KR20150143776A - Tight and thermally insulating vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

A sealed and insulated tank integrated in a support structure for receiving fluid, the tank wall extending from the exterior of the tank towards the interior of the tank:
Load bearing walls,
An insulating barrier formed of a plurality of juxtaposed insulating elements 30, and
Comprising an insulating element,
The insulating element,
The heat insulating materials 21a and 21b,
A plurality of load bearing elements (33) passing through the thermal insulating material along a direction of thickness perpendicular to the tank wall, and
The cover panel 34 and the base panel 31,
And a buckling plate (40) having a cover panel (34) and a plurality of load bearing elements (33) that are parallel to the base panel and pass therethrough with a plurality of openings in the buckling plate.
Sealed and insulated tanks can be used especially for gas carriers.

Description

TIGHT AND THERMALLY INSULATING VESSEL

The present invention relates to sealed and insulated tanks arranged in a support structure for receiving cold fluids, in particular membrane tanks for receiving liquefied gases. The liquefied gases are stored at very low temperatures of about -160 ° C. This type of storage is affected by evaporation depending on the degree of insulation of the tank. In order to reduce such evaporation, it is necessary to improve the insulating property of the tank.

Sealed and insulated tanks arranged in the hull of vessels for transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) with high methane content are known. An example of such a tank is disclosed in FR-A-2798902. In this known tank, the main insulating barrier and the auxiliary insulating barrier are dried in a modular fashion using a juxtaposed parallel hexahedral rigid box structure.

FR-A-2877638 discloses another LNG tank arranged in the hull of a ship, where the secondary insulation barrier comprises heat insulation blocks arranged in a repeating pattern. The heat insulating block includes a generally parallelepiped slab of low density polymer foam sandwiched between the base panel and the cover panel. The heat insulating block includes columns arranged between the base panel and the cover panel. These pillars are distributed in the heat insulating block to withstand the compressive forces that are unbearable as low density foams.

The idea on which the present invention is based is to provide an insulating block suitable for drying in a relatively simple manner, while providing a high insulating capacity of the insulating barrier of the sealed and adiabated tank.

According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a sealed and insulated tank integrated into a support structure for receiving a fluid, wherein the tank wall extends from the exterior of the tank towards the interior of the tank:

Load bearing walls,

An insulating barrier held on a load bearing wall, the insulating barrier comprising a plurality of insulating elements juxtaposed to form a supporting surface,

A sealing barrier supported on the support surface,

As an insulating element having a generally flattened prismatic shape, the insulating element comprises:

Insulating material,

A plurality of load supporting elements passing through the heat insulating material along the thickness direction perpendicular to the tank wall,

A cover panel and a base panel parallel to the tank wall and each arranged at a first end and a second end of the load supporting element of the insulating element, the first end of the load supporting element being connected to the cover panel And the second end of the load bearing element is attached to the base panel and the base panel,

An anti-buckle plate sandwiched between a first portion and a second portion of the thickness of the insulating material parallel to the cover panel and the base panel, the anti-buckle plate comprising a plurality of load bearing elements passing therethrough at a plurality of openings in the anti- Wherein the openings provide a sealed and insulated tank comprising an anti-buckle plate spaced apart from each other to provide a distance between two adjacent load-bearing elements in a plane defined by the anti-buckle plate.

Due to these characteristics, the load bearing element undergoing a significant stress is opposed to buckling and is supported by the force transmitted by the buckling plate.

According to embodiments, the tank may have one or more of the following characteristics.

According to one embodiment, the opening in the anti-buckling plate has a size greater than the size of the cross-section of the load bearing element engaging the opening, leaving an assembly spacing.

These properties make manufacturing easier.

According to one embodiment, the assembly spacing is less than 3 mm.

These characteristics cause the buckling plate to resist this force when the column buckles and distribute the force to the remaining columns.

According to one embodiment, the anti-buckling plate is disposed midway between the base panel and the cover panel.

Due to these properties, the column is supported at three points, thus creating two identical column portions.

