WO2013093261A1

WO2013093261A1 - Vessel wall comprising a pipe

Info

Publication number: WO2013093261A1
Application number: PCT/FR2012/052647
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gaël TOS
Original assignee: Gaztransport Et Technigaz
Priority date: 2011-12-20
Filing date: 2012-11-16
Publication date: 2013-06-27
Also published as: FR2984454B1; FR2984454A1; KR102029862B1; KR101959400B1; CN103998852B; CN103998852A; KR20140105023A; KR20190028560A

Abstract

The invention relates to a vessel wall comprising two main (3) and secondary (5) sealed barriers and two main (4) and secondary (6) heat-insulating barriers. The vessel wall has a pipe (7) passing therethrough and comprises, around the pipe (7), a first plate (20) connected to the pipe (7) and spaced apart relative to the secondary sealed barrier (5), a first sheet (17) sealed on the secondary sealed barrier (5) around the first plate (21), a second plate (22) placed parallel to the first plate, at the same level as the first sheet (17), the first and second plates being connected by connection plates (21) and (26) such as to define a cavity (24), a second flexible sealed sheet (23) adhered onto the first sheet and second plate, an opening (25) provided through the second plate, and a pipe leading through the first plate.

Description

TANK WALL COMPRISING A CONDUIT

The invention relates to the field of the manufacture of sealed and thermally insulated tanks. In particular, the present invention relates to tanks for containing cold or hot liquids, and more particularly to tanks for the storage and / or transport of liquefied gas by sea.

Waterproof and thermally insulating vessels can be used in different industries to store hot or cold products. For example, in the energy field, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a liquid that can be stored at atmospheric pressure at about -163 ° C in land-based storage tanks or tanks embedded in floating structures.

The thermodynamic conditions of the tanks during the storage of such a liquid produce boiling on the surface of the liquid. This boiling produces a certain amount of steam which varies the internal pressure of the tanks. In order to control the pressure of these vessels, the evaporation gases are collected and conveyed to an evaporation collector for example to be reliqued or burnt in the propulsion machine of the ship.

According to one embodiment, the invention provides a sealed and thermally insulated tank arranged in a supporting structure for containing a fluid, said tank comprising vessel walls fixed to walls of said supporting structure,

a tank wall having successively, in the thickness direction from the inside to the outside of said tank, a primary watertight barrier, a primary heat-insulating barrier, a secondary watertight barrier, and a secondary heat-insulating barrier,

the tank further comprising a sealed pipe passing through a wall of the tank to define a passage between the interior space of the tank and a steam collector arranged outside the tank,

wherein the vessel wall around the sealed conduit comprises:

a first plate sealingly connected to the periphery of the pipe and extending parallel to the wall, the first plate being spaced towards the supporting structure with respect to the secondary sealed barrier,

a first connecting plate sealingly attached to the entire periphery of the first plate and extending parallel to the sealed conduit, the first connecting plate extending in the direction of the thickness of the vessel wall and forming a flange projecting towards the secondary watertight barrier with respect to the first plate,

secondary insulating blocks disposed on the wall of the supporting structure around the first connecting plate, the secondary insulating blocks being covered with a first watertight layer forming the secondary watertight barrier, a second plate disposed parallel to the first plate at the same level as the first sealed sheet forming the secondary sealed barrier, the second plate having a second connecting plate sealingly attached to a surface facing the first plate of the second plate and projecting towards the supporting structure parallel to the pipe, the second plate of link being sealingly attached to the first connecting plate all around the first connecting plate, the two mutually spaced plates delimiting a housing,

a second flexible waterproof ply stuck tightly on the first waterproof ply and on the second plateau all around the second plank,

an opening formed through the second plate to allow the circulation of gas between a primary space located between the two watertight barriers and the housing,

and a pipe opening through the first plate and extending towards the carrier structure to define a passage between the housing and the steam collector.

