JP2023163168A - Tank wall with through-duct - Google Patents

Abstract

To enhance the fatigue strength of a tank wall in a region where a through-duct runs through a multilayer structure.SOLUTION: A thermally insulating sealed tank comprises a tank wall, a secondary thermally insulating barrier 9, a secondary sealed membrane 8, a primary thermally insulating barrier 7, and a primary sealed membrane 6. The tank also comprises a through-duct 5 running through the tank wall. The tank wall comprises, surrounding the through-duct 5, secondary thermally insulating blocks forming the secondary thermally insulating barrier 9, a first sealing layer forming the secondary sealing membrane 8, primary thermally insulating blocks forming the primary thermally insulating barrier 6, and a closure plate tightly connected to the primary sealing membrane 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to the manufacture of sealed insulated tanks. In particular, the invention relates to tanks designed to contain hot or cold liquids, and more particularly to tanks for storing and/or transporting liquefied gases in load-bearing structures at sea.

Technical Background Sealed insulated tanks can be used in a variety of different industries to store hot or cold products. For example, in the energy sector, such a product may be liquefied natural gas (LNG). Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a liquid that can be stored at about −163° C. at atmospheric pressure in storage tanks on land or in tanks mounted on floating structures. Such floating structures include, inter alia, barges, liquefied natural gas carriers for transporting the product and offshore vessels known by the acronyms FPSO and FSRU for storing, liquefying or regasifying the product. Includes equipment.

These sealed insulated tanks are made from one or more sealing membranes in conjunction with an insulating layer. In particular, according to French Patent No. 2,781,557, there is provided a sealed, insulated tank comprising a tank wall fixed to a load-bearing structure, the tank wall being continuous with the tank wall, the tank being enclosed within the tank. A sealed insulated tank is known which has a multilayer structure including a primary sealing membrane intended to come into contact with objects, a primary heat insulating barrier, a secondary sealing membrane, and a secondary heat insulating barrier. It is.

The sealing membrane has sufficient elasticity to withstand stresses resulting from, for example, hydrostatic pressure, dynamic pressure during cargo movement and/or temperature changes. However, such sealing membranes and the underlying insulation are relatively brittle and cannot necessarily withstand the weight of a pylon, such as an LNG tank loading/unloading pylon. For this purpose, support legs can be provided, as in French Patent No. 2,961,580.

Furthermore, due to the thermodynamic conditions of a sealed, insulated tank during storage of such liquids, a certain amount of vapor evaporation will occur. As a result, fluctuations occur in the internal pressure of the tank. To control the pressure in these tanks, for example, vaporized gas is collected and conveyed to an evaporation manifold, whereby it is reliquefied or combusted in the ship's propulsion engine. For this purpose, a manifold conduit can be provided, as in French Patent No. 2,984,454.

There are therefore a variety of different functions that may require penetration of the multilayer structure of the tank wall by a penetration conduit.

Overview In the tanks described above, when the tank is filled with a very cold liquid, e.g. As a result, deformations of all elements occur. In addition to these repeated thermal contraction and expansion effects over the life of a sealed insulated tank, tanks in ships are also subject to stresses due to deformation of the ship's hull at sea. As a result, the elements become fatigued. This must be monitored over time to prevent failures.

One idea behind the invention is to increase the fatigue strength of the tank wall in the area where the penetration conduit penetrates the multilayer structure.

According to one embodiment, the invention provides a sealed, insulated tank disposed within a load-bearing structure to contain a fluid, the tank comprising:
A tank wall affixed to a load-bearing structure, the tank wall having a secondary insulation barrier and a secondary insulation barrier continuously in the thickness direction from the outside to the inside of the sealed insulated tank. a secondary sealing membrane supported by a barrier; a primary thermal barrier supported by the secondary sealing membrane; and a primary thermal barrier supported by the primary thermal barrier within the sealed thermal tank. and a primary sealing membrane intended for contact with the contained fluid, the multilayer structure being disposed between the primary sealing membrane and the secondary sealing membrane. a tank wall comprising a primary space, the primary space containing a primary thermal barrier;
a penetration conduit disposed through the tank wall, the primary sealing membrane being intimately connected to the penetration conduit, and the tank wall surrounding the penetration conduit;
secondary insulation blocks affixed to the load-bearing structure, the secondary insulation blocks forming a secondary insulation barrier surrounding the through conduit, each of the secondary insulation blocks comprising: the secondary insulation block has at least one lateral surface extending in the thickness direction of the tank wall, and the secondary insulation block is arranged between mutually opposing lateral surfaces of two adjacent secondary insulation blocks secondary insulation blocks arranged relative to each other to form a space;
a sealing layer covering the secondary insulation block and forming a secondary sealing membrane;
a sealing plate arranged parallel to the tank wall, the sealing plate having an inner surface facing the inside of the sealed insulated tank, the inner surface being at the same level as the sealing layer; a sealing plate positioned to surround the through conduit, the secondary sealing membrane extending into the sealing plate;
an outer conduit extending parallel to the pass-through conduit from the sealing plate towards the outside of the sealed insulated tank to surround the pass-through conduit, between the primary space and the outer conduit; an outer conduit communicating with the primary space to permit the flow of an inert gas;
a primary insulation block disposed in a secondary sealing membrane, the primary insulation block forming a primary insulation barrier surrounding the through conduit; The first and second primary insulation blocks have lateral surfaces extending in the thickness direction of the tank wall, the lateral surfaces having a cutout intended to accommodate a portion of the through conduit. and at least one interface portion adjacent the cutout portion, wherein the interface portion of the first primary insulation block is opposite the interface portion of the second primary insulation block. with a primary insulation block located at
The secondary insulation block and the first and second primary insulation blocks are such that an interface portion of the first primary insulation block and an interface portion of the second primary insulation block are different from each other. , are arranged relative to each other in the thickness direction so as not to overlap in the space between two adjacent secondary insulation blocks,
Provide a sealed and insulated tank.