According to one embodiment, the thermal insulation material comprises a second anti-buckling plate sandwiched between the second and third portions of the thickness of the thermal insulation material parallel to the base panel and the cover panel, wherein the second anti- And a plurality of load bearing elements piercing through the plurality of openings arranged in line with the openings of the first anti-buckle plate.

With these properties, a very thick insulating element can be formed with the addition of as many anti-buckling plates as necessary.

According to one embodiment, the adiabatic element comprises a plurality of anti-buckling plates, the number of anti-buckling plates being such that the distance between two successive points of support of the load support element along the longitudinal direction of the load supporting element is less than a predetermined threshold height Hc , The threshold height being equal to: < RTI ID = 0.0 >

here:

E: Young's modulus of the load-bearing element

S: sectional area of the load supporting element

Σ: maximum compressive stress of the material of the load-bearing element

The supports are the second end of the load bearing element bound to the base panel, the first end of the load bearing element bound to the cover panel, each portion of the load bearing element engaged with the opening of the anti-buckle plate.

With these properties, it is possible to determine the number of plates required for an insulating element of a given thickness.

According to one embodiment, the insulating element comprises a plurality of anti-buckling plates disposed in an equidistant manner in the thickness of the insulating element.

Due to these characteristics, the forces acting on the load-bearing elements are equally distributed across the cross-section of the load-bearing elements defined by the position of the anti-buckle plates.

According to one embodiment, the insulating element includes positioning means capable of positioning the anti-buckling plate at a thickness of the insulating element.

Due to these characteristics, the anti-buckling plate does not damage the unorganized thermal insulation material.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means is arranged on the load bearing element to prevent translational movement of the anti-buckle plate in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of load bearing elements.

These properties reduce the number of parts.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means comprises a shoulder formed by a difference in cross-section between two adjacent longitudinal segments of a load-bearing element of the plurality of load-bearing elements.

According to one embodiment, so that the shoulder can support the anti-buckle plate,

The size of the plurality of openings in the anti-buckling plate lies between the cross-sectional size of the first of the two segments of the load-bearing element and the cross-sectional size of the second segment.

Due to these characteristics, the anti-buckling plate is placed on the shoulder.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means is a spacer tube fitted to the load bearing element, the spacer tube having an outer diameter larger than the size of the opening in the anti-buckling panel, so that a support point for the buckling prevention panel at one end of the spacer tube And provides a support point for the base panel or other anti-buckling plate of the insulating element at the other end of the spacer tube.

Because of these characteristics, positioning is provided in a simple manner.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means prevents the translational movement of the anti-buckling plate in the direction along the direction of the load-bearing element as a widened clip on the load-supporting element. In a variant, the anti-buckling plate is supported between two clips which prevent any movement in the lengthwise direction of the load-bearing element.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means comprises a longitudinal portion of the load-bearing element that widens in width from the first end of the load-bearing element toward the second end of the load-bearing element, The size substantially corresponds to the cross-sectional size of the longitudinal portion of the load-bearing element.

Because of these properties, the same load bearing element can be used to make an insulating element with plates disposed at different heights by adjusting the size of the opening of the plate.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means includes support pillars orthogonal to the base panel, wherein the first ends of each column are bound to the base panel while the other ends contribute to the support points of the buckling plate.

According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a sealed and adiabatic tank disposed in a support structure, which extends from the end of the tank toward the interior of the tank:

A main insulating barrier supported and held on a sealing barrier, the main insulating barrier comprising a main insulating barrier formed by a plurality of insulating elements juxtaposed to form a main supporting surface,

A main sealing barrier supported on the main support surface, comprising a main insulating element with the same characteristics as the indicated auxiliary insulating element.

Tanks of this type may form part of a ground storage facility, for example, for storing LNG, or may be constructed of floating or deep sea floating structures, in particular gas carriers, floating storage and regasification units (FSRU) And may be installed in a floating crude oil production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO).

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

According to one embodiment, the invention also provides a method for loading or unloading a ship of this type, wherein the cooling liquid product is introduced into the tank of the ship from a float or ground storage facility through a thermal insulation pipe, Floating or ground storage facility.