According to embodiments, such a tank may comprise one or more of the following characteristics. According to one embodiment, the second plate comprises a support plate having a square shape, the second flexible waterproof sheet comprising flexible sealing strips each bonded to a respective edge of the square bearing plate of the second plate.

According to one embodiment, the second plate comprises a support plate and a third rigid waterproof ply bonded to the support plate in an upper surface, the second flexible waterproof ply being adhered to the third waterproof ply bonded to the second plateau. and the second connecting plate being welded to a surface of the backing plate opposite to the upper surface.

According to one embodiment, one of the two connecting plates has a shape adapted to fit and slide in a direction parallel to the pipe in the other connecting plate.

According to one embodiment, the periphery of the first plate has a circular shape centered with respect to the sealed pipe,

the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate have a tubular shape, the outer diameter of one of the two connecting plates being substantially equal to the inside diameter of the other connecting plate, and

the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate being nested so as to center the second plate relative to the pipe.

According to one embodiment, the first connecting plate further extends in the direction of the supporting structure beyond the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, the pipe passes through the carrier structure in a circular opening of the carrier structure, and in which centering members, distributed circumferentially around the first connecting plate, rest between the edge of the opening and the first connecting plate so as to center the sealed pipe in the circular opening.

According to one embodiment, a third ring-shaped plate is connected by its inside diameter to one end of the first plate beyond the supporting structure and

the pipe has an insulating layer on its outer surface extending from the first plate towards the supporting structure beyond the supporting structure and glued on the third plate.

According to one embodiment, the housing is lined with a porous insulating lining.

According to one embodiment, a second pipe opens through the first plate and extends towards the carrier structure to define a passage between the housing and a pressure sensor.

According to one embodiment, the connecting plates have a tubular shape and the secondary insulating blocks arranged around the first connecting plate together have a square-shaped window whose sides are longer than the diameter of the connecting plates, the conduit passing through the window at its center so as to form a space between the connecting plates and the secondary insulating blocks, the space being filled with a porous insulating stuffing (36).

According to one embodiment, the primary thermally insulating barrier comprises a primary insulating pad having a side having an arcuate shape to accommodate an edge of the pipe, in which the primary insulating pad comprises an insulating layer carrying a panel carrying it. even the primary watertight barrier, the primary watertight barrier having waves, the panel having a groove passing through the panel and positioned under a wave of the primary watertight barrier, and the insulating layer having a groove opening on the side having an arcuate shape. circle and superimposed on the groove of the top panel of the primary insulating pad so as to define a passage for the fluid between the wave of the primary insulating barrier and the housing.

According to one embodiment, the pipe is rigidly connected to the support structure at a portion of the pipe, the portion of the pipe being spaced at a distance from the second watertight web in a direction parallel to the pipe so that the thermal contraction of the pipe in said direction is equivalent to the thermal contraction of the secondary insulating barrier in said direction. Such a tank can be part of a land storage facility, for example to store LNG or be installed in a floating structure, coastal or deep water, including a LNG tank, a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) , a floating production and remote storage unit (FPSO) and others.

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

According to one embodiment, the invention also provides a method of loading or unloading such a vessel, in which a cold liquid product is conveyed through isolated pipes from or to a floating or land storage facility to or from the vessel vessel.

According to one embodiment, the invention also provides a transfer system for a cold liquid product, the system comprising the abovementioned vessel, insulated pipes arranged to connect the vessel installed in the hull of the vessel to a floating storage facility. or terrestrial and a pump for driving a flow of cold liquid product through the insulated pipelines from or to the floating or land storage facility to or from the vessel vessel.

By convention, we will call "above" a position located closer to the inside of the tank and "below" a position located closer to the supporting structure 1, whatever the orientation of the tank wall by compared to the Earth's gravity field.

An idea underlying the invention is to provide a sealed and thermally insulated tank in which a passage between the inside and the outside of the tank in the form of a pipe is formed through a wall of the tank and in wherein the wall is sealed with said conduit while allowing the management of fluids present in the wall thickness of the vessel.