These features serve to increase the fatigue resistance of the secondary sealing membrane while maintaining a flexible sealing membrane layer disposed across the secondary insulation block. In fact, due to the absence of overlap in the thickness direction between the interface area of two adjacent primary insulation blocks and the space of adjacent secondary insulation blocks, no thermal contraction or compressive force can be caused. The risk of increased stress on the secondary sealing membrane is eliminated.

According to embodiments, such a sealed insulated tank may have one or more of the following features:

According to one embodiment, the sealing layer is a first sealing layer covering a secondary insulation block, and the tank wall is formed of a first sealing layer and a sealing plate so as to surround the through conduit. A second sealing layer is tightly secured across the inner surface, the second sealing layer extending the secondary sealing membrane to the sealing plate.

According to one embodiment, the second sealing layer comprises at least two sealing strips, each sealing strip being arranged astride two adjacent secondary insulation blocks. .

According to one embodiment, the second sealing layer has two sealing strips aligned with each other on both sides of the through-conduit so as to cover the space.

According to one embodiment, the two sealing strips of the second sealing layer include the at least one interface portion of the first primary insulation block and the at least one interface portion of the second primary insulation block. It is positioned perpendicular to the surface portion.

According to one embodiment, the tank wall comprises two prefabricated panels placed on both sides of the through conduit, each of these prefabricated panels having a lower insulation block forming a secondary insulation block. , a first sealing layer covering the secondary insulation block, and a central area between the first sealing layer and the lower insulation block without covering the outer peripheral area of this first sealing layer. an upper insulation block disposed, the upper insulation block being part of a primary insulation barrier, said primary insulation block having two insulation blocks disposed between the upper insulation blocks of the two prefabricated panels. It is arranged on the area of the outer periphery of the first sealing layer of the ready-made panel and on the space.

According to one embodiment, the primary sealing membrane has a sealing plate which is tightly connected to each other at the edge of the sealing plate and which is located on the upper side of the two ready-made panels. The insulation block has a fastening strip against the edge of the sealing plate to fasten the sealing plate to the prefabricated panel, and the primary insulation block has a fastening strip against the edge of the sealing plate to prevent the sealing plate from sticking to the primary insulation block. and a heat shielding strip for said edge of the sealing plate.

According to one embodiment, the primary sealing membrane comprises at least one series of corrugations with corrugations extending along directrix parallel to each other, said corrugations comprising said sealed projecting towards the inside of the insulated tank, at least one directrix of a given corrugation of said series of corrugations is interrupted by a window, the corrugation preferably being open at the window. The sealed insulated tank having ends has at least one end piece for closing the open end of the at least one corrugation.

According to one embodiment, the window interrupts at least two of the directories of the corrugations of said at least one series of corrugations, and the through conduit is arranged within said directories of the interrupted corrugations. It is centered between the two.

The arrangements and features described above for a series of parallel corrugations may, if desired, be applied to several series of parallel corrugations, each extending in a different direction.

According to one embodiment, the primary sealing membrane has a first series of corrugations and a second series of corrugations intersecting this first series of corrugations, and the window is arranged in the first series of corrugations. the through-conduit interrupting at least two of the corrugations of the first series of corrugations and at least two of the corrugations of the second series of corrugations; and two interrupted directrixes of the corrugation of the corrugations of the second series of corrugations; .

According to one embodiment, the directrix of the corrugations of the first series of corrugations is perpendicular to the directrix of the corrugations of the second series of corrugations.

The aforementioned windows may have different shapes, depending in particular on the shape of the penetration conduit and/or the shape of the components of the primary sealing membrane.

According to one embodiment, the window has two sides parallel to the directrix of the corrugations of the first series of corrugations and a directrix of the corrugations of the second series of corrugations. It is a quadrilateral with two sides parallel to . In particular, the window may be square, rectangular or parallelogram.

According to one embodiment, the through conduit has a circular cross section and passes through the center of the window.

According to one embodiment, the outer conduit comprises a first circumferential coupling plate and a second circumferential coupling plate, the second circumferential coupling plate being one of the first circumferential coupling plates. The first circumferential coupling plate is tightly fixed around the entire circumference, and the first circumferential coupling plate extends from the second circumferential coupling plate toward the outside of the sealed insulated tank. Extending parallel to the conduit, said second circumferential coupling plate is tightly fixed to the sealing plate and projects parallel to the through-conduit towards the load-bearing structure.

According to one embodiment, the tank wall also has at least one closing plate, which is arranged in the primary insulation block so as to surround the through-through conduit and is closely connected to the through-through conduit. .

According to one embodiment, the closure plate consists of an integral metal plate surrounding the through-conduit.

According to one embodiment, at least one of said primary insulation blocks has at least one slot, and the closure plate has at least one slot, which slot is covered by one end piece. The slots of the primary insulation block are overlaid to allow inert gas to flow between the corrugations and the outer conduit.

According to one embodiment, the tank wall has a thermal insulation sheet interposed between the primary insulation block and the closure plate.

Advantageously, the heat shield sheet is wrapped in one piece so as to surround the through-conduit.

Advantageously, the insulation sheet comprises at least one slot, which slot is superimposed on one slot of the primary insulation block and positioned below one slot of the closure plate.

According to one embodiment, the through conduit forms a passage between the inside of the sealed insulated tank and a steam manifold arranged outside said sealed insulated tank.

Such a tank may be part of a shore-based storage facility, for example for storing liquefied gas, or may be part of a coastal or deep-sea floating structure, in particular a liquefied natural gas carrier, an LPG carrier, a floating structure, etc. It may be installed in a floating LNG storage and regasification unit (FSRU) or a floating offshore oil and gas production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit.

According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a vessel used for transporting cryogenic liquid products, comprising a double hull and a sealed insulated tank disposed within the double hull. We also provide ships with

According to one embodiment, the present invention provides the use of a vessel for loading or unloading cryogenic liquid products, comprising: transporting the cryogenic liquid products from land-based or floating storage facilities through insulated pipes; , to a sealed insulated tank installed on a ship, or from a sealed insulated tank installed on a ship through an insulated tube to a land-based or floating storage facility.

