KR102123185B1 - Tank wall including a sealing membrane including a corrugation having a reinforced curvilinear portion - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention includes an insulating barrier (2) and a sealing membrane (3) overlying the insulating barrier (2), the sealing membrane (3) comprising a curved portion (36) extending in a curved direction (d1) and a sealing membrane ( 3) and at least one curved reinforcing device 37 disposed inside the curved part 36 to reinforce the curved part 36 between the insulating barrier 2 and the curved reinforcing device 37, respectively It includes a plurality of reinforcement sections (42, 43, 44) having a profile shape extending in the linear direction (d2, d3, d4), the curved reinforcement device 37 is the respective reinforcement sections (42, 43, Further comprising a connecting member 45 connecting the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 in such a way that the straight direction d2, d3, d4 of 44 is maintained in a position oriented in contact with the curved direction d1. Is related to the tank wall 1.

Description

Tank wall including sealing membrane containing pleats with reinforced curves {TANK WALL INCLUDING A SEALING MEMBRANE INCLUDING A CORRUGATION HAVING A REINFORCED CURVILINEAR PORTION}

The present invention relates to the field of sealed tanks comprising a corrugated sealing membrane for storing and/or transporting a fluid, such as liquefied gas.

Sealed tanks comprising membranes are particularly employed to store liquefied natural gas (LNG) stored at about -163°C atmospheric pressure, or to store liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). These tanks can be installed on ground or floating structures. In the case of a floating structure, the tank may be intended for the transport of liquefied gas, or to receive a liquefied gas that functions as fuel for propulsion of the floating structure.

Tanks comprising a corrugated sealing membrane intended to contact liquefied gas contained in a tank and reinforced with the aid of reinforcing elements are known in the prior art. Reinforcing elements are arranged under the folds of the sealing membrane, between the sealing membrane and an insulating barrier supporting the sealing membrane. Reinforcing elements of this kind are induced in the sealing membrane by various factors, including heat shrinkage due to cooling of the tank, bending of the ship's beam, and in particular dynamic pressure caused by movement of cargo due to sloshing. Enables easy stress reduction. These reinforcement elements are generally hollow to allow gas to circulate between the corrugations and the insulating barrier and pass through the reinforcement elements. These tanks are described in particular in the documents FR2936784, FR2963818 and FR3039248.

The reinforcing elements disclosed in the aforementioned documents are generally made of straight profile parts and are thus arranged in the straight parts of the corrugations.

However, the applicant noted that there is also a need to reinforce the curved portions of the folds. These curved portions of the corrugations are particularly of certain areas of the tank, such as corners between two wall areas, areas of the support legs intended to guide the loading/unloading tower or domes intended to release gas or liquid. Exists in the realm.

The idea underlying the present invention is a fluid-seal, comprising a sealing membrane equipped with a corrugation having a curved portion, a simple to manufacture and further comprising a curved reinforcement device that enables reliable reinforcement of the curved portion. It is to propose a tank wall that has been made and insulated.

According to one embodiment, the present invention is an insulating barrier, a sealing membrane overlying the insulating barrier, the sealing membrane including a wrinkle having a curved portion formed in a curved direction, and the sealing membrane and the insulating barrier to reinforce the curved portion There is provided a tank wall comprising at least one curved reinforcement device disposed inside a curved portion therebetween, wherein the curved reinforcement device includes a plurality of reinforcement sections each having a profile shape formed in a straight direction, the curved reinforcement device being It further includes a connecting member connecting the reinforcement sections in such a way that the reinforcement sections are held in a position where the straight direction of each of the reinforcement sections is oriented tangential to the curved direction while protruding in a plane parallel to the tank wall.

The curved portion of the corrugation is thus reinforced by a curved reinforcement device which has a straight profile shape and consequently is capable of providing reliable support by reinforcement sections that are simpler to manufacture than the reinforcement elements formed of the curved profile.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the tank wall of this kind can have one or more of the following features.