Certain aspects of the invention start from the idea of producing a sealed tank with the aid of a sealed barrier comprising a waterproof membrane. secondary sealingly connected around a sealed housing located around said conduit and extending below the secondary sealed barrier so as to facilitate the realization of the stopping of the secondary waterproof membrane.

Some aspects of the invention start from the idea of sealing between the pipe and the secondary waterproof membrane by means of flexible waterproof strips bonded to surfaces connected to the pipe, each having a rectilinear rim so as to simplify the operation. assembly, facilitate repairs, use a small amount of flexible tape and produce reliable bonding.

Certain aspects of the invention start from the idea of producing a sealed space in the wall of the tank between the secondary waterproof membrane and a primary fluid-tight membrane in contact with the fluid and of producing a circuit to allow an efficient circulation of fluids within the tight space and housing.

Some aspects of the invention start from the idea of producing a tank having good resistance to thermomechanical stresses. For this purpose, certain aspects of the invention start from the idea of limiting the vibrations of the pipe on which elements of said tank wall are bonded to protect said collages of the elements. Some aspects of the invention start from the idea of fixing the pipe so as to compensate for its thermal contraction with respect to the wall of the tank and thus limit the thermomechanical stresses on said collages.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the course of the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes. with reference to the accompanying drawings.

On these drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a vessel wall according to one embodiment of the invention comprising a fluid collection device.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of zone II of FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial exploded perspective view of the vessel wall shown in FIG.

• Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of the vessel wall of Figure 2 having a secondary waterproof membrane which stops around the fluid collection device.

• Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the fluid collection device passing through the wall of the tank.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a primary insulating pad of FIG. 2 for positioning near the fluid collection device. FIG. 7 is a cutaway schematic representation of a vessel of a LNG carrier and a loading / unloading terminal of this tank.

Figure 1 shows a device for collecting fluids 2 passing through a ceiling wall of a tank.

Such a tank wall has, successively from inside the tank towards the supporting structure 1, a primary sealing barrier 3 in contact with the product contained in the tank, a primary heat-insulating barrier 4, a sealing barrier secondary 5 and a secondary thermally insulating barrier 6. The primary thermally insulating barrier, the secondary sealing barrier and the secondary thermally insulating barrier consist essentially of a set of prefabricated panels resting on caulk beads 9 and fixed on the supporting structure 1.

The tank can be made according to various well-known geometries, for example a prismatic geometry in the hull of a ship or a cylindrical geometry on land or other. The supporting structure 1 comprises a circular opening 8 around which is welded a barrel 10 which extends outside the supporting structure 1. A metal vapor collecting pipe 7 is anchored inside the barrel 10 and is intended to extracting the vapors produced by the evaporation of the fluid in the tank. For this purpose, the collecting pipe 7 passes through the tank wall at the center of the circular opening 8 as well as the impervious barriers 3 and 5 and the insulating barriers 4 and 6 to open into the tank. This collecting duct 7 is in particular connected to a steam collector outside the tank which extracts this vapor and transmits it, for example, to the propulsion device of the vessel to feed the propulsion of the vessel or to a liquefaction device for reintroducing the fluid in the tank.

The sealing barrier 3 is sealingly connected to the collecting duct 7. Likewise, the sealing barrier 5 is sealingly connected to the collecting duct 7 except in a passage allowing the fluid present between the two barriers sealing to circulate to secondary lines 13 and 14. In this way, the space between the secondary sealed barrier 5 and the primary sealed barrier 3 forms a primary sealed space connected to the two secondary lines 13 and 14.

Furthermore, the shaft 10 is sealingly connected to the supporting structure 1 and to the collecting pipe 7. The collecting pipe comprises an insulation layer 11 uniformly distributed over its outer surface which has a diameter smaller than the circular opening 8 In this way, the spacing between the insulating layer 11 and the circular opening 8 allows the flow of fluid between the secondary insulating barrier and an intermediate space between the mat 10 and the insulating layer 7. The intermediate space and the space between the carrier structure and the secondary insulating barrier 6 thus form a secondary sealing space.

