged to maintain the gas phase of the thermally insulating barrier at a pressure P2 less than or equal to the pressure P1.
  • the multilayer structure comprises, from the outside to the inside of the tank, a secondary thermally insulating barrier comprising insulating blocks resting against a supporting structure and a gas phase, a secondary waterproofing membrane resting against the insulating blocks of the barrier thermally insulating secondary, a primary thermally insulating barrier comprising insulating elements resting against the secondary waterproofing membrane and a gas phase and a primary waterproofing membrane intended to be in contact with the liquefied gas contained in the vessel, the installation comprising furthermore a first vacuum pump arranged to maintain the gaseous phase of the primary thermally insulating barrier at a pressure P2 less than or equal to the pressure P1 and a second vacuum pump arranged to maintain the gas phase of the barrier thermally insulating secondary at a pressure P3 less than or equal to the pressure P1.
  • the vessel is equipped with a vacuum bell housed in the interior of the vessel and comprising an upper portion intended to be brought into contact with the vapor phase of the liquefied gas stored in the interior space of the vessel and a lower portion intended to be immersed in the liquid phase of the liquefied gas stored in the interior space of the tank and in which the inlet of the gas sampling circuit in the vapor phase opens inside the upper portion of the vacuum bell.
  • the vacuum bell is made of metal.
  • the vacuum bell has a horizontal section between 1/5 and 1/100 of the horizontal section of the tank, for example of the order of 1/10.
  • according to one embodiment, the vacuum bell has hollow tubes passing through it right through.
  • the installation comprises a pressure sensor capable of delivering a signal representative of the pressure prevailing in the upper portion of the vacuum bell.

Selon un mode de réalisation, l'invention concerne un navire ou un équipement off-shore de liquéfaction, tel qu'une barge de liquéfaction, comportant une installation précitée pour le stockage et le refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié.According to one embodiment, the invention relates to a vessel or an off-shore liquefaction equipment, such as a liquefaction barge, comprising an aforementioned installation for the storage and cooling of a liquefied gas.

Selon mode de réalisation, le navire comporte une coque et la cuve étanche et thermiquement isolante de l'installation est disposée dans ladite coque.According to one embodiment, the ship has a hull and the sealed and thermally insulating tank of the installation is placed in said hull.

Selon un mode de réalisation, le circuit d'utilisation du gaz en phase vapeur est un équipement de production d'énergie, tel qu'un équipement pour la propulsion du navire.According to one embodiment, the circuit for using the gas in the vapor phase is equipment for producing energy, such as equipment for propelling the ship.

Selon un mode de réalisation, l'invention fournit aussi un procédé de chargement ou déchargement d'un tel navire, dans lequel on achemine un fluide à travers des canalisations isolées depuis ou vers une installation de stockage flottante ou terrestre vers ou depuis la cuve du navire.According to one embodiment, the invention also provides a method for loading or unloading such a vessel, in which a fluid is conveyed through isolated pipes from or to a floating or terrestrial storage installation to or from the tank of the vessel. ship.

Brève description des figuresBrief description of the figures

L'invention sera mieux comprise, et d'autres buts, détails, caractéristiques et avantages de celle-ci apparaîtront plus clairement au cours de la description suivante de plusieurs modes de réalisation particuliers de l'invention, donnés uniquement à titre illustratif et non limitatif, en référence aux dessins annexés.

  • La figure 1 illustre schématiquement une installation de stockage et de refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié.
  • La figure 2 est un diagramme d'équilibre liquide-vapeur du méthane.
  • La figure 3 est une représentation schématique de l'installation de stockage et de refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié.
  • La figure 4 est une représentation schématique écorchée d'un navire méthanier équipé d'une cuve et d'un terminal de chargement/déchargement de cette cuve.
  • La figure 5 illustre schématiquement une installation de stockage et de refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié selon un second mode de réalisation.
The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will emerge more clearly during the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. , with reference to the accompanying drawings.
  • The figure 1 schematically illustrates an installation for storing and cooling a liquefied gas.
  • The figure 2 is a liquid-vapor equilibrium diagram of methane.
  • The figure 3 is a schematic representation of the storage and cooling installation for liquefied gas.
  • The figure 4 is a cut-away schematic representation of an LNG carrier equipped with a tank and a terminal for loading / unloading this tank.
  • The figure 5 schematically illustrates an installation for storing and cooling a liquefied gas according to a second embodiment.

Description détaillée de modes de réalisationDetailed description of embodiments

Dans la description et les revendications, le terme « gaz » présente un caractère générique et vise indifféremment un gaz constitué d'un seul corps pur ou un mélange gazeux constitué d'une pluralité de composants. Un gaz liquéfié désigne ainsi un corps chimique ou un mélange de corps chimiques qui a été placé dans une phase liquide à basse température et qui se présenterait dans une phase vapeur dans les conditions normales de température et de pression.In the description and the claims, the term “gas” is generic in nature and is equally intended for a gas consisting of a single pure substance or a gas mixture consisting of a plurality of components. A liquefied gas thus designates a chemical body or a mixture of chemical bodies which has been placed in a liquid phase at low temperature and which would appear in a vapor phase under normal temperature and pressure conditions.

Sur la figure 1, une installation 1 de stockage et de refroidissement d'un gaz liquéfié selon un premier mode de réalisation est représentée. Une telle installation 1 peut être installée à terre ou sur un ouvrage flottant comme une barge de liquéfaction ou de regazéification. Dans le cas d'un ouvrage à terre, l'installation peut être destinée à une unité de stockage associée à un ou plusieurs organes consommateurs de gaz sous forme de vapeur, tels que des groupes électrogènes, des générateurs de vapeur, des bruleurs ou tout autre organe consommant du gaz sous forme de vapeur qu'il soit mitoyen de l'unité de stockage ou sur un réseau de distribution de gaz en phase vapeur alimenté par l'unité de stockage.On the figure 1 , an installation 1 for storing and cooling a liquefied gas according to a first embodiment is shown. Such an installation 1 can be installed on land or on a floating structure such as a liquefaction or regasification barge. In the case of an onshore structure, the installation may be intended for a storage unit associated with one or more components that consume gas in the form of vapor, such as generators, steam generators, burners or any another device consuming gas in the form of vapor whether it is adjacent to the storage unit or on a gas distribution network in the vapor phase supplied by the storage unit.

Dans le cas d'un ouvrage flottant, l'installation peut être destinée à un navire de transport de gaz naturel liquéfié, tel qu'un méthanier, mais peut également être destiné à tout navire dont le groupe motopropulseur, les groupes électrogènes, les générateurs de vapeurs ou tout autre organe consommateur sont alimentés en gaz. A titre d'exemple, il peut ainsi s'agir d'un navire de transport de marchandises, d'un navire de transport de passagers, d'un navire de pêche, d'une unité flottante de production d'électricité ou autres.In the case of a floating structure, the installation may be intended for a liquefied natural gas transport ship, such as an LNG carrier, but may also be intended for any ship including the powertrain, generators, generators vapors or any other consuming organ are supplied with gas. By way of example, it may thus be a merchandise transport vessel, a passenger transport vessel, a fishing vessel, a floating electricity production unit or the like.

L'installation 1 comporte une cuve 2 étanche et thermiquement isolante.The installation 1 comprises a sealed and thermally insulating tank 2.

Dans le mode de réalisation représenté sur la figure 1, la cuve 2 est une cuve à membranes. Une telle cuve à membranes peut notamment comporter une structure multicouche comportant, depuis l'extérieur vers l'intérieur de la cuve 2, une barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire 3 comportant des éléments isolants reposant contre une structure porteuse 4, une membrane d'étanchéité secondaire 5 reposant contre la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire 3, une barrière thermiquement isolante primaire 6 comportant des éléments isolants reposant contre la membrane d'étanchéité secondaire 5 et une membrane d'étanchéité primaire 7 destinée à être en contact avec le gaz liquéfié 8 contenu dans la cuve. A titre d'exemple, de telles cuves à membranes 2 sont décrites dans les demandes de brevet WO14057221 , FR2691520 et FR2877638 .In the embodiment shown in figure 1 , the tank 2 is a membrane tank. Such a membrane tank may in particular comprise a multilayer structure comprising, from the outside towards the inside of the tank 2, a secondary thermally insulating barrier 3 comprising insulating elements resting against a supporting structure 4, a secondary waterproofing membrane 5. resting against the secondary thermally insulating barrier 3, a primary thermally insulating barrier 6 comprising insulating elements resting against the secondary waterproofing membrane 5 and a primary waterproofing membrane 7 intended to be in contact with the liquefied gas 8 contained in the tank . By way of example, such membrane tanks 2 are described in patent applications WO14057221 , FR2691520 and FR2877638 .