According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a transport system for a refrigerated liquid product, comprising a vessel as described above, an insulated pipe arranged to connect a tank installed in the hull of the vessel to a floating or ground storage facility , And a pump for moving the cooling liquid product from the floating or ground storage facility through the insulated pipe to the tank of the ship or from the tank of the ship to a floating or ground storage facility.

Some aspects of the present invention are based on the idea of increasing the thermal insulation performance of an insulating block. Some aspects of the present invention are based on the idea of increasing the thickness of the heat insulating block by increasing the length of the support element. Some aspects of the present invention are based on the idea of reinforcing an insulating block. Some aspects of the present invention are based on the idea of counteracting the buckling effect of the support element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become better understood from the following description of several specific embodiments of the invention, which are provided for purposes of illustration only and not by way of limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: It will be completely clear.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a partially cut away perspective view of a wall of a sealed and insulated tank using a heat insulating box structure.
Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of an insulating element that can be used in the tank wall of Fig. 1, showing the stress and deformation it receives;
3 is a partially perspective perspective view of an insulating element having a reinforced cover panel.
4 is a schematic view showing the buckling effect of the column subjected to a force greater than the maximum force the column can withstand;
5 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a wall of a heat insulating box structure including a buckling plate disposed between two layers of a heat insulating material.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a column including a shoulder for positioning the plate according to Figure 5;
Figures 7A-7G are top views of pillars that may be used in the box structure according to Figure 5;
FIG. 8 is a schematic cut-away view of a tank of a natural gas transportation line including a thermal barrier constructed of the box structure according to FIG. 5 and a terminal for loading and unloading the tank.

Regardless of the gravitational field in this description, the term 'above', 'above' or 'on the surface of ~' refers to closer to the interior of the tank, and 'below', ' The term 'at the bottom of ~' refers to the closer to the outside of the tank.

In the various modifications shown in the figures, configurations having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals even if the structure is modified to some extent.

Figure 1 shows a sealed insulating wall of a tank incorporated in the supporting structure of the ship.

The support structure of the tank is formed by the inner hull of the double hull ship in this example, and the wall is indicated by the number 1.

The auxiliary insulating layer 2, the auxiliary sealing barrier 3, the main insulating layer 4 and the main sealing barrier 5 are successively formed on the wall 1 of the support structure by superimposing to form the corresponding tank wall do.

The main insulating layer 4 and the secondary insulating layer 2 are formed by insulating elements, more particularly a parallelepipedic insulating box structure 6, 7 juxtaposed in a periodic pattern. The main box structure 7 and the auxiliary box structure 6 thus form a substantially flat surface that supports the main sealing barriers 5 and the auxiliary sealing barriers 3, respectively.

The main sealing barriers 5 and the auxiliary sealing barriers 3 are formed by a parallel strake 8 made of Invar and having raised edges which are also made of elongated welding supports (Not shown). More precisely, the welding supports are formed on the cover panel 11 of the box structures 6, 7, for example by means of an insulating layer 2 or 4 which extends perpendicularly to the wall, And is held by being accommodated in the inverted T-shaped groove 10.

The primary insulation box structure 7 and the secondary insulation box structure 6 are supported on the support structure by the binding members 12. In particular, the binding members 12 of the secondary insulation layer 2 are bound to the tank wall 1 by studs 13 welded perpendicularly to the wall 1. FR-A-2973097 describes a tank of this type, in particular the coupling members 12 are used to join the primary insulation box structure 7 and the secondary insulation box structure 6.

Figure 2 shows the structure of a box structure 15 which can be used as a tank wall of this type.

The box structure 15 includes a base panel 16 on which a ladder-like structure 17 formed by a row of columns 18 extending perpendicularly to the base panel 16, (20). Each of the series of pillars 18 is supported on the base panel 16 via a battens 19 and supports a beam 20 that supports and binds to the cover panel 11. The ladder structure 17 is assembled and bound to the panel by a binding element, for example stapling. Insulating filing 21 is disposed between the base panel 16 and the cover panel 11 and surrounds the pillars 18.