According to one embodiment, each reinforcing section includes an opening through which the connecting member enters.

According to one embodiment, each reinforcing section includes a bottom plate placed against the insulating barrier.

According to one embodiment, each floor plate comprises two lateral walls and a planar lower wall that is placed against the insulating barrier and connects the two lateral walls, wherein the opening is located on the lateral walls and the lower wall. With this type of bottom plate, the forces induced by the sloshing of the cargo are thus more evenly distributed over the insulating barrier.

According to one embodiment, the connecting member is a rail having a curved portion extending in a curved direction of the curved portion, and having a curved inner edge and a curved outer edge having a greater curvature than the curved inner edge.

According to one embodiment, the inner curved edge or the outer curved edge comprises alternating sawtooth-shaped projections and recesses, each projection being received in an opening in one of the reinforcing sections. The recesses between the projections thus allow the creation of gaps that facilitate the placement of the reinforcing sections in the curved portion of the connecting member. According to one embodiment, the serration is formed on the curved inner edge of the rail. According to another embodiment, the serration is formed on the curved outer edge of the rail.

According to one embodiment, at least one of the reinforcing sections has a hollow envelope and cross reinforcing webs extending inside the hollow envelope from one side of the hollow envelope to the other side. This makes it possible to increase the stiffness of the reinforcing sections.

According to one embodiment, the reinforcing webs intersect in a symmetric plane of the reinforcing section.

According to one embodiment, each reinforcement section comprises two reinforcement webs arranged in the form of an X.

According to one embodiment, each reinforcing section includes a support portion having a shape adapted to the inner shape of the corrugation. According to one embodiment, the support portion has a semi-elliptical dome outer shape.

According to one embodiment, the curved portion has an inner curved edge and an outer curved edge having a greater curvature than the inner curved edge, wherein at least one of the reinforcing sections each has a reinforcing section outside the inner curved edge of the curved portion. It has two ends inclined relative to the straight direction of the reinforcing section in such a way that it extends towards the curved edge.

According to one embodiment, the reinforcing sections at the level of the inner curved edge are juxtaposed.

According to one embodiment, each of the two ends of the reinforcement section lies within one plane, which is perpendicular to the tangent to the curve direction at the intersection between the plane and the curve direction.

According to one embodiment, each of the two ends of the reinforcing section lies in a plane parallel to the direction of the thickness of the tank wall.

According to one embodiment, the angles to the straight direction of the stiff section formed by the planes of the two ends of each reinforcing section are the same and opposite each other.

According to one embodiment, the corrugation comprises two straight portions arranged in line with them on each opposite side of the curved portion, and the reinforcing element is disposed on each of the two straight portions between the sealing membrane and the insulating barrier. And the connecting member is received in the opening of at least one of the reinforcing elements.

According to one embodiment, the curved portion is arranged near the corner area of the tank wall.

According to an alternative embodiment, the curved portion is arranged near the singular zone of the tank wall where the flatness of the sealing membrane is interrupted. According to one embodiment, the singular region comprises support legs intended to guide the loading/unloading tower. According to another embodiment, the singular region comprises a dome intended to expel gas or liquid.

According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a tank comprising the aforementioned tank wall.

According to one embodiment, the invention also provides a vessel comprising a support structure and the aforementioned tank fixed to the support structure.