Selon d'autres modes de réalisation alternatifs, la cuve 1 peut également être une cuve de type A, B ou C. Un telle cuve est autoporteuse et peut notamment présenter une forme parallélépipédique, prismatique, sphérique, cylindrique ou multi-Iobique. Les cuves de type C présentent la particularité de permettre un stockage du gaz naturel liquéfié à des pressions sensiblement supérieures à la pression atmosphérique.According to other alternative embodiments, the tank 1 can also be a tank of type A, B or C. Such a tank is self-supporting and can in particular have a parallelepiped, prismatic, spherical, cylindrical or multi-Iobic shape. Type C tanks have the particularity of allowing liquefied natural gas to be stored at pressures substantially higher than atmospheric pressure.

Le gaz liquéfié 8 est un gaz combustible. Le gaz liquéfié 8 peut notamment être un gaz naturel liquéfié (GNL), c'est-à-dire un mélange gazeux comportant majoritairement du méthane ainsi qu'un ou plusieurs autres hydrocarbures, tels que l'éthane, le propane, le n-butane, le i-butane, le n-pentane le i-pentane, le néopentane, et de l'azote en faible proportion.Liquefied gas 8 is a combustible gas. The liquefied gas 8 can in particular be a liquefied natural gas (LNG), that is to say a gas mixture comprising mainly methane as well as one or more other hydrocarbons, such as ethane, propane, n- butane, i-butane, n-pentane, i-pentane, neopentane, and nitrogen in small proportions.

Le gaz combustible peut également être de l'éthane ou un gaz de pétrole liquéfié (GPL), c'est-à-dire un mélange d'hydrocarbures issu du raffinage du pétrole comportant essentiellement du propane et du butane.The fuel gas can also be ethane or a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), that is to say a mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from the refining of petroleum comprising essentially propane and butane.

Le gaz liquéfié 8 est stocké dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve dans un état d'équilibre diphasique liquide-vapeur. Le gaz est donc présent en phase vapeur dans la partie supérieure de la cuve et en phase liquide dans la partie inférieure de la cuve. La température d'équilibre du gaz naturel liquéfié correspondant à son état d'équilibre diphasique liquide-vapeur est d'environ -162°C lorsqu'il est stocké à pression atmosphérique.The liquefied gas 8 is stored in the interior space of the vessel in a state of two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium. The gas is therefore present in the vapor phase in the upper part of the vessel and in the liquid phase in the lower part of the vessel. The equilibrium temperature of liquefied natural gas corresponding to its two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium state is approximately -162 ° C when stored at atmospheric pressure.

L'installation 1 comporte un circuit de prélèvement de gaz en phase vapeur 9. Le circuit de prélèvement de gaz en phase vapeur 9 comporte un conduit 10 passant au travers d'une paroi de la cuve 2 afin de définir un passage d'évacuation de la phase vapeur, de l'intérieur vers l'extérieur de la cuve 2. Le conduit 10 comporte une admission 11 débouchant à l'intérieur de l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2. L'admission 11 débouche dans une portion supérieure de l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2. L'admission 11 peut notamment déboucher au-dessus de la limite maximale de remplissage de la cuve de sorte à déboucher dans la phase gazeuse.The installation 1 comprises a gas sampling circuit in the vapor phase 9. The gas sampling circuit in the vapor phase 9 comprises a duct 10 passing through a wall of the vessel 2 in order to define an evacuation passage for the vapor phase, from the inside to the outside of the tank 2. The duct 10 comprises an inlet 11 opening inside the interior space of the tank 2. The inlet 11 opens into an upper portion of the 'interior space of the tank 2. The inlet 11 can in particular open out above the maximum filling limit of the tank so as to open into the gas phase.

Le circuit de prélèvement 9 comporte également une pompe à dépression 12 qui est raccordée, en amont, à la conduite 10 et, en aval, à un circuit d'utilisation de gaz en phase vapeur 13. La pompe à dépression 12 est ainsi apte à aspirer à travers la conduite 10 un flux de gaz en phase vapeur présent dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2 et à le refouler vers le circuit d'utilisation de gaz en phase vapeur 13. Dans le mode de réalisation représenté, le circuit de prélèvement 9 comporte un clapet 19 ou une vanne anti-retour, disposé en amont ou en aval de la pompe à dépression 12 et permettant ainsi d'éviter un retour du flux de gaz en phase vapeur vers l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2.The sampling circuit 9 also comprises a vacuum pump 12 which is connected, upstream, to the pipe 10 and, downstream, to a circuit for using gas in the vapor phase 13. The vacuum pump 12 is thus capable of sucking through the pipe 10 a flow of gas in the vapor phase present in the interior space of the vessel 2 and to discharge it towards the circuit for using gas in the vapor phase 13. In the embodiment shown, the circuit of sampling 9 comprises a valve 19 or a non-return valve, arranged upstream or downstream of the vacuum pump 12 and thus making it possible to avoid a return of the gas flow in the vapor phase towards the interior space of the tank 2.

La pompe à dépression 12 est apte à générer dans la phase vapeur disposée dans la partie supérieure de l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2 une pression P1 inférieure à la pression atmosphérique. Ainsi, lorsque la pompe à dépression 12 est mise en fonctionnement et aspire un flux de gaz en phase vapeur à l'intérieur de l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2 et le refoule vers le circuit d'utilisation de gaz en phase vapeur 13, la pompe à dépression 12 génère également une pression P1 inférieure à la pression atmosphérique dans la phase vapeur de l'espace intérieur de la cuve.The vacuum pump 12 is able to generate, in the vapor phase arranged in the upper part of the interior space of the tank 2, a pressure P1 lower than atmospheric pressure. Thus, when the vacuum pump 12 is put into operation and sucks a flow of gas in the vapor phase inside the interior space of the vessel 2 and delivers it to the gas utilization circuit in the vapor phase 13, the vacuum pump 12 also generates a pressure P1 lower than atmospheric pressure in the vapor phase of the interior of the tank.

Dès lors, la phase vapeur étant placée à une pression P1 inférieure à la pression atmosphérique, la vaporisation du gaz liquéfié 8 présent dans la cuve 2 est favorisée à l'interface liquide/vapeur tandis que le gaz liquéfié 8 stocké dans la cuve 2 est placée dans un état d'équilibre diphasique liquide-vapeur dans lequel le gaz liquéfié présente une température inférieure à la température d'équilibre liquide-vapeur dudit gaz liquéfié à pression atmosphérique.Consequently, the vapor phase being placed at a pressure P1 lower than atmospheric pressure, the vaporization of the liquefied gas 8 present in the tank 2 is favored at the liquid / vapor interface while the liquefied gas 8 stored in the tank 2 is placed in a two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium state in which the liquefied gas has a temperature below the liquid-vapor equilibrium temperature of said liquefied gas at atmospheric pressure.

Ces phénomènes sont expliqués ci-dessous en relation avec la figure 3 qui représente un diagramme d'équilibre liquide-vapeur du méthane. Ce diagramme représente un domaine, noté L, dans lequel le méthane se présente en phase liquide et un domaine, noté V, dans lequel le méthane se présente en phase vapeur, en fonction de la température représentée en ordonnée et de la pression en abscisse.These phenomena are explained below in relation to the figure 3 which represents a liquid-vapor equilibrium diagram of methane. This diagram represents a domain, denoted L, in which the methane is present in the liquid phase and a domain, denoted V, in which the methane is present in the vapor phase, as a function of the temperature represented on the ordinate and the pressure on the abscissa.