The beam 20 can be used to strengthen the cover panel 11 and to distribute the load when the panel is subjected to such stresses exerted by the fluid present in the tank, For example, due to surging of the fluid in the tank.

However, if the insulating element is subjected to such stresses, the cover panel 11 will tend to deform under the action of pressure and bend in a curved shape schematically indicated by the curve 24 between the ladder structures 17. This deformation tends to result in the rotation of the side beams 20 located on both sides of the plane center of the box structure 15. This rotation is shown by the line 23. This deformation and rotation results in buckling towards the outside of the box structure of the side pillars 18 disposed on the ladder structure at both sides of the plane center of the insulating element 15 as shown by the curve 25. Therefore, the column is liable to be broken by the buckling 25, which is added to the compressive stress applied to the column 18. [

Therefore, the beam of the box structure 15 and the binding elements between the various elements are subject to strong stresses, which can cause them to separate. In addition, this deformation results in a weak load distribution across the column 18. In fact, as indicated by arrows 26 and 27, the load 26 exerted by the pillars in the center of the box structure 15 is much higher than the load 27 exerted by the side pillars 20 Big.

To overcome these problems, the box structure 15 may be replaced with a reinforced box structure 30 as shown in Fig. This type of box structure 30 has a base panel 31 to which the baton 32 is bound. A row of columns 33 is disposed and bound on the corresponding baton 32 in each case. The reinforced cover panel 34 is attached to the column 33. The post 33 contributes to the purpose of conveying the stress exerted on the cover panel 34, in particular, to the wall 1 and thus standing against compression. Adiabatic filing (not shown) fills the space between the pillars, for example, a foam block fabricated to fit into the insulating foam packing or pillars between the pillars 33.

The successive rows of columns 3 are offset from one another. In fact, the columns 33 of two successive rows 29, 39 include columns 33 spaced at the same periodic interval, but the two rows of pillars 33 are spaced at half-width intervals . This arrangement provides a good compromise between the number of columns 33 in the box structure 30 and the satisfactory distribution of loads.

The reinforced cover panel 34 has an upper panel 35 and a lower panel 36 which are each 15 mm thick and are spaced apart by a series of parallel solid beams 37. In particular, the beam 37 extends parallel to the longitudinal side of the box structure 30. In each case, a beam 37 is disposed along this column on a row of columns 33. [ The beam 37 has a rectangular cross section and a thickness of 15 mm. However, these beams may have a trapezoidal cross section. The beam 37 and the panels 35, 36 are rigidly connected; Thus, when the upper panel 35 is subjected to the stress applied by the fluid and bent, the lower panel 36 exerts a pulling force and thus suppresses the rotation of the beam 37. [ In addition, since the beam 37 is not movable by the lower panel 36, the deformation of the upper panel 35 is reduced.

The mechanical properties of the box structure 6 or the box structure 7 are not only related to that of the cover panel 11 or 34 but also to that of the column 33 subjected to compression. A material having a higher heat insulating performance is used to increase the heat insulating performance of the box structure 6 or 7, or the thickness of the box structure is increased. In the second case, this results in an increase in the length of the column 33. Beyond a certain length, the column 33 is exposed to the risk of buckling or breakage. In the case of breakage, it corresponds to a much greater stress than is required to cause buckling on the column 33. In the case of the pillar 33 made of plywood, this breakage is likely to peel off between the different layers. The box structure 6 or 7 may be deformed locally if there is a force less than or equal to the breakage limit of the column 33 but greater than the buckling limit. It is therefore necessary to determine the critical buckling height of the column made of a given material. This critical height Hc is calculated by the following equation.

here:

E: Young's modulus of the load-bearing element

S: sectional area of the load supporting element

Σ: maximum compressive stress of the material of the load-bearing element

For example, the critical height Hc can be obtained as a function of the surface area of the load-bearing element utilizing the data in Table 1. It should be noted that the critical height depends on the temperature at which the material is used.

Plywood Composite material, fiber reinforced polypropylene resin 23 ℃ -70 ° C -160 ° C 23 ℃ -170 ° C E (GPa) 6.7 9 10 7 9 σ (MPa) 30 60 80 95 300

≪ Characteristics of exemplary materials of load supporting element >

Therefore, for the thickness of the box structures 6,7 selected based on its thermal insulation performance, it can be determined whether the column 33 has a length greater than the critical height.