According to one embodiment, the present invention loads or unloads a vessel of this type wherein the fluid is moved from the floating or on-shore storage facility to the tank of the vessel, or from the tank of the vessel to the floating or on-shore storage facility through pipes insulated. How to do.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned vessel, insulated pipes connecting a tank installed on the ship's hull to a floating or on-shore storage facility, and fluid from the floating or on-shore storage facility through the insulated pipes It may also include a pump for driving to or from a ship's tank or from a ship's tank to a floating or onshore storage facility.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be better understood and other objects, details, features and advantages made more apparent in the following description process of a plurality of specific embodiments of the present invention, which are given only as a non-limiting description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 is a partial diagram of a portion of the wall of a sealed and insulated tank with the sealing membrane cut off.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view in particular showing a curved portion of a wrinkle and a curved reinforcement device intended to reinforce said curved portion as transparent.
3 is a view from above of the curved portion of the corrugation and the curve reinforcement device from FIG. 2.
4 is a perspective view showing the reinforcement elements intended to lie in the straight portions of the pleats and the curved reinforcement device intended to lie in the curved portion of the pleats.
5 is a cross-sectional view of a corrugated reinforcement element or reinforcement section intended to be placed on a low crease.
6 is a cross-sectional view of a reinforcing element or reinforcing section intended to lie in a high corrugation.
7 is a perspective view showing in detail the connecting member of the curved reinforcing device shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.
8 is a schematic cut-away view of a terminal for loading/unloading a methane transport ship and its tank.

The wall 1 of a sealed and insulated tank intended to store liquefied gas is described with reference to FIG. 1. The liquefied gas may in particular be liquefied natural gas (LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Each wall 1 is continuously spaced from outside to inside in the thickness direction of the wall, and at least one primary thermal insulation barrier 2 lying directly or indirectly with respect to the support structure not shown in FIG. 1 and the inner space of the tank It has a multi-layer structure including a primary sealing member 3 intended to contact the liquefied gas contained in. Each wall 1 may further include a secondary insulating barrier, which is optionally placed against the support structure, and a secondary sealing membrane, which is fixed to the secondary insulating barrier and the primary insulating barrier is placed thereon.

The support structure is formed, for example, by the double hull of the ship, but more generally can be formed by any type of rigid partition with suitable mechanical properties.

In Fig. 1, the primary insulating barrier 2 comprises a plurality of insulating elements 4 which are fixed either directly to the supporting structure or by being fixed to a secondary insulating barrier which is then fixed to the supporting structure. The insulating elements 4 are juxtaposed with each other and jointly form a planar support surface to which the primary sealing membrane 3 is fixed. In order to secure the primary sealing membrane 3 to the insulating elements 4, each insulating element 4 is provided with metal plates 5 for fixing to the edges of the metal plates of the primary sealing membrane 3 It is. The metal plates 5 extend in two mutually perpendicular directions. Each heat insulating element 4 is made of a layer 6 of a polymer foam and, for example, a plywood and polymer foam It includes at least one rigid inner plate (7) fixed to the layer (6).

The metal plates 23 are arranged in recesses formed on the inner surface of the inner plate 7 so that the inner surface of the metal plates 23 is flush with the inner surface of the inner plate 7.

The primary sealing membrane 3 is welded to the metal plates 23 in such a way that it is welded where they overlap each other in a sealed manner and fixed to the primary sealing membrane 3 to the primary insulating barrier 2. Of corrugated metal plates.

Each metal plate has a first row of parallel pleats called high folds 8 and a second row of parallel pleats called low folds 9 extending perpendicular to the first row of pleats 8 Includes It should be noted that the terms'high' and'low' have relative meaning and mean that the so-called low wrinkles 9 have a lower height than the so-called high wrinkles 8. Further, in the embodiment not shown, the wrinkles 8 and 9 have the same heights.

At each intersection between the two corrugations 8, 9, the primary sealing membrane 3 comprises a node zone 10. The node region 10 includes a central portion 11 with a top projecting toward the interior of the tank. Further, the central portion 11 is recessed by a pair of concave folds 12 formed on the floor of the high folds 8 on the one hand, and a pair of depressions on the other hand, into which the low folds 9 penetrate. Sides are formed by the bulges 13.

The corrugations 8, 9 of the metal plates can be deformed by the thermal and mechanical loads produced by the liquefied gas stored in the tank by allowing the primary sealing membrane 3 to be flexible.