Le point Pt1 représente un état d'équilibre diphasique correspondant à l'état du méthane stocké dans une cuve à la pression atmosphérique et à une température d'environ -162°C. Lorsque la pression de stockage du méthane dans la cuve est descendue en dessous de la pression atmosphérique, par exemple jusqu'à une pression absolue d'environ 500 mbars, l'équilibre du méthane se déplace vers la gauche jusqu'au point Pt2. Une fois à l'équilibre, le méthane ainsi détendu subit donc une diminution de température d'environ 7°C tandis qu'une partie du méthane en phase liquide se vaporise en soustrayant au méthane liquide stocké dans la cuve les calories nécessaires à sa vaporisation. Dès lors, en plaçant un gaz liquéfié à une pression absolue inférieure à la pression atmosphérique, le gaz liquéfié se maintient dans un état thermodynamique sous-refroidi de telle sorte qu'un retour vers un stockage dans la cuve à pression atmosphérique ou son transfert ultérieur vers une cuve à pression atmosphérique peut s'effectuer en maintenant un taux d'évaporation du gaz liquéfié faible, voire nul en évitant ou réduisant les phénomènes de vaporisation flash en début de transfert.Point P t1 represents a two-phase equilibrium state corresponding to the state of methane stored in a tank at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of approximately -162 ° C. When the methane storage pressure in the tank has dropped below atmospheric pressure, for example to an absolute pressure of about 500 mbar, the methane equilibrium shifts to the left up to point P t2 . Once in equilibrium, the methane thus relaxed therefore undergoes a temperature reduction of approximately 7 ° C while a part of the methane in the liquid phase is vaporized by subtracting from the liquid methane stored in the tank the calories necessary for its vaporization. . Therefore, by placing a liquefied gas at an absolute pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, the liquefied gas is maintained in a sub-cooled thermodynamic state so that a return to storage in the tank at atmospheric pressure or its subsequent transfer to a vessel at atmospheric pressure can be carried out while maintaining a low rate of evaporation of the liquefied gas, or even zero, while avoiding or reducing the phenomena of flash vaporization at the start of transfer.

La pompe à dépression 12 est une pompe cryogénique, c'est-à-dire une pompe apte à supporter des températures cryogéniques inférieures à -150 °C. Elle doit en outre être conforme à la réglementation ATEX, c'est-à-dire conçue afin d'écarter tout risque d'explosion.The vacuum pump 12 is a cryogenic pump, that is to say a pump capable of withstanding cryogenic temperatures below -150 ° C. It must also comply with ATEX regulations, that is to say designed to prevent any risk of explosion.

Sur la figure 3, on a représenté schématiquement l'installation 1 pour illustrer le fait que le circuit de prélèvement 9 et la pompe à dépression 12 permettent de fournir à la fois une puissance frigorifique P au gaz liquéfié contenu dans la cuve 2 et un débit de gaz en phase vapeur Q au circuit d'utilisation 13.On the figure 3 , there is schematically shown the installation 1 to illustrate the fact that the sampling circuit 9 and the vacuum pump 12 make it possible to supply both a cooling power P to the liquefied gas contained in the tank 2 and a flow of gas in phase steam Q to the user circuit 13.

Dans certaines applications, la demande de gaz en phase vapeur souhaité dans le circuit d'utilisation 13 peut être le critère principal de dimensionnement et de pilotage de la pompe à dépression 12. Dans ce cas, la pompe à dépression 12 est pilotée en fonction d'une consigne de débit générée par le circuit d'utilisation du gaz en phase vapeur 12. Pour ce faire, l'installation 1 est équipée d'un capteur de mesure de débit apte à délivrer un signal représentatif du débit de vapeur refoulé par la pompe à dépression 12 et d'un dispositif de commande 18 apte à piloter la pompe à dépression 12 de manière à asservir la valeur de débit mesurée à la consigne de débit. Dans ce mode de réalisation, la pression régnant à l'intérieur de la cuve évolue donc en fonction du temps et de la consigne de débit générée par le circuit d'utilisation 13.In certain applications, the demand for gas in the vapor phase desired in the utilization circuit 13 may be the main criterion for sizing and controlling the vacuum pump 12. In this case, the vacuum pump 12 is controlled as a function of 'a flow setpoint generated by the circuit for using gas in the vapor phase 12. To do this, the installation 1 is equipped with a flow measurement sensor capable of delivering a signal representative of the flow of steam delivered by the vacuum pump 12 and a control device 18 able to control the vacuum pump 12 so as to control the measured flow rate value to the flow rate setpoint. In this embodiment, the pressure prevailing inside the tank therefore changes as a function of time and of the flow rate setpoint generated by the use circuit 13.

Par ailleurs, pour ces modes de réalisation, la pompe à dépression 12 est dimensionnée de manière à générer un débit suffisant pour alimenter le circuit d'utilisation 13. A titre illustratif, la puissance moyenne du moteur principal dans des navires hauturiers est typiquement de l'ordre de quelques MW à quelques dizaines de MW. Si le débit de gaz en phase vapeur Q refoulé par la pompe à dépression 12 ne permet pas de produire une puissance frigorifique correspondant à la totalité du besoin dans la cuve de stockage, il est possible de prévoir un dispositif de refroidissement auxiliaire, non représenté, pour apporter une puissance frigorifique auxiliaire Paux au gaz liquéfié contenu dans la cuve 2.Moreover, for these embodiments, the vacuum pump 12 is dimensioned so as to generate a sufficient flow rate to supply the utilization circuit 13. By way of illustration, the average power of the main engine in offshore vessels is typically 1. order from a few MW to a few tens of MW. If the flow of gas in the vapor phase Q delivered by the vacuum pump 12 does not make it possible to produce a cooling capacity corresponding to the totality of the need in the storage tank, it is possible to provide an auxiliary cooling device, not shown, to provide an auxiliary cooling power P to the liquefied gas contained in the tank 2.

Dans d'autres applications, la puissance frigorifique nécessaire au maintien du gaz contenu dans la cuve à une température cible inférieure à sa température de vaporisation à pression atmosphérique peut être le critère de dimensionnement et de pilotage de la pompe à dépression 12, notamment si le besoin de gaz en phase vapeur du circuit d'utilisation 8 est élevé et qu'on ne souhaite pas refroidir de manière excessive le gaz en phase liquide contenu dans le récipient. Dans ce cas, la pompe à dépression est pilotée en fonction d'une consigne de pression régnant dans l'espace interne de la cuve. Pour ce faire, l'installation 1 est équipée d'un capteur de pression agencé pour mesurer la pression dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve et d'un dispositif de commande 18 apte à piloter la pompe à dépression 12 de manière à asservir la valeur de la pression mesurée à la consigne de pression. Dans ce mode, après une période transitoire de descente en pression durant laquelle la température et la pression du gaz naturel liquéfié diminuent, on atteint un régime établi correspondant à un couple pression/température cible. La pression absolue de consigne est supérieure à 120 mbars et par exemple comprise entre 750 mbars et 980 mbars.In other applications, the cooling power necessary to maintain the gas contained in the tank at a target temperature below its vaporization temperature at atmospheric pressure may be the criterion for sizing and controlling the vacuum pump 12, in particular if the The need for gas in the vapor phase of the user circuit 8 is high and that one does not wish to excessively cool the gas in the liquid phase contained in the container. In this case, the vacuum pump is controlled as a function of a pressure setpoint prevailing in the internal space of the tank. To do this, the installation 1 is equipped with a pressure sensor designed to measure the pressure in the interior space of the tank and with a control device 18 able to control the vacuum pump 12 so as to control the pressure. value of the pressure measured at the pressure setpoint. In this mode, after a transient period of pressure drop during which the temperature and pressure of the liquefied natural gas decrease, a steady state is reached corresponding to a target pressure / temperature pair. Pressure absolute setpoint is greater than 120 mbar and for example between 750 mbar and 980 mbar.

Pour ces modes de réalisation, la pompe à dépression 12 est dimensionnée de sorte à générer une dépression dans l'espace interne de la cuve correspondant à la pression cible. Par ailleurs, si le régime établi ne permet pas de produire le débit de gaz en phase vapeur correspondant à la totalité du besoin dans le circuit d'utilisation 13, il est possible de prévoir un dispositif de vaporisation auxiliaire, non représenté, pour apporter un débit de vapeur auxiliaire Qaux au circuit d'utilisation 13.For these embodiments, the vacuum pump 12 is dimensioned so as to generate a vacuum in the internal space of the tank corresponding to the target pressure. Moreover, if the steady state does not make it possible to produce the flow of gas in the vapor phase corresponding to the totality of the need in the user circuit 13, it is possible to provide an auxiliary vaporization device, not shown, to provide a auxiliary steam flow Q aux to the user circuit 13.

On comprend ainsi de ce qui précède, que la pompe à dépression doit présenter une caractéristique débit/pression adaptée au besoin du circuit d'utilisation de gaz en phase vapeur 13 et à la puissance frigorifique nécessaire.It will thus be understood from the foregoing that the vacuum pump must have a flow / pressure characteristic adapted to the needs of the circuit for using gas in the vapor phase 13 and to the necessary cooling capacity.

