JP2012500371A - Equipment for supporting cryogenic tanks - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for supporting an independent tank (2) for a cold medium, in particular for LNG, in a vertical position in a ship (1) or in a stationary plant (1). The apparatus includes a support for the tank (2), which supports the tank with a corresponding flat base (10) on the ship (1) side or the plant (1) side with a thermal insulation layer (7). ), In which case a horizontal relative movement between the tank (2) and the base (10) is possible.

Description

  The present invention relates to a device for supporting in particular a vertical independent tank for a cryogenic medium, in particular for liquefied natural gas (LNG), in a vertical position in a ship or in a stationary plant, for example an ocean storage or processing station. It is about.

  The tank for the cryogenic medium, especially the liquefied gas, and the means for supporting it are in its construction due to the thermal motion that can occur to some extent during the loading and unloading of the tank. High demands are placed on it. LNG has special requirements because its temperature is lower than that of normal industrial liquefied gas (for example, the filling temperature of ethylene is approximately -100 ° C).

  In particular, cylindrical tanks are known, that is, cylindrical tanks that can have a substantially cylindrical shape, or that can have two cylindrical bodies parallel to each other and crossed with each other, are known. is there. The latter is also called a bifurcated tank.

  Independent tanks are autonomous, i.e. mechanically stable without hull structure or stationary plant backup.

  Conventionally, the cryogenic medium tank is supported in a horizontal position, i.e., with the longitudinal axis oriented in the horizontal direction. The corresponding structure is fully completed and is generally reliable. However, a disadvantage of horizontal support is that the base surface used in ships or stationary plants is poorly utilized. If the tank is supported in a vertical position, a smaller base is sufficient for the same volume.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for supporting a cryogenic medium tank in a vertical position that is simple and reliable.

  This object is provided in a device for supporting an independent tank for a low-temperature medium, in particular, an LNG in a vertical position in a ship or in a stationary plant, and includes a flat support portion provided in the tank, and This is solved by the fact that the tank is supported by a corresponding flat foundation on the ship side or the plant side via a thermal insulation layer located in the middle. In this case, the bottom of the tank is located at a distance from the ship or the plant with an air chamber located in the middle, along the flat boundary surface provided inside the thermal insulation layer or the thermal insulation layer. A horizontal relative sliding movement is possible between the base and the base.

  Advantageous configurations are also described in the dependent claims.

  In other words, the present invention is based on the idea that the independent tank in the vertical direction is float-supported if it is thermally insulated.

  The floating support of the tank allows horizontal relative movement between the tank and the stationary structure or the base of the ship or plant, so the tank is not necessarily specified in a horizontal direction relative to the stationary structure. There is no need to arrange in a manner. The tank can be displaced laterally. This point is obvious because the tank moves when the tank is supported on the ship. Even when the tank is supported by a stationary plant, the tank moves thermally if the tank configuration is slightly asymmetric. Displacement is not prevented.

  According to the present invention, since the tank can move relative to the base, mechanical stress or damage due to the thermal movement of the tank can be prevented.

  The relative sliding movement allows a particularly robust construction, especially mechanically, since no moving parts are required.

  In this case, the horizontal relative sliding movement may be performed selectively or in combination along the thermal insulating layer or the flat boundary surface provided inside thereof. The displacement along the flat boundary surface of the thermal insulation layer is realized by sliding on the surface of such a thermal insulation layer, for example. The horizontal relative movement inside the insulating layer is realized, for example, by sliding the partial insulating layers in contact with each other. In other words, in this case, a plurality of heat insulating layers are stacked and slide relative to each other.

  The air chamber between the bottom of the tank and the ship or plant has a particularly advantageous effect on the thermal insulation of the tank. In particular, it is not necessary to assist the tank with an insulating material so as to have a large area and have a load resistance.

  In the case of vertical tanks, the requirement for reliable support is particularly high due to its relatively high center of gravity.

