FR3050009A1 - SEALED AND THERMALLY INSULATED TANK - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealed and thermally insulating tank, said tank having a vertical wall (8) carried by a supporting wall (11), the tank wall (8) comprising a metallic waterproof membrane comprising a series of parallel elongated flexible zones. the vessel further comprising a plurality of pipes (4) extending vertically in the vessel, the vessel wall (8) further comprising an anchoring device (10) for anchoring the lines (4) to the carrier wall ( 11), the anchoring device comprising a series of support legs fixed on the supporting wall (11) developing towards the inside of the tank through an opening of the waterproof membrane, the anchoring device further comprising a fixing beam fixed on the support legs and a plurality of guide flanges fixed to the beam, each vertical pipe (4) being engaged in a respective guide flange so as to be maintained e n position with a vertical degree of freedom.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to the field of sealed and thermally insulating vessels. In particular, the invention relates to the field of sealed and thermally insulating vessels in the context of the storage or transport of low temperature liquid gas such as tanks of ships for the transport of liquefied petroleum gas (also called LPG) with for example a temperature between -50 ° C and 0 ° Ο, or for the transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at about -162 ° C at atmospheric pressure.

Technological background

In order to transfer the liquid from or into a sealed and thermally insulating tank, liquid loading or unloading lines are provided. These pipes develop along a vertical wall of the tank from a ceiling tank wall to a bottom wall of the tank. This arrangement is illustrated for example in document FR3019520 A1.

During the loading and unloading of the liquefied gas, the temperature change generates thermal deformations, and therefore stresses both the sealed membranes of the tank and the loading and unloading lines. Similarly, during a sea transport, the movement of liquefied gas in the tank exerts significant forces on the walls of the tank and on the pipes. summary

An idea underlying the invention is to provide a sealed and thermally insulating tank having a plurality of pipes developing vertically in the tank anchored reliably and simply in the tank.

According to one embodiment, the invention provides a sealed and thermally insulating tank integrated into a supporting structure, said tank having a vertical tank wall carried by a vertical supporting wall of the supporting structure, the tank wall comprising a thermally insulating barrier. vertical mounting on the carrier wall and defining a support surface parallel to the carrier wall, the vessel wall further comprising a metal waterproof membrane carried by the support surface defined by the vertical thermally insulating barrier, said waterproof membrane having at least one a series of parallel elongated flexible zones, the vessel further comprising a plurality of pipes, each pipe developing vertically in the vessel parallel to the vertical vessel wall, wherein the wall of the vessel further comprises an anchoring device for anchoring the pipes to the vertical supporting wall, the anchoring member having a series of support legs aligned along the vertical bearing wall, each support leg having a base fixed to the carrier wall and developing through the thickness of the vertical thermally insulating barrier from the bearing wall up to the sealed membrane, an end of the base opposite the carrier wall comprising a metal sealing plate parallel to the carrier wall, the sealed membrane having an opening to the right of the metal sealing plate, the opening having dimensions less than the metal sealing plate, the peripheral edges of the opening being sealed welded to the metal sealing plate over the entire contour of the opening, said metal sealing plate being located between two adjacent elongated flexible areas of the waterproof membrane so that the opening of the a waterproof membrane does not interrupt any elongated flexible zone of the waterproof membrane, each support foot further comprising a spacer developing towards the inside of the tank through the opening of the waterproof membrane from the metal sealing plate, one end of the spacer opposite the metal sealing plate carrying a support plate, the anchoring device further comprising a fixing beam fixed on the support plates carried by the support legs of the series of feet of support, a plurality of guide flanges being fixed on a face of the beam opposite to the vertical bearing wall, each guide flange being associated with one of said vertical ducts, each vertical duct being engaged in the guide flange which is associated so as to be held in position with a vertical degree of freedom.

With these features, a plurality of vertically developing conduits along a vertical vessel wall can be stably and simply anchored to the vertical vessel wall. In addition, the anchoring of the pipes in such a tank does not require interrupting elongated flexible zones of the sealed membrane of the tank wall, so that said waterproof membrane has good resistance to stress.

According to embodiments, such a tank may comprise one or more of the following characteristics.

According to one embodiment, the waterproof membrane comprises a series of vertical elongated flexible zones, the spacer of at least one support leg being offset relative to the opening of the sealed membrane through which said spacer develops from so that the spacer passes to the right of one of the vertical elongated flexible zones of the waterproof membrane.

According to one embodiment, the elongated flexible zones are in the form of undulations of the sealed membrane. According to one embodiment, the elongated flexible zones are in the form of bellows formed by raised edges of strakes with raised edges forming the sealed membrane.

With these features, a pipe located in line with a vertical elongate flexible zone of the sealed membrane of the vertical wall of the vessel may be anchored to the vertical wall of the vessel without said elongated flexible zone being interrupted. Such a vessel thus has a tight membrane having good deformation capabilities and good resistance to stress.

According to one embodiment, the spacer of said at least one support foot has a flared shape which widens away from the carrier wall.

According to one embodiment, the spacer of said at least one support leg comprises a first tab developing towards the inside of the tank through the opening of the waterproof membrane perpendicular to the metal sealing plate and a second leg developing inwardly of the vessel through the opening of the diaphragm tightly oblique to the metal sealing plate, said second leg passing in line with said elongated flexible zone vertical of the waterproof membrane, the support plate being attached to the end of at least one of the tabs opposite to the metal sealing plate.

Thanks to these characteristics, the tank has support legs providing good support for the beam while maintaining good deformation characteristics of the waterproof membrane.

According to one embodiment, the spacer comprises two support plates, a first support plate being carried by the first leg and a second support plate being carried by the second leg.

According to one embodiment, one of the pipes of the plurality of pipes develops in line with said elongated vertical flexible zone of the waterproof membrane and the spacer of said at least one support leg is offset relative to the opening of the sealed membrane through which said spacer develops so that said spacer passes right of said elongated vertical flexible zone of the sealed membrane between said vertical elongated flexible zone and said vertical pipe.