According to one embodiment, the present invention is a transfer system for cryogenic liquids, comprising a vessel and a sealed insulated tank installed in the hull of the vessel to a land-based or floating storage facility. insulated tubing arranged to connect and pumping the cold liquid product stream from the shore-based or floating storage facility through the insulated tubing to a sealed insulated tank onboard the vessel or to the vessel. A transfer system is also provided, including a pump for pumping from the provided sealed insulated tank through insulated tubing to a land-based or floating storage facility.

The invention may be better understood and further objects, details, features and advantages of the invention may be understood from the following detailed description of some specific embodiments of the invention, which are given by way of non-limiting example only. A more detailed explanation will be given in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a tank wall according to an embodiment of the invention with a fluid collection device; FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region II shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the tank wall region shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a plan view along the axis of the penetration conduit in the region of the tank wall shown in FIG. 2, showing the secondary thermal barrier surrounding the penetration conduit without the primary insulation barrier; FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram similar to FIG. 4 showing a primary thermal barrier. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a primary insulation block that may be used in a primary insulation barrier; FIG. FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the positioning of the thermal insulation sheet and insulation strip to the primary thermal barrier. Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 at an intermediate stage of assembly of the primary sealing membrane; 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 at a further stage of assembly of the primary sealing membrane; FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing a primary sealing membrane; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a termination piece that may be used in manufacturing the primary sealing membrane shown in FIG. 10; FIG. 1 is a schematic cut-away view of a tank in a liquefied natural gas carrier and a loading/unloading terminal for the tank; FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, a sealed insulated tank 1 has a tank wall 2 . This tank wall 2 is fastened to the inner surface of a corresponding wall of the load-bearing structure 3. The load-bearing structure 3 is, for example, the inner hull of a double-hulled ship or a land-based structure. FIG. 1 is a partial view of a sealed insulated tank 1 showing only the ceiling wall.

As is customary, the terms ``above'', ``above'', ``above'' and ``above'' are usually used to refer to sealed insulation, regardless of the orientation of the tank wall 2 with respect to the Earth's gravitational field. ``Below'', ``below'', ``below'' and ``lower'' generally refer to a position towards the inside of the tank 1, where pointing to the location.

The sealed insulated tank 1 may have different shapes, for example prismatic in the hull of a ship or cylindrical on land or another shape.

The following embodiments describe a sealed, insulated tank 1 intended for the storage and/or transportation of liquefied natural gas at sea. In a variant not described, such a sealed insulated tank 1 may be a tank used for storing cold or hot further products on land.

1 and 2, a fluid collection device 4 is shown. Such a device comprises a through conduit 5 which passes through the tank wall 2, for example the ceiling wall of the sealed insulated tank 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the tank wall 2 includes a primary sealing membrane 6 in contact with the liquefied gas and a primary thermally insulating membrane 6 continuously in the thickness direction from the inside of the sealed insulated tank 1 toward the load-bearing structure 3. It has a barrier 7 , a secondary sealing membrane 8 and a secondary heat insulating barrier 9 . The primary insulation barrier 7, the secondary sealing membrane 8 and the secondary insulation barrier 9 are essentially a set of prefabricated panels in contact with the mastic beads 11 and fixed to the load-bearing structure 3. .

The fluid collection device 4 comprises a barrel 12 extending outside the load-bearing structure 3 and a through conduit 5 secured to the inside of this barrel 12 . The barrel 12 and the through conduit 5 are cylindrical bodies of circular cross section. However, other shapes are possible. The load-bearing structure 3 has a circular opening 13 . Barrel 12 is welded to surround circular opening 13. The through conduit 5 penetrates the tank wall 2 in the center of a circular opening 13 . Accordingly, the penetration conduit 5 passes through the primary sealing membrane 6, the secondary sealing membrane 8, the primary insulation barrier 7, and the secondary insulation barrier 9 to form the sealed insulation tank 1. is entering inside. In particular, the through conduit 5 is connected to a steam manifold outside the sealed insulated tank. The steam manifold extracts steam and conveys the steam to the vessel's propulsion system for supply to the vessel or to a liquefaction system and then returns the liquefied gas to the tank.

The primary sealing membrane 6 is tightly connected to the through conduit 5 . A secondary sealing membrane 8 is also tightly connected to the through conduit 5, with the exception that the gas phase is transferred to the two secondary conduits 14 between the primary sealing membrane 6 and the secondary sealing membrane 8. , 15 are excluded. The gas phase is typically dinitrogen or another inert gas. The space between the primary sealing membrane 6 and the secondary sealing membrane 8 thus forms a primary sealing space connected to the two secondary conduits 14,15.

Furthermore, the barrel 12 is closely connected to the load-bearing structure 3. An insulating layer 16 is evenly distributed over the outside of the through-conduit 5, which has a smaller diameter than the circular opening 13. The gap between this insulation layer 16 and the circular opening 13 thus allows the gas phase to flow between the secondary insulation barrier 9 and the intermediate space between the barrel 12 and the insulation layer 16. . The gas phase is typically dinitrogen or another inert gas. The intermediate space and the space between the load-bearing structure 3 and the secondary insulation barrier 9 thus form a secondary sealing space.

Two secondary conduits 14 , 15 extend parallel to the penetration conduit 5 in the insulation layer 16 from outside the barrel 12 to the primary sealing space. The first secondary conduit 14 provides a passage between the primary sealed space and a release member (not shown) that controls the gas phase within the primary space. A second secondary conduit 15 provides a passage between the primary space and a pressure measuring device (not shown). In particular, these two secondary conduits 14, 15 make it possible to flush the primary sealing space with an inert gas, for example nitrogen.

Two further conduits (not shown) are welded to the barrel 12 and open into the secondary sealing space inside the barrel 12, thereby providing a connection within the secondary sealing space. It also becomes possible to control the gas phase and measure the pressure. The conduit connected to the secondary sealing space also makes it possible to flush the secondary sealing space with an inert gas, for example nitrogen.

The area II of the tank wall 2 penetrated by the penetration conduit 5 will be explained in detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 10.