As an example, corrugated metal plates are particularly stainless steel, aluminum, invar ^® , an alloy of nickel and iron whose expansion coefficient is typically between 1.2 x 10 ^-6 and 2.10 ^-6 K ^-1 or its expansion coefficient. Can be made of a high manganese iron alloy, typically at the level of 7.10 ^-6 K ^-1 . However, other metals or alloys can be expected to be the same. As an example, the metal plate has a thickness of approximately 1.2 mm. Considering that thickening the metal plate increases its cost and generally increases the stiffness of the corrugations, other thicknesses can be expected to be the same.

As shown in Fig. 1, the tank wall 1 is arranged inside the corrugations 8, 9 and a plurality of reinforcing elements 14 disposed between the primary sealing member 3 and the primary insulating barrier 2 , 15). These reinforcing elements 14, 15 aim to support and reinforce the corrugations 8, 9 of the primary sealing membrane 3.

Each reinforcing element 14, 15 constitutes the main body of the reinforcing element 14, 15 and includes a hollow envelope that is inserted into the corrugations 8, 9 of the primary sealing membrane 3. Each reinforcing element 14, 15 has a profile profile with a constant cross section. However, the two longitudinal ends 16, 17 of each reinforcement element 14 intended to be placed in one of the high corrugations 8 are cut on a plane inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement element 14 do. The two longitudinal ends 18, 19 of the reinforcing elements 15 intended to be placed in the lower corrugations 9 engage perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing elements 15 as far as themselves Can be.

Each reinforcing element 14, 15 can be made of any required length. The length of the reinforcing elements 14, 15 is preferably substantially the same as the spacing between the corrugations across the crease into which the reinforcing elements 14, 15 are inserted. More precisely, in the case of reinforcing elements 14 intended to reinforce high corrugations 8, the length of the hollow envelope at the top is high, for example with a uniform cross section between the two node regions 11. It is the same as the length of a part of the wrinkle. This uniform cross-section part ends where the high crease 8 has a slightly lateral strangulation marking the start of the node region 11. Moreover, the inclination of the longitudinal ends 16 and 17 of the hollow reinforcing element 14 substantially corresponds to the inclination of its lateral tightening, so that the hollow envelope of the reinforcing elements is possible in the node region 11. Support for one closely high corrugation 8 is optimized.

For example, the reinforcing elements 14, 15 are made of a metal material such as aluminum or alloy, or advantageously a polymer material such as polyethylene, polycarbonate, or polyetherimide reinforced with a fiber such as glass fiber.

5 and 6 show cross-sections of the reinforcement elements 15 and 14 intended to reinforce the low and high pleats 9 and 8, respectively. As shown in these figures, the hollow envelope includes a bottom plate 20 at the bottom and a support portion 21 at the top.

The supporting portion 21 can be made of various geometries, for example, as shown in document FR2936784, in particular as a correlation of the geometries of the corrugations 8 and 9 of the primary sealing membrane 3. The outer shape of the support portion 21 is preferably the inner shape of the folds 8, 9 into which the reinforcing elements 14, 15 are inserted to provide a substantially total efficient support of the surface of the folds 8, 9. It is tailored to. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer shape of the cross section of the support portion 21 is a semi-elliptical dome shape. If the reinforcing elements 14, 15 are made of a material having a thermal behavior different from that of the primary sealing membrane 3, determining its size is, for example, corrugation at a working temperature of about -162°C for liquefied natural gas The difference must be considered in order to effectively support (8, 9).

In addition, the bottom plate 20 is two lateral walls 24, 25 which are connected to each other by a planar lower wall 22 and a lower wall 22, which are laid against the inner plate 7 of the insulating elements 5. ). The two lateral walls 24, 25 are extended upward by the support portion 21. The lower wall 22 and the lateral walls 24, 25 form an opening 26 through the reinforcing elements 14, 15 in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing members 14, 15, in which It is intended that the described connecting member is accommodated.

