JP7134222B2 - Hermetically sealed insulated tank - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of closed and insulated tanks with membranes for storing and/or transporting fluids, such as cryogenic fluids.

Sealed and insulated tanks with membranes are particularly employed for the storage of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is stored at atmospheric pressure and at approximately -162°C. These tanks are installed on land or on floating bodies. In the case of floating structures, the tanks may be designed to carry or receive liquefied natural gas that is used as fuel to propel the floating structure.

Patent document WO2017006044 describes a sealed insulated tank for storing liquefied natural gas incorporated in a carrier structure such as a double hull of a ship for carrying liquefied natural gas. The tank comprises, continuously in the thickness direction from the outside to the inside of the tank, a secondary insulation barrier carried on the carrier structure, a secondary sealing membrane in contact with the secondary insulation barrier, and a primary insulation in contact with the secondary sealing membrane. It has a multilayer structure including a barrier and a primary sealing membrane designed to contact the liquefied natural gas contained in the tank.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a closed insulation tank at a 135° angle formed by two vertical walls of the tank according to WO2017006044, where only the secondary insulation barrier and the secondary sealing membrane are shown.

In such tanks, the tank wall secondary insulation barrier includes a plurality of standardized insulation panels 102 juxtaposed to each planar bearing wall of the bearing structure. This secondary insulation barrier extends from the middle of the corresponding tank wall to the edge of the tank wall, e.g. at the ridge 101 formed by the junction of the planar bearing walls where the secondary insulation barrier is fixed at a 135° corner. Manufactured by juxtaposing insulation panels 102 .

The secondary sealing membrane of the tank wall consists of a plurality of standard size metal sheets 103 juxtaposed and supported by the secondary insulating barrier. The secondary sealing membrane comprises two series of vertical corrugations projecting towards the exterior of the tank, thus allowing it to deform under the influence of thermal stresses generated by the fluid stored in the tank. to Each metal sheet of the secondary sealing membrane has a length and width substantially corresponding to those of the standard insulation panels 102 of the secondary insulation barrier and is offset relative to the insulation panels 102 to form four insulation panels. It straddles the panel 102 . These insulating panels 102 are provided with grooves on the inner surface to accommodate the corrugations of the metal sheet 103 . Thus, it is possible to construct the secondary insulating barrier and secondary sealing membrane of the tank wall from standardized elements, insulating panels 102 and metal sheets 103 .

At ridge 101, the secondary insulating barrier constitutes an angular structure. This corner structure includes two corner insulation panels 104 each positioned against the carrier structure in extension of the insulation panels 102 on both of the two tank walls forming the corner of the tank at the ridgeline 101 . Together these corner insulation panels 104 form the corners of the secondary insulation barrier of the tank. Each of these two corner insulating panels 104 carries on its inner surface a corner metal sheet 105 containing corrugations 106 parallel to the ridges 101 . This corrugation 106 is received in a corresponding groove in the corner insulating panel 104 at a predetermined distance from the ridgeline 101 . These corner metal sheets 105 are hermetically connected by metal corner brackets 107 along the ridges 101 . Thus, each corner insulating panel 104 extends each tank wall insulating panel 102, and the corner metal sheet 105 carried by said corner insulating panel 104 is substantially identical to the metal sheet 103 of the respective tank wall secondary sealing membrane. located in the plane of

One corrugation 108 of the series of corrugations of the secondary sealing membranes of the two tank walls extends parallel to the ridgeline 101 and thus parallel to the corrugations 106 . Through the use of standardized metal sheets 103, a series of undulating corrugations 108 of the secondary sealing membrane parallel to the ridges 101 are separated by uniform separation intervals 109. FIG. Additionally, the separation between the corrugations 106 and the ridges formed by the upper surfaces of the corner insulation 104 is preferably standardized for ease of construction of the corner insulation panels 104 . For example, this separation is substantially the same as uniform separation interval 109 .

However, due to tank construction tolerances, the gap 110 separating the last insulation panel 102 from the corner insulation panel 104 will vary from tank to tank and cannot be ascertained prior to tank construction.

