WO2019012237A1

WO2019012237A1 - Thermally-insulating sealed tank having a curved support strip

Info

Publication number: WO2019012237A1
Application number: PCT/FR2018/051773
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicolas LAURAIN; Guillaume De Combarieu; Julien COUTEAU
Original assignee: Gaztransport Et Technigaz
Priority date: 2017-07-13
Filing date: 2018-07-12
Publication date: 2019-01-17
Also published as: FR3069043A1; KR102521377B1; KR20200023478A; CN111051761B; CN111051761A; FR3069043B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermally-insulating sealed tank incorporated into a carrier structure, together forming an edge, the tank having with two tank walls carried by the carrier structure and connected via a corner structure at the edge, each tank wall having a thermally-insulating barrier forming a support surface intended to receive an impervious membrane, the corner structure of the tank comprising a curved support strip (12) resting on the thermally-insulating barrier of the tank walls, and the corner structure having, in addition, an impervious corner membrane (18) resting on the support strip (12) and sealingly connecting the impervious membrane of the two tank walls, said impervious corner membrane (18) comprising at least one corner expansion bellows arranged to elongate the impervious corner membrane (18) at least in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the carrier structure.

Description

WATERPROOF AND THERMALLY INSULATING TANK

INCURVETED SUPPORT

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to the field of sealed and thermally insulating vessels for storing and / or transporting fluid, such as a cryogenic fluid.

Sealed and thermally insulating tanks are used in particular for the transport and / or storage of various liquefied gases. Liquefied gas is usually stored at atmospheric pressure or under pressure. These tanks can be installed on the ground or on a floating structure.

Technological background

FR-A-2798358, FR-A-2709725 or FR-A-2549575, for example, are known from storage or transport tanks for low-temperature liquefied gases, one or each watertight membrane, in particular a primary waterproof membrane in contact with the product contained in the tank, consists of thin metal sheets which are carried by a thermally insulating barrier. These thin metal sheets are connected together in a sealed manner to ensure the tightness of the tank.

In such tanks, the thermally insulating barrier carrying the waterproof membrane comprises a plurality of anchoring wings developing longitudinally or transversely in the tank. These anchor wings project from an upper surface of the thermally insulating barrier. The waterproof membrane consists of a plurality of strakes with raised edges each arranged longitudinally between two adjacent anchoring wings. Each raised edge of a strake is sealed welded to one of the anchoring wings between which said strake is disposed. Thus, each raised edge of the strakes is with the anchoring wing on which it is anchored a dilatation bellows can deform in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strake. These expansion bellows make it possible to absorb the deformations of the waterproof membrane according to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strakes, for example during a contraction of the sealed membrane related to a temperature change during the insertion of cryogenic liquid in the tank.

However, the expansion bellows can absorb the deformations of the membrane in the only direction perpendicular to said bellows expansion. To take up the stresses exerted by the membrane in a direction parallel to the expansion bellows, the edges of the sealed membranes perpendicular to the expansion bellows are anchored to the supporting structure by means of a rigid angle structure. Such a rigid angle structure comprises rigid anchor plates directly anchored to the supporting structure and passing through the thermally insulating barrier. The edges of the waterproof membrane are anchored to these anchoring plates so that the rigid angle structure can take up the tension of the membrane in a direction perpendicular to the expansion bellows.

However, such a rigid angle structure is complex to achieve and integrate in a tank, in particular, in the context of a tank having two sealed membranes and two superimposed thermally insulating barriers. Indeed, the secondary sealed barrier at the angle of the tank is formed by the rigid angle structure made using rigid plates. The thermally insulating barrier must also be anchored to the supporting structure including the angle structure, imposing a mounting of the thermally insulating barrier on the complex bearing structure.

It is also known from FR2780942 a rigid angle structure disposed at a thermally insulating barrier resting directly on the carrier structure. However, this angle structure in addition to being a complex embodiment can not be used in a simple way in the context of a primary thermally insulating barrier of a double membrane vessel.