The support portion 21 comprises cross reinforcement webs 27, 28 which extend from one side of the hollow envelope to the other and intersect at the level of the plane of symmetry A of the reinforcement elements 14, 15. In the illustrated embodiment, the support portion 21 comprises two reinforcing webs 27 and 28 arranged in an X-shape.

1, it can also be seen that the reinforcing elements 14, 15 are interconnected by connecting members 29. The connecting member 29 of this kind is reinforced elements 14 intended to be placed on the high pleats 8 on the one hand and/or reinforcement elements intended to be placed on the low pleats 9 on the other hand (15) enables stable alignment.

Each connecting member 29 consists of a rail 30 arranged to face the node region 11 of the primary sealing membrane 3. The rails 30 have two ends each accommodated inside an opening 26 made in the bottom plate 20 of all of the reinforcing elements 14 arranged in high corrugations 8 and 9 on both sides of the node area 11. It has fields (31, 32).

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, a transverse member 33 is provided in line with the longitudinal ends 16, 17 of the reinforcing elements 14, which enable the support of the bottom portion of the high corrugation 8. . Each transverse member 33 is hollow and includes a lower wall, an upper wall and two lateral walls connecting the upper and lower walls. The lower wall of the spacer 33 extends in line with the lower wall 22 of the bottom plate 20 of the adjacent reinforcement element 14. In addition, the edges of the lateral walls of each spacer 33 facing the longitudinal ends 16 and 17 of the adjacent reinforcing element 14 are inclined to be pressed against the inclined end of the reinforcing element 14.

In addition, the rail 30 advantageously has a cross shape, so that it is open to the opening 26 formed in all of the reinforcement elements 15 disposed in the lower corrugation 9 on each of the opposite sides of the region of the node 11. Two opposing lugs 34 and 35, respectively, are formed.

Subsequently described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 and 7, one of the corrugations 8 has a curved portion 36 and a curved reinforcement device 37 is disposed inside the curved portion 36 to reinforce it It is an area of the primary sealing member 3 which is made.

2 and 3 show the corner area between the two walls of the tank. Here the primary sealing member 3 of one of the walls comprises a curved portion 36 extending in a curved direction d1. The curve direction d1 more specifically corresponds to the direction of the top of the crease in the curve portion 36.

The curved portion 36 is formed in the welded portion 38 overlapping the parallelepiped-shaped metal plates as shown in FIG. 1. The joining portion 38 is also welded overlaid on the corner piece 39. The corner piece 39 includes two wings 40 and 41, each parallel to one of the adjacent walls and the other. The corner portion 40 is corrugated and thus enables the continuation of the corrugations of the primary sealing member 3 in the corner region between the two walls. The curved portion 36 thus makes it possible to redirect the wrinkles. This type of arrangement is in particular two clad walls of octagonal shape interconnected by eight walls extending in the longitudinal direction of the tank, namely a horizontal bottom wall and a normal wall, two vertical lateral walls, respectively. It is easy to encounter in a generally polyhedral tank comprising two diagonal upper walls connecting one of the lateral walls to the sealing wall, and two diagonal lower walls each connecting one of the lateral walls to the rear wall. . More precisely, the primary sealing membrane 3 comprises curved portions 36 of this kind on the cladding walls at the level of the corner region of the cladding walls with diagonal upper and lower walls.

The curved reinforcement device 37 shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4 is disposed inside the curved portion 36 between the primary sealing membrane 3 and the primary insulating barrier 2. The curved reinforcement device 36 includes a plurality of reinforcement sections 423, 43, 44, and a connecting member 45 connecting the reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44 to position them. In the illustrated embodiment, the curved reinforcement device 37 comprises three reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44. Nevertheless, in other embodiments, the curved reinforcement device 37 may include only two reinforcement sections, or have a number of reinforcement sections equal to or greater than three.

The reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 are made of a polymer material such as polyolefin, polycarbonate or polyetherimide reinforced with a metal such as aluminum or alloy, or advantageously with a fiber such as glass fiber.