Dans le cas d'une installation 1 embarquée sur un navire, le circuit d'utilisation 13 peut notamment comporter un équipement de production d'énergie du groupe motopropulseur, non représenté, permettant de propulser le navire. Un tel équipement de production d'énergie est notamment choisi parmi les moteurs thermiques, les piles à combustion et les turbines à gaz. Lorsque l'équipement de production d'énergie est un moteur thermique, le moteur peut être à alimentation mixte diesel-gaz naturel. De tels moteurs peuvent fonctionner, soit en mode diesel dans lequel le moteur est intégralement alimenté en diesel soit en mode gaz naturel dans lequel le combustible du moteur est principalement constitué de gaz naturel alors qu'une faible quantité de diesel pilote est injectée pour initier la combustion.In the case of an installation 1 on board a ship, the utilization circuit 13 may in particular include equipment for producing power from the power train, not shown, making it possible to propel the ship. Such energy production equipment is chosen in particular from heat engines, combustion cells and gas turbines. When the power generation equipment is a heat engine, the engine can be mixed diesel-natural gas fuel. Such engines can operate either in diesel mode in which the engine is supplied entirely with diesel or in natural gas mode in which the engine fuel consists mainly of natural gas while a small quantity of pilot diesel is injected to initiate the combustion. combustion.

Par ailleurs, selon un mode de réalisation, le circuit d'utilisation 13 comporte en outre un échangeur de chaleur, non illustré, permettant de chauffer davantage le flux de gaz en phase vapeur jusqu'à des températures compatibles avec le fonctionnement de l'équipement consommateur de gaz. L'échangeur de chaleur supplémentaire peut notamment assurer un contact thermique entre le flux de gaz en phase vapeur et de l'eau de mer, entre le flux de gaz en phase vapeur et des gaz de combustion générés par un équipement de production d'énergie ou par le moteur directement, ou entre le flux de gaz en phase vapeur et de l'air utilisé comme comburant par le moteur afin d'augmenter son rendement. Selon un mode de réalisation, le circuit d'utilisation 13 peut également comporter un compresseur permettant de chauffer le flux de gaz en phase vapeur et de le comprimer à des pressions compatibles avec les spécifications des équipements de production d'énergie alimentés en gaz combustible, par exemple de l'ordre de 5 à 6 bars absolus.Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the user circuit 13 further comprises a heat exchanger, not illustrated, making it possible to further heat the gas flow in the vapor phase to temperatures compatible with the operation of the equipment. gas consumer. The additional heat exchanger can in particular ensure thermal contact between the flow of gas in the vapor phase and sea water, between the flow of gas in the vapor phase and combustion gases generated by energy production equipment. or by the engine directly, or between the flow of gas in vapor phase and air used as oxidizer by the engine in order to increase its efficiency. According to one embodiment, the user circuit 13 may also include a compressor making it possible to heat the gas flow in the vapor phase and to compress it to pressures compatible with the specifications of energy production equipment supplied with combustible gas, for example of the order of 5 to 6 bars absolute.

On observe que lorsque le gaz liquéfié est un mélange gazeux constitué d'une pluralité de composants, la phase vapeur issue de l'évaporation à l'intérieur de la cuve présente une composition plus riche en composants les plus volatils, tels que l'azote, que la phase liquide. Aussi, le flux de gaz prélevé par le circuit de prélèvement de gaz en phase vapeur 9 peut présenter des teneurs en composants les plus volatils importantes et par conséquent être incompatible avec l'alimentation d'un équipement de production d'énergie. Dès lors, selon un mode de réalisation non illustré, l'installation 1 comporte également un dispositif de vaporisation forcée qui prélève un flux de gaz liquéfié en phase liquide dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2 et le vaporise au moyen d'un échangeur de chaleur. Un tel flux de gaz présente une composition sensiblement identique à celle du gaz liquéfié contenu dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve. Dès lors, le flux de gaz en phase vapeur ainsi obtenu peut être mélangé au flux de gaz prélevé via le circuit de prélèvement 9 afin d'atteindre des teneurs en composants les plus volatils compatibles avec l'alimentation de l'équipement de production d'énergie.It is observed that when the liquefied gas is a gas mixture consisting of a plurality of components, the vapor phase resulting from the evaporation inside the tank has a composition richer in the most volatile components, such as nitrogen. , than the liquid phase. Also, the flow of gas taken by the gas sampling circuit in the vapor phase 9 may have the most volatile component contents and consequently be incompatible with the supply of energy production equipment. Therefore, according to an embodiment not shown, the installation 1 also comprises a forced vaporization device which takes a flow of liquefied gas in liquid phase in the interior space of the tank 2 and vaporizes it by means of an exchanger. heat. Such a gas flow has a composition substantially identical to that of the liquefied gas contained in the interior space of the vessel. Consequently, the flow of gas in the vapor phase thus obtained can be mixed with the flow of gas withdrawn via the withdrawal circuit 9 in order to reach the contents of the most volatile components compatible with the supply of the production equipment of energy.

En revenant à la figure 1, on constate que l'installation 1 comporte, dans le mode de réalisation représenté, une pompe à dépression 16 qui est raccordée à une canalisation 17 débouchant dans l'espace interne de la barrière thermiquement isolante primaire 6 de manière à permettre un maintien de la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante primaire 6 sous une pression P2 inférieure à la pression atmosphérique.Returning to the figure 1 , we see that the installation 1 comprises, in the embodiment shown, a vacuum pump 16 which is connected to a pipe 17 opening into the internal space of the primary thermally insulating barrier 6 so as to allow maintenance of the gas phase of the primary thermally insulating barrier 6 at a pressure P2 below atmospheric pressure.

De même, l'installation comporte une pompe à dépression 14 qui est raccordée à une canalisation 15 débouchant dans l'espace interne de de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire 3 et est ainsi apte à maintenir la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire 3 sous une pression absolue P3 inférieure à la pression atmosphérique.Likewise, the installation comprises a vacuum pump 14 which is connected to a pipe 15 opening into the internal space of the secondary thermally insulating barrier 3 and is thus able to maintain the gas phase of the secondary thermally insulating barrier 3 under an absolute pressure P3 less than atmospheric pressure.

Le maintien des barrières thermiquement isolantes sous des pressions P2 et P3 inférieures à la pression atmosphérique est particulièrement avantageux. En effet, cela permet d'une part d'augmenter le pouvoir isolant desdites barrières thermiquement isolantes. D'autre part, cela permet aussi d'assurer que la pression régnant dans les barrières thermiquement isolantes 3, 6 ne soient pas largement supérieure à la pression régnant dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2, ce qui serait susceptible d'endommager les membranes d'étanchéité 7, 5 et notamment la membrane d'étanchéité primaire 7 en provoquant son arrachage.Maintaining the thermally insulating barriers at pressures P2 and P3 below atmospheric pressure is particularly advantageous. In fact, this makes it possible on the one hand to increase the insulating power of said thermally insulating barriers. On the other hand, it also ensures that the pressure prevailing in the thermally insulating barriers 3, 6 are not much greater than the pressure prevailing in the interior space of the tank 2, which would be liable to damage the sealing membranes 7, 5 and in particular the sealing membrane primary 7 by causing it to be pulled out.

Aussi, de manière avantageuse, les pompes à dépression 14, 16 sont commandées de telle sorte que la pression P2 de la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante primaire 6 et la pression P3 de la phase gazeuse de la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire 3 soient inférieures ou égales à la pression P1 régnant dans l'espace interne de la cuve.Also, advantageously, the vacuum pumps 14, 16 are controlled such that the pressure P2 of the gas phase of the primary thermally insulating barrier 6 and the pressure P3 of the gas phase of the secondary thermally insulating barrier 3 are lower. or equal to the pressure P1 prevailing in the internal space of the tank.

Selon un mode de réalisation particulier, il peut être prévu que la pression P3 soit supérieure ou égale à la pression P2 ce qui permet d'éviter qu'en cas de défaut d'étanchéité des membranes d'étanchéité, le gaz liquéfié ne soit aspiré vers la barrière thermiquement isolante secondaire. De manière avantageuse, le différentiel de pression entre les pressions P2 et P3 est inférieur à 100 mbars et de préférence compris entre 10 et 50 mbars.According to a particular embodiment, provision may be made for the pressure P3 to be greater than or equal to the pressure P2, which makes it possible to prevent the liquefied gas from being sucked in, in the event of a leak in the waterproofing membranes. towards the secondary thermally insulating barrier. Advantageously, the pressure differential between the pressures P2 and P3 is less than 100 mbar and preferably between 10 and 50 mbar.