According to one embodiment, each support leg is associated with one of the vertical ducts, each guide flange being located on the beam in front of the supporting foot support plate associated with the vertical duct engaged in said flange. guide.

According to one embodiment, each pipe is centered in the middle of the foot support plate or plates to which said pipe is associated.

Thanks to these characteristics, the anchoring of the pipes in the tank has good resistance characteristics.

According to one embodiment, at least one of the pipes is associated with a secondary pipe developing vertically in the tank parallel to the vertical wall of the tank, the guide flange associated with said pipe further comprising an anchoring protrusion , the secondary pipe being engaged in the anchoring protrusion so as to be held in position in the tank with a vertical degree of freedom.

Thanks to these characteristics, it is possible to simultaneously anchor a pipe and a secondary pipe on the same guide flange.

According to one embodiment, each guide flange comprises a two-part collar surrounding the pipe to which said guide flange is associated.

According to one embodiment, the two parts of the collar of each guide flange are connected along a connecting plane which is oblique with respect to the sealed membrane of the vertical vessel wall.

Thanks to these features, the closure of the collar around the pipe associated with the guide flange is simple, the presence of a secondary pipe developing at the same distance from the waterproof metal membrane that the pipe does not disturb the closure of the collar. on driving.

According to one embodiment, an inner surface of each guide flange comprises sliding elements so as to offer a vertical degree of freedom to the pipe associated with said guide flange.

According to one embodiment, the base of each support leg has an H shape, a first leg of the H forming an anchor plate fixed on the vertical bearing wall, a second leg of the H forming the metal sealing plate of the base of said support leg, the middle branch of the H now the first and second branches spaced apart from each other, the spaces between the branches of the H being filled with an insulating material.

According to one embodiment, the base of each support leg comprises a first metal portion welded to the vertical carrier wall and a second metal portion forming the metal sealing plate, a first insulating shim being fixed to the first metal portion in the thickness of the vertical thermally insulating barrier, a second insulating shim being attached to the second metal portion in the vertical thermally insulating barrier thickness, the first insulating shim and the second insulating shim being secured to one another by fasteners so as to secure the first metal portion and the second metal portion of said support leg.

Insulating shims can be made in many materials having better thermal insulation than metal while having a sufficient mechanical strength to allow the anchoring of the pipes on the bearing wall. In one embodiment, the insulating shims are made of wood. In one embodiment, the insulating shims are made of composite material. In one embodiment, the insulating shims are made of polyurethane foam reinforced with glass fibers or other fibers.

Thanks to these characteristics, the base forms a limited thermal bridge between the waterproof membrane and the supporting structure, the thermally insulating barrier retaining good insulating properties.

In one embodiment, the vessel has a plurality of anchors spaced apart in a height direction of the vessel, each series of support legs having a plurality of support legs at the same height in the vessel.

According to one embodiment, the pipe developing in line with the vertical elongated flexible zone is associated with a plurality of support legs each belonging to a respective anchoring device, the spacer of each support leg associated with the pipe is developing to the right of the elongated vertical flexible zone being offset relative to the opening of the sealed membrane through which said spacer develops so that said spacer passes to the right of the elongated flexible vertical zone of the sealed membrane between said pipe vertical to which the support foot is associated and the vertical elongated flexible zone of the sealed membrane to the right of which develops said pipe.

According to one embodiment, the tank further comprises a stiffener developing parallel to the metal waterproof membrane coupled to each of said pipes for connecting said pipes to each other.

Thanks to these characteristics, the anchoring of the pipes in the tank has good characteristics of mechanical strength.

According to one embodiment, the tank further comprises a ceiling wall carried by a ceiling-bearing wall of the supporting structure, the ceiling wall of the tank comprising a thermally insulating ceiling barrier formed of a plurality of insulating elements. parallelepipedic juxtaposed juxtaposed in a regular pattern, fixed to the ceiling-bearing wall and defining a ceiling support surface, the ceiling wall of the vessel further comprising a ceiling metal waterproof membrane carried by the ceiling support surface, and in which pipes successively pass through the ceiling carrying wall and the ceiling tank wall to the inside of the tank, each pipe of the plurality of pipes passing through the thermally insulating ceiling barrier being generally centered between two parallelepiped insulating elements. juxtaposed from the ceiling tank wall, the waterproof composite ceiling membrane a plurality of sealed connection plates provided with passage openings, each passage opening being traversed by a respective conduit, an inner circumferential edge of each passage opening being sealingly welded around the conduit passing through said passage opening. The globally centered expression must be interpreted as meaning that the center of the pipe is located in or close to the gap between the sides of two parallelepiped insulating elements juxtaposed with the tank wall and at a distance from the corners of the parallelepiped insulating boxes delimiting said sides.

With these features, the number of insulating elements of the thermally insulating ceiling barrier to be modified to allow the passage of pipes and limited. This results in a better standardization of the insulating elements constituting the thermally insulating ceiling barrier and thus a greater ease of manufacture of the tank.

According to one embodiment, the pipes are suspended from the supporting wall of the ceiling of the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, the ceiling-carrying wall also carries a pump body associated with at least one of said pipes, a rotary pump shaft coupled to the pump body being engaged in said pipe for pumping liquid into the tank through said pipe. conduct.

According to one embodiment, a space between the insulating elements of the thermally insulating ceiling barrier and each of the pipes is filled with an insulating material.

Thanks to these features, the thermally insulating ceiling barrier has good insulation characteristics.

According to one embodiment, the secondary pipe is located between the two insulating elements juxtaposed with the thermally insulating ceiling barrier between which is located the pipe associated with the secondary pipe.

Such a tank can be part of a land storage facility, for example to store LNG or be installed in a floating structure, coastal or deep water, including a LNG tank, a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) , a floating production and remote storage unit (FPSO) and others.

According to one embodiment, a vessel for the transport of a cold liquid product comprises a double hull and a aforementioned tank disposed in the double hull.

According to one embodiment, the invention also provides a method of loading or unloading such a vessel, in which a cold liquid product is conveyed through isolated pipes from or to a floating or land storage facility to or from the vessel vessel.