Each reinforcing section 42, 43, 44 includes a hollow envelope and has a profile shape that leads in a straight line direction d2, d3, d4. The straight direction d2, d3, d4 of the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 corresponds to the direction of the neutral fiber of the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44. Each of the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 is advantageously obtained by cutting a straight profile of a constant cross section.

In the illustrated embodiment, the curved portion 36 is arranged in line with the high corrugation 8 and thus has a cross section substantially similar to that of the high corrugation 8. Furthermore, the cross section of each reinforcement section 42, 43, 44 is the same as that shown in Figure 6 of the reinforcement elements 15 intended to be located inside the high corrugations 8. Nevertheless, in other embodiments not shown, the curved portion 36 is arranged in line with the lower pleats 9 and thus has a cross section substantially similar to that of the lower pleats 9. Alternatively, the curved portion 31 can have a shape different from that of the high or low pleats it extends. In this case, the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 have a different cross section from that of the reinforcing elements 14, 15 arranged in the high corrugations 8 and the low corrugations 9.

The connecting member 45 is curved and runs along the curved direction d1 of the curved portion 36. Further, each of the reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44 has an opening 26 through which the connecting member 45 is received. The connecting member 45 thus has a straight direction d2, d3, d4 of the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 protruding in a plane parallel to the wall 1, the curved direction of the curved portion 36 It enables positioning of each of the reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44 in a position to be oriented tangentially or substantially tangentially to (d1).

The two ends of the connecting member 45 also advantageously receive in the openings 26 formed in both two straight corrugated reinforcements 14 located in two straight portions of the corrugations connected to the curved portion 36. do.

As shown in Fig. 3, the two ends 46, 47 of each reinforcement section 42, 43, 44 are inclined. That is, the reinforcement sections 42, 43, and 44 are formed to be inclined with respect to the linear directions d2, d3, and d4. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, protruding in a plane parallel to the wall, each reinforcing section 42, 43, 44 has a trapezoidal shape. In other words, each reinforcement section 42, 43, 44 has two inclined end portions 46, 47, each of which is a straight line direction d2, d3, d4 of the reinforcement section 42, 43, 44. Tilted relative to the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 from the inner side 48 of the curved portion 36 to the outer side 49, i.e. from the side with a smaller radius of curvature. It widens to the side that you have. Devices of this kind make it possible to provide a larger support area for the surface of the curved portion 36 of the corrugation. In a manner not shown, the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 can be juxtaposed at the portion in contact with the inner side 48.

Each end 46, 47 advantageously lies in a plane parallel to the direction of the thickness of the wall. In addition, the angle formed by the plane of each end 46, 47 with respect to the linear direction d2, d3, d4 of the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 is that each plane of each end 46, 47 At the intersection of the plane with the curved direction d1, it is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the tangent to the curved direction d1.

According to one embodiment, each of the two inclined end portions 46, 47 of the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 lies within one plane, which curves at the intersection between the plane and the curve direction d1. It is perpendicular to the tangent to the direction d1.

The angles formed by the planes of the two ends of each reinforcement section 42, 43, 44 with respect to the linear direction d2, d3, d4 of the reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44 are advantageously identical and mutually It is the opposite. Since the profile shape of the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 is symmetrical, this makes it possible to alternately cut the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 into a straight profile of constant cross section without wasting material.

According to another embodiment shown in Figure 4, the two ends of the reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44 lie in a plane perpendicular to the linear direction d2, d3, d4 of the reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44. .

7 shows a connecting member 45 according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, the connecting member 45 is a curved rail comprising a curved portion 50 intended to extend in the curved direction d1 of the curved portion 36 of the corrugation. The curved rail has a rectangular cross section that substantially corresponds to the sizes of the opening 26 formed in the reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44. Therefore, the connecting member 45 includes a curved inner edge 51 and a curved outer edge 52 having a greater radius of curvature than that of the curved inner edge 51.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the curved inner edge includes a serration with alternating protrusions 53 and recesses 54. Each of the projections 53 is intended to be received in the opening 26 of one of the reinforcement sections 42, 43, 44. The recess 54 between the projections 53 thus allows a gap to be created that facilitates the placement of the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 in the curved portion 50 of the connecting member 45. . In an alternative embodiment, a serration is formed on the curved outer side 52 of the connecting member 45.