Figure 4 shows the effect of various loads 45 at different points on the surface of the box structure 3. This load 45 is not uniformly distributed over the surface of the cover panel 34 of the box structure 30. [ The load 45 is smaller as a force 45a outside the surface of the box structure that is in line with the column 33a and is increased to the maximum force 45c. This force 45c, which is arranged perpendicular to the column 33c, causes the column 33c to buckle. As shown in Fig. 4, the buckling effect of the column 33c is maximum at the midpoint along the distance between the two binding points of the column 33c. In this schematic view, the binding points are not shown in this example as binding to the cover panel 34 and binding to the base panel 31.

Therefore, restraining buckling is a problem to prevent lateral movement of the column 33c under the action of the force 45c. By inserting the plate 40 between the pillars 33, this lateral movement can be restricted. Each column 33 passes through this plate 40 at the opening 41. The plate 40 fixes the columns 33 to each other to prevent movement in the plane. The force exerted on the plate 40 by the column 33c under the action of the force 45c is borne by all the other columns 33a.

This plate 40 is preferably located at the center between the two binding points of the column 33. Thus, the plate 40 is disposed at the point of maximum observation deformation of the column 33 in buckling mode 1. [

As a variant, the plate may be arranged at different positions along the length of the column 33. However, in order to improve its efficiency, it is preferably ensured that the length of one of the segments of the column 33 between the plate and the base panel or cover panel does not exceed the critical height Hc of buckling of the column 33 shall.

The size of the opening 41 is slightly larger than that of the column 33 to form an interval 42. This spacing 42 is intended to facilitate assembly of the plate 10 to the post 33. The presence of this gap 42 provides a degree of freedom in the plate. Under the influence of the force applied to the contact point 47 by the column 33c, the plate is translated in the direction of the buckling 46 where the column 33c is received. The opening (41) of the plate (40) then supports the column (33a) in the contact area (47). A set of pillars 33a is then opposed to the buckling force by forces 48 in the opposite direction.

For proper operation, the clearance 42 should be small. For example, the spacing is less than 3 mm, preferably less than 1 mm.

According to a variant, the holes are aligned with the column 33. Without assembly spacing there is no flow of plate 40.

This type of anti-buckle plate 40 may be arranged in a box structure 15, shown in dashed lines in Fig.

5 shows the box structure 3 in which the anti-buckling plate 40 is inserted between the two layers 21a, 21b of the heat insulating filing 21.

The insulating filing 21 can be made using various insulating materials such as polyurethane foam or mineral wool. If a very unstructured insulating material, such as perlite, is used, the insulating material will settle under the weight of the plate 40. In this case, positioning means for preventing the sliding of the plate 40 on the column 40 should be provided. This prevents the plate 40 from damaging the thermal insulation filings 21 or transfer effects between the compartments of the box structure 30 by the plate 40 in the case of a heat insulating material in powder form .

6, this function is provided with the aid of a positioning column 60, which has a shoulder 61 separating the positioning column 60 into two parts 62, 63 . The two portions 62 and 63 have different square cross-sections. The opening 41 corresponding to the positioning column 60 has a size that lies between the sizes of the two portions of the positioning column 60. Thus, the plate can be slid in the assembling process until it is stopped at the point of change of the cross-section determined by the shoulder 61.

The shoulder 61 can be made about the entire circumference or part of the body of the positioning column 60. It may also be made using an attached piece supported on the column by any known means. For example, the attached piece is bonded. In a variant, the attached piece is assembled by threaded engagement and threaded engagement.

In order to ensure that the plate 40 is supported, it is only necessary to fit the three positioning columns 60 to stabilize the plate. To this end, it is preferable to arrange the positioning pillars 60 so as to form the triangle having the largest area in contact with the surface of the box structure 15 or 30.