According to one embodiment, the invention also provides a transfer system for a cold liquid product, the system comprising the abovementioned vessel, insulated pipes arranged to connect the vessel installed in the hull of the vessel to a floating storage facility. or terrestrial and a pump for driving a flow of cold liquid product through the insulated pipelines from or to the floating or land storage facility to or from the vessel vessel.

Some aspects of the invention start from the idea of anchoring a plurality of pipes in a sealed and thermally insulating tank. Some aspects of the invention start from the idea of providing a stable anchoring of the pipes in the tank without impairing the thermal insulation of the tank wall. Some aspects of the invention start from the idea of anchoring the pipes in a tank whose sealed membrane has good characteristics of resistance to deformation. Certain aspects of the invention start from the idea of not interrupting the elongated flexible zones of the waterproof membranes for anchoring the pipes. Certain aspects of the invention start from the idea of limiting the modifications of the thermally insulating barrier necessary for the passage of the pipes towards the interior of the tank. Some aspects of the invention start from the idea of providing a tank whose insulating elements are standardized. Certain aspects of the invention start from the idea of allowing a good anchoring of a pipe developing vertically to the right of a vertical elongated flexible zone of the waterproof membrane of a vertical tank wall without interrupting said vertical elongated flexible zone. .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more clearly apparent from the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely for the purposes of the invention. illustrative and not limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings. - Figure 1 is a schematic view of a plurality of pipes developing in a tank along a vertical wall of the tank from a ceiling wall of the tank to a bottom wall of the tank. - Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a vertical wall tank with skinned illustrating support legs passing through the thermally insulating barrier of the vertical wall of the tank at different stages of mounting the vessel. - Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a vertical wall of the tank illustrating the cooperation between the support legs and the sealed membrane of the vertical wall of the tank at different stages of mounting of the tank. - Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a vessel wall having a plurality of pipes anchored on an anchoring device. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a support foot base of FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view from above of a ceiling vessel wall illustrating the passage of pipes through the thermally insulating ceiling barrier. - Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view from below with cutaway of a ceiling tank wall at a passage of a pipe in the thermally insulating ceiling barrier. - Figure 8 is a bottom view of a ceiling tank wall illustrating the sealed connection between the ceiling waterproof membrane and a pipe passing through said waterproof ceiling membrane. - Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a pipe on which is disposed a sealing flange. - Figure 10 is a schematic cutaway representation of a vessel of LNG tanker and a loading / unloading terminal of this vessel.

Detailed description of ways of realizing

In the description below, several elements will be described arranged in a storage tank and / or transport LNG. The bottom wall of the tank designates a wall, preferably generally flat, located in the bottom of the tank relative to the earth's gravity field. Conversely, the ceiling tank wall designates a wall of the tank, preferably globally flat, located at the top of the tank relative to the earth's gravity field. The general geometry of the tank can also be of different types. Polyhedral geometries are the most common. A cylindrical or other geometry is also possible.

The walls of the tank are for example formed by a multilayer structure attached to supporting walls and including two alternating waterproof membranes with two thermally insulating barriers. Other tank walls are formed by a simple thermally insulating barrier carried by a carrier wall and a waterproof membrane carried by the thermally insulating barrier. Since there are many known techniques for making these structures of sealed and thermally insulating vessel walls, the description below will be limited to a brief description of the vessel in the context of vessel walls comprising a simple thermally insulating barrier and a sealed membrane and will describe in more detail the structure of the elements cooperating with the pipes arranged in the tank.

A ship has a double shell forming a supporting structure 1 on which are mounted walls of a tank. Each tank wall comprises a thermally insulating barrier 2 anchored to the supporting structure and a waterproof membrane 3 supported by the thermally insulating barrier 1.

A plurality of pipes 4 develop vertically from a ceiling tank wall 5 to a bottom tank wall 6. These pipes 4 are suspended from a ceiling-bearing wall 7 of the supporting structure 1. The suspension of the pipes 4 the ceiling-bearing wall 7 can be made in many ways, for example by means of a flange fixed to the ceiling-bearing wall 7 or the like. The pipes 4 successively pass through the ceiling carrying wall 7 and the ceiling tank wall 5 near a transverse tank wall 8. This transverse tank wall 8 develops vertically and connects the bottom tank wall 6 and the ceiling pipe wall 5. The pipes 4 preferably develop over the entire height of the tank to open into the tank closer to the bottom tank wall 6. The pipes 4 are preferably substantially centered at the mid-width of the vessel, along the transverse vessel wall 8.

The lines 4 can be associated with pumps 9 in order to transfer liquid or gas from or to the inside of the tank. Thus, a tank may comprise one or two pipes 4 intended for unloading liquid or gas from the tank, one or two pipes 4 intended for the loading of liquid or gas into the tank, a pipe 4 intended for the return of gas during a tank loading, a pipe 4 intended for supplying LNG to an engine, or for carrying out an end of unloading the vessel with the aid of a pump of reduced power, etc. The pumps 9 can be carried by the ceiling-carrying wall 7 or integrated with the pipes 4. In one embodiment, a pump 9 comprises a pump body carried by a bridge of the vessel formed by the ceiling-carrying wall 7. The pump body is connected to a shaft housed in the pipe 4. This shaft develops in the pipe 4 from the pump body to the bottom tank wall 6. A pumping propeller is housed in the pipe 4 at the level of the bottom tank wall 6 and connected to the shaft.

When loading or unloading LNG or in the case of using the LNG contained in the tank to supply gas to the engines of the ship, the lines 4 are used to transfer the LNG. However, due to roll movements that can be caused by the sea on which the ship sails or the activation of the pump 9, the pipes 4 are subjected to stresses and vibrations that can lead to their degradation. These constraints can be all the more important that the tank, and therefore the pipes 4 also, have a high height. It is therefore necessary to maintain the position of the lines 4 in a stable and reliable manner in the tank.