In order to maintain the leaktightness and flexibility of the secondary sealing membrane in this gap 110 while compensating for separation differences arising from structural tolerances of the tank, the metal connecting strip 111 is initially a metal sheet carried by the insulating panel 102 . 103 and then hermetically welded to the square metal sheet 105 . The metal connecting strip 111 includes corrugations 112 parallel to the corrugations 108 and separated from adjacent corrugations 108 by equal separation intervals 109 .

The connecting strips 111 and the corner metal sheets 105 allow the dimensions of the tank to be adapted and to compensate for any separation resulting from structural tolerances of the tank. However, because the gap 110 can vary, the distance 113 separating the corrugations 112 of the metal connecting strip 111 and the corrugations 106 of the square metal sheet 105 cannot be ascertained in advance and similarly the uniform separation distance 109 cannot be determined. cannot be kept the same.

This connecting strip 111 also includes a series of corrugations (not shown) perpendicular to the ridges 101 . These corrugations extend a series of corrugations in the tank wall that run perpendicular to the ridgeline 101 . The corner metal sheet 105 and the corner bracket 107 also include corrugations perpendicular to the ridgeline 101, thus sealing corrugations perpendicular to the ridgeline 101 of the secondary sealing membranes of the two tank walls forming an angle of 135°. connected continuously.

Thus, the metal connecting strips 111 and the corner metal sheets 105 allow the use of standardized metal sheets 103 while maintaining leak tightness and good flexibility at the corners of the tank, and thus the tank wall. Facilitates the construction of secondary sealing membranes.

However, those tank walls that form an angle of 135° are also continuous with transverse tank walls that run perpendicular to the ridgeline 101 . In order to facilitate the manufacture of this secondary sealing membrane on the lateral tank walls, it is also desirable to use standardized metal sheets 103 for the construction of the secondary sealing membranes on the lateral tank walls. Furthermore, the secondary sealing membranes of the tank corners formed by the joints between the lateral and vertical walls of the tank should remain as flexible as possible.

One idea behind the invention is to allow closed and insulated tanks to be constructed in a simple and rapid manner. In particular, one idea underpinning the present invention is to provide good leak tightness and excellent sealability to the secondary sealing membranes at the corners of the tank, including the corners of the tank formed by the joints between the tank lateral walls and the tank longitudinal walls. The aim is to allow the use of standardized elements for manufacturing the tank walls while providing flexibility.

According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a closed and insulated tank incorporated in a carrier structure, the carrier structure comprising a first flat carrier wall and a second flat carrier wall which together form a ridgeline of the carrier structure. a carrier wall, the tank comprising a first tank wall secured to the first carrier wall and a second tank wall secured to the second carrier wall, each tank wall having a multilayer structure; , the multi-layer structure continuously comprising, in the direction of the thickness of the tank from the outside to the inside, an insulating barrier carried by a corresponding carrying wall and a sealing membrane carried by the insulating barrier; includes a series of parallel first corrugations extending perpendicular to the ridgeline and spaced at equal separation intervals along the ridgeline, and a second tank wall sealing membrane extending perpendicular to the ridgeline a series of parallel second undulations spaced at equal separation intervals along the ridge, each undulation of the first undulation of the first series being a corresponding undulation of the second set of undulations; Disposed in extension, the sealing membrane of the first tank wall further includes a distinctive corrugation extending parallel to the corrugations of the first series of corrugations, the distinctive corrugations comprising the first series of corrugations and the first series of corrugations. spaced apart from the last of the corrugations of the second tank wall by a specific separation different from the equal separation distance, the sealing membrane of the second tank wall being parallel to the series of second corrugations and the first tank wall the characteristic corrugation of the second tank wall being continuously connected to the characteristic corrugation of the first tank wall at a ridge line, the characteristic corrugation of the second tank wall extends over a portion of the second tank wall and includes a first ripple closure cap for hermetically closing the second tank wall distinctive corrugation at a location spaced from the ridge. a series of second corrugations corresponding to the last corrugation of the series of first corrugations, and a second corrugation belonging to said series of second corrugations with a peculiar separation of the second tank wall in the direction of the ridge; including a final waveform offset from the distinctive waveform, the final waveform of the second waveform of the series including a second closure cap for sealingly closing the final waveform of the second waveform of the series. .