Par ailleurs, dans un mode de réalisation non représenté, l'installation 1 comporte un dispositif d'agitation permettant de créer un courant à l'intérieur de la l'espace interne de la cuve 2. Un tel dispositif d'agitation vise à limiter la stratification thermique à l'intérieur de la cuve 2 et permet ainsi d'homogénéiser la température du gaz liquéfié et, par conséquent, d'optimiser le rendement du procédé. Le dispositif d'agitation peut notamment comporter une boucle de recirculation du gaz liquéfié. Pour ce faire, le dispositif d'agitation comporte une ou plusieurs pompes, telle qu'une pompe de déchargement de la cuve, associée à une ligne de déchargement apte à être mise en communication avec une ligne de chargement de la cuve de sorte à créer une boucle de circulation du gaz liquéfié.Furthermore, in an embodiment not shown, the installation 1 comprises a stirring device making it possible to create a current inside the internal space of the tank 2. Such a stirring device aims to limit thermal stratification inside the tank 2 and thus makes it possible to homogenize the temperature of the liquefied gas and, consequently, to optimize the yield of the process. The stirring device may in particular include a loop for recirculating the liquefied gas. To do this, the agitation device comprises one or more pumps, such as a tank unloading pump, associated with an unloading line capable of being placed in communication with a tank loading line so as to create a liquefied gas circulation loop.

Dans le mode de réalisation représenté sur la figure 5, l'installation 1 comporte en outre une cloche à dépression 20 logée dans l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2. La cloche à dépression 20 est un corps creux disposé dans la partie supérieure de l'espace interne de la cuve 2 de telle sorte que sa portion supérieure soit en contact et remplie avec la phase gazeuse du gaz stocké dans la cuve 2 et que sa portion inférieure soit immergée dans la phase liquide du gaz stocké dans la cuve 2. La cloche à dépression 20 est ici de forme cylindrique à section circulaire. Toutefois, la cloche à dépression 20 peut présenter d'autres formes, par exemple parallélépipédique à section carré ou rectangulaire.In the embodiment shown in figure 5 , the installation 1 further comprises a vacuum bell 20 housed in the interior space of the tank 2. The vacuum bell 20 is a hollow body arranged in the upper part of the internal space of the tank 2 in such a way that its upper portion is in contact and filled with the gaseous phase of the gas stored in the tank 2 and that its lower portion is immersed in the liquid phase of the gas stored in the tank 2. The vacuum bell 20 is here of cylindrical shape with circular section. However, the vacuum bell 20 may have other shapes, for example parallelepiped with a square or rectangular section.

L'admission 11 du circuit de prélèvement de gaz en phase vapeur 9 débouche dans la portion supérieure de la cloche à dépression 20. Ainsi, la pompe à dépression 12 est apte à générer dans la portion supérieure de la cloche à dépression une pression P1 inférieure à la pression atmosphérique ce qui permet de favoriser une vaporisation du gaz liquéfié à l'intérieur de la cloche à dépression 20.The inlet 11 of the vapor phase gas sampling circuit 9 opens into the upper portion of the vacuum bell 20. Thus, the vacuum pump 12 is able to generate in the upper portion of the vacuum bell a lower pressure P1. at atmospheric pressure which makes it possible to promote vaporization of the liquefied gas inside the vacuum chamber 20.

On notera que, dans un tel mode de réalisation, lorsque la pompe à dépression 12 est pilotée de manière à asservir une valeur de pression mesurée à une consigne de pression, le capteur de pression est avantageusement disposé à l'intérieur de la portion supérieure de la cloche à dépression 20.It will be noted that, in such an embodiment, when the vacuum pump 12 is controlled so as to enslave a measured pressure value to a pressure setpoint, the pressure sensor is advantageously placed inside the upper portion of the vacuum bell 20.

L'utilisation d'une telle cloche à dépression 20 présente notamment comme avantages de diminuer les contraintes de dimensionnement de la pompe à dépression 12 et de limiter la dépression régnant dans le reste de l'espace intérieur de la cuve 2 de manière à limiter les contraintes s'exerçant sur la membrane d'étanchéité primaire 7 dans le cas d'une cuve à membranes, de type A, B ou C. En d'autres termes, le cloche à dépression 20 permet de cantonner la mise en dépression à un élément de dimensions plus réduites que celles de la cuve et dont la conception et le dimensionnement peuvent être optimisés pour tenir la dépression cible sans pour autant que l'intégralité de la cuve soit soumise à cette contrainte de dimensionnement. Le dimensionnement de la cuve peut donc être optimisé en fonction d'une pression interne de service alors que la cloche à dépression est dimensionnée en fonction de la dépression cible.The use of such a vacuum bell 20 has the particular advantages of reducing the dimensioning constraints of the vacuum pump 12 and of limiting the vacuum prevailing in the rest of the interior space of the tank 2 so as to limit the stresses exerted on the primary waterproofing membrane 7 in the case of a membrane tank, of type A, B or C. In other words, the vacuum bell 20 makes it possible to limit the depressurization to a element of smaller dimensions than those of the tank and whose design and sizing can be optimized to meet the target depression without the entire tank being subjected to this sizing constraint. The dimensioning of the tank can therefore be optimized as a function of an internal operating pressure while the vacuum bell is dimensioned as a function of the target vacuum.

Pour le dimensionnement de la cloche à dépression, les considérations suivantes peuvent être prises en compte :

  • la tenue à la dépression cible de la cloche à dépression doit être assurée en utilisant des épaisseurs de matériau et éventuellement des renforcements raisonnables au regard des coûts de fabrication ;
  • la ratio entre la surface libre à l'intérieur de la cloche à dépression 20, c'est-à-dire la surface de la zone d'interface entre la phase liquide et la phase gazeuse dans la cloche à dépression, et celle de la surface libre dans le reste de la cuve est choisi de sorte que l'application de la dépression cible à l'intérieur de la cloche à dépression 20 se traduit par une dépression admissible dans la cuve 2.
For the sizing of the vacuum chamber, the following considerations can be taken into account:
  • the resistance to the target depression of the vacuum chamber must be ensured by using material thicknesses and possibly reinforcements which are reasonable with regard to manufacturing costs;
  • the ratio between the free area inside the vacuum chamber 20, that is to say the area of the interface zone between the liquid phase and the gas phase in the vacuum bell, and that of the free surface in the rest of the tank is chosen so that the application of the target vacuum inside the vacuum bell 20 results in an allowable vacuum in the tank 2 .

La dépression générée à l'intérieur de la cuve peut être estimée à l'aide de la relation suivante : Δ P Cuve ≈ S Cloche S Cuve ∗ Δ P Cloche

Figure imgb0001
avec :

  • SCloche et SCuve la surface libre du gaz liquéfié dans la cloche et dans le reste de la cuve ; et
  • ΔPCuve et ΔPCloche la pression relative négative de la phase vapeur dans la cuve et dans la cloche.
The vacuum generated inside the tank can be estimated using the following relation: Δ P Tank ≈ S Bell S Tank ∗ Δ P Bell
Figure imgb0001
 with:
  • S Bell and S Cuve the free surface of liquefied gas in the bell and in the rest of the tank; and
  • ΔP Vessel and ΔP Bell the negative relative pressure of the vapor phase in the vessel and in the bell.

Ainsi, si on souhaite limiter la dépression dans la cuve à 1/10 de la dépression dans la cloche à dépression 20, la surface libre à l'intérieur de la cloche doit être de l'ordre de 1/10 de la surface libre à l'intérieur de la cuve.Thus, if it is desired to limit the vacuum in the tank to 1/10 of the vacuum in the vacuum bell 20, the free surface inside the bell must be of the order of 1/10 of the free surface at inside the tank.