In order to maintain the pipes in the tank, a plurality of anchoring devices 10 are anchored to a transverse bearing wall 11. This transverse bearing wall 11 develops substantially vertically. The transverse tank wall 8 is anchored to this transverse bearing wall 11. The anchoring devices 10 are anchored at regular spacing on the transverse bearing wall 11. For example, in the context of a tank having a height of 30 meters, a first anchoring device 10 is anchored at approximately 10m height in the tank and a second anchoring device 10 is anchored at approximately 20 meters in height in the tank. The pipes 4 are secured to the anchoring devices 10 to ensure their holding in position in the tank, as explained below.

Preferably, in order to improve their resistance to stress and their stability in the tank, the pipes 4 are interconnected by stiffeners 12. These stiffeners 12 are, for example, rigid metal bars connecting two adjacent pipes 4 in the tank. A plurality of stiffeners 12 may be disposed between two adjacent ducts along the transverse tank wall 8. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, two adjacent ducts 4 may be connected by a first stiffener 12 located between the tank wall. 5 and the first anchoring device 10, a second stiffener 12 located between the first anchoring device 10 and the second anchoring device 12 and a third stiffener 12 located between the second anchoring device 10 and the wall bottom tank 6.

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the transverse tubular wall 8 with skinned illustrating the anchoring device 10 through the thermally insulating barrier 2 at different stages of mounting the vessel.

The transverse vessel wall 8 comprises a plurality of insulating boxes 13 of substantially parallelepiped shape arranged in a regular pattern.

The insulating boxes 13 are for example made of plywood and contain an insulating material such as glass wool or periite. The insulating caissons 13 are anchored to the transverse bearing wall 11 by means of studs (not shown) welded to the transverse bearing wall 11. An inner face 14 of the insulating boxes 13 facing towards the inside of the vessel comprises two strips of anchorage 15 on which are welded sheets of corrugated sheet 16 (see Figures 3, 4, 6 or 8). These anchoring strips 15 are arranged perpendicularly to each other and develop on a central portion of the inner face 14 of the insulating boxes 13. The inner face 14 of the insulating boxes 13 comprises, in the extension of the strips of anchorage 15, thermal protection strips 17.

The anchoring device comprises a plurality of support legs 18 anchored to the transverse carrier wall 11 and passing through the vessel wall, a beam 19 fixed to said plurality of support legs and, for each conduit, a fixed guide flange 20 on the beam 19.

The support legs 18 comprise a base 21 and a spacer 22. The base 21 is disposed between two insulating boxes 13 vis-à-vis one another. This positioning between two insulating caissons 13 makes it possible not to modify the part of the insulating caissons 13 carrying the anchor strips 15 and thus to preserve a good fixing surface of the sealed membrane on the insulating caissons 13.

In addition, the base 21 is centered between two sides of the boxes 13 vis-à-vis. The two insulating boxes 13 between which is positioned the base 21 have a clearance 23 centered on their sides vis-à-vis, these clearance 23 being each of dimensions complementary to the dimensions of one half of the base 21. The clearances 23 are preferably rectangular. The positioning of the base 21 centered on the sides of the two adjacent insulating boxes 13 advantageously limits the number of insulating boxes 13 to be modified to ensure sufficient space for the base 21. In addition, the positioning of the base 21 centered on the sides of two adjacent insulating boxes 13 does not cause changes in the angles of said insulating boxes so that they can cooperate normally with insulating boxes 13 anchoring devices on the wall carrying ceiling 7 located at the levels of angles of said insulating boxes.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the base 21 has an H-shaped profile. More particularly, the base 21 comprises an anchoring plate 24 constituting a first branch of the H-profile, a spacer 25 constituting the central portion of the H-shaped profile and a sealing plate 26 constituting the second branch of the H-profile. The fuse 21 is preferably metallic.

The anchor plate 24 is rectangular in shape and made of metallic material. This anchor plate 24 develops parallel to the transverse carrier wall 11. The anchor plate 24 is fixed to the transverse carrier wall 11 by any suitable means, for example by welding. The spacing member 25 extends perpendicularly to the anchor plate 24 through the thermally insulating barrier of the transverse vessel wall 8. The spacer member 21 is attached to the anchor plate by any means adapted, for example by welding. This spacing member 25 comprises for example two plates 27 parallel to each other and perpendicular to the anchoring plate 24. These two plates 27 are interconnected by two secondary plates parallel to each other and perpendicular to both the plates 27 and the anchor plate 25.

The sealing plate 26 is preferably rectangular. This sealing plate 26 is developed parallel to the transverse carrier wall 11. The sealing plate 26 is fixed on one end of the spacing member 25 opposite the anchoring plate 24. The sealing plate is flush with at the inner face 14 of the insulating boxes 13. The space between the base 21 and the insulating boxes 13 is advantageously filled by an insulating material 28 such as glass wool or polyurethane block or injected. Such an insulating material 28 allows the thermally insulating barrier to maintain good thermal insulation properties despite the presence of the bases 21. In addition, the H-shaped profile of the base 21 makes it possible to limit the presence of thermal bridges between the wall transverse carrier 11 and the sealed membrane of the transverse vessel wall 8. The spacer 22 develops from the base 21 towards the inside of the vessel. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, this spacer 22 comprises a first tab 29 and a second tab 30. The first tab 29 develops perpendicularly to the sealing plate 26. The second tab 30 is developed obliquely by relative to the sealing plate 26. One end of each tab 29, 30 opposite the sealing plate 26 has a support plate 31. The support plates 31 are parallel to the transverse support wall 11.

In a non-illustrated embodiment, a single support plate is made and is carried jointly by the two legs of the spacer 22.

In another embodiment not shown, the spacer has only one leg. This single tab is flared so as to have a larger section at its end opposite the sealing plate. The support plate may then be attached and fixed on the end of such a flared tab or be integrally formed by said end of the flare leg.

The beam 19 is fixed on the support plates formed by a plurality of support legs 18 located at the same height in the tank. The beam 19 is of parallelepipedal shape. The guide flanges 20 are fixed on a face 32 of the beam 19 opposite to the support feet 18. More particularly, a guide flange 20 is fixed on the face 32 of the beam 19 for each pipe 4 to be held in position in tank. Each guide flange 20 is centrally or globally centered in the middle of the support plates 31 of a support leg 18, as can be seen in FIG. 3 at the level of the central support foot 18 or the support foot 18 on the left. on the face. In the case of a single support plate, the guide flange 20 is centered or generally centered on this support plate.