The two secondary lines 13 and 14 extend parallel to the collecting duct 7 in the insulating layer 11 of the collecting duct 7 from the outside of the barrel 10 to the primary sealing space. The first pipe 13 makes it possible to make a passage between the primary sealing space and an element not shown evacuation which allows to control the fluids present in the primary space. The second pipe 14 makes it possible to make a passage between the primary space and a pressure measuring device (not shown). These two secondary lines 13 and 14 in particular make it possible to carry out a nitrogen sweep in the primary sealed space.

Two other pipes not shown are welded to the barrel 10 and open inside the barrel 10 in the secondary sealed space to allow also the management of fluids and the pressure measurement in the secondary sealed space. The pipes connected to the secondary sealed space also allow the nitrogen sweep in the secondary sealed space.

With reference to FIG. 2, a zone II of the tank wall traversed by the collecting pipe 7 will now be described in greater detail.

A prefabricated panel 12 placed near the collecting duct 7 comprises a rigid lower panel 15 supported by the cords of mastic 9. The bottom panel 15 carries a layer of thermal insulation 16 made of polyurethane foam and constitutes therewith an element of secondary thermally insulating barrier 6. A ply 17 made of flexible or rigid triplex® adheres substantially over the entire surface of the thermal insulating layer 16 of the secondary thermally insulating barrier element 6, said ply 17 forming a barrier element of secondary sealing 5. A second layer of thermal insulation 18 made of polyurethane foam partially covers the ply 17 and adheres to it. A rigid upper panel 19 covers the second layer of thermal insulation 18 and constitutes with it a primary thermally insulating barrier element 4.

As explained above with reference to FIG. 1, the collecting pipe

7 passes through the circular opening 8, the impervious barriers 3 and 5 and the insulating barriers 4 and 6. The seal between the secondary insulating barrier and the collecting duct 7 is formed by means of a first plate 20 extending around the duct and closing a tube 21. The tube 21 is surmounted in a sealed manner by a second plate 22. In this way, the two trays 20 and 22 form a dwelling. Flexible strips 23 are glued between the ply 17 and the second plate 22 in order to seal the secondary watertight barrier 5.

The circular metal plate 20 is welded around the collecting pipe 7 between the carrier structure 1 and the secondary sealed barrier 5. The circular plate 20 is welded over its entire periphery to the inner surface of the metal tube 21. The metal tube has a diameter less than the opening 8 of the supporting structure 1 and extends above the circular plate 14 to an area close to the level of the secondary sealed barrier 5.

The second plate 22 is welded to the upper end of the tube 21. The second plate 22 has a square shape and comprises a circular passage

The circular passage 25 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the collecting pipe 7 so as to leave a spacing between the second plate 22 and the collecting pipe 7. Thanks to this spacing, the fluid can circulate from the primary space between the watertight barriers 3 and 5 towards the housing 24.

A tubular portion 26 is welded to the lower surface of the second plate 22 and is centered on the passage 25 of the second plate 22. The inner surface of the tubular portion 26 has a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tube 18. In this way, the tube 21 and the tubular portion 26 of the second plate 22 can nest and cooperate to slide when they are not welded. Thus, when welding the tubular portion 26 with the tube 21, the spacing between the second plate 22 and the carrier structure 1 can be adjusted to place the second plate 22 substantially at the level of the secondary sealed barrier 5. Moreover, the fitting of the tube 21 and the tubular part

26 allows the centering of the opening 25 relative to the pipe and the orientation of the second plate 22. The welds between the first plate 20, the tube 21 and the second plate 22 are made around their periphery so as to obtain the seal between these elements. The tube 21 further extends below the circular plate 20 to an area beyond the carrier structure 1. A metal ring 27 has an inner contour on which is welded the end of the tube 21 located in the area beyond the supporting structure. The ring 27 has a surface parallel to the wall of the tank on which the insulating layer 11 of the collecting pipe 7 is bonded. The circular plate 20 further comprises two orifices 28 to which the two secondary lines 13 and 14 are welded (not shown). in Figure 2).