  The thermal insulation layer of the device according to the invention is preferably a material that can withstand pressure and shear so that it can withstand not only the load of the filled tank but also the frictional forces that occur during relative movement due to temperature differences. have. For this reason, compressed wood and wood impregnated with synthetic resin are considered. The fixed parts are also protected from the low temperature of the filled tank via an insulating layer.

  The tank support may in particular be fixedly connected to the tank itself, or may be fixedly connected to an integral part of the tank.

  In a particularly advantageous configuration of the invention, the support has at least one support flange that projects outwardly from the tank. This is in particular a protrusion protruding from the side of the tank.

  Preferably, a plurality of flanges projecting outward at intervals are distributed in the circumferential direction of the tank. More advantageous are at least two, preferably three or four, outwardly projecting support flanges in the order described.

  In this advantageous configuration, the tank is stationary in a floating state using a support flange on a fixed base surrounding the tank, more precisely under the intermediate connection of the thermal insulation layer. It is stationary. The thermal insulation layer not only protects the fixed components on the ship side or stationary plant side from the low temperature of the filled tank, but at the same time allows horizontal relative movement between the support flange and the base Let This relative motion is necessary to allow thermal expansion and contraction of the tank relative to the base.

  In this case, preferably, the plurality of support flanges are arranged at the same height (relative to the longitudinal axis of the tank) and are supported by corresponding bases. The base is, for example, a base that surrounds the tank in a ring shape, or may be a plurality of pedestals spaced from each other. Such an arrangement is structurally particularly simple.

  It is structurally advantageous that a plurality of support flanges are combined into a single ring flange that is continuous in the circumferential direction of the tank and joined to a separate base, or likewise a ring that is continuous in the circumferential direction. It is also particularly advantageous to combine with a shaped base.

  In another particularly advantageous configuration, the support part comprises a plurality of foot parts arranged on the outer surface of the tank in the region of the bottom of the tank, the foot parts depending on the installation surface, respectively on the foundation on the ship side or plant side, respectively. Supported above via a thermal insulation layer, which allows horizontal relative movement between the tank and the base.

  In this case, the foot may be fixed to the tank bottom.

  In that case, it is structurally particularly advantageous to form the base surface flat.

  In this configuration, the tank is stationary in a floating state using a plurality of feet on a fixed base below the tank, and more strictly, the tank is stationary under the intermediate connection of the thermal insulation layer. ing. The thermal insulation layer not only protects the fixed components on the ship side or stationary plant side from the low temperature of the filled tank, but at the same time allows horizontal relative movement between the foot and the base Let This relative motion is necessary to allow thermal expansion and contraction of the tank relative to the base.

  Preferably, the bottom of the tank is flat, the feet are all the same height, and the mounting surfaces of the feet are also flat and are all arranged in one plane.

  In this case, because all the feet are at the same height in relation to the flat configuration of the bottom, the tank is deformed, especially in the region of the bottom caused by the thermal expansion and contraction of the foot in its longitudinal direction Guaranteed not to. In this advantageous configuration, the length of the foot varies together, so that the tank is only lifted and settled uniformly.

  Preferably, the bottom of the tank has a reinforcing part. It is particularly advantageous if this reinforcing part is autonomous.

  A corresponding arrangement is particularly robust without significantly increasing complexity.

  Structurally advantageously, the reinforcement at the bottom of the tank is formed as a carrier grid floor, in which case the foot may be arranged at the intersection of the carrier of the grid floor. In this way, the reinforcing portion at the bottom can be realized particularly lightweight.

  In this case, the supporting grid floor of the reinforcing portion may have a supporting body extending in the radial direction and a supporting body extending in the tangential direction with respect to the center or a plurality of centers thereof. Multiple centers are possible, for example, in a bifurcated tank (see above).