The guide flange 20 comprises two half-collars associated together to surround a respective pipe 4. Each half-collar is semicircular in shape. The two half-collars each comprise a connecting rib 41. These two connecting ribs 41 are fixed to one another by any suitable means such as for example using screws and nuts or a weld , so that the two half-collars together form the collar surrounding the pipe. The guide flange 20 thus ensures a locking in horizontal displacement of the pipe 4 in the tank. However, an inner face of the collar vis-à-vis the pipe 4 comprises strips of sliding material such as Teflon allowing the sliding of the pipe 4 vertically in the guide flange 20. Thus, the pipe 4 can slide in the guide flange for supporting contraction / expansion of the pipe during loading / unloading of liquid in the vessel.

The beam 19 may be made of a low coefficient of expansion material such as high manganese steel or nickel to compensate for the length of the latter. Indeed, the anchoring of a large number of pipes 4 requires that the beam 19 has a significant length. Therefore, a contraction or expansion of the beam 19 can cause a shear force on the support legs 18 fixed to the beam 19. The manufacture of the beam 19 in a low coefficient of expansion material also makes it possible to maintain position in the tank the guide flanges 20 fixed on the beam 19 including during significant temperature changes in the tank.

A first half-collar 33 of the guide flange 20 has a fastening tab 34 which is developed from an outer face of the first half-collar. This fixing lug 34 is cylindrical, for example, of circular section and develops perpendicular to the face 32 of the beam 19. One end of the fixing lug 34 opposite the first half-collar comprises a fixing plate fixed on the face 32 of the beam 19, for example by welding or bolting.

The first half-collar 33 further comprises a reinforcing rib 35. This reinforcing rib 35 develops in a plane perpendicular to the face 32 of the beam 19. This reinforcing rib 35 is developed along the fixing lug 34 and on the entire outer surface of the first half collar 33.

A second complementary half-collar 36 of the first half-collar 33 comprises on an external face an anchoring protrusion 37. As illustrated in FIG. 4, this anchoring protrusion 37 comprises a first part developing from the second half-collar 36 and having a first circular clearance 38. A second portion of the anchorage protrusion 37 has a second circular clearance 39 complementary to the first clearance 38. The first portion and the second portion of the anchor protrusion 37 are mounted to the on the other so that the first clearance 38 and the second clearance 39 together form a guide port for a secondary line 40. Such a secondary line 40 may be useful for various functions such as sampling functions or a diffusion function. For example, a secondary sampling line 40 makes it possible to take a small quantity of the liquid contained in the tank at different depths in the tank. A secondary diffusion line 40 makes it possible to take a low temperature liquid from the bottom of the tank and to dispense it at the top of the tank in order, for example, to cool the upper part of the tank. Such secondary lines 40 have a reduced section relative to the lines 4 for unloading or loading liquid into the tank. These secondary lines 40 are advantageously maintained in position in the tank by means of the anchoring protrusion 37. More particularly, these conduits are housed in the guide orifice so that the guide flange 20 maintains its position in position. a main pipe 4 by means of the collar and a secondary pipe 40 by means of the anchoring protrusion 37. The anchoring protrusion 37 advantageously develops in a plane distinct from the junction plane defined by the junction ribs 41. Thus, when the two half-collars 33 and 36 are assembled, the junction by welding, screwing or other junction ribs 41 is not hindered by the presence of the anchoring protrusion 37.

A guide flange 20 anchoring on the carrier wall both a main duct and a secondary duct 40 may be offset relative to the center of the support plate 31.

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the transverse tubular wall 8 illustrating the cooperation between support legs 18 and the sealed membrane of the transverse vessel wall 8 at different stages of mounting the vessel.

The sealed membrane of the transverse tub wall 8 has a plurality of corrugated metal plates. These corrugated metal plates are for example made of steel and have series of vertical corrugations 42 parallel to each other as well as series of horizontal corrugations 43 parallel to each other. These corrugations 42 and 43 allow the waterproof membrane to absorb the constraints related to the contraction of the waterproof membrane during LNG loads in the tank. Such a corrugated waterproof membrane is for example described in the document FR2861060.

The waterproof membrane comprises, at the right of the sealing plates 26 of each support leg 18, an opening 44. This opening 44 allows the spacers 22 to develop through the sealed membrane of the transverse vessel wall 8. This opening 44 has dimensions smaller than the dimensions of the sealing plate 26. An inner peripheral edge of the opening 44 covers the sealing plate 26. In order to maintain the tightness of the sealed membrane of the transverse tank wall 8, the peripheral edge internal of each opening 44 is sealingly welded to the corresponding sealing plate 26.

Advantageously, the openings 44 are disposed in the sealed membrane between two adjacent vertical corrugations 42. In addition, the openings 44 are also arranged between two adjacent horizontal corrugations 43. Thus, the openings 44 do not interrupt the undulations 42 and 43 of the waterproof membrane, the waterproof membrane retaining good deformation properties and good resistance to stresses related to thermal contractions.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a base 21 of support foot 18. This variant embodiment is particularly advantageous because it greatly limits the thermal bridges between the transverse carrier wall 11 and the watertight membrane of FIG. the transverse tank wall 8.

In this variant, the spacing member 25 is formed by two insulating shims, for example two shims made of wood or composite material. A first insulating shim 45 is fixed on the anchoring plate 24. Two threaded rods 46 are fixed, for example by welding, on the anchoring plate 24. These two threaded rods develop perpendicularly to the anchor plate 24 in the thickness of the thermally insulating bamer. The first insulating shim 45 comprises two housings 47 having a pierced bottom 48. The first insulating shim 45 is attached to the anchoring plate 24 so that each threaded rod 46 passes through one of the perforated bottoms 48 of the housings 47. Nuts 49 are mounted on the threaded rods 46 and block the pierced bottom 48 of the housings 47, and thus the first insulating shim 45, against the anchoring plate 24.