In the embodiments shown and described above, a curved portion of the corrugation is formed on the primary sealing membrane and a curved reinforcement device is disposed between the primary sealing membrane and the primary insulating barrier, but the curved portion is identical to the secondary sealing membrane. It should be noted that it can be formed, and the curved reinforcement device can be disposed between the secondary sealing membrane and the secondary insulating barrier.

Further, in other embodiments not shown, the curved portion is not formed near the corner area of the wall but is formed near the support leg intended to guide the loading/unloading tower. For example, these straight sections are particularly shown and described in FIG. 9 of document WO2011157915.

According to another embodiment, not shown, the curved portion of the corrugation may be formed in the area of the ceiling wall of the tank, which is intended to extract the vapor phase from the interior space of the tank into a vapor collector disposed outside the tank. The gas dome structure penetrates it.

According to another embodiment not shown, the curved portion of the pleats may be formed in an area of the ceiling wall of the tank equipped with a liquid dome structure comprising a cover, from which the liquefied gas is loaded and/or unloaded into the tank. The loading/unloading tower intended to be suspended is suspended.

The techniques described above for making tank walls can be used for other types of LNG tanks in floating structures such as on-shore installations or methane carriers.

Referring to FIG. 8, a cut-away view of the methane transport vessel 70 shows a sealed and insulated tank 71 in an overall polyhedral shape mounted on the double hull 72 of the vessel. The wall of the tank 71 includes a primary sealing barrier intended to contact LNG contained in the tank, a secondary sealing barrier disposed between the primary sealing barrier and the ship's double hull 72, and a primary sealing barrier and secondary And two insulating barriers disposed between the sealing barrier and between the secondary sealing barrier and the double hull 72.

In a manner known per se, the loading/unloading pipes 73 arranged on the upper deck of the ship can be connected by suitable connectors to the shore or port terminal for the transportation of LNG cargo from or to the tank 71. Can be.

8 shows an example of a coastal terminal that includes a loading and unloading station 75, a submarine pipe 76, and a ground facility 77. The loading and unloading station 75 is a stationary offshore installation comprising a movable arm 74 and a tower 78 supporting the movable arm 74. The movable arm 74 has a bundle of insulated flexible pipes 79 that can be connected to loading/unloading pipes 73. The reversible movable arm 74 fits all methane carrier freight gauges. A connection pipe (not shown) extends inside the tower 78. The loading and unloading station 75 enables loading and unloading of the methane transport ship 70 from or to the ground installation 77. The latter includes connecting pipes 81 connected to the loading or unloading station 75 by a liquefied gas storage tank 80 and a submarine pipe 76. The subsea pipe 76 enables the transport of liquefied gas between the loading or unloading station 75 and the ground installation 77 over a long distance, for example 5 km, during which the methane transport vessel 790 loads and unloads. It makes it possible to stay far from the coast.

The pumps mounted on the ship 70 and/or the pumps equipped by the ground installation 77 and/or the pumps equipped by the loading and unloading station 75 are used to generate the pressure required to transport the liquefied gas. do.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a number of specific embodiments, it is intended that the present invention is not limited in any way to these, and that, within the scope of the invention, encompasses all technical equivalents of the described means and combinations thereof. It is obvious.

The verbs'include' or'consist of' and their conjugations do not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in the claims.

In the claims, reference signs in parentheses should not be construed as limitations on the claims.