  Preferably, the device comprises at least two guide elements projecting outward from the tank, the guide elements being arranged at an angle to each other in the circumferential direction of the tank and each having an axial extension. The virtual extension of the axial extension passes through a predetermined virtual longitudinal axis of the tank common to all guide elements. Each guide element cooperates with a stationary guide on the ship side or plant side. In this case, the guide elements can perform relative movement in the horizontal direction along the direction of their respective axes, but not in the lateral direction.

  With this construction means, the tank is fixed in the horizontal direction as follows, i.e. the predetermined virtual longitudinal axis of the tank is spatially immobile, i.e. immobile with respect to the fixed structure. It is fixed in such a way that it does not limit the relative mobility required between the tank and the base.

  For this reason, a guide element projecting outward, for example, a bolt, is a virtual extension line of its axial extension, and in the case of a bolt, its longitudinal axis is a virtual vertical axis of a predetermined vertical direction. And the tank is mounted so that it can be spatially fixed "along the predetermined vertical virtual longitudinal axis". This usually does not necessarily have to be the longitudinal central axis of the tank, but in any case it is advantageous to have a longitudinal axis in the region where the connection of the tank to the filling and discharge pipes is provided.

  In the case of a cylindrical tank, a longitudinal central axis is usually chosen, which orients all guide elements in the radial direction.

  Preferably, the guide element also cooperates with the stationary guide via a heat insulating layer.

  The “cooperation” can be regarded as a state in which, for example, a bolt-shaped guide element is guided from the side by a stationary guide.

  It is advantageous to arrange the first set of guide elements at the same height with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tank. Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide a second set of guide elements which are arranged above the first set of guide elements.

  In this way, the guide elements are advantageously arranged in different sets of tanks in two sets or groups, respectively, thereby providing auxiliary means for preventing side tilting of the tanks.

  Preferably, each set has three or more guide elements, which are arranged at the same angle with respect to the circumference of the tank.

  It is also advantageous to arrange the first set of guide elements of these sets at the height of the support. When the tank is supported via the support flange, i.e. supported at the height of the support flange, the tank is supported at the bottom of the tank at the height of the bottom.

  When the tank is supported at its bottom via a foot, one guide element projects vertically downward from the bottom of the tank and cooperates with a stationary guide provided on the base on which the tank is supported. It is advantageous to work. If the bottom of the tank and the stationary base below it are joined together with only one guide, sufficient horizontal mobility of the tank is provided in any case.

  In this configuration, the bolts that are fixed to the bottom of the tank along the length of the tank advantageously engage in corresponding recesses in the stationary base below the tank.

  Otherwise, in the case of a cylindrical tank, it is advantageous to project the guide element outward in the radial direction.

  For example, when an external force is applied to the tank during the movement of the ship, the guide element alone may not prevent the tank from lifting from the base.

  Therefore, the device has a lifting block that can prevent the tank from lifting from the base. In particular, the support should be prevented from being lifted, for example, the support flange should be prevented from being lifted from the corresponding base or the foot being lifted from the corresponding base.

  In an advantageous configuration, the lifting block includes at least one bracket on the ship side or plant side, the bracket being arranged above the support and pressing the tank through the thermal insulation layer, the thermal insulation layer comprising the tank and the bracket. Allows relative movement in the horizontal direction.

  When the support flange is used, the bracket is configured to press the bracket through the heat insulating layer. When the tank is supported via the foot, the lifting prevention unit is configured to prevent the lifting of the foot from the base.

  The individual components disclosed in the above description and the following description are important for the present invention in combinations other than the illustrated combinations.

  In particular, the present invention relates to the following two devices.

  In an apparatus for supporting an independent tank for a low-temperature medium, in particular an LNG, in a vertical position in a ship or in a stationary plant, a support flange protruding outward from the tank is provided, and the support flange is provided on the tank. Distributed in the circumferential direction and arranged at the same height with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tank and supported via a thermal insulation layer on a corresponding base on the ship side or the plant side, respectively, the thermal insulation layer being the support It is characterized by enabling horizontal relative movement between the flange and the base.