A second insulating shim 50, for example of wood or of composite material, is fixed on the sealing plate 26 in a similar manner to the first insulating shim 45 of the anchoring plate 24.

The first insulating shim 45 and the second insulating shim 50 further comprise a third housing 51 on a face opposite to the two housings 47. These third housings 51 also comprise a pierced bottom 52. Prior to the mounting of the second insulating shim 50 on the plate sealing member 26, a retaining member having a threaded rod 53 and a head 54 is housed in the third housing 51 of the second insulating shim 50. The head 54 of the retaining member has dimensions such that the retainer can not pass through the pierced bottom 52 of the third housing 51 of the second insulating shim 50. The retaining member is housed in the third housing 51 so that the threaded rod 53 of the retaining member passes through the pierced bottom 52 of the third housing 51 of the second insulating shim 50. In a preferred embodiment, a block of insulating material 55 such as an insulating foam is housed in the housing. third housing 51 of the second insulating shim 50 to improve the thermal insulation characteristics of the base 18.

The first insulating shim 45 and the second insulating shim 50 are contiguous so that the threaded rod 53 of the retaining member passes through the pierced bottom 52 of the third housing 51 of the first insulating shim 45 and the second insulating shim 51 together. 50. The anchor plate 24 has a through hole 56 vis-à-vis the third housing 51 of the first insulating shim 45 allowing the passage of a nut 57. Such a nut 57 is screwed onto the threaded rod 53 of the retaining member so as to maintain the first insulating shim 45 and the second insulating shim 50 integral, thereby securing the anchoring plate 24 and the sealing plate 26. Such a base 18 comprising a spacer 25 insulation, for example mainly wood or composite materials, avoids the presence of thermal bridges between the anchor plate 24 and the sealing plate 26 while ensuring good mechanical strength.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the conduits at the thermally insulating ceiling barrier.

In a similar manner to the thermally insulating barrier of the transverse tank wall 8, the thermally insulating barrier of the ceiling tank wall 5 is made from a plurality of parallelepiped insulating boxes 13 juxtaposed in a regular pattern.

In order not to encroach on the anchor strips 15, the pipes 4 pass through the ceiling tank wall 5 between adjacent insulating caissons 15, that is to say at a distance from the central portions of the insulating caissons 13 carrying the strips. In addition, in order to limit the number of insulating housings 13 that it is necessary to modify in order to let the pipes 4 pass, the pipes 4 pass through the ceiling tank wall 5 while being centered at the sides of the walls. vis-à-vis two adjacent insulating boxes 13. In addition, the passage of the pipes 4 being centered on the sides opposite two adjacent insulating caissons 13, the angles of said insulating caissons 13 are not modified and can cooperate normally with insulating box anchoring devices 13 on the wall carrying ceiling 7 located at the levels of the angles of said insulating boxes 13. The sides vis-à-vis said two boxes are modified so as to have clearances 58 for the passage of a pipe 4. The clearances 58 are preferably rectangular.

When the tank further comprises secondary lines 40, these secondary lines 40 also pass through the ceiling tank wall between the sides vis-à-vis the adjacent insulating boxes 13 modified for the passage of the main lines 4. The sides of said adjacent insulating boxes 13 are modified, to a lesser extent, in a similar way to the modifications intended for the passage of the lines 4. Similarly, the secondary lines 40 pass through the ceiling tank wall, preferably being as centered as possible. between the sides opposite said adjacent insulating casings 13, or at least without causing modification of the corners delimiting the sides facing said adjacent insulating casings 13. The clearance space between the pipe 4 and the insulating boxes 13 is filled with an insulating material 59 such as glass wool or injected polyurethane in order to maintain the thermal insulation properties of the thermally insulating wall barrier. ceiling tank 5.

However, in a tank having a sealed metal membrane formed of a plurality of corrugated plates, the corrugations of the plates are offset from the edges of said corrugated plates. Depending on the distance between two adjacent corrugations and the size of the pipes 4, a pipe 4 passing through the thermally insulating barrier of the ceiling tank wall 5 can interrupt the corrugations of the sealed membrane of the ceiling tank wall 5. In addition, the vertical corrugations of the transverse tank wall 8 are generally arranged in the continuity of a series of corrugations of the ceiling tank wall 5. Thus, the pipe 4 can develop vertically in the right of a vertical corrugation carried by the sealed membrane of the transverse tank wall 8 over the entire height of the tank. The support foot 18 as described above with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 advantageously makes it possible not to interrupt the vertical corrugations of the sealed membrane of the transverse vessel wall 8 while positioning the support plate (s) so as to provide a support for the beam 19 between the pipe 4 and the vertical corrugation in line with the pipe 4. Thus, the beam 19 is fixed on the support leg 18 to the right of a vertical corrugation and provides a reliable and solid anchorage to line 4 without interrupting the vertical ripple at the line 4.

In order to ensure the tightness of the waterproof membrane of the ceiling tank wall, a metal connecting plate 60 is carried by the two insulating boxes 13 between which the pipe 4 passes. A plywood plate resting on a shoulder formed on an inner face of said insulating caissons 13 can optionally provide a solid and flat bearing surface for the metal connecting plate 60. This metal connecting plate is flush with the inner face of the insulating boxes 13. The metal connecting plate 60, and possibly the plywood plate, comprise a through orifice 61 for the passage of the pipe 4. A secondary through orifice 62 is also provided in the metal connecting plate 60, so that possibly in the plywood plate, for the passage of a possible secondary pipe 40.