Claims (16)

A tank wall (1) comprising an insulating barrier (2) and a sealing membrane (3) overlying the insulating barrier (2), wherein the sealing membrane (3) is corrugated with a curved portion (36) running in a curved direction (d1) And at least one curved reinforcing device 37 disposed inside the curved part 36 to reinforce the curved part 36, wherein the curved reinforcing device 37 is a straight line direction d2, d3, d4, respectively. A plurality of reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 having a profile shape leading to a curved reinforcing device 37, the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 are planar parallel to the tank wall 1 The reinforcing section in such a way that the reinforcing sections 42, 43 and 44 of each of the reinforcing sections are maintained in positions where the straight direction d2, d3, d4 of each of the reinforcing sections are oriented tangentially to the curved direction d1. Tank wall (1) further comprising a connecting member (45) connecting the fields (42, 43, 44). The tank wall (1) according to claim 1, wherein each reinforcing section (42, 43, 44) comprises an opening (26) through which the connecting member (45) is received. The tank wall (1) according to claim 2, wherein each reinforcing section (42, 43, 44) comprises a bottom plate (20) placed against an insulating barrier (2). The bottom of the plane of claim 3, wherein each floor plate (20) is placed against the two lateral walls (24, 25) and the insulating barrier (2) and connects the two lateral walls (24, 25). A tank wall (1) comprising a wall (22), wherein the opening (26) is formed by lateral walls (24, 25) and a lower wall (22). 5. The connection member (45) according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member (45) comprises a curved portion (50) extending in the curved direction (d1) of the curved portion (36) and a curved inner edge (51 ). The tank wall 1, which is a rail with a curved outer edge 52 having a greater curvature than the curved inner edge 51. The inner curved edge (51) or the outer curved edge (52) comprises alternating protrusions (53) and recesses (54) forming a serration, each protrusion (53) being reinforced. The tank wall 1 received in the opening 26 of one of the sections 42, 43, 44. The tank wall (1) according to claim 6, wherein the serration is formed on the curved inner edge (51) of the rail. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the reinforcing sections (42, 43, 44) is a hollow envelope and cross reinforcing webs (27) extending inside the hollow envelope from one side to the other of the hollow envelope. Tank wall (1) with 28). The curved portion (36) of claim 1, has an inner curved edge (48) and an outer curved edge (49) having a greater curvature than the inner curved edge (48), and reinforcement sections (42, 43, 44). ), such that the reinforcing sections 42, 43, 44 extend from the inner curved edge 48 of the curved portion 36 toward the outer curved edge 49, respectively, in a straight direction of the reinforcing section. Tank wall (1) with two ends (46, 47) inclined with respect to (d2, d3, d4). The method of claim 1, wherein the corrugation comprises two straight portions arranged in line with the curved portion (36) on each opposing side of the curved portion (36), and the reinforcing element (14) is a sealing membrane. A tank wall, which is disposed in each of the two straight portions between (3) and the insulating barrier 2, and the connecting member 45 is accommodated in the opening 26 of at least one of the reinforcing elements 14. The tank wall (1) according to claim 1, wherein the curved portion is arranged near the corner area of the tank wall (1). The tank wall (1) according to claim 1, wherein the curved portion is disposed near a singular zone of the tank wall (1) where the flatness of the sealing membrane (3) is stopped. A sealed and insulated tank comprising at least one tank wall (1) according to claim 1. Vessel 70 comprising a support structure and a tank 1 according to claim 13 fixed to the structure. The ship 70 according to claim 14, the insulated pipes 73, 79, 76, 81 adapted to connect the tank 71 installed on the ship's hull to a floating or on-shore storage facility 77, and And a pump for driving fluid from the floating or on-shore storage facility to the tank of the vessel or from the vessel's tank to the floating or on-shore storage facility via the insulating pipes. A method for loading or unloading a vessel (70) according to claim 14, wherein the tank (71) of the vessel from the floating or on-shore storage facility (77) through pipes (73, 79, 76, 81) insulated with fluid. ) Or from the tank 71 of the vessel to a floating or on-shore storage facility 77.

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