On note par ailleurs, que s'agissant de cuves du type C destinées à stocker du gaz liquéfié à une pression sensiblement supérieure à la pression atmosphérique, typiquement de l'ordre de 3 à 9 Bars, celles-ci sont dimensionnées en fonction de la pression maximale de service interne à laquelle elles doivent être capables de résister. Pour le stockage de gaz naturel liquéfié, la pression maximale de service interne est généralement égale ou inférieure à 10 Bars. Par ailleurs, la relation suivante peut être établie entre la pression critique de flambement d'une telle cuve lorsqu'elle est soumise à une dépression interne et la pression maximale de service interne : P Cr = K 3 × E 4 × σ 3 × 1 − ν 2 × P max 3

Figure imgb0002
Avec :

  • PCr : la pression critique de flambement ;
  • Pmax : la pression maximale de service ;
  • K : le coefficient de sécurité > 1 ;
  • E : le module d'Young du matériau de la membrane d'étanchéité de la cuve ;
  • v : le coefficient de Poisson dudit matériau ; et
  • σ : la limite élastique dudit matériau.
It should also be noted that, in the case of type C tanks intended to store liquefied gas at a pressure substantially greater than atmospheric pressure, typically of the order of 3 to 9 bars, these are sized according to the maximum internal working pressure which they must be able to withstand. For the storage of liquefied natural gas, the maximum internal working pressure is generally equal to or less than 10 Bars. In addition, the following relationship can be established between the critical buckling pressure of such a vessel when subjected to an internal vacuum and the maximum internal working pressure: P Cr = K 3 × E 4 × σ 3 × 1 - ν 2 × P max 3
Figure imgb0002
 With:
  • P Cr : the critical buckling pressure;
  • P max : the maximum working pressure;
  • K: the safety factor>1;
  • E: Young's modulus of the material of the tank waterproofing membrane;
  • v: the Poisson's ratio of said material; and
  • σ: the elastic limit of said material.

La pression critique de flambement de la cuve est donc sensiblement proportionnelle au cube de sa pression maximale de service multiplié par une constante qui dépend du matériau utilisé et du coefficient de sécurité choisi par le concepteur. Pour la majorité des matériaux candidats, cette constante est inférieure à 1 et souvent inférieure à 0.1. Ainsi, la pression critique de flambement lorsque la cuve est soumise à une dépression est souvent plus de 10 fois inférieure à la pression maximale de service.The critical buckling pressure of the vessel is therefore substantially proportional to the cube of its maximum working pressure multiplied by a constant which depends on the material used and on the safety coefficient chosen by the designer. For the majority of candidate materials, this constant is less than 1 and often less than 0.1. Thus, the critical buckling pressure when the vessel is subjected to a vacuum is often more than 10 times lower than the maximum working pressure.

A titre d'exemple, pour une cuve cylindrique de type C dimensionnée pour résister à une pression maximale de service de 10 Bars et une dépression cible à l'intérieur de la cloche à dépression 20 de l'ordre de 100 mbars, il pourra être choisi un ratio entre la surface libre à l'intérieur de la cloche à dépression 20, et celle de la surface libre dans le reste de la cuve de l'ordre de 10 de telle sorte que la dépression régnant dans le reste de la cuve soit limitée à 10 mbars. Dans ce cas, la cloche à dépression 20 permet donc de faire passer la dépression susceptible de régner dans le reste de la phase gazeuse de la cuve de 100mbars à 10 mbars, ce qui permet notamment de limiter l'épaisseur de la membrane de la cuve. A titre d'exemple, pour une cuve cylindrique de type C de 10 mètres de diamètre et dont la membrane est fabriquée en inox, la cloche à dépression 20 permet dans le cas précité de limiter l'épaisseur de la membrane à 25 mm alors qu'elle aurait dû être de 29 mm en l'absence de cloche à dépression 20.By way of example, for a type C cylindrical vessel dimensioned to withstand a maximum operating pressure of 10 bars and a target depression inside the vacuum chamber 20 of the order of 100 mbar, it may be chosen a ratio between the free area inside the vacuum bell 20, and that of the free area in the rest of the tank of the order of 10 so that the vacuum prevailing in the rest of the tank is limited to 10 mbar. In this case, the vacuum bell 20 therefore makes it possible to pass the vacuum likely to prevail in the rest of the gas phase of the tank from 100 mbar to 10 mbar, which makes it possible in particular to limit the thickness of the membrane of the tank. . By way of example, for a type C cylindrical tank 10 meters in diameter and whose membrane is made of stainless steel, the vacuum bell 20 allows in the above case to limit the thickness of the membrane to 25 mm while 'it should have been 29 mm in the absence of the vacuum bell 20.

Pour la majorité des applications, la section de la cloche à dépression est avantageusement comprise entre 1/5 et 1/100 de la section de la cuve.For the majority of applications, the section of the vacuum chamber is advantageously between 1/5 and 1/100 of the section of the tank.

Pour une cuve cylindrique dont les génératrices sont horizontales, la surface libre du gaz liquéfié à l'intérieur de la cuve est amenée à évoluer en fonction du niveau de remplissage de la cuve. En effet, la surface libre est maximale lorsque la cuve est remplie à mi-hauteur et diminue lorsque l'on se rapproche du niveau de remplissage maximal de la cuve. Ainsi, le dimensionnement de la cloche à dépression 20 peut être différent selon que l'on considère comme critère de dimensionnement la surface libre maximale du gaz liquéfié - c'est-à-dire celle correspondant à une cuve qui est remplie à mi-hauteur - ou une surface libre du gaz liquéfié lorsque la cuve est proche de son niveau de remplissage maximum.For a cylindrical vessel whose generators are horizontal, the free surface of the liquefied gas inside the vessel is caused to change as a function of the filling level of the vessel. Indeed, the free surface is maximum when the tank is filled halfway up and decreases when one approaches the maximum filling level of the tank. Thus, the dimensioning of the vacuum bell 20 may be different depending on whether the maximum free surface area of the liquefied gas - that is to say that corresponding to a tank which is halfway filled - or a surface free of liquefied gas when the tank is close to its maximum fill level.

A titre d'exemple, en considérant un rapport de pression de 10 entre la dépression de la phase vapeur dans la cuve et dans la cloche, pour une cuve cylindrique de 20 mètres de long et de 4 mètres de rayon, le rayon d'une cloche à dépression cylindrique serait d'environ 2.25 mètres en considérant la surface libre maximale du gaz liquéfié. Toutefois, les cuves de navire de transport de gaz naturel liquéfié étant destinées à être remplies à proximité de leur niveau de remplissage maximum, un rayon de cloche inférieur de l'ordre de 2 mètre est suffisant et permet de réduire l'encombrement de la cloche à dépression 20. Dans ces mêmes conditions, une cloche à dépression de section carrée pourra présenter une dimension de côté de 4 mètres.By way of example, considering a pressure ratio of 10 between the vapor phase depression in the tank and in the bell, for a cylindrical tank 20 meters long and 4 meters in radius, the radius of a cylindrical vacuum bell would be about 2.25 meters considering the maximum free surface of the liquefied gas. However, since liquefied natural gas transport vessel tanks are intended to be filled close to their maximum filling level, a lower bell radius of the order of 2 meters is sufficient and makes it possible to reduce the size of the bell. vacuum 20. Under these same conditions, a vacuum bell of square section may have a side dimension of 4 meters.

Selon un mode de réalisation, la cloche à dépression 20 présente une forme plus complexe et sa section évolue au fur et à mesure en fonction de la hauteur de cuve de sorte que le ratio entre la surface libre à l'intérieur de la cloche à dépression 20 et celle de la surface libre dans le reste de la cuve reste sensiblement constant sur toute la hauteur de la cloche à dépression 20.According to one embodiment, the vacuum bell 20 has a more complex shape and its section progressively changes as a function of the height of the tank so that the ratio between the free surface inside the vacuum bell 20 and that of the free surface in the rest of the tank remains substantially constant over the entire height of the vacuum bell 20.

La cloche à dépression 20 est par exemple réalisée en métal afin de favoriser les échanges thermiques entre le gaz présent à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de la cloche à dépression 20.The vacuum bell 20 is for example made of metal in order to promote thermal exchanges between the gas present inside and outside the vacuum bell 20.

La cloche à dépression 20 peut être équipée d'éléments de renfort de structure lui permettant de résister à la dépression cible. Les éléments de renfort peuvent être de tous types et notamment être des éléments de renfort creux ou pleins, traversant transversalement la cloche ou disposé en périphérie à l'intérieur ou à l'extérieur de la cloche à dépression 20.The vacuum bell 20 can be equipped with structural reinforcing elements allowing it to resist the target vacuum. The reinforcing elements can be of all types and in particular be hollow or solid reinforcing elements, passing transversely through the bell or disposed at the periphery inside or outside the vacuum bell 20.