Such a closed and insulated tank makes it possible to achieve a simple and quick connection between the corrugation of the first tank wall and the corrugation of the second tank wall. In particular, in such tanks, the connection between the corrugations of the first tank wall perpendicular to the ridge and the corrugations of the second tank wall are evenly identical across the two tank walls. , and can be partially standardized. In fact, such tanks can use standardized closure caps to interrupt corrugations with offsets, and such closure caps can be used regardless of the offset between the corrugations along the ridge.

In addition, the interruption by the distinctive corrugation of the second tank wall away from the ridgeline results in the sealing membrane at the ridgeline notwithstanding the presence of an offset in the direction parallel to the ridgeline between the characteristic corrugation and the last corrugation. Flexibility can be maintained. In particular, this interruption of the characteristic ripple at distances from the ridgeline makes it possible to overcome the loads arising from the stresses present in the first wall and the ridgeline, i.e. maintaining good flexibility in the membrane in the load zone. In view of this, even separation distances can be maintained in the most mechanically loaded zones.

According to embodiments, such tanks may comprise one or more of the following features.

According to one embodiment, the ridge extends in the width direction of the carrying structure, the second carrying wall has a larger dimension in the width direction than the first carrying wall, and the second tank wall is larger than the first tank wall.

According to one embodiment, each waveform of the first series of waveforms lies in a plane perpendicular to the common ridge with the corresponding waveform of the second series of waveforms.

According to one embodiment, the first ripple closure cap and the second ripple closure cap are separated from each other by a distance less than the uniform separation distance.

According to one embodiment, the first ripple closure cap and the second ripple closure cap are positioned away from the ridgeline measured in a direction perpendicular to the ridgeline, ie substantially in the same direction.

These features allow the sealing membrane to maintain excellent flexibility in ripple closure caps.

According to one embodiment, the bearing structure comprises a third flat bearing wall forming, together with the first flat bearing wall, a second ridge of the bearing structure parallel to the corrugations of the series of first corrugations, The characteristic corrugation of the first tank wall is parallel to the second ridgeline, the insulating barrier forms an upper ridgeline parallel to the second ridgeline of the support structure along the second ridgeline of the support structure, and the second A characteristic corrugation of one tank wall is placed at a predetermined distance from the top ridge.

According to one embodiment, the predetermined distance separating the characteristic corrugated upper ridge from the first tank wall is equal to the uniform separation distance.

According to one embodiment, the undulations of the first series of undulations extend across the first tank wall in the vertical direction of the ridge, and the series of undulations extending the undulations of the first series of undulations. Two corrugations extend over the entire second tank wall in a direction perpendicular to the ridge.

According to one embodiment, the unique separation is less than the uniform separation interval.

According to one embodiment, the unique separation is greater than the uniform separation interval.

These features give the sealed membrane excellent flexibility despite corrugation interruptions.

According to one embodiment, each tank wall further comprises a primary insulating barrier in contact with the sealing membrane and a primary sealing membrane carried by the primary insulating barrier and designed to be in contact with the fluid contained in the tank. Prepare.

According to one embodiment, the sealing membrane of the first tank wall and the sealing membrane of the second tank wall further comprise corrugations parallel to the ridges of the carrier structure.

Such tanks form part of a land-based storage facility, e.g. ), etc., on offshore, inshore or deepwater structures.

According to one embodiment, the invention also provides a vessel for transporting cryogenic liquid products, comprising a double hull and the aforementioned tanks arranged in the double hull.

According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a method for loading and unloading such vessels, the cryogenic liquid product being transferred via an insulated pipeline from an onshore or offshore storage facility to the vessel tanks or Ship tanks are transported to onshore or offshore storage facilities.