The first plate 20, the second plate 22 and the tube 21 and the tubular portion 26 are made of stainless steel.

A pad 29 is placed astride the prefabricated panel 12 and the second plate 22 to form an element of the insulating barrier between the collecting pipe 7 and the prefabricated panel 12. This pad 29 comprises, like the prefabricated panel 12, a layer insulating 31 bearing on the secondary sealed barrier 5. This insulating layer 31 is surmounted by an upper panel 30.

The upper panels of the prefabricated panel 12 and the block 29 support the primary sealing barrier 3 in the form of thin sheet metal plates having corrugations 32. These corrugations 32 form elastic zones to absorb the thermal contraction and the static pressure forces and dynamic. Such corrugated or corrugated metal sealing barriers have in particular been described in FR-A-1379651, FR-A-1376525, FR-A-2781557 and FR-A-2861060. The primary watertight barrier 3 is sealingly connected to the collecting duct 7 via a flange 33 of section forming an L. This flange 33 is welded to the thin sheets and to the collecting duct 7.

With reference to FIG. 3, the structure of the elements presented in FIG. 2 is more detailed: The collecting duct 7 and the tube 21 pass through the supporting structure 1 at the center of the opening 8. The tube 21 is centered in the opening 8 by means of four centering wedges 34 distributed in a balanced manner around the tube 21. These centering wedges 34 are screwed onto the supporting structure 1 and are made of high density polyethylene. Chocks 34 make it possible to avoid the vibrations of the tube 21 and of the collecting duct 7 and thus make it possible to avoid the degradation of the bonding of the secondary barrier 5.

A glass wool lining 35 is inserted into the housing 24. The second plate 22 is positioned on the tube 21 so that the second plate 22 is substantially at the same level as the secondary watertight barrier. The tubular portion 26 of the second plate is welded to the tube 21. To avoid a risk of burning of the glass wool lining 35, a thermal protection not shown is previously placed between the liner 34 and the tube 21 and the tubular portion 26 This lining is porous to allow free circulation of the fluid in the housing between the primary sealed space and the secondary lines 13 and 14.

Around the tube 21 are placed two portions 36 of a glass wool stuffing which together have a square outer contour of larger size than the second plate 22. Each of the two parts 36 has a semicircular inner contour for come to bear on the outer bearing surface of the tube 21 and the tubular part 26.

The secondary insulating barrier 6, the secondary sealing barrier 5 and the primary insulating barrier 4 are produced by means of two prefabricated panels 12. Each of the panels 12 around the collecting pipe 7 generally has a shape of U-shaped steps with a U-shaped lower insulating block 37 constituting an element of the secondary insulating barrier, a watertight layer 17 completely covering the block-shaped upper surface, and a smaller U-shaped insulating block 38 constituting a element of the primary insulation barrier 4 so as to reveal an area of the waterproof coating 32 located on the entire edge of the lower block 37. The panel can be prefabricated by gluing with polyurethane foam and plywood for the barriers insulation. Thus, the lower block 37 comprises the lower panel 15 and the insulating foam layer 16 and the upper block comprises the insulating layer 18 and the upper panel 19. The two prefabricated U-shaped panels are juxtaposed to surround the two parts 36 of the glass wool stuffing. Each prefabricated panel 12 further comprises chimneys 42 which allow access, during assembly, to the prefabricated panel fastening means 12 for anchoring the prefabricated panel 12 to studs (not shown) previously welded to the supporting structure 1 .