Selon un mode de réalisation, la cloche à dépression 20 peut être traversée par des tubes creux s'étendant sensiblement horizontalement et traversant de part en part ladite cloche à dépression. De tels tubes creux autorisent le passage de fluide et sont susceptibles de favoriser les échanges thermiques entre le gaz présent à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de la cloche à dépression 20. En outre, des tels tubes creux sont également susceptibles de contribuer au renforcement de la cloche à dépression 20.According to one embodiment, the vacuum bell 20 may be traversed by hollow tubes extending substantially horizontally and passing right through said vacuum bell. Such hollow tubes allow the passage of fluid and are capable of promoting heat exchange between the gas present inside and outside the vacuum bell 20. In addition, such hollow tubes are also capable of contributing to the pressure. reinforcement of the vacuum bell 20.

Lorsque la cuve 2 est équipée d'une tour de chargement/déchargement, non représentée, la cloche à dépression 20 peut notamment être supportée par ladite tour de chargement/déchargement afin de supporter les efforts dus à son poids et aux mouvements du gaz liquéfié. Une telle tour de chargement/déchargement s'étend sensiblement sur toute la hauteur de la cuve et est suspendue à la paroi de plafond. La tour peut être constituée d'une structure de type tripode, c'est-à-dire comportant trois mâts verticaux. La tour de chargement/déchargement supporte une ou plusieurs lignes de déchargement et une ou plusieurs lignes de chargement, chacune des lignes de déchargement étant associée à une pompe de déchargement qui est elle-même supportée par la tour de chargement/déchargement. La cloche à dépression 20 peut toutefois être supportée par tout autre moyen approprié.When the tank 2 is equipped with a loading / unloading tower, not shown, the vacuum bell 20 can in particular be supported by said loading / unloading tower in order to withstand the forces due to its weight and to the movements of the liquefied gas. Such a loading / unloading tower extends substantially over the entire height of the tank and is suspended from the ceiling wall. The tower can consist of a tripod type structure, that is to say comprising three vertical masts. The loading / unloading tower supports one or more unloading lines and one or more loading lines, each of the unloading lines being associated with an unloading pump which is itself supported by the loading / unloading tower. The vacuum bell 20 can however be supported by any other suitable means.

La cloche à dépression 20 est immergée assez profondément à l'intérieur de la phase liquide pour que sa portion inférieure demeure immergée dans la phase liquide lorsque le gaz liquéfié est soumis au phénomène de « sloshing ». Pour ce faire, la cloche à dépression 20 peut notamment s'étendre plus de 1 mètre en dessous de la hauteur de cuve correspondant à la hauteur maximale de remplissage.The vacuum bell 20 is immersed deep enough inside the liquid phase so that its lower portion remains immersed in the liquid phase when the liquefied gas is subjected to the “sloshing” phenomenon. To do this, the vacuum bell 20 can in particular extend more than 1 meter below the height of the tank corresponding to the maximum filling height.

En référence à la figure 4, on observe une vue écorchée d'un navire méthanier 70 équipé d'une telle installation de stockage et de refroidissement de gaz naturel liquéfié. La figure 4 montre une cuve étanche et isolée 71 de forme générale prismatique montée dans la double coque 72 du navire. La paroi de la cuve 71 comporte une membrane étanche primaire destinée à être en contact avec le gaz naturel liquéfié contenu dans la cuve, une membrane étanche secondaire agencée entre la barrière étanche primaire et la double coque 72 du navire, et deux barrières thermiquement isolantes agencées respectivement entre la membrane d'étanchéité primaire et la membrane d'étanchéité secondaire et entre la membrane d'étanchéité secondaire et la double coque 72.With reference to the figure 4 , there is a cutaway view of an LNG carrier 70 equipped with such a liquefied natural gas storage and cooling installation. The figure 4 shows a sealed and insulated tank 71 of generally prismatic shape mounted in the double hull 72 of the ship. The wall of the vessel 71 comprises a primary waterproof membrane intended to be in contact with the liquefied natural gas contained in the vessel, a secondary waterproof membrane arranged between the primary waterproof barrier and the double hull 72 of the vessel, and two thermally insulating barriers arranged respectively between the primary waterproofing membrane and the secondary waterproofing membrane and between the secondary waterproofing membrane and the double shell 72.

De manière connue en soi, des canalisations de chargement/déchargement 73 disposées sur le pont supérieur du navire peuvent être raccordées, au moyen de connecteurs appropriées, à un terminal maritime ou portuaire pour transférer une cargaison de gaz naturel liquéfié depuis ou vers la cuve 71.In a manner known per se, the loading / unloading pipes 73 arranged on the upper deck of the ship can be connected, by means of suitable connectors, to a maritime or port terminal for transferring a cargo of liquefied natural gas from or to the tank 71. .

La figure 4 représente également un exemple de terminal maritime comportant un poste de chargement et de déchargement 75, une conduite sous-marine 76 et une installation à terre 77. Le poste de chargement et de déchargement 75 est une installation fixe off-shore comportant un bras mobile 74 et une tour 78 qui supporte le bras mobile 74. Le bras mobile 74 porte un faisceau de tuyaux flexibles isolés 79 pouvant se connecter aux canalisations de chargement/déchargement 73. Le bras mobile 74 orientable s'adapte à tous les gabarits de méthaniers. Une conduite de liaison non représentée s'étend à l'intérieur de la tour 78. Le poste de chargement et de déchargement 75 permet le chargement et le déchargement du méthanier 70 depuis ou vers l'installation à terre 77. Celle-ci comporte des cuves de stockage de gaz liquéfié 80 et des conduites de liaison 81 reliées par la conduite sous-marine 76 au poste de chargement ou de déchargement 75. La conduite sous-marine 76 permet le transfert du gaz liquéfié entre le poste de chargement ou de déchargement 75 et l'installation à terre 77 sur une grande distance, par exemple 5 km, ce qui permet de garder le navire méthanier 70 à grande distance de la côte pendant les opérations de chargement et de déchargement.The figure 4 also represents an example of a maritime terminal comprising a loading and unloading station 75, an underwater pipe 76 and an onshore installation 77. The loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed off-shore installation comprising a mobile arm 74 and a tower 78 which supports the movable arm 74. The movable arm 74 carries a bundle of insulated flexible pipes 79 which can be connected to the loading / unloading pipes 73. The movable arm 74 can be swiveled and adapts to all sizes of LNG carriers. A connecting pipe, not shown, extends inside the tower 78. The loading and unloading station 75 allows the loading and unloading of the LNG carrier 70 from or to the onshore installation 77. The latter comprises liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and connecting pipes 81 connected by the underwater pipe 76 to the loading or unloading station 75. The underwater pipe 76 allows the transfer of the liquefied gas between the loading or unloading station 75 and the shore installation 77 over a great distance, for example 5 km, which makes it possible to keep the LNG carrier 70 at a great distance from the coast during loading and unloading operations.

Pour engendrer la pression nécessaire au transfert du gaz liquéfié, on met en oeuvre des pompes embarquées dans le navire 70 et/ou des pompes équipant l'installation à terre 77 et/ou des pompes équipant le poste de chargement et de déchargement 75.To generate the pressure necessary for the transfer of the liquefied gas, pumps on board the ship 70 and / or pumps fitted to the shore installation 77 and / or pumps fitted to the loading and unloading station 75 are used.

Bien que l'invention ait été décrite en liaison avec plusieurs modes de réalisation particuliers, il est bien évident qu'elle n'y est nullement limitée et qu'elle comprend tous les équivalents techniques des moyens décrits ainsi que leurs combinaisons si celles-ci entrent dans le cadre de l'invention.Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is in no way limited thereto and that it includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these come within the scope of the invention.

L'usage du verbe « comporter », « comprendre » ou « inclure » et de ses formes conjuguées n'exclut pas la présence d'autres éléments ou d'autres étapes que ceux énoncés dans une revendication. L'usage de l'article indéfini « un » ou « une » pour un élément ou une étape n'exclut pas, sauf mention contraire, la présence d'une pluralité de tels éléments ou étapes.The use of the verb “comprise”, “understand” or “include” and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or other steps than those stated in a claim. The use of the indefinite article "a" or "a" for an element or a stage does not exclude, unless otherwise specified, the presence of a plurality of such elements or stages.