According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a system for transporting cryogenic liquid products, which system is arranged to connect said vessel, a tank installed on the hull of a vessel, to an onshore or offshore storage facility. an insulated pipeline and a pump that entrains the flow of chilled liquid product from or towards the onshore or offshore storage facility to or from the vessel tank through the insulated pipeline.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages will be realized, in the course of the following description of several specific embodiments thereof, given by way of illustration only and non-limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: will become more apparent.

1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a closed insulated tank according to the prior art; FIG. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the closed insulating tank angle between two vertical walls and the lateral wall of the tank, showing only the secondary sealing membrane; Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a ripple closure cap; 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a methane carrying tank and its loading/unloading terminal; FIG.

FIG. 2 shows the corners of a sealed closed insulated tank between a first wall 1 of the tank, a second wall 2 of the tank and a third wall 3 of the tank. Such tanks are self-supporting and may in particular have the shape of parallelepipeds, prisms, spheres, cylinders or multilobes.

The first wall 1 and the third wall 3 are the vertical walls of the tank and together form an angle of 135°. Furthermore, the second wall 2 forms an angle of 90° with the first wall. Similarly, the second wall 2 forms a 90° angle with the third wall.

These tank walls 1, 2 and 3 comprise an insulating barrier fixed to the planar carrying wall of the carrying structure, a sealing membrane carried by the insulating barrier and possibly a primary insulating barrier carried by the sealing membrane, a primary sealing membrane carried by the primary insulating barrier and designed to contact a cryogenic liquid contained in the tank, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG). These tank walls 1, 2 and 3 are for example manufactured using standardized elements as described above with reference to FIG. Thus, for example, the secondary and primary insulation barriers of each tank wall may be manufactured from juxtaposed insulation blocks starting from the central portion of the corresponding tank wall as described in WO2017/006044. Similarly, the secondary and primary sealing membranes may be manufactured using standardized metal sheets with a series of vertical corrugations that allow them to absorb the load of the sealing membrane. By way of example, the insulating panels and metal sheets can be manufactured in a manner similar to the corresponding elements described in WO14057221 or FR2691520.

In FIG. 2 only the secondary sealing membrane is shown schematically. Thus, FIG. 2 shows the ridgeline 4 formed by the secondary sealing membrane at the junction between the first tank wall 1 and the third tank wall 3, the first tank wall 1 and the second tank wall 2. The ridgeline 5 formed by the secondary sealing membrane at the joint between and the ridgeline 6 formed by the secondary sealing membrane at the joint between the second tank wall 2 and the third tank wall 3 are shown. Furthermore, only corrugations extending longitudinally in the tank are shown in solid lines, and these corrugations may have different shapes and different heights, for example directed outwards or inwards. Additionally, the welds between the various elements of the secondary sealing membrane are shown in dashed line form in FIG. Thus, in this FIG. 2, the two metal sheets 22 of the second tank wall 2, the metal connecting strips 23 of the first tank wall 1 and the second tank wall, and the metal strips 23 of the first tank wall 1 and the second tank wall. The corner metal sheets 24 of the tank wall 2 are delimited by dashed lines.

The first tank wall 1 and the third tank wall 3 can be formed in a manner similar to the tank walls described with reference to FIG. The secondary sealing membrane of the first tank wall 1 thus has a series of first corrugations 7 extending parallel to the ridgeline 4 and thus perpendicular to the ridgeline 5 . These waveforms 7 are separated by uniform separation intervals 8 . Such a uniform separation distance 8 is for example of the order of 340 mm. Furthermore, the secondary sealing membrane of the first tank wall 1 comprises characteristic corrugations 9 spaced from the ridges 4 by a separation distance 80, which separation distance 80 is for example equal to or equal to the uniform separation distance 8. It can be different. This particular waveform 9 is spaced from the last waveform 10 of the series of first waveforms 7 by a unique separation interval 11 that differs from the uniform separation interval 9 . This particular separation distance 11 is, for example, a distance X determined by the tank's manufacturing tolerances of 340 mm plus or minus, and this distance X varies from tank to tank. This distance X is, for example, of the order of 40 mm, or even less, and the characteristic separation distance 11 is, for example, 340 mm plus or minus 40 mm.