Four flexible strips 23 are glued on each horse on one side of the second plate 22 and on the watertight web 17 of the open area of the prefabricated panel 12 U-shaped. The flexible strips are glued with a polyurethane glue . FIG. 4 shows in more detail how the flexible strips 23 are bonded. Two flexible first strips 23a are stuck astride the inner part of the U-shaped prefabricated panels 12 and then the two flexible strips 23b are stuck astride the two prefabricated panels 12 and the second plate 22 while being glued on the end 41 of the first two flexible strips 23a to overlap. The present method of bonding is therefore reliable, easy to achieve during assembly, and simplifies possible repairs due to a narrow bonding area facilitating takeoff. Furthermore, this bonding to stop the secondary membrane 5 can be performed automatically.

Returning to Figure 3 we see that four blocks 29 are positioned on the flexible strips to complete the primary waterproof barrier. The pavers 29 have an arc-shaped side to accommodate the collecting pipe 7. The arc has a diameter greater than the diameter of the pipe as shown in Figure 2. This allows to leave a space for a glass wool filling not shown between the pipe 7 and the pavers 29.

The thin sheets of the watertight barrier are then attached to the primary insulating barrier. These are positioned so that the zone of the primary sealed barrier traversed by the collector conduit is not traversed by a corrugation 32. In this way, the area through which the collecting duct 7 is substantially flat and allows the installation and welding the flange 33.

FIG. 5 more precisely shows the second plate 22 of FIGS. 2 and 3. Strips of rigid ply 43 are glued between the sides of the square portion of the second plate 22 and the circular passage 25. The strips of waterproof ply flexible 23 are glued on these rigid webs. In this way the flexible web strips 23 are only glued on rigid watertight webs.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of the blocks 29 allowing the flow of fluid between the corrugations 32 and the housing 24. The upper panel has a groove 44 forming a right angle through the panel between its upper surface and its lower surface. During the establishment of the primary sealed barrier, two corrugations 32 perpendicular to each other are superimposed on the groove 44 so as to allow the flow of fluid present in the corrugations to the insulating layer 18. This insulating layer further comprises a connecting groove 46 corresponding to the groove 44 of the upper panel from which extend three parallel grooves 46 towards the portion of the arcuate block on which they open. The grooves 45 and 46 of the insulating layer 18 of the block 29 are filled with glass wool with a density of 22 kg / m 3. In this way the gaseous fluid which has passed through the upper panel can circulate to the outside of the pavement, in the space between the pavement and the collecting pipe 7.

This specific structure of the pavers 29, the spacing between the circular passage 25 and the collecting duct and the housing 24 comprising a porous lining 35 makes it possible to create a circuit for the fluids to facilitate their circulation in the primary sealing space, especially since ripples 32 to the secondary lines 13 and 14 and vice versa.

Likewise, the space between the circular opening 8 and the pipe 21 and between the supporting structure 1 and the lower panels 15 makes it possible to generate a circuit for the fluid between the secondary space and the shaft 10. These circuits make it possible, in particular, to inerting the vessel wall with nitrogen.

To reduce the stresses exerted on the collages made around the collecting pipe, the anchoring of the pipe 7 is made in a portion 48 of the pipe 7 spaced in a direction opposite to the interior of the tank relative to the bearing structure 1. In this way, the contraction of the collecting pipe 7 when subjected to low temperatures is equivalent to the contraction of the secondary insulating barrier 5 at the area bonded to the second plate 22. Thus, the constraints on the collages of the vessel wall are reduced. This anchoring comprises a frustoconical metal element 49 welded to the sealed pipe 7. The frustoconical element 49 rests on a support extending inside the barrel 10.

Although in the embodiment described above the collecting pipe passes through a ceiling wall of the tank, in another embodiment the pipe could pass through the wall of the tank at the top of a side wall of the tank.

The tanks described above can be used in various types of installations such as land installations or in a floating structure such as a LNG tank or other.

Referring to Figure 7, a cutaway view of a LNG tank 70 shows a sealed and insulated tank 71 of generally prismatic shape mounted in the double hull 72 of the ship. The wall of the tank 71 comprises a primary sealed barrier intended to be in contact with the LNG contained in the tank, a secondary sealed barrier arranged between the primary waterproof barrier and the double hull of the ship, and two insulating barriers arranged respectively between the barrier primary waterproof and secondary watertight barrier, and between the secondary watertight barrier and the double hull 72.