The two positioning columns 60 in a diagonal arrangement are equally suitable, with a relatively small assembly spacing relative to the size of the box structure 15 or 30. It is also possible to support the plate 40 by a set of pillars fitted to the box structure 15 or 30. In the case of particularly stressed box structures 15 or 30, the center of the plate 40 is also supported.

In the ceiling wall, the shoulder 61 is turned towards the base panel 16 or 31, in other words, turned up in the concept of gravitational field. For the box structure 15 or 30 arranged in the lateral wall, for example two sets of pillars are fitted to the box structure 15 or 30. The first set of shoulders is turned toward the base panel 16 or 31 and the pillars 60 are bound to the cover panel 11 or 34. On the contrary, the second set of pillars 60 are bound to the base panel 16 or 31 and the shoulders are turned towards the cover panel 11 or 34.

As a deformation of the shoulder 60, a bearing force can be provided with the aid of a spacer tube. The tube is fitted over pillars (33) arranged at supports such as corners and center. The shoulder 61 or the applied spacer prevents the plate 40 from moving in one direction along the longitudinal axis of the post 33. In some cases, it may be useful to lock the plate 40 in both directions. It is then only necessary to fit the second spacer tube, corresponding to the remaining length of the column 33, in order to prevent the plate 40 from moving in both directions after the plate 40 has been fitted in the support position.

In a variant, the plate 40 is fixed to at least three columns 33. It is no longer able to move in the thickness direction and defeat the thermal insulation lining 21. This type of plate 40 is made, for example, by molding.

Although the cross section of the columns in Fig. 6 is square, any pillar shape, such as a circular, polygonal, solid or hollow, H-shaped, or cross shape is suitable as shown in Figs. 7A to 7G. . The buckling prevention function of the plate 40 is provided by adjusting the shape of the opening 41 to the shape of the column.

In the variant of Fig. 5, in the case of a very thick box structure 30, as many plates 40 as necessary can be added. In this case, the distance between one plate 40 and the base panel 16 or the cover panel 34, or the distance between two successive plates 40, is preferably less than the buckling critical height of the column 33 .

If the box structure 30 with the plurality of plates 40 requires a bearing force, if the positioning column 60 is used, the latter includes shoulders 61 for each of the plates 40 . Then it has three parts with three different cross-sectional sizes. In this case, each plate 40 has openings 41 whose size is dependent upon the cross-section of the positioning column 60 at its desired height within the box structure 15 or 30. In a variant, the box structure 15 or 30 has two types of positioning columns 60 with one shoulder 61. The first type of positioning column 60 has a height of the shoulder 61 of the second type positioning column 60 and a different height of the shoulder 61. The box structure 15 or 30 may then be dimensioned such that the size at an angle perpendicular to the respective column 33 of the box structure 15 or 30 is determined based on the position of the plate 40 in the thickness of the box structure 15 or 30 The two plates 40, which are distinguished by the applied openings 41, are fitted.

It is free to place the plate 40 in terms of the height relative to the column 33 or the thickness direction of the box structure 15 or 30 and is a function of the conditions of use of the box structure 15 or 30. Preferably, the distribution is uniform and periodic over thickness. A plate or plates 40, a base panel 16, a cover panel 11 or 34 are equidistant when two pairs are erased.

In a variation of the column 33 with a constant cross-section, the column has a cross-section that increases from the top of the column to the base over its entire length or portion. For example, a pyramid whose apex is truncated is formed by widening from the square cross section toward the base. In a variant, the cross section of the column is disk shaped and the column takes the form of a cone with the apex cut off. This solution with an increasing cross section allows the box structure 15 or 30 to be made to have a plurality of plates whose height is simply adjusted by the size of the openings 41 present in each plate 40. [ .

The anti-buckling plate 40 can be made of any material, in particular a plywood having a thickness of less than 20 mm, or of a composite or metallic material. In the case of plywood plates, the wood used may be birch or any other species.

The opening 41 may be formed by any known means, in particular water jet cutting, laser cutting, punch cutting (or die cutting), or milling cutting.

For example, in the case of a column 33 having a rectangular cross-section, the plate 40 may be made of a metal having, for example, a swaged opening. The swaged portion forms a rim to increase the support area 47 of the plate 40 in contact with the column 33.