The waterproof membrane of the ceiling vessel wall 5 has a ceiling opening 63. This ceiling opening 63 has dimensions smaller than the dimensions of the metal connecting plate 60 and an inner peripheral edge of the ceiling opening 63 covers the metal connecting plate 60. As shown in FIG. 8, the inner peripheral edge of the ceiling opening 63 is sealingly welded to the metal connecting plate 63. End portions of corrugations 64 are welded to the metal connecting plate 60 and on the undulations of the waterproof membrane of the ceiling tank wall 5 in order to interrupt the corrugations in a sealed manner at the level of the ceiling opening 83. The sealing between the metal connecting plate 60 and the pipe 4 is provided by the presence of a circular flange 65 surrounding the pipe 4 as illustrated in FIG. 66 of this collar 65 surrounds the pipe 4 and is sealingly welded to the pipe 4. An annular portion 67 of the flange 65 rests and is sealingly welded to the metal connecting plate 60 at the edge of the through hole 61. A secondary collar 68 similar but of reduced dimensions is welded together on the secondary pipe 40 and on the metal connecting plate 60 at the edge of the secondary through orifice 62. When the flange 65 is made in two joined parts, as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, a patch 69 is welded to the junction of the two parts of the flange 65 to seal. A similar patch may be used when the secondary flange 68 is made in two parts as illustrated in FIG.

The technique described above for producing a tank can be used in various types of tanks, for example to form a tank of an LNG tank in a land installation or in a floating structure such as a LNG tank or other.

Referring to Figure 10, a cutaway view of a LNG tank 70 shows a sealed and insulated tank 71 of generally prismatic shape mounted in the double hull 72 of the ship. The wall of the tank 71 comprises a primary sealed barrier intended to be in contact with the LNG contained in the tank, a secondary sealed barrier arranged between the primary waterproof barrier and the double hull 72 of the ship, and two insulating barriers arranged respectively between the primary watertight barrier and the secondary watertight barrier and between the secondary watertight barrier and the double hull 72.

In a manner known per se, loading / unloading lines 73 arranged on the upper deck of the ship can be connected, by means of appropriate connectors, to a marine or port terminal to transfer a cargo of LNG from or to the tank 71.

FIG. 10 represents an example of a marine terminal including 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 an arm mobile 74 and a tower 78 which supports the movable arm 74. The movable arm 74 carries a bundle of insulated flexible pipes 79 that can connect to the loading / unloading pipes 73. The movable arm 74 can be adapted to all gauges of LNG carriers . A connection pipe (not shown) extends inside the tower 78. The loading and unloading station 75 enables the loading and unloading of the LNG tank 70 from or to the shore facility 77. liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and connecting lines 81 connected by the underwater line 76 to the loading or unloading station 75. The underwater line 76 allows the transfer of the liquefied gas between the loading or unloading station 75 and the onshore installation 77 over a large distance, for example 5 km, which makes it possible to keep the tanker vessel 70 at great distance from the coast during the loading and unloading operations.

In order to generate the pressure necessary for the transfer of the liquefied gas, pumps on board the ship 70 and / or pumps equipping the shore installation 77 and / or pumps equipping the loading and unloading station 75 are used.

Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is not limited thereto and that it comprises all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they are within the scope of the invention.

Thus, any number of conduits may be anchored in the vessel using the anchor described above. Similarly, the anchoring device may comprise any number of support legs for fixing the beam stably on the carrier wall. For example, it would be possible for four ducts to be anchored to the load-bearing wall by means of an anchoring device comprising three feet of supports.

In addition, in one embodiment, the beams 19 may carry an access ladder to the tank in addition to the guide flanges 20.

Furthermore, the figures and the associated description are mainly made in the context of a corrugated metal membrane having elongated flexible zones in the form of series of parallel vertical corrugations 42 and series of parallel horizontal corrugations 43. However, in an alternative embodiment not shown, the vessel walls could comprise a waterproof membrane in INVAR strakes with raised edges. In such a case, the elongated parallel flexible zones are then constituted by bellows formed by the raised edges welded two by two of two adjacent INVAR plates. By INVAR is meant here a nickel-steel alloy whose thermal expansion coefficient is less than 3.10 at 20 ° C. Such cell walls are for example described in the document FR2527544.

The anchored conduits may be of any type and include, for example, two discharge lines, a filling line, and possibly a diffusion line as well as possibly secondary lines attached to the large pipes for sampling or diffusion. The use of the verb "to include", "to understand" or "to include" and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps other than those set out in a claim. The use of the indefinite article "a" or "an" for an element or a step does not exclude, unless otherwise stated, the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps.

In the claims, any reference sign in parentheses can not be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims (23)

1. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel integrated into a supporting structure, said vessel comprising a vertical tank wall (8) carried by a vertical carrier wall (11) of the supporting structure, the tank wall (8) comprising a thermally insulating barrier vertical fixed on the carrier wall (11) and defining a support surface parallel to the carrier wall (11), the vessel wall (8) further comprising a metal waterproof membrane carried by the support surface defined by the thermally insulating barrier vertical, said waterproof membrane comprising at least one series of parallel elongated flexible zones, the vessel further comprising a plurality of pipes (4), each pipe (4) developing vertically in the vessel parallel to the vertical vessel wall (8) in which the vessel wall (8) further comprises an anchoring device (10) for anchoring the pipes (4) to the vertical carrier wall (11), the anchoring device comprising a series of support legs (18) aligned along the vertical supporting wall (11), each support leg (18) having a base (21) fixed on the supporting wall (11) and developing through the thickness of the vertical thermally insulating barrier from the bearing wall (11) to the impervious membrane, one end of the base (21) opposite the bearing wall having a parallel sealing metal plate (26) to the supporting wall (11), the sealed membrane having an opening (44) in line with the metal sealing plate (26), the opening (44) having dimensions smaller than the metal sealing plate (26) , the peripheral edges of the opening (44) being sealingly welded to the metal sealing plate (26) over the entire contour of the opening (44), said metal sealing plate (26) being located between two flexible zones adjacent elongate portions (42, 43) of the impervious membrane so that the opening (44) of the impervious membrane does not interrupt any elongate flexible zone of the impermeable membrane, each support leg (18) further comprising a spacer (22); ) developing towards the inside of the tank through the opening (44) of the waterproof membrane from the metal sealing plate (26), one end of the spacer opposite the metal sealing plate carrying a plate carrier, the anchor device further comprising a fastening beam (19) secured to the support plates carried by the support legs (18) of the series of support legs (18), a plurality of guide flanges (20) being fixed on one face (32) of the beam (19) opposite the vertical support wall (11), each guide flange (20) being associated with one of said vertical ducts (4), each vertical duct (4) being engaged in the g-clamp uidage (20) associated therewith to be held in position with a vertical degree of freedom. 2. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 1, wherein the waterproof membrane comprises a series of vertical elongated flexible zones, the spacer (22) of at least one support foot (18) being offset relative to the opening (44) of the sealed membrane through which said brace (22) develops so that the spacer (22) passes one of the vertical elongated flexible zones (42) of the sealed membrane. 3. A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 2, wherein the spacer (22) of said at least one support foot (18) has a flared shape which widens away from the carrier wall (11). 4. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the spacer (22) of said at least one support foot comprises a first tab (29) developing inwardly of the vessel through the opening (44) of the impermeable membrane perpendicular to the metal sealing plate (26) and a second tab (30) developing towards the inside of the tank through the opening (44) of the obliquely sealed membrane relative to the metal sealing plate (26), said second tab (30) passing through said elongated vertical fiexible zone (42) of the waterproof membrane, the support plate being attached to the end of at least one one of the tabs (29, 30) opposite to the metal sealing plate (26). A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 4, wherein said spacer comprises two support plates (31), a first support plate (31) being carried by the first leg (29) and a second support plate being worn by the second leg (30). 6. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein one of the pipes (4) of the plurality of pipes (4) develops in line with said vertical elongated flexible zone (42) of the waterproof membrane and in which the spacer (22) of said at least one supporting foot (18) is offset relative to the opening (44) of the sealed membrane through which said spacer (22) develops so that said spacer (22) extends in line with said vertical elongated flexible zone (42) of the sealed membrane between said vertical elongated flexible zone (42) and said vertical pipe (4). 7. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each support leg (18) is associated with one of the pipes (4) vertical, each guide flange (20) being located on the beam (19) in front of the support foot support plate (18) associated with the vertical pipe (4) engaged in said guide flange (20). A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 7, wherein each pipe (4) is centered in the middle of the one or more support leg support plates (18) to which said pipe (4) is associated. 9. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the pipes (4) is associated with a secondary pipe (40) developing vertically in the tank parallel to the vertical wall of the tank (8), the guide flange (20) associated with said pipe (4) further comprising an anchoring protrusion (37), the secondary pipe (40) being engaged in the anchoring protrusion (37) so as to be held in position in the tank with a vertical degree of freedom. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each guide flange (20) has a two-part collar (33, 36) surrounding the pipe (4) to which said guide flange ( 20) is associated. Watertight and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein an inner surface of each guide flange (20) comprises sliding elements so as to provide a vertical degree of freedom to the associated pipe (4). to said guide flange (20). 12. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the base (21) of each support leg (18) has an H-shaped, a first branch of the H forming an anchor plate (24) fixed on the vertical bearing wall (11), a second leg of the H forming the metal sealing plate (26) of the base (21) of said support leg (18), the middle branch of the H now the first and second branches spaced from one another, the spaces between the branches of the H being filled with an insulating material (28). 13. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the base (21) of each support leg (18) comprises a first metal portion (24) welded to the vertical carrier wall (11). and a second metal portion forming the metal sealing plate (26), a first insulating shim (45) being fixed to the first metal portion (24) in the thickness of the vertical heat-insulating barrier, a second insulating shim (50) ) being fixed to the second metal portion in the vertical thermally insulating barrier thickness, the first insulating pad (45) and the second insulating pad (50) being secured to one another by fastening elements so as to secure the first metal portion (24) and the second portion of said support leg (18). A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the vessel has a plurality of anchors spaced apart in a height direction of the vessel, each series of support legs (18) comprising a plurality of support legs (18) located at the same height in the tank. 15. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a stiffener (12) developing parallel to the metal waterproof membrane and coupled to each of said pipes (4) for connecting said pipes (4) between they. 16. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the vessel further comprises a ceiling wall (5) carried by a ceiling carrying wall of the supporting structure, the ceiling wall of the tank (5) having a thermally insulating ceiling barrier formed of a plurality of parallelepiped insulating elements (13) juxtaposed in a regular pattern, fixed to the ceiling-carrying wall and defining a ceiling support surface, the ceiling wall of the tank (5) further comprising a metallic ceiling membrane carried by the ceiling support surface, and in which the pipes (4) successively pass through the ceiling-carrying wall and the ceiling-tank wall (5) to the ceiling inside the tank, each pipe (4) of the plurality of pipes crossing the thermally insulating ceiling barrier being centered between two parallelepipeded insulating elements (13) juxtaposed with the ceiling tank wall, the waterproof ceiling membrane having a plurality of sealed connecting plates (60) provided with passage openings (61), each passage opening being traversed by a pipe (4). ) respectively, an inner peripheral edge of each passage opening (61) being sealed welded around the pipe (4) passing through said passage opening (61). Watertight and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 16, wherein the pipes (4) are suspended from the load-bearing wall of the supporting structure. 18. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 16 to 17, wherein the ceiling carrying wall further carries a pump body associated with at least one of said pipes, a rotary pump shaft coupled to the pump body being engaged in said conduit for pumping liquid into the vessel through said conduit. 19. Watertight and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the elongated flexible zones are undulations of the sealed membrane. 20. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the elongated flexible zones are raised edges strakes with raised edges forming the sealed membrane. 21. Ship (70) for the transport of a cold liquid product, the vessel comprising a double hull (72) and a tank (71) according to one of claims 1 to 20 disposed in the double hull. A method of loading or unloading a vessel (70) according to claim 21, wherein a cold liquid product is conveyed through insulated pipes (73, 79, 76, 81) to or from a floating storage facility or ground (77) to or from vessel vessel (71) - 23. Transfer system for a cold liquid product, the system comprising a ship (70) according to claim 21, insulated pipes (73, 79, 76, 81) arranged to connect the tank (71) installed in the hull. the vessel to a floating or land storage facility (77) and a pump for driving a flow of cold liquid product through the insulated pipelines from or to the floating or land storage facility to or from the vessel vessel.