  In an apparatus for supporting an independent tank for a low-temperature medium, particularly for LNG, in a vertical position in a ship or in a stationary plant, the bottom of the tank has a reinforcing part, and the bottom is flat. A plurality of feet are mounted on the outer surface of the tank in the bottom region, the feet are all at the same height, and the foot installation surfaces are flat, all within the same surface. The foot portion is supported by a flat base on the ship side or the plant side on the installation surface via a heat insulating layer, and the heat insulating layer is horizontally disposed between the foot portion and the base. It is characterized by enabling directional relative motion.

  Next, although this invention is demonstrated in detail regarding embodiment, this invention is not limited by these embodiment.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a ship equipped with a device according to the invention for supporting two cylindrical tanks identified for liquefied gas or other cold medium in a vertical position. FIG. 2 is a side view of one of the two vertical tanks of FIG. 1 with inboard support means according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the tank of FIG. 2 above the upper guide element. FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the tank of FIG. 2 above one support flange and a lower guide element. FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a ring-shaped support flange showing one guide element and one lifting block. FIG. 6 is a horizontal partial sectional view in the region of one flat upper guide element. FIG. 4 is a horizontal partial sectional view in the region of one flat lower guide element. 1 is a schematic side view of a cylindrical tank for a liquefied gas or other cold medium equipped with a device according to the invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a supporting grid floor for reinforcing the bottom of the tank of FIG. 8, arranged on the bottom inside the tank and connected to the bottom.

  FIG. 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ship (1). Two LNG tanks (2) supported in the vertical direction can be seen. Within the ship (1), such an arrangement is arranged one after the other along the longitudinal axis of the ship (1).

  The tank (2) has a cylindrical shape centered on the longitudinal axis (13), and has a ring-shaped ring flange (4) protruding radially in the lower half.

  The ring flange (4) supports each tank (2) via a base (10) surrounding each tank in a ring shape.

  Above the ring flange, the bracket (8) is fixedly connected to the ship (1), which limits the play space of the ring flange (4) on the upper side and thus prevents the vertical tank (2) from being lifted.

  Furthermore, the bolt (5) which protrudes from the side surface of the tank is shown above the ring flange (4). Here, six bolts (5) are used per tank (2), these bolts being arranged at the same height and at the same angle along the circumference with respect to the longitudinal axis (13).

  The bolt (5) is engaged with the guide element of the upper guide device (3). Hereinafter, the upper guide device will be described in detail.

  FIG. 2 shows one of the tanks of FIG.

  Here too, the bolt (5) as a guide element or upper guide device arranged in the upper region of the side and the ring flange (4) arranged in the lower region can be clearly seen. The bracket (8) fixedly connected to the base is also illustrated here again.

  To complement the illustration of FIG. 1, the bolt (6) arranged at the height of the ring flange (4) can be seen here. These bolts function as guide elements for the lower guide device.

  Here, a total of six bolts (6) are arranged in the tank at the same angle at the height of the ring flange (4) along the circumference of the cylinder.

  That is, the tank shown in FIG. 2 has two sets of guide elements that are overlapped with each other.

  FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the tank of FIG. 2 above the upper guide device (5).

  The virtual extension of the bolt (5) intersects the longitudinal axis (13) of the tank (2).

  The bolts (5) are respectively surrounded from both sides by the grips (11) of the upper guide device (3 in FIG. 1). Each of the grips (11) consists of a heat insulating layer made of compressed wood. Correspondingly, the bolt (5) can pass through the grip (11) along its longitudinal extension. However, in the direction transverse to the longitudinal extension, the grip (11) prevents any movement of the bolt (5).

  FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the tank of FIG. 2 above the support flange (4), which is shown together with the guide element (6) of the lower guide device.