In a variant, the plate 40 is made by molding with a plastic material.

The insulating elements can be assembled in various ways. For example, fabrication may commence by assembling the baton 19 with the base panel 16, which functions as the only plates on which the pillars 33 are disposed. Next, the lower layer 21a of the heat insulating material is fitted to the structure of the column 33, followed by the perforated plate 40. Fig. A second layer (21b) of insulating material is fitted to the upper structure of the column (33). Finally, the cover panel 11 or 34 is attached to the column 33.

In a variant, the assembly begins by binding the baton 19 to the base panel 16. A lower segment 21a of insulating material is then added, followed by the perforated plate 40 and the upper segment 21b of the insulating material. The columns are then fitted using a template for positioning the column (33). Finally, the box structure 15 or 30 together with the cover panel 34 is completed.

The methods described above for the production of insulating layers can be used in various types of storage to form the main and / or secondary insulation membranes of the LNG storage, for example in surface facilities or in floating structures such as gas carriers or other vessels .

Referring to Fig. 8, the cut-away view of the gas carrier 70 shows a generally prismatic sealed and insulated tank 71 mounted to the ship's double hull 72. The wall of the tank 71 has a main sealing barrier adapted to be in contact with the LNG contained in the tank and an auxiliary sealing barrier arranged between the main sealing barrier and the ship's double hull 72 and between the main sealing barrier and the auxiliary sealing barrier, And two double-walled barriers arranged between the sealing barriers and the double hulls 72, respectively.

In a known manner, a loading / unloading pipe 73 disposed on the upper deck of the vessel is connected to a maritime or harbor terminal for transporting LNG from tank 71 or to the tank, using an appropriate connector.

8 shows an example of a maritime terminal including a loading and unloading station 75, a subsea pipe 76, and a ground facility 77. Fig. The loading and unloading station 75 is a stationary coastal facility including a movable arm 74 and a tower 78 supporting the movable arm 74. The movable arm 74 has an insulating flexible hose 79 bundle that can be connected to the loading / unloading pipe 73. The movable arm 74, which can be oriented as needed, is suitable for gas carriers of all sizes. A connecting pipe (not shown) extends inside the tower 78. The loading and unloading station 75 allows the gas carrier 70 to load and unload from the ground facility 77 or to a ground facility. The latter includes a connecting pipe 81 connected to the loading and unloading station 75 by a liquefied gas storage tank 80 and a subsea pipe 76. The seabed pipe 76 allows the liquefied gas to be transported over a distance of, for example, 5 km, between the loading and unloading station 75 and the ground facility 77, allowing the gas carrier 70 to be removed from the coast during loading and unloading operations Keep it at a long distance.

Pumps on the ship 70 and / or pumps installed in the ground facilities 77 and / or pumps installed in the loading and unloading station 75 are used to generate the pressure required to transfer the liquefied gas.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is not intended to be limited in any way to these embodiments, and includes all technical equivalents of the means described above and their combinations within the scope of the present invention.

The " comprise, " or " comprise ", and its conjugations do not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in the claims. The indefinite article "a" or "an" for an element or step does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps, unless otherwise specified.

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

Claims (17)