Near the through-conduit 5 two ready-made panels 10a, 10b are arranged. Referring to FIG. 4, these ready-made panels 10a, 10b have a secondary insulation block 17 fixed to the load-bearing structure 3. This secondary insulation block 17 has a rigid lower panel 18 supported by mastic beads 11 and an insulation layer 19 made of polyurethane foam.

Adhered to the entire surface of the insulation layer 19 of the secondary insulation block 17 is a first sealing layer 20 of a composite material comprising, for example, a metal sheet immersed in resin and a layer of glass fibers. This first sealing layer 20 is a component of the secondary sealing membrane 8.

The ready-made panels 10a, 10b also include upper insulation blocks 21a, 21b. This upper insulation block 21a, 21b has an insulation layer 22 made of polyurethane foam that partially covers and partially adheres to the first sealing layer 20. . A rigid upper panel 23 covers the insulation layer 22 and together with it forms an element of the primary insulation barrier 7 .

As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the through conduit 5 includes a circular opening 13, a secondary thermal barrier 9, a secondary sealing membrane 8, a primary thermal barrier 7, and a primary sealing membrane 8. It passes through the membrane 6. In the area beyond the load-bearing structure 3, a circular closing plate 24 extends around the through-hole conduit 5. This closure plate 24 has an upper surface parallel to the tank wall 2. An insulating layer 16 surrounding the feedthrough conduit 5 is bonded to this upper surface. The closure plate 24 also has two orifices 25, 26 into which the two secondary conduits 14, 15 are welded.

The sealing between the secondary thermal barrier 9 and the through conduit 5 is achieved by a closure plate 24 , a first circumferential coupling plate 27 , a second circumferential coupling plate 28 and a sealing plate 29 be done. A first circumferential connecting plate 27, which is tubular in shape, is tightly fixed to the closing plate 24 over its entire circumference and extends into the sealed insulated tank 1 parallel to the through-line conduit 5; This forms an outer conduit. At the end opposite the closure plate 24, said circumferential coupling plate is connected to a circular sealing plate 29 via a second circumferential coupling plate 28, which is also tubular. The closing plate 24, the sealing plate 29 and the circumferential coupling plates 27, 28 thus form an inner space 30 adjacent to the outer wall of the through-hole conduit 5 in the outer conduit. In order to seal the secondary sealing membrane 8, a second sealing layer 31 is tightly fixed across the first sealing layer 20 and the sealing plate 29.

The sealing plate 29 has a circular passage 32 traversed by the through conduit 5 . The diameter of this circular passage 32 is larger than the diameter of the through-conduit 5 so as to leave a gap between the sealing plate 29 and the through-through conduit 5. This gap allows the gas phase to flow from the primary sealing space between the primary sealing membrane 6 and the secondary sealing membrane 8 towards the inner space 30 .

In order to release steam from the inner space 30, the two secondary conduits 14, 15 are tightly connected to the closure plate 24. This structure allows flushing with inert gas. To provide insulation, the inner space 30 is filled with a vapor-permeable and gas-permeable insulator.

The second circumferential coupling plate 28 is tubular and welded to the lower surface of the sealing plate 29 . The inner diameter of the second circumferential coupling plate 28 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the first circumferential coupling plate 27 . Therefore, the circumferential connecting plates 27, 28 can fit into each other and slidably cooperate in the areas where they are not welded. Therefore, when welding the second circumferential connection plate 28 to the first circumferential connection plate 27, the gap between the sealing plate 29 and the load-bearing structure 3 is adjusted so that the sealing plate 29 is can be precisely aligned with the sealing membrane 8 of. Furthermore, by fitting the first circumferential coupling plate 27 and the second circumferential coupling plate 28 into each other, it is possible to center the through-conduit 5 in the opening 13 and also the direction of the sealing plate 29. Settings are now possible. The welding between the closure plate 24 and the first circumferential connection plate 27, the welding between the first circumferential connection plate 27 and the second circumferential connection plate 28, and the welding between the first circumferential connection plate 27 and the second circumferential connection plate 28; The welding between the connecting plate 28 and the sealing plate 29 is done in such a way as to form a seal between these elements.

The closing plate 24, the sealing plate 29, the first circumferential coupling plate 27 and the second circumferential coupling plate 28 are metal elements, for example made of stainless steel.

Referring to FIG. 1, the feedthrough conduit 5 is spaced away from the load-bearing structure 3 away from the inside of the sealed insulated tank 1 in order to reduce the stress exerted on the joints made surrounding the feedthrough conduit 5. 33 of the through conduit. This reduces the stresses exerted on the connections of the tank wall 2. The fastening means comprises a frustoconical metal element 34 extending into the barrel 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in order to position and secure the first circumferential coupling plate 27 relative to the penetration conduit 5, the inner surface between the penetration conduit 5 and the first circumferential coupling plate 27 is Fins 40 are regularly arranged in the space 30.

Referring to FIGS. 2-5, a secondary insulation block 17 of the prefabricated panels 10a, 10b and a sealant are used to form a primary insulation barrier 7 between the through conduit 5 and the prefabricated panels 10a, 10b. Two primary insulation blocks 35 are arranged spanning the plate 29. Like the upper insulation blocks 21a, 21b, the primary insulation block 35 has an insulation layer 36 supported by the secondary insulation barrier 9. An upper panel 37 is arranged above this insulating layer 36.

The upper insulation blocks 21a, 21b of the prefabricated panels 10a, 10b and the primary insulation block 35 support a primary sealing membrane 6 made from a metal plate with corrugations 38a, 38b. The corrugations 38a, 38b form elastic regions designed to absorb thermal contraction, static compression forces, and dynamic compression forces. Sealing barriers made of corrugated or checkered sheet metal are described in particular in FR 1 379 651, FR 1 376 525, FR 2 781 557 and It is described in Patent Invention No. 2861060.

The primary sealing membrane 6 is tightly connected to the through conduit 5 by a flange 39 with an L-shaped cross section. The flange 39 is welded to the primary sealing membrane 6 and to the feedthrough conduit 5.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the elements forming the tank wall 2 surrounding the through-conduit 5 in more detail.