In a manner known per se, loading / unloading lines arranged on the upper deck of the ship can be connected, by means of appropriate connectors, to a marine or port terminal to transfer a cargo of LNG from or to the tank 71.

FIG. 7 represents an example of a marine terminal comprising a loading and unloading station 75, an underwater pipe 76 and an onshore installation 77. The loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed off-shore installation comprising an arm mobile 74 and a tower 78 which supports the movable arm 74. The movable arm 74 carries a bundle of insulated flexible pipes 79 which can connect to the loading / unloading pipes 73. The arm mobile 74 adjustable fits all gauges LNG carriers. A connection pipe (not shown) extends inside the tower 78. The loading and unloading station 75 enables the loading and unloading of the LNG tank 70 from or to the shore facility 77. liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and connecting lines 81 connected by the underwater line 76 to the loading or unloading station 75. The underwater line 76 allows the transfer of the liquefied gas between the loading or unloading station 75 and the onshore installation 77 over a large distance, for example 5 km, which makes it possible to keep the tanker vessel 70 at great distance from the coast during the loading and unloading operations.

In order to generate the pressure necessary for the transfer of the liquefied gas, pumps on board the ship 70 and / or pumps equipping the shore installation 77 and / or pumps equipping the loading and unloading station 75 are used.

Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is not limited thereto and that it comprises all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they are within the scope of the invention.

The use of the verb "to include", "to understand" or "to include" and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps other than those set out in a claim. The use of the indefinite article "a" or "an" for an element or a step does not exclude, unless otherwise stated, the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps.

In the claims, any reference sign in parentheses can not be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims

1. Sealed and thermally insulated vessel arranged in a carrier structure (1) for containing a fluid, said vessel comprising vessel walls attached to walls of said supporting structure,

a tank wall having successively, in the thickness direction from the inside to the outside of said tank, a primary watertight barrier (3), a primary heat-insulating barrier (4), a secondary watertight barrier (5) , and a secondary heat-insulating barrier (6),

the tank further comprising a sealed pipe (7) passing through a wall of the tank to define a passage between the interior space of the tank and a steam trap arranged outside the tank,

wherein the vessel wall around the sealed conduit comprises:

a first plate (20) sealingly attached to the periphery of the pipe (7) and extending parallel to the wall, the first plate being spaced towards the supporting structure (1) with respect to the secondary watertight barrier (5) ,

a first peripheral connecting plate (21) sealingly attached to the entire periphery of the first plate and extending parallel to the sealed pipe (7), the first connecting plate extending in the direction of the thickness of the vessel wall and forming a rim protruding towards the secondary watertight barrier with respect to the first plate,

secondary insulating blocks (16) arranged on the wall of the supporting structure around the first peripheral connecting plate (21), the secondary insulating blocks being covered with a first watertight layer (17) forming the secondary sealed barrier (5) ,

a second plate (22) arranged parallel to the first plate at the same level as the first watertight layer (17) forming the secondary watertight barrier, the second plate comprising a second connecting plate (26) sealingly attached to a surface facing the first plate of the second plate and protruding towards the supporting structure parallel to the pipe (7), the second connecting plate being sealingly attached to the first plate of peripheral connection all around the first peripheral connecting plate, the two mutually spaced plates delimiting a housing (24),

a second flexible waterproof ply (23) hermetically bonded on the first watertight ply and on the second plateau all around the second plank,

and a pipe (13) opening through the first plate and extending towards the carrier structure to define a passage between the housing and the steam collector.

2. Tank according to claim 1, wherein the second plate (22) comprises a bearing plate having a square shape, the second flexible waterproof sheet having flexible strips (39, 41) flexible each bonded to a respective edge of the square support plate of the second plate.