Similarly, the second tank wall 2 may be formed similarly to the first and third tank walls 1,3. The secondary sealing membrane of the second tank wall 2 thus comprises a series of second corrugations 12 separated by equal separation intervals 8 and perpendicular to the ridges 5 . The secondary sealing membrane of the second tank wall 2 also comprises a series of third corrugations 13 perpendicular to the corrugations 12 of the second series of corrugations, ie parallel to the ridges 5 .

The corrugations 7 , 9 of the first tank wall 1 are extended up to the ridgeline 5 in order to provide good flexibility at the ridgeline 5 . The corrugations 7, 9 of the first tank wall 1 preferably extend over their entire length measured in a direction perpendicular to the ridge 5 of the tank. These corrugations 7, 9 are for example in corner metal sheets 24 carried by corner insulating panels (not shown) of the first tank wall 1 at an angle of 90°, as described above with reference to FIG. Extended by existing waveforms.

Moreover, for ease of tank assembly, the central portion of the first tank wall 1 used as a reference for the positioning of the insulation panels of the secondary insulation barrier of the first tank wall 1 is likewise the second tank. It is used as a reference for positioning the insulation panels of the secondary insulation barrier of the wall. Corrugations 7 of the series of first corrugations 7 of the secondary sealing membrane are thus arranged to be flush with corresponding corrugations of the series of second corrugations 12 of the second tank wall 2 .

In order to ensure good flexibility of the secondary sealing membrane at the ridges 5, the corrugations 7 of the first series of corrugations 7 are continuously and sealingly connected to the corresponding corrugations 12 of the second series of corrugations 12. Connected. Typically, the corrugations 12 of the second series of corrugations 12, which are coplanar with the corrugations 7 of the first series of corrugations 7, are corrugated segments carried by the square metal sheets 24 of the second tank wall 2. extends to edge 5 by . The corrugations of the corner metal sheets of the first tank wall and the second tank wall are held together by corrugations present in the corner brackets connecting the corner metal sheets in a manner similar to that described above with reference to FIG. Connected. The last corrugation 10 of the series of first corrugations 7 is thus extended on the second tank wall 2 by the corresponding corrugations 14 of the second series of corrugations 12 .

However, as shown in FIG. 2, the second tank wall 2 extends over a longer distance than the first tank wall 1 in the lateral direction of the tank, that is, parallel to the ridge line 5 . Indeed, the first tank wall 1 is interrupted in this direction by the third tank wall 3, but the second tank wall 2 continues in this direction between the second tank wall 2 and the third tank wall 3. Form an angle of 90°. Thus, the last waveform 15 of the series of second waveforms 12 is spaced from a waveform 14 which extends the last waveform 10 of the first series of waveforms 7 by an even separation distance 8 . In fact, the last corrugation 10 of the series of first corrugations 7 is spaced from the characteristic corrugation 9 of the first tank wall 1 by a characteristic separation distance 11 which differs from the uniform separation distance 8 . Therefore, the characteristic corrugation 9 of the first tank wall 1 and the last corrugation 15 of the series of second corrugations 12 are not coplanar. Thus, in a similar manner to extending the waveforms 7 of the first series of waveforms 7 by the corresponding waveforms 12 of the second series of waveforms 12, the characteristic waveforms 9 of the first tank wall are extended to the second series of waveforms 12. The last waveform 15 of the waveforms 12 cannot be extended continuously and hermetically.

The characteristic corrugations 9 of the first tank wall 1 are extended by the characteristic corrugations 16 of the second tank wall 2 in order to provide good flexibility at the ridges 5 . The angle bracket therefore has corrugations that are perpendicular to an angle of 90° and extend the characteristic corrugations 9 of the first tank wall 1 . Furthermore, the corner metal sheet 24 of the second tank wall 2 has characteristic corrugations 17 which extend perpendicular to the ridgeline 5 and are coplanar with the characteristic corrugations 9 of the first tank wall 1 . This characteristic corrugation portion 17 extends the corrugation of the corner bracket and thus continuously and sealingly extends the characteristic corrugation 9 of the first tank wall 1 on the second tank wall 2 .