In sealed and insulated tanks integrated into a support structure for receiving fluids, the tank wall extends from the exterior of the tank towards the interior of the tank:
The load supporting walls (1),
A heat insulating barrier (2, 4) held on a load-bearing wall, comprising: a heat insulating barrier formed by juxtaposition of a plurality of heat insulating elements (15, 30)
And a sealing barrier (3, 5) supported on the support surface,
As an insulating element having a generally flattened prismatic shape, the insulating element comprises:
A heat insulating material 21,
A plurality of load supporting elements (33) passing through the heat insulating material along the thickness direction perpendicular to the tank wall,
A cover panel (11, 34) and a base panel (16, 31) parallel to the tank wall and each arranged at a first end and a second end of the load supporting element of the insulating element to form an outer wall of the insulating element, Wherein the first end of the element is bound to the cover panel and the second end of the load bearing element is bound to the base panel,
A buckling prevention plate (40) sandwiched between a first portion (21a) and a second portion (21b) of the thickness of the heat insulating material (21) parallel to the cover panels (11, 34) And a plurality of load-bearing elements (33) passing therethrough in a plurality of openings (31) in the buckling prevention plate, wherein the openings Sealed and insulated tanks containing spaced anti-buckling plates. The method according to claim 1,
The opening (41) in the anti-buckle plate has a size greater than the size of the cross-section of the load-bearing element engaging the opening, leaving an assembly clearance (42). 3. The method of claim 2,
The assembly clearance 42 is a sealed and insulated tank smaller than 3 mm. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The anti-buckle plate (40) is disposed at the mid-point between the base panel and the cover panel. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Wherein the heat insulating material comprises a second buckling plate sandwiched between the second portion and the third portion of the thickness of the heat insulating material parallel to the base panel and the cover panel,
The second buckling plate having a plurality of load bearing elements piercing through the plurality of openings aligned with the openings of the first buckle plate. 6. The method according to one of claims 1 to 5,
The number of anti-buckling plates is such that the distance between two successive fulcrums (47) of the load-bearing element along the longitudinal direction of the load-bearing element is greater than a predetermined threshold height Hc, < / RTI > the threshold height is equal to: < RTI ID =

here:
E: Young's modulus of the load-bearing element
S: sectional area of the load supporting element
Σ: maximum compressive stress of the material of the load-bearing element
The supports are sealed and insulated tanks that are the second end of the load bearing element bound to the base panel, the first end of the load bearing element bound to the cover panel, each part of the load bearing element engaged with the opening of the anti-buckle plate. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The insulating element comprises a plurality of anti-buckle plates (40) arranged in an equidistant manner in the thickness of the insulating element. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Wherein the insulating element comprises positioning means capable of positioning the anti-buckling plate at a thickness of the insulating element. 9. The method of claim 8,
The positioning means being disposed on the load bearing element to prevent translational movement of the buckling plate in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of load bearing elements. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the positioning means comprises a shoulder (61) formed by a difference in cross-section between two adjacent longitudinal segments of a load-bearing element of the plurality of load-bearing elements. 11. The method of claim 10,
In order for the shoulder 61 to support the anti-buckle plate,
Wherein the size of the plurality of openings in the anti-buckle plate lie between the cross-sectional size of the first one of the two segments of the load bearing element and the cross-sectional size of the second segment. 10. The method of claim 9,
The positioning means is a spacer tube fitted to the load bearing element and the spacer tube has an outer diameter greater than the size of the opening in the anti-buckling panel to provide a support point for the anti-buckling panel at one end of the spacer tube, Sealed and insulated tanks providing support points for the base panel or other anti-buckling plates of the insulating elements. 10. The method of claim 9,
The positioning means comprises a longitudinal portion of the load-bearing element that widens in width from the first end of the load-bearing element toward the second end of the load-bearing element, the size of the opening in the anti-buckle plate being substantially equal to the load- Sealed and insulated tank corresponding to the cross-sectional size of the longitudinal portion of the element. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the positioning means includes a support column orthogonal to the base panel, wherein the first end of each column is bound to the base panel while the other end contributes to a fulcrum of the anti-buckle plate. A ship (70) for transporting a cooling liquid product,
The ship comprises a double hull (72) and a tank (71) according to one of the claims 1 to 14 disposed in the double hull. A method for loading or unloading a ship (70) of claim 15,
The cooling liquid product flows from the floating or ground storage facility 77 to the tank 71 of the vessel via the insulating pipes 73, 79, 76 and 81 or from the tank of the vessel to the floating or ground storage facility 77 Loading or unloading of a ship to be transported. A transport system for a cooling liquid product,
(73, 79, 76, 81) arranged so as to connect the ship of claim 15, a tank (71) provided on the hull of the ship to a floating or ground storage facility (77), a floating A transport system comprising a pump for moving the flow of cooling liquid product from a ground storage facility to a tank of a ship or from a tank of a ship to a floating or ground storage facility.

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