3. Tank according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second plate (22) comprises a support plate and a third rigid waterproof ply (43) glued to the support plate in an upper surface, the second flexible waterproof ply. (23) being adhered to the third watertight web bonded to the second plate (22), and the second connecting plate being welded to a surface of the backing plate opposite to the top surface.

4. Tank according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein one of the two connecting plates (21, 26) has a shape adapted to fit and slide in a direction parallel to the pipe (7) in the other connecting plate.

5. Tank according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein

the periphery of the first plate (20) has a circular shape centered with respect to the sealed pipe,

the first peripheral connecting plate (21) and the second connecting plate (26) have a tubular shape, the outer diameter of one of the two connecting plates being substantially equal to the inside diameter of the other connecting plate, and the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate being nested so as to center the second plate (22) with respect to the pipe (7).

6. Sealed vessel according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first peripheral connecting plate (21) further extends towards the carrier structure (1) beyond the carrier structure.

7. Watertight tank according to claim 6, wherein the pipe (7) passes through the carrier structure in a circular opening (8) of the carrier structure,

and wherein centering members (34), circumferentially distributed around the first peripheral connecting plate, abut between the edge of the opening (8) and the first peripheral connecting plate so as to center the sealed pipe in the circular opening.

Sealing vessel according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a third ring-shaped plate (27) is connected by its inside diameter to one end of the first plate beyond the supporting structure and

the pipe (7) comprises an insulating layer (11) on its outer surface extending from the first plate towards the supporting structure beyond the supporting structure and glued to the third plate.

9. Sealed vessel according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the housing (24) is lined with a porous insulating lining (35).

10. Sealed vessel according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a second pipe (14) opens through the first plate and extends towards the carrier structure to define a passage between the housing (24) and a Pressure sensor.

11. Sealed vessel according to one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the connecting plates have a tubular shape and the secondary insulating blocks (16) arranged around the first peripheral connecting plate together have a square-shaped window whose sides are longer than the diameter of the connecting plates, the pipe passing through the window at its center to form a space between the connecting plates and the secondary insulating blocks, the space being filled with a porous insulating stuffing (36).

Watertight vessel according to one of claims 1 to 11, in which the primary heat-insulating barrier comprises a primary insulating pad (29) having a side (47) having an arcuate shape to accommodate an edge of the pipe ( 7), wherein the primary insulating pad (29) comprises an insulating layer carrying a panel itself bearing the primary watertight barrier, the primary watertight barrier comprising waves, the panel having a groove (44) passing through the panel and positioned under a wave (32) of the primary watertight barrier (3), and the insulating layer having a groove (45, 46) opening on the side having an arcuate shape and superimposed on the groove of the upper panel of the primary insulating pad of to define a passage for the fluid between the wave of the primary insulating barrier and the housing.

Watertight vessel according to one of claims 1 to 12, in which the pipe is rigidly connected to the supporting structure (1) in one part of the pipe, the part of the pipe being spaced at a distance of the second a watertight sheet (40) in a direction parallel to the pipe (7) so that the thermal contraction of the pipe (7) in said direction is equivalent to the thermal contraction of the secondary insulating barrier (6) in said direction.

14. Ship (70) for the transport of a cold liquid product, the vessel comprising a double hull (72) and a tank (71) according to one of claims 1 to 13 disposed in the double hull.

15. Use of a ship (70) according to claim 14 for the loading or unloading of a cold liquid product, in which a cold liquid product is conveyed through insulated pipes (73, 79, 76, 81) from or to a floating or land storage facility (77) to or from the vessel vessel (71).

16. Transfer system for a cold liquid product, the system comprising a ship (70) according to claim 14, insulated pipes (73, 79, 76, 81) arranged to connect the tank (71) installed in the hull. from the ship to a floating or land storage facility (77) and a pump for driving a flow of cold liquid product through the insulated pipelines from or to the floating or land storage facility to or from the vessel vessel.