The characteristic corrugation 16 of the second tank wall 2 further comprises a first closure cap 18 . This first closure cap 18 extends and terminates the characteristic corrugation 17 of the corner metal sheet 24 of the second tank wall 2 .

Such a closure cap 18 can be manufactured in various ways. A closure cap according to one embodiment may thus have the form shown in FIG. 3 within the context of the characteristic corrugations 16 projecting towards the interior of the tank. However, if the characteristic corrugations 16 have a different geometry, the geometry of the closure cap 18 may result in, for example, the cross-section and/or orientation of the characteristic corrugations in the tank in order to close the characteristic corrugations 16. Cross-sections and/or orientations within the same tank may be employed.

This first closure cap 18 comprises an upper portion 19 in the form of a half-dome which, as shown in FIG. 3, closes the characteristic corrugations 17 which are hermetically secured, for example by lap welding. A fixed plate 20 surrounds the base of the upper portion 19 and is a metal joint connecting a metal sheet 22 adjacent to the corner metal sheet 24, typically the metal sheet of the secondary sealing membrane of the second tank wall, to the corner metal sheet 24. It is hermetically welded onto strip 23 . The stationary plate 20 advantageously includes an offset in the direction of the square metal sheet 24 for lap welding the stationary plate 20 to the square metal sheet 24 .

The characteristic corrugation 9 of the first tank wall 1 is extended by the characteristic corrugation 16 of the second tank wall 2, which is interrupted at a distance from the ridge line 5, so that the ridge line 5 is secondary sealed. Good flexibility for the membrane can be maintained. This flexibility is particularly advantageous due to the high loads resulting from thermal stresses and hydrodynamic and static loads that occur during use at the ridge 5 of the tank. Furthermore, since the characteristic corrugation 16 is interrupted by a first closure cap 18 welded to the metal connecting strip 23, the characteristic corrugation 16 can be reduced over the angular metal sheet 24, which is also significantly stressed during tank use. allows to offset the loss of flexibility associated with interrupted Furthermore, the characteristic corrugations 9 of the first tank wall 1 on the second tank wall 2 are extended so that the characteristic corrugations 9 of the first tank wall 1 are not interrupted. Longitudinal tank walls, ie tank walls which form an angle of 135° between them, are subjected to considerable stress during use, so that the secondary sealing membrane is unique over the entire length of the first tank wall 1 . It is particularly advantageous to have a waveform 9 of

The last waveform 15 of the series of second waveforms 12 is interrupted by a second closure cap 21 . This second closure cap 21 is similar to the first closure cap 18 , the last corrugation 15 being interrupted away from the ridgeline 5 . A second closure cap 21 interrupts the last corrugation 15, for example by being welded to the metal connecting strip 23. FIG.

If the uniform separation distance 8 is close to the characteristic separation distance 11, the respective fixing plates of the first closure cap 18 and the second closure cap 21 are lap-welded so that the last corrugation of the second tank 15 and characteristic corrugations 16 are oriented as perpendicular as possible to the ridges 5, thereby providing good flexibility to the secondary sealing membrane of the second tank wall 2.

The first closure cap 18 and the second closure cap 21 are easily manufactured parts. Moreover, these components are manufactured in a standardized manner and used in all tanks, regardless of manufacturing tolerances or specific separation distances 11 . Such closed and insulated tanks are therefore simple to manufacture despite the unpredictable aspects arising from tank manufacturing tolerances.

The techniques described above can be used to fabricate tanks with a single insulating barrier and a single hermetic membrane, or double-membrane tanks for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in floating structures such as offshore facilities and methane carriers. can be configured. In this regard, the sealing membrane shown in the above figures is considered a secondary sealing membrane, and the primary insulating barrier and primary sealing membrane, not shown, are also considered to be added to this secondary sealing membrane. be done. Thus, these techniques are equally applicable to tanks with multiple insulating barriers and sealing membranes stacked on top of each other.