  The bolt (6) functioning as the guide element (6) of the lower guide device is arranged in the same manner as the upper guide element (5) except for its height.

  The bolt (6) also has a longitudinal extension, the virtual extension of which intersects on the longitudinal axis (13) of the tank (2). The bolt (6) of the lower guide device is also surrounded from the side by the grip (11). The grip is likewise made of compressed wood.

  Here, the bolt (6) is not directly attached to the side surface of the tank (2), but a part thereof is embedded in the ring-shaped flange (4).

  FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the ring-shaped support flange (4) and the lower guide element (6).

  On the left side of FIG. 5, the vertical wall of the tank (2) is shown. The flange (4) is attached to the wall. A bolt (6) as a guide element of the lower guide device protrudes from the flange (4).

  The tank (2) is supported by the base (10) through the flange (4). In this case, a supporting insulating layer (7) made of compressed wood is provided between the base (10) and the flange (4).

  Above the flange (4), a lifting block can be seen. The bracket (8) is fixedly connected to the ship's hull or fixedly connected. The bracket (8) restricts the degree of freedom of movement above the flange (4) via the insulating layer (9) of the lifting prevention portion.

  Such a bracket (8) is provided over all guide elements (6) of the lower guide device along the circumference of the tank (2).

  FIG. 6 is a horizontal partial sectional view in the region of the upper guide element (5).

  On the left side of FIG. 6, the outer wall of the tank (2) curved along the circumference can be seen. A bolt (5) as a guide element (5) of the upper guide device is attached to the outer wall. The upper guide device includes a guide (12) fixedly coupled to the ship's side. These guides limit the freedom of movement of the bolt (5) in the horizontal direction via a grip (11) made of compressed wood.

  FIG. 7 is a horizontal partial sectional view in the region of the lower guide element (6), corresponding to FIG.

  FIG. 8 similarly shows an LNG tank (2) installed in the vertical direction.

  The tank (2) is supported by the base (10) via the foot (21). In this embodiment, the base (10) belongs to the bottom of the marine storage.

  The bottom (20) is configured to be substantially flat. The foot (21) is disposed on the edge of the bottom (20) along the circumference of the tank (2) and carries the tank (2). The feet (21) are all the same length.

  A supporting insulating layer (7) made of compressed wood is provided between the foot (21) and the base (10).

  The foot (21) is fixedly coupled to the tank (2). When the tank changes its extension range due to temperature change, the foot portion is displaced on the insulating layer (7).

  Again, the bolt (5) is provided as an upper guide element (5) and is arranged as described above.

  Along the longitudinal axis (13) of the vertical tank, below the bottom (20) of the tank (2), on the extension of the longitudinal axis (13), further as a guide element (6) of the lower guide device Bolts (6) are provided. The bolt (6) projects substantially vertically from the bottom (20) and engages a recess in the base (10).

  Thereby, the horizontal displacement of the tank (2) is prevented. Here, only one suitable lower guide device is provided, so that the foot (21) reciprocates on the supporting insulating layer (7) even if the extension range of the tank (2) changes. Can be slid to do.

  FIG. 9 shows a self-supporting carrying grid floor (22) for reinforcing the bottom of the tank.

  The supporting grid floor (22) is fixed to the bottom of the tank inside the tank.

  Here, a large number of radial supports (23) and tangential supports (24) are welded together to form a lattice floor (22). Correspondingly, the lattice floor has a large number of intersections between these carriers (23, 24).