There are also sealed and thermally insulating tanks whose waterproof membrane is formed of embossed sheet metal, for example in the form of metal plates having corrugations. Thus, document EP2308064 describes a sealed membrane tank formed of embossed sheets including at the angle of the tank. For this, the device describes an angle structure forming a surface of support for waterproof membrane. However, this angle structure must support the loads present in the angle of the tank and must therefore have a significant structural strength.

summary

An idea underlying a first object of the invention is to provide a sealed and thermally insulating tank simple to achieve and easy to integrate into a supporting structure including at the corners of the tank. In particular, an idea underlying the first object of the invention is to provide a sealed and thermally insulating tank with freedom of design of the corner structure, at the thermally insulating barrier and / or the waterproof membrane. . In addition, an idea underlying the first object of the invention is also to allow a deformation of the sealed membrane in a direction perpendicular to an edge of the carrier structure while providing a waterproof membrane simple to manufacture and integrate into a supporting structure.

According to the first object, the invention provides a sealed and thermally insulating tank integrated in a supporting structure, said support structure comprising a first planar bearing wall and a second planar bearing wall at one edge of the supporting structure,

the vessel having a first vessel wall carried by the first planar bearing wall, a second vessel wall carried by the second planar bearing wall and an angle structure connecting said first and second vessel walls at the edge of the carrier structure, each vessel wall comprising successively from the bearing structure towards the interior of the vessel a thermally insulating barrier and a sealed membrane,

the thermally insulating barrier of each tank wall comprising a plurality of insulating blocks juxtaposed and anchored on the plane bearing wall carrying said tank wall to form a support surface intended to receive the sealed membrane,

the sealed membrane of each vessel wall having a plurality of metal plates anchored to the support surface. According to one embodiment, the angle structure of the vessel comprises a curved support strip whose concavity is turned towards the inside of the tank and developing parallel to the edge of the supporting structure, said support strip comprising a first longitudinal edge resting on the thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall and a second longitudinal edge resting on the thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall so as to form a continuous support surface between the support surface formed by the thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall and the support surface formed by the thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall, the angle structure further comprising a watertight angie membrane resting on the curved and connecting support strip in a sealed manner the sealed membrane of the first tank wall and the sealed membrane of the second wall vane, said angular-tight membrane having at least one angle expansion bellows arranged on the support strip to provide eiongation of the angle-sealing membrane at least in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the supporting structure .

Such a support strip forms a support surface offering a great freedom of realization of the waterproof membrane of angle, said waterproof membrane angle resting directly on its support strip. Thus, it is possible to produce a sealed angle membrane having at least one expansion bellows for absorbing the deformations of the membrane in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the supporting structure.

In addition, this waterproof corner membrane does not require a rigid anchor connection with the carrier structure. In fact, since the support strip is supported on the thermally insulating barriers of the flat walls of the tank, the hydrostatic and dynamic loading in the tank at the level of the angular structure is transmitted by the support band and the thermally insulating barriers of the tank. the tank on which said support strip rests. Thus, it is not necessary to make a complex angle structure such as that known from the prior art to take up the hydrostatic and dynamic load in the tank at the corner structure. Moreover, such a support strip not being directly anchored to the supporting structure does not generate thermal bridges between the waterproof membrane resting on the support strip and the supporting structure.

According to embodiments, such a sealed and thermally insulating tank may comprise one or more of the following characteristics.

According to one embodiment, the thermally insulating barrier of each tank wall comprises a row of end insulating blocks on which slides in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the bearing structure respectively the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge of the support strip.

According to one embodiment, one, several or each said end insulating block of the row of end insulating blocks has a cover panel having a counterbore in which is housed the corresponding longitudinal edge of the support strip.

Thus, the impervious membrane and the impervious corner membrane rest on a continuous support surface formed jointly by the support strip and the support surfaces of the row of end insulating blocks.

According to one embodiment, the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge of the support strip are respectively anchored to the thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall and the second vessel wall.