In this latter case, the primary insulating barrier overlying the secondary sealing membrane and the primary sealing membrane overlying the primary insulating barrier can be manufactured in several ways. Thus, the primary insulation barrier can be manufactured in a similar manner as the secondary insulation barrier using insulation panels juxtaposed over the secondary sealing membrane. Similarly, the primary sealing membrane may be manufactured from standardized metal sheets.

Referring to FIG. 4, a cutaway view of a methane carrier 70 shows a generally prismatic sealed insulated tank 71 attached to a double hull 72 of the vessel. The walls of tank 71 include a primary containment barrier designed to contact the LNG contained in the tank, a secondary containment barrier positioned between the primary containment barrier and the vessel's double hull 72, and a primary containment barrier. It includes a containment barrier and a secondary containment barrier, and two insulating barriers positioned respectively between the secondary containment barrier and the double hull 72 .

A loading/unloading pipeline 73, located on the upper deck of the ship, serves in a manner known per se for transporting cargo of LNG from or to the tanks 71 using suitable connectors. It may be connected to a port terminal.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a marine terminal consisting of a loading and unloading station 75, an underwater duct 76 and a coastal facility 77. FIG. The loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed offshore facility with a moveable arm 74 and a riser 78 carrying the moveable arm 74 . The movable arm 74 carries a bundle of insulated flexible hoses 79 that can be connected to the loading/unloading pipeline 73 . The orientable movable arm 74 fits all methane carrier sizes. A connecting duct (not shown) extends inside the riser 78 . A loading and unloading station 75 allows loading and unloading of methane carriers 70 to and from offshore facility 77 . The offshore facility comprises a tank 80 storing liquefied gas and a duct 81 connected by an underwater duct 76 to a loading and unloading station 75 . Submersible ducts 76 allow the transfer of liquefied gas over long distances, eg, 5 km, between the loading or unloading station 75 and the shore facility 77, allowing the methane carrier 70 to move far from shore during loading and unloading. Allows you to remain as you are.

Pumps onboard the vessel 70 and/or pumps on the shore facilities 77 and/or on the loading and unloading stations 75 are implemented to generate the pressure required for the transfer of the liquefied gas.

Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is clearly not limited thereto but all technical equivalents of the means described and those included in the context of the invention. Including combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, not shown, the closed insulation tank comprises, for example, one insulation barrier and one Contains only the sealing membrane.

Use of the verb "consist of" or "comprise" and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim.

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

Claims (14)