The through conduit 5 and the first circumferential connection plate 27 pass through the load-bearing structure 3 in the center of the opening 13 . The first circumferential coupling plate 27 is centered on the opening.

A glass wool filling is inserted into the inner space 30. As mentioned above, this packing is porous, which allows the gas phase to penetrate into the inner space between the primary sealing space and the secondary conduits 14, 15 (not shown in Figure 3). 30 to allow free flow.

The sealing plate 29 is positioned to be precisely aligned with the secondary sealing membrane 8 by welding the second circumferential coupling plate 28 to the first circumferential coupling plate 27 . In order to avoid the risk of combustion of the glass wool filling, a heat shield (not shown) is arranged between the filling and the circumferential coupling plates 27, 28.

Referring to Figures 3-5, the secondary thermal barrier 9, the secondary sealing membrane 8 and the primary thermal barrier 7 are fabricated from two prefabricated panels 10a, 10b. Each of the prefabricated panels 10a, 10b surrounding the through conduit 5 includes a secondary insulation block 17 forming an element of the secondary insulation barrier 9 and a first insulation block 17 which completely covers the upper surface of this secondary insulation block 17. 20 and smaller upper insulation blocks 21a, 21b forming the elements of the primary insulation barrier 7. The insulation blocks 21a, 21b on the upper side of the ready-made panels 10a, 10b have a U-shaped section when viewed from above, so that the outer peripheral area of the first sealing layer 20 remains exposed. , positioned relative to the secondary insulation block 17.

In detail, each secondary insulation block 17 has a surface 41 with a semicircular cutout for accommodating the first circumferential coupling plate 27 and the second circumferential coupling plate 28. There is. The semicircle has a diameter larger than the diameter of the first circumferential coupling plate 27 and the second circumferential coupling plate 28, as shown in FIG. Space is left for a glass wool filling 73 inserted between the circumferential coupling plates 27, 28 and the secondary insulation block 17.

The two secondary insulation blocks 17 are designed to form a space between these two blocks in the form of two radial interpanel spaces 42a, 42b. To ensure the continuity of the secondary thermal barrier 9, each of the two radial interpanel spaces 42a, 42b is filled with a glass wool filling (not shown), thereby separating the gas phase. The subsequent heat-insulating barrier 9 can be passed through and, in particular, the tank wall can be inert with an inert gas, for example nitrogen.

The prefabricated panels 10a, 10b may be prefabricated by combining polyurethane foam and plywood for the primary and secondary insulation barriers 7,9. The secondary insulation block 17 thus comprises a lower panel 18 and an insulating foam layer 19, and the upper insulation block 21a, 21b comprises an insulation layer 22 and an upper panel 23. The upper panel 23 of the upper insulation block 21a, 21b has transverse and longitudinal counterbores designed to accommodate the anchoring strip 43 to which the primary sealing membrane 6 is welded, as explained below. It has a surface.

The two ready-made panels 10a, 10b are juxtaposed to surround the through conduit 5. Each ready-made panel 10a, 10b also has a space 44. This space 44 allows access to pins 71 previously welded to the load-bearing structure for securing the prefabricated panels 10a, 10b during assembly.

The second sealing layer 31 is coupled to the sealing plate 29 over the first sealing layer 20. The second sealing layer 31 also includes two radial sealing strips 31a, 31b arranged over the two secondary insulation blocks 17 above the spaces 42a, 42b.

Two primary insulation blocks 35 and two intermediate blocks 45 are positioned above the second sealing layer 31 and the first sealing layer 20 to complete the primary insulation barrier 7. The intermediate block 45 is assembled to the radial sealing strips 31a, 31b of the second sealing layer 31.

Referring to FIG. 6, each of the primary insulation blocks 35 has a lateral side having a semicircular cutout 76 for accommodating the through conduit 5 and a straight interface portion 47 adjacent the cutout 76. It has a surface 46. When the primary insulation block 35 is assembled, the notches 76 define a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the through conduit 5, as shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 5, the two primary insulation blocks 35 are designed to meet at two interface portions 47 without touching. The two primary insulation blocks 35 are positioned above the second sealing layer 31 so that the interface portion 47 does not overlap the radial interpanel spaces 42a, 42b in the thickness direction. It has become. In FIG. 3, the direction D1 of the interface portion 47 of the primary insulation block 35 is perpendicular to the direction D2 of the radial interpanel spaces 42a, 42b.

9 and 10, the primary sealing membrane 6 is formed by a plurality of corrugated sealing plates 48. Referring to FIGS. The inner surfaces of these sealing plates 48 are intended to come into contact with the fluid contained in the sealed insulated tank 1 . The sealing plate 48 is a thin metal element, for example a stainless steel sheet. The corrugated sealing plate 48 is cut to form a square window 49 surrounding the through-conduit 5, through which the through-conduit 5 can pass. In this case, the windows 49 are square, which facilitates cutting the sealing plate 48 into the desired shape. However, the window 49 may have different shapes, depending in particular on the shape of the through-conduit 5.

The sealing plate 48 of the primary sealing membrane 6 has a plurality of corrugated portions 38a and 38b that protrude toward the inside of the sealed heat-insulating tank 1. More specifically, the primary sealing membrane 6 comprises a first series of corrugations 38a, called transverse corrugations, and a second series of corrugations, called longitudinal corrugations, arranged perpendicularly to each other. 38b. The first series of corrugations 38a is higher than the second series of corrugations 38b.

In FIG. 9, the edges of the sealing plate 48 are shown using continuous lines. The sealing plates 48 are welded together with a minimal overlap area 77 in order to seal the primary sealing membrane 6 . The welding is a lap welding, the method of which is described in detail, for example, in French Patent No. 1,387,955. The sealing plate 48 can be made in various shapes and sizes, and thus the welding areas can be positioned at different positions.