  The foot part below the tank (2) is disposed so as to be disposed below the intersection of the carrier (23, 24) of the carrier grid floor (22).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ship 2 Vertical tank 3 Upper guide apparatus 4 Support flange 5 Guide element 6 of an upper guide apparatus 7 Guide element 7 of a lower guide apparatus Supporting insulating layer 8 Bracket of a lifting prevention part 9 Insulating layer of a lifting prevention part 10 Base 11 It consists of an insulating layer Guide device grip 12 Guide device position fixing guide 13 Tank longitudinal center axis 20 Bottom portion 21 Foot portion 22 Supporting grid floor 23 Radial carrier 24 Tangential carrier

Claims (20)

  An apparatus for supporting an independent tank (2) for a low-temperature medium, particularly an LNG, in a vertical position in a ship (1) or in a stationary plant (1), comprising a flat support provided in the tank The tank is supported by the support portion on the corresponding flat base (10) on the ship (1) side or the plant (1) side through a thermal insulation layer located in the middle, that is, Along the flat boundary surface provided on the inner side of the thermal insulation layer or the thermal insulation layer, with an air chamber in which the bottom of the tank is located in the middle and located at a distance from the ship (1) or the plant (1) The device being supported in such a way that a horizontal relative sliding movement is possible between the tank (2) and the base (10).   2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support has at least one support flange (4) projecting outward from the tank (2).   The device according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of support flanges (4) projecting outward from the tank (2) and distributed in the circumferential direction of the tank.   4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of support flanges (4) are arranged at the same height with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tank and are supported by the corresponding base.   Device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the tank (2) is supported via a ring flange (4) surrounding the tank (2).   The support portion includes a plurality of foot portions (21) disposed on the outer surface of the tank (2) in the region of the bottom portion (20), and the foot portions (21) have their installation surfaces, respectively. It is supported via a thermal insulating layer (7) on a base (10) on the ship (1) side or the plant (1) side, and the thermal insulating layer is between the tank (2) and the base (10). 2. The device according to claim 1, which enables horizontal relative movement.   The bottom (20) of the tank (2) is flat, the feet (21) all have the same height, the mounting surfaces of the feet (21) are flat and all in one plane. The device of claim 6.   The device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the bottom (20) of the tank (2) has a reinforcement (22).   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the reinforcement is autonomous.   The said reinforcement part of the said bottom part (20) of the said tank (2) is formed as a carrying grid floor, The said foot (21) is arrange | positioned in the intersection of the said carrier (23,24) of the said grid floor. Item 10. The apparatus according to Item 8 or 9.   11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the carrier grid floor (22) of the reinforcement comprises a carrier extending radially about its center and a carrier (23, 24) extending tangentially. .   Comprising at least two guide elements (5, 6) projecting outward from the tank (2), these guide elements being arranged at an angle to each other in the circumferential direction of the tank (2), and An axially extending portion, the imaginary extension of the axially extending portion passing through a predetermined imaginary longitudinal axis (13) of the tank (2) common to all the guiding elements, the guiding Each element cooperates with a stationary guide (12) on the ship (1) side or the plant (1) side, which guides the horizontal relative movement of the guide element (5, 6) transverse to the axial direction. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is blocking in the direction of and allowing in the axial direction.   Device according to claim 12, wherein the guiding element (5, 6) cooperates with the stationary guide (12) via the thermal insulation layer (11).   14. A device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein a first set of a plurality of guide elements (6) are arranged at the same height with respect to the longitudinal axis (13) of the tank (2).   15. A device according to claim 14, wherein a second set of the plurality of guide elements (5) are spaced above the first set.   16. A device according to any one of claims 14 and 15, wherein each said set comprises three or more guide elements (5, 6), these guide elements being arranged at the same angle relative to one another.   17. A device according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the first set of guide elements (6) are arranged at the height of the support.   18. The device according to claim 12, wherein the guide element (5, 6) projects radially outward in a cylindrical tank (2).   The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a lifting block (8, 9) for blocking lifting of the tank from the base.   The lifting prevention part includes at least one bracket (8) on the ship (1) side or the plant (1) side, and the bracket is disposed above the support part to connect the tank (2) to the heat insulating layer. 20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the thermal insulation layer is pressed via (9), allowing the horizontal relative movement between the tank (2) and the bracket (8).

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