A closed and insulated tank incorporated in a carrier structure with a flat first carrier wall and a flat second carrier wall which together form a ridgeline of the carrier structure, comprising:
a first tank wall (1) fixed to said first carrier wall;
a second tank wall (2) secured to said second carrier wall;
Each tank wall (1, 2) has a multi-layered structure, said multi-layered structure being continuous in the direction of thickness from the outside to the inside of said closed and insulated tank, an insulating barrier carried on the corresponding said carrying wall. , and a sealing membrane carried by said insulating barrier;
The sealing membrane of the first tank wall (1) has a series of parallel first corrugations (7, 10) including
The sealing membrane (2) of the second tank wall has a series of parallel second corrugations (12) extending perpendicularly to said ridgeline and spaced along said ridgeline by said even separation distance (8). , 14, 15),
each waveform (7, 10) of said first series of waveforms (7, 10) being arranged in the extension of a corresponding waveform (12, 14) of said second series of waveforms (12, 14, 15); is,
Said sealing membrane of said first tank wall (1) further comprises characteristic corrugations (9) extending parallel to corrugations (7, 10) of said series of first corrugations (7, 10), said characteristic of waveforms (9) are adjacent to said series of first waveforms (7, 10) and are evenly spaced apart (8 ) and spaced apart by a unique separation (11),
said sealing membrane of said second tank wall (2) being parallel to said series of second corrugations (12, 14, 15) and said characteristic corrugations (9) of said first tank wall (1); wherein said characteristic corrugation (16) of said second tank wall (2) is aligned with said characteristic corrugation (16) of said first tank wall (1) at said ridge line Continuously connected to corrugations (9), said characteristic corrugations (16) of said second tank wall (2) extend over part of said second tank wall (2) and said a first ripple closure cap (18) sealingly closing said characteristic corrugation (16) of said second tank wall (2) at a location remote from the ridge;
The series of second waveforms (12, 14, 15) comprises the corresponding waveform (14) of the last waveform (10) of the series of first waveforms (7, 10) and the series of first waveforms (14). the last corrugation (15) belonging to two corrugations (12, 14, 15) and offset from said characteristic corrugation (16) of said second tank wall (2) in the direction of said ridge by said characteristic separation (11) ), wherein said last waveform (15) of said series of second waveforms (12, 14, 15) is said last waveform (15) of said series of second waveforms (12, 14, 15) a second ripple closure cap (21) sealingly closing the
closed insulated tank. Said ridge extends in the width direction of said carrying structure and said second tank wall (2) in said width direction has a larger dimension than said first tank wall (1) in said width direction. 2. A closed insulated tank according to claim 1, wherein the carrier wall of has larger dimensions than said first carrier wall . 3. The claim 1 or 2, wherein the first ripple closure cap (18) and the second ripple closure cap (21) are spaced apart from each other by a distance less than the uniform separation distance (8). closed insulated tank. 4. The first ripple closure cap (18) and the second ripple closure cap (21) are arranged at a distance from said ridgeline substantially identical measured in a direction perpendicular to said ridgeline. The sealed and insulated tank according to any one of 1 to 3. Said bearing structure comprises a flat third bearing forming with said flat first bearing wall a second ridge of said bearing structure parallel to said corrugations of said series of first corrugations (7, 10). including retaining walls,
the characteristic corrugation (9) of the first tank wall (1) is parallel to said second ridge,
said insulating barrier forms an upper edge (4) parallel to said second edge of said carrying structure along said second edge of said carrying structure;
A closed and insulated tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said characteristic corrugation (9) of said first tank wall (1) is arranged at a predetermined distance from said upper ridge (4). . 6. A closed and insulated tank according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined distance separating said upper ridge (4) from said characteristic corrugation (9) of said first tank wall is equal to said even separation distance (8). Said corrugations (7, 10) of said series of first corrugations (7, 10) extend over said first tank wall in a direction perpendicular to said ridge and said series of first corrugations (7, 10) said waveforms (12, 14) of said series of second waveforms (12, 14, 15) extending said waveforms (7, 10) of said waveforms (7, 10) in a direction perpendicular to said ridgeline; 7. A closed and insulated tank according to any one of the preceding claims, extending over two tank walls (2). A closed and insulated tank according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said specific separation (11) is smaller than said uniform separation distance (8). A closed and insulated tank according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said specific separation (11) is greater than said uniform separation distance (8). each tank wall (1, 2, 3) being in contact with a primary insulating barrier in contact with said sealing membrane and a primary sealing membrane designed to contact liquid carried by said primary insulating barrier and entering said closed insulating tank; 10. The closed and insulated tank of any one of claims 1-9, further comprising: 11. Any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the sealing membrane of the first tank wall (1) and the sealing membrane of the second tank wall (2) further comprise corrugations parallel to the ridges of the supporting structure. A closed and insulated tank according to item 1. A vessel (70) for carrying a cryogenic liquid product, comprising:
A ship comprising a double hull (72) forming said supporting structure and a closed and insulated tank according to any one of claims 1 to 11 arranged in said double hull. A method of loading and unloading a vessel according to claim 12, comprising:
Cryogenic liquid product is transported to or from said sealed insulated tanks from or to onshore or offshore storage facilities via insulated pipelines (73, 79, 76, 81).
The method of loading and unloading ships. A transport system for cryogenic liquid products, comprising:
A ship according to claim 12;
an insulated pipeline arranged to connect said closed insulated tank to an onshore or offshore storage facility (77);
and a pump for drawing a flow of cryogenic liquid product from or towards an onshore or offshore storage facility through said insulated pipeline into or towards said closed insulated tank.

Images