In contrast to the upper insulation blocks 21a, 21b of the ready-made panels 10a, 10b, the primary insulation block 35 does not have an anchor strip 43. In practice, in order to manufacture the primary sealing membrane 6 to surround the through conduit 5, the closure plate 51 arranged on the heat insulating sheet 72, shown in FIGS. 3 and 8 to 10, The window 48 defines a square whose size is slightly larger than the window 49 provided in the window 48 . An opening is cut in the center of the closing plate 51 to allow the passage of the through conduit 5. The closing plate 51 is tightly welded to the feedthrough conduit 5 via the flange 39.

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, the sealing plate 48 of the primary sealing membrane 6 is welded to the anchor strip 43 of the upper insulation blocks 21a, 21b and to the intermediate block 45. By welding the sealing plate 48 to the anchor strip 43 it is possible to hold the primary sealing membrane 6 to the primary thermal barrier 7. In particular, a thermal insulation strip 50 is arranged on the primary insulation block 35 against the edge of the sealing plate 48 to prevent damage caused to the primary insulation block 35 when the sealing plate 48 is welded. There is. The heat shield sheet 72 and the heat shield strip 50 are made from a heat resistant material, such as a composite glass fiber material. An opening is cut in the center of the heat insulating sheet 72 so that the through conduit 5 can pass therethrough.

The primary sealing membrane 6 surrounding the through-conduit 5 is first welded to the closure plate 51 at the edges of the sealing plate 48 defining the window 49 and then at the ends of the interrupted corrugations 38a, 38b. It is completed by closing with piece 52. In fact, the diameter of the penetration conduit 5 is larger than the gap between the corrugations of the first series of corrugations 38a, so that some of the transverse corrugations whose directrix intersects the penetration conduit are , interrupted by window 49. Analogously, the diameter of the through conduit 5 is larger than the gap between the corrugations of the second series of corrugations 38b, so that the diameter of the longitudinal corrugations with directrix intersecting the through conduit 5 is A portion is interrupted by a window 49 surrounding the through-conduit 5.

Referring to FIG. 11, the end piece 52 has a two-part base plate 53, 54 designed to be tightly welded to the closure plate 51 and the sealing plate 48, respectively, and to the end of the corrugation. The shell 55 is designed to be tightly welded. The recess 56 between the parts 53, 54 of the base plate has a width substantially equal to the thickness of the sealing plate 48.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the upper panel 37 of the primary insulation block 35 has four slots 57 extending therethrough, and the closure plate 51 includes: The heat insulating sheet 72 has a slot 69 overlapping the slot 57 of the primary insulation block 35 , and the heat insulation sheet 72 has a slot 69 overlapping the slot 57 of the primary insulation block 35 and positioned below the slot 69 of the closure plate 51 . It has 70. During the assembly of the primary sealing membrane 6, the end piece 52 is superimposed on the slots 57, 69, 70, thereby directing the gas phase in the corrugations 38a, 38b towards the insulation layer 36 of the primary insulation block 35. It becomes possible to flow. Insulating layer 36 also has a connection slot 74 positioned below slot 57 of upper panel 37 . Three parallel slots 75 extend from this connecting slot 74 towards semicircular recesses 76 in the primary insulation block 35 . The gas phase that has passed through the upper panel 37 can thus flow outside the primary insulation block 35 and into the space between the primary insulation block 35 and the through conduit 5 .

The particular structure of the primary insulation block 35 connected to the gap between the circular passage 32 and the through-conduit 5 and to the inner space 30 with porous filling is characterized in particular by the corrugations 38a, 38b. forming a circuit facilitating the flow of the gas phase within the primary confinement space from the secondary conduits 14, 15 to the corrugations 38a, 38b and vice versa. ing. Analogously, as mentioned above, the space between the opening 13 and the first circumferential connection plate 27 and the space between the load-bearing structure 3 and the secondary insulation block 17 are the same as those for the secondary sealing. It forms a circuit that facilitates the flow of the gas phase between the space and the barrel 12. These circuits make it possible, in particular, to inert the tank wall 2 with an inert gas, for example dinitrogen.

9 and 10 show that the size of the window 49 is actually larger than the diameter of the through-conduit 5. Therefore, the windows 49 formed in the primary sealing membrane 6 may tend to interrupt corrugations that have directrix very close to the through conduit 5 without actually intersecting the through conduit 5.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the center of the through conduit 5 is located between the directrix of the interrupted transverse corrugations 38a and between the directrix of the interrupted longitudinal corrugations 38b. More precisely, it is positioned in the center of these directrix. As a result of this positioning, the directrix intersects the penetration conduit 5 along a chord that is in any case shorter than the diameter of the penetration conduit 5. As a result, taking into account the space between the edge of the window 49 and the through-hole conduit 5, such a positioning of the through-through conduit 5 ensures that the directrix is the largest lateral or longitudinal dimension of the through-through conduit 5, i.e. , it is possible to interrupt the transverse corrugations 38a or the longitudinal corrugations 38b over a shorter distance than when intersecting the through-conduit 5 along the diameter of the through-conduit 5. This is because in this case the through-conduit 5 is a cylinder with a circular cross section. The corrugations 38a, It is advantageous to interrupt 38b over the shortest possible distance.

Centering the through conduit 5 midway between the interrupted transverse corrugations 38a and the interrupted longitudinal corrugations 38b provides optimal results. However, other geometries and different centerings for the through-conduit 5 may be envisaged. In any case, one principle that can be utilized to adapt the positioning of the penetration conduit 5 between the corrugations 38a, 38b is that the penetrations intersected by the directrix of the interrupted corrugations 38a, 38b The aim is to choose a location that minimizes or at least reduces the dimensions of the conduit 5. If the particular shape of the primary sealing membrane 6 means that a number of corrugations 38a, 38b are interrupted, each over a different length, an important parameter for optimizing the positioning of the through-conduit 5 is the It may be the longest interrupted length or the cumulative interrupted length.

The through conduit 5 requires a window 49 that is approximately twice the size of the gap between the two corrugations 38a, 38b, which in this case are equidistant. To accomplish this, two corrugations 38a, 38b of each series of corrugations are interrupted. However, this arrangement of the penetration conduit 5 and the nearby tank wall 2 may be adapted to other dimensions of the penetration conduit 5. For example, in the case of a larger through-conduit, the corresponding window 49 may have a larger number of corrugations 38a, 38b of one or each series of corrugations, e.g. three, four or more corrugations. You may interrupt the session.