Dans les revendications, tout signe de référence entre parenthèses ne saurait être interprété comme une limitation de la revendication.In the claims, any reference sign in parentheses cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims (22)

  1. A method for cooling of a liquefied gas (8) stored in the inner space of a sealed and thermally insulated vessel (2), said liquefied gas (8) being stored in the inner space of the vessel (2) in a state of two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium and having a lower liquid phase and an upper vapor phase separated by an interface, characterized in that said method involves the steps of:
    - drawing by means of a vacuum pump a stream of gas in vapor phase into a zone of the vapor phase in contact with a zone of the interface, said step of drawing a stream of gas in vapor phase generating in said zone of the vapor phase a pressure P1 of less than the atmospheric pressure such that vaporization of the liquid phase is promoted in the area of the zone of the interface and the liquefied gas in contact with the zone of the interface is placed in a state of two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium in which the liquefied gas has a temperature less than the liquid-vapor equilibrium temperature of said liquefied gas at atmospheric pressure; and
    - guiding the drawn stream of gas in vapor phase toward a circuit for use of gas in vapor phase (13).
  2. The method for cooling as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure P1 is greater than 120 mbars absolute.
  3. The method for cooling as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the drawing of the stream of gas in vapor phase is achieved by means of a vacuum pump (12) and wherein said vacuum pump (12) is controlled as a function of a flow rate setpoint generated by the circuit for use of gas in vapor phase (13).
  4. The method for cooling as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the drawing of the stream of gas in vapor phase is achieved by means of a vacuum pump (12) and wherein the pressure is measured in the zone of the vapor phase and said vacuum pump (12) is controlled as a function of a pressure setpoint and the measured pressure.
  5. The method for cooling as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pressure P1 is between 750 mbars and 980 mbars absolute.
  6. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vessel (2) comprises a multilayered structure mounted on a carrier structure (4), the multilayered structure comprising a sealing membrane in contact (7) with the liquefied gas contained in the vessel and a thermally insulating barrier (6) disposed between the sealing membrane (7) and the carrier structure (4), said thermally insulating barrier (6) comprising insulating blocks and a gas phase, the method involving the step of maintaining the gas phase of the thermally insulating barrier (6) at a pressure P2 less than or equal to the pressure P1.
  7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the multilayered structure comprises, from the outside to the inside of the vessel (2), a secondary thermally insulating barrier (3) comprising insulating blocks resting against a carrier structure (4) and a gas phase, a secondary sealing membrane (5) resting against the insulating blocks of the secondary thermally insulating barrier (3), a primary thermally insulating barrier (6) comprising insulating elements resting against the secondary sealing membrane (5) and a gas phase and a primary sealing membrane (7) designed to be in contact with the liquefied gas contained in the vessel, the method involving the step of maintaining the gas phase of the primary thermally insulating barrier (7) and the gas phase of the secondary thermally insulating barrier (3) respectively at a pressure P2 and at a pressure P3, said pressures P2 and P3 being less than or equal to the pressure P1.
  8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pressure P3 is greater than or equal to the pressure P2.
  9. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the vessel (2) is filled with a liquefied fuel gas (8) chosen from among liquefied natural gas, ethane and liquefied petroleum gas.
  10. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the vessel (2) is equipped with a vacuum bell jar (20) lodged in the inner space of the vessel (2) and comprising an upper portion disposed in the vapor phase and a lower portion immersed in the liquid phase and in which the zone of the vapor phase into which the stream of gas is drawn in the vapor phase is defined by the upper portion of the vacuum bell jar (20).
  11. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pressure P1 is generated in an upper portion of the vessel containing the entire vapor phase.
  12. An installation for storage and cooling of a liquefied gas, comprising:
    - a sealed and thermally insulated vessel (2) having an inner space comprising a liquefied gas (8) stored in a state of two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium such that the liquefied gas has a lower liquid phase and an upper vapor phase separated by an interface; and
    - a circuit for removal of gas in the vapor phase (9) comprising:
    - an intake (11) emerging into the inner space of the vessel (2) above a maximum fill height of the vessel so that when the vessel is full it empties into a zone of the vapor phase in contact with a zone of the interface; and
    - a vacuum pump (12) configured to draw a stream of gas in vapor phase present in the zone of the vapor phase through the intake (11), to pump this to a circuit for use of gas in the vapor phase (13), and to maintain in the zone of the vapor phase a pressure P1 less than the atmospheric pressure, such that vaporization of the liquid phase is promoted in the area of the interface zone and the liquefied gas in contact with the zone of the interface is placed in state of a two-phase liquid-vapor equilibrium in which the liquefied gas has a temperature less than the liquid-vapor equilibrium temperature of said liquefied gas at atmospheric pressure.
  13. The installation as claimed in claim 12, comprising a sensor to measure the flow rate, able to provide a signal representative of the flow rate of vapor drawn in through the intake and pumped to the circuit for use and a control device (18) configured to control the vacuum pump (12) as a function of the signal representative of the flow rate of vapor and a flow rate setpoint generated by the circuit for use of gas in the vapor phase (13).
  14. The installation as claimed in claim 12, comprising a pressure sensor able to provide a signal representative of the pressure prevailing in the inner space of the vessel above the maximum fill height and a control device (18) able to control the vacuum pump (12) as a function of the signal representative of the pressure and a pressure setpoint.
  15. The installation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising a circuit for use of gas in the vapor phase (13) comprising energy production equipment.
  16. The installation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the vessel (2) comprises a multilayered structure mounted on a carrier structure (4), the multilayered structure comprising a sealing membrane (7) in contact with the liquefied gas (8) contained in the vessel (2) and a thermally insulating barrier (6) disposed between the sealing membrane (7) and the carrier structure (4), and comprising insulating blocks and a gas phase, the installation furthermore comprising a vacuum pump (16) designed to maintain the gas phase of the thermally insulating barrier (6) at a pressure P2 less than or equal to the pressure P1.
  17. The installation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the multilayered structure comprises, from the outside to the inside of the vessel (2), a secondary thermally insulating barrier (3) comprising insulating blocks resting against a carrier structure (4) and a gas phase, a secondary sealing membrane (5) resting against the insulating blocks of the secondary thermally insulating barrier (3), a primary thermally insulating barrier (6) comprising insulating elements resting against the secondary sealing membrane (5) and a gas phase and a primary sealing membrane (7) designed to be in contact with the liquefied gas (8) contained in the vessel (2), the installation furthermore comprising a first vacuum pump (16) designed to maintain the gas phase of the primary thermally insulating barrier (6) at a pressure P2 less than or equal to the pressure P1 and a second vacuum pump (14) designed to maintain the gas phase of the secondary thermally insulating barrier (3) at a pressure P3 less than or equal to the pressure P1.
  18. The installation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the vessel is equipped with a vacuum bell jar (20) lodged in the inner space of the vessel (2) and comprising an upper portion designed to be placed in contact with the vapor phase of the liquefied gas stored in the inner space of the vessel and a lower portion designed to be immersed in the liquid phase of the liquefied gas stored in the inner space of the vessel and in which the intake (11) of the circuit for removal of gas in vapor phase empties into the interior of the upper portion of the vacuum bell jar (20).
  19. The installation as claimed in claim 18, comprising a pressure sensor able to provide a signal representative of the pressure prevailing in the upper portion of the vacuum bell jar (20).
  20. A ship (70) or off-shore liquefaction equipment, comprising an installation (1) as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 19.
  21. A method for loading or unloading of a ship (70) as claimed in claim 20, wherein a fluid is routed through insulated conduits (73, 79, 76, 81) from or to a floating or land-based storage installation (77) to or from a vessel (71) of the ship (70).
  22. A system of transfer for a fluid, the system comprising a ship (70) as claimed in claim 20, insulated conduits (73, 79, 76, 81) disposed to connect the vessel (71) installed in the hull of the ship to a floating or land-based storage installation (77), and a pump to drive a fluid through the insulated conduits from or to the floating or land-based storage installation to or from the vessel of the ship.
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KR20170128416A (en) 2017-11-22
JP2018513944A (en) 2018-05-31
MY182246A (en) 2021-01-18
EP3271635A1 (en) 2018-01-24
FR3033874A1 (en) 2016-09-23
ES2834889T3 (en) 2021-06-21
FR3033874B1 (en) 2018-11-09
CN107636380A (en) 2018-01-26
KR102462361B1 (en) 2022-11-02
CN107636380B (en) 2020-10-16
WO2016151224A1 (en) 2016-09-29
JP6726201B2 (en) 2020-07-22

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