In the embodiments described above, the penetration conduit 5 passes through the ceiling wall of the sealed insulated tank 1, but in other embodiments the penetration conduit 5 passes through the upper side wall of the sealed insulated tank 1 or It may also penetrate the tank wall 2 at any other location in the sealed insulated tank 1.

The sealed insulated tank 1 described above may be used in different types of installations, for example land installations, or in floating structures, for example liquefied natural gas carriers or other structures.

Referring to FIG. 12, a cutaway view of a liquefied natural gas carrier 58 shows a sealed insulated tank 1 having an overall prismatic shape assembled within a double hull 59 of the liquefied natural gas carrier 58. It is shown.

The tank wall 2 includes a primary sealing membrane 6 that is intended to come into contact with the LNG contained in the sealed insulated tank 1, and a double hull 59 of the liquefied natural gas carrier with this primary sealing membrane 6. and between the primary sealing membrane 6 and the secondary sealing membrane 8 and between the secondary sealing membrane 8 and the liquefied natural gas carrier 58. Two heat insulating barriers 7 and 9 are provided, each disposed between the hull 59 and the hull 59.

As is known, the loading/unloading pipe 60 located on the upper deck of the liquefied natural gas carrier 58 is connected to a marine or port terminal using a suitable connector, thereby allowing the loading/unloading of the liquefied gas to be loaded. , for example LNG, can be transferred to a sealed insulated tank 1 or a loaded liquefied gas, for example LNG, can be transferred from a sealed insulated tank 1 .

Also shown in FIG. 12 is a marine terminal with a loading/unloading point 61, an underwater line 62 and shore equipment 63.

The loading/unloading point 61 is a static offshore installation with a movable arm 64 and a column 65 holding the movable arm 64. A movable arm 64 supports a bundle of insulated hoses 66 that can be connected to the loading/unloading pipe 60. The movable arm 64 with adjustable orientation can be adapted to any size liquefied natural gas carrier 58. Connection lines (not shown) extend inside the struts 65. The loading/unloading point 61 allows for unloading from the liquefied natural gas carrier 58 to the shore facility 63 or loading from the shore facility 63 to the liquefied natural gas carrier 58 . These installations have a liquefied gas storage tank 67 and a connecting line 68 connected via an underwater line 62 to a loading/unloading point 61 .

The subsea line 62 makes it possible to transport liquefied gas over large distances, for example 5 km, between the loading/unloading point 61 and the shore installation 63. This allows the liquefied natural gas carrier 58 to remain far from shore during loading and unloading operations.

In order to generate the pressure necessary to transfer the liquefied gas, pumps on board the liquefied natural gas carrier 58 and/or pumps installed on shore equipment 63 and/or at the loading/unloading point 61 are used. Installed pumps are used.

Although the invention has been described with respect to some particular embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather includes the described means and the like that fall within the scope of the invention. Contains all technical equivalents of the combination.

Use of the verbs "comprise" or "include", even when conjugated, excludes the presence of other elements or steps that are additional to the elements or steps recited in a claim. It's not something you do.

In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the particular claim.

Claims (16)

a sealed insulated tank (1) arranged within a load-bearing structure (3) to contain a fluid;
- a tank wall (2) fixed to the load-bearing structure (3), which tank wall (2) is continuous in the thickness direction from the outside to the inside of the sealed insulated tank (1); a secondary thermal barrier (9), a secondary sealing membrane (8) supported by the secondary thermal barrier (9), and a secondary sealing membrane (8) supported by the secondary sealing membrane (8). a primary thermal barrier (7) and a primary seal supported by the primary thermal barrier (7) and intended for contact with the fluid contained in the sealed thermally insulated tank (1); a multilayer structure comprising a sealing membrane (6), the multilayer structure comprising a primary space located between said primary sealing membrane (6) and said secondary sealing membrane (8); a tank wall (2), said primary space housing said primary thermal barrier (7);
- a through conduit (5) arranged through said tank wall (2), said primary sealing membrane (6) being tightly connected to said through conduit (5); (2) includes a through conduit (5) surrounding the through conduit (5);
- a secondary insulation block (17) fixed to said load-bearing structure (3), said secondary insulation block (17) surrounding said through-conduit (5) and forming said secondary insulation barrier; (9), each of said secondary insulation blocks (17) having at least one lateral surface extending in said thickness direction of said tank wall (2); The next insulation block (17) is arranged relative to each other so as to form a space (42a, 42b) between the mutually opposing side surfaces of two adjacent secondary insulation blocks (17). a secondary insulation block (17) arranged;
- a sealing layer (20) covering said secondary insulation block (17) and forming said secondary sealing membrane (8);
- a sealing plate (29) arranged parallel to said tank wall (2), said sealing plate (29) having an inner surface facing the inside of said sealed insulated tank (1); the inner surface is located at the same level as the sealing layer (20), the sealing plate is arranged to surround the through conduit (5) and the secondary sealing a sealing plate (29), wherein the membrane (8) is adapted to extend into said sealing plate (29);
- outer conduits (27, 28) surrounding and extending parallel to said penetration conduit (5), said primary space and said outer conduits (27, 28); ) an outer conduit (27, 28) communicating with said primary space so as to allow the flow of an inert gas between said primary space;
- a primary insulation block (35) disposed in said secondary sealing membrane (8), said primary insulation block surrounding said through-conduit (5) and said primary insulation barrier (7); ), and the first and second primary insulation blocks (35) of the primary insulation blocks (35) form a lateral wall extending in the thickness direction of the tank wall (2). each side surface (46) has a cutout portion (76) intended for accommodating a portion of said through conduit (5) and a cutout portion (76) adjacent to said cutout portion (76). said interface portion (47) of said first primary insulation block (35) has at least one interface portion (47) of said second primary insulation block (35); A primary insulation block (35) disposed opposite the surface portion (47);
The secondary insulation block (17) and the first and second primary insulation blocks (35) are connected to the interface portion (47) of the first primary insulation block (35) and the first and second primary insulation blocks (35). The boundary surface portion (47) of the second primary insulation block (35) is the space (42a, 42b) between two adjacent secondary insulation blocks (17) in the thickness direction. are placed relative to each other so as not to overlap,
Sealed insulated tank (1). The sealing layer (20) is a first sealing layer covering the secondary insulation block (17), and the tank wall is a first sealing layer surrounding the through conduit (5). a second sealing layer (31) tightly fixed across the layer (20) and the inner surface of the sealing plate (29), the second sealing layer (31) comprising: Sealed insulated tank (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the secondary sealing membrane (8) extends to the sealing plate (29). Said second sealing layer (31) comprises at least two sealing strips (31a, 31b), each sealing strip (31a, 31b) connecting two adjacent secondary insulation blocks (17). 3. The sealed insulated tank (1) according to claim 2, wherein the tank (1) is arranged astride a tank (1). The two sealing strips (31a, 31b) of the second sealing layer (31) are aligned with each other on both sides of the through-conduit (5) so as to cover the space (42a, 42b). 4. A sealed insulated tank (1) according to claim 3, wherein the tank is The two sealing strips (31a, 31b) of the second sealing layer (31) are connected to the at least one interface portion (47) of the first primary insulation block (35) and the second Sealed insulated tank (1) according to claim 3 or 4, positioned perpendicularly to the at least one interface section (47) of the primary insulating block (35). The tank wall (2) comprises two prefabricated panels (10a, 10b) placed on either side of the through conduit (5), each of the prefabricated panels carrying a secondary insulation block (17). the first sealing layer (20) covering the lower heat insulating block to be formed and the secondary heat insulating block (17), without covering the outer peripheral area of the first sealing layer (20); , an upper heat insulating block (21a, 21b) disposed in a central area between the first sealing layer (20) and the lower heat insulating block, the upper heat insulating block (21a, 21b) is part of the primary insulation barrier (6), and the primary insulation block (35) is located between the upper insulation blocks (21a, 21b) of the two ready-made panels (10a, 10b). of the first sealing layer (20) of the two ready-made panels (10a, 10b) and on the space (42a, 42b). The sealed insulated tank (1) according to any one of the above. The primary sealing membrane (6) has a sealing plate (48) that is tightly connected to each other at an edge (100) of the sealing plate (48). and the upper insulation blocks (21a, 21b) of the two ready-made panels (10a, 10b) are connected to the sealing plate (48) in order to fix the sealing plate (48) to the ready-made panel (10a). 48), said primary insulation block (35) has an anchoring strip (43) to said edge (100) of said primary insulation block (35) such that said sealing plate (48) is not anchored to said primary insulation block (35). 7. Sealed insulated tank (1) according to claim 6, comprising a thermal insulation strip (50) to the edge (100) of the sealing plate (48). Said primary sealing membrane (6) comprises at least one series of corrugations with corrugations (38a, 38b) extending along directrix parallel to each other, said corrugations (38a, 38b) protrudes toward the inside of the sealed insulated tank (1), and at least one directrix of a predetermined corrugated portion (38a, 38b) of the series of corrugated portions is aligned with the window (49). ), said corrugations (38a, 38b) preferably have an open end at said window (49), and said sealed insulated tank (1) has at least one Sealed insulated tank (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising at least one end piece (52) for closing the open end of the corrugation (38a, 38b). ). Said outer conduit (27, 28) comprises a first circumferential coupling plate (27) and a second circumferential coupling plate (28), said second circumferential coupling plate (28) The first circumferential connection plate (27) is tightly fixed to the first circumferential connection plate (27) over the entire circumference thereof, and the first circumferential connection plate (27) is connected to the second circumferential connection plate (27). the second circumferential coupling plate (28) extends from the circumferential coupling plate towards the outside of the sealed insulated tank (1) parallel to the through conduit (5); , tightly fixed to the sealing plate (29) and projecting towards the load-bearing structure (3) parallel to the through-conduit (5). Sealed insulated tank (1) as described in Section 1. The tank wall (2) also has at least one closure plate (51), which closure plate (51) is arranged on the primary insulation block (35) so as to surround the through-conduit (5). 10. Sealed, insulated tank (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which is tightly connected to the through-hole conduit (5). At least one of said primary insulation blocks (35) has at least one slot (57), said closure plate (51) has at least one slot (69), said slot (69) ) is covered by one end piece (52) and overlaps the slot (57) of the primary insulation block (35), thereby connecting the corrugations (38a, 38b) and the outer Sealed insulated tank (1) according to claim 8, with reference to claim 10, in which an inert gas can flow between the conduits. The sealed tank according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the tank wall (2) has a heat insulating sheet (72) interposed between the primary insulation block (35) and the closure plate (51). Insulated tank (1). The through conduit (5) forms a passage between the inside of the sealed insulated tank (1) and a steam manifold arranged outside of the sealed insulated tank (1). 13. Sealed insulated tank (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising: A vessel (58) used for transporting cryogenic liquid products, comprising a double hull (59) and a ship according to claims 1 to 13, arranged inside the double hull (59). A ship (58) comprising a sealed insulated tank (1) according to any one of the preceding claims. 15. Use of a vessel (58) according to claim 14 for loading or unloading a cold liquid product, said cold liquid product being insulated from a land-based or floating storage facility (63). through a pipe (66) to the sealed insulated tank (1) provided on the vessel (58) or from the sealed insulated tank (1) provided on the vessel (58). Use to send to a land-based or floating storage facility (63) through an insulated tube (66). 15. A transfer system for cryogenic liquids, comprising a vessel (58) according to claim 14 and a sealed insulated tank (1) installed in the hull of the vessel (58) on land or in a floating body. an insulated tube (66) arranged to connect to a storage facility (63) of the type, and passing a cool liquid product stream from said land-based or floating storage facility (63) through said insulated tube (66); The insulated pipe (66) may be pumped to the sealed insulated tank (1) provided on the vessel (58), or from the sealed insulated tank (1) provided on the vessel (58). ) to said land-based or floating storage facility (63).