According to one embodiment, the end of at least one longitudinal edge of the support strip has a recess in a thickness direction of the support strip, the vessel further comprising a retaining plate attached to the support panel. end-insulator block cover comprising the counterbore in which said end of the longitudinal edge of the support strip is housed, said retaining plate being fastened to said cover panel at said counterbore and covering the recess of the end of the supporting strip so that said end of the support strip is interposed between a bottom of the counterbore of the end insulating block and the retaining plate. Thus, the support strip is anchored in a direction perpendicular to the support structure, ensuring a good retention of said support strip on the thermally insulating barrier of the vessel wall. According to one embodiment, one of the retaining plate and the end of the longitudinal edge of the support strip covered by said retaining plate comprises an oblong hole developing perpendicularly to the edge and the other of the plate retaining and the end of the longitudinal edge of its support strip covered by said retaining plate comprises a lug housed in the oblong hole so as to block in displacement along the edge of the carrier structure the support band while allowing movement of the support strip in a direction perpendicular to the supporting structure edge. Thus, the support strip is held in position along the edge of the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, the waterproof corner membrane is anchored to the support strip. Such anchoring allows the maintenance of the waterproof membrane angle on the support strip. Such a maintenance is particularly important in the presence of an overpressure in the thermally insulating barrier, for example during a tightness test of the waterproof membrane consisting of putting the thermally insulating barrier under overpressure. Indeed, the sealed membrane of each tank wall being anchored to the thermally insulating barrier of said tank wall, the sealed diaphragm angle could deform towards the inside of the tank facing such an overpressure in the absence of anchoring the waterproof corner membrane to the support strip.

According to one embodiment, the angular waterproof membrane is anchored to the support strip at one or more points or continuously along an anchor line parallel to the edge of the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, the support strip comprises a plurality of metal anchoring members arranged along an anchoring line, the angle-sealing membrane being welded to said anchoring members in an ad hoc manner along the anchor line.

According to one embodiment, the waterproof corner membrane has a plurality of parallel expansion bellows and the waterproof corner membrane is anchored to an anchor strip separating two successive support strips along the edge between two expansion bellows. of the waterproof corner membrane. Thanks to these characteristics, the anchoring of the waterproof corner membrane on the support strip does not interfere with the elongation work of the expansion bellows of the waterproof corner membrane.

According to one embodiment, the waterproof corner membrane comprises corrugations developing perpendicularly to the edge of the support structure, these corrugations and the expansion bellows of the sealed corner membrane being crossed.

According to one embodiment, the thermally insulating barrier of each tank wall is a primary thermally insulating barrier and the insulating blocks are primary insulating blocks and the impervious membrane of each tank wall is a primary waterproof membrane, the support strip of the corner structure being a primary support strip and the corner waterproof membrane of the corner structure being a primary corner waterproof membrane,

the vessel further comprising a secondary thermally insulating barrier anchored to the carrier structure and a secondary sealed membrane carried by the thermally secondary barrier, the primary insulating blocks being carried by the secondary waterproof membrane and anchored directly or indirectly to the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, the secondary thermally insulating barrier of each cell wall comprises a plurality of secondary insulating blocks juxtaposed and anchored on the carrier structure to form a secondary support surface intended to receive the secondary waterproof membrane,

the secondary waterproof membrane of each vessel wall having a plurality of metal plates anchored to the secondary support surface,

the angle structure of the vessel having a curved secondary support strip whose concavity is turned towards the interior of the vessel and developing parallel to the edge of the carrier structure, said secondary support band having a first longitudinal edge secondary one resting on the secondary thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall and a second secondary longitudinal edge resting on the secondary thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall so as to form a continuous secondary support surface between the secondary support surface formed by the barrier thermally insulating secondary of the first vessel wall and the secondary support surface formed by the thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall, the angle structure further comprising a secondary angle waterproof membrane slidably resting in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the carrier structure on the curved secondary support strip and sealingly connecting the secondary sealed membrane of the first vessel wall and the secondary sealed membrane of the second vessel wall, said secondary-side waterproof membrane having at least one secondary expansion bellows arranged on the secondary support strip to provide eiongation of the secondary waterproof membrane at least in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, the angle structure further comprises a row of primary corner-insulating blocks, one, several or each said primary corner-insulating biocomponent.

a first lateral element having a first lateral face contiguous to a primary end insulating block of the first tank wall and a first bottom face resting on the secondary waterproof membrane, and

a second lateral element comprising a second lateral face contiguous with a primary end insulating bioc of the second tank wall and a second bottom face resting on the secondary waterproof membrane of the second tank wall, said primary corner insulating block further comprising a spacer connecting the first side member and the second side member, said spacer being arranged to provide a gap between the primary corner insulator block and the secondary waterproof membrane, said space accommodating said at least one secondary expansion bellows of the secondary corner membrane.

According to one embodiment, the spacer comprises a bottom plate contiguous with the first bottom face and the second bottom face and inclined with respect to the first bearing wall and the second bearing wall, the first bottom face and the second bottom face of the primary corner insulator block resting on the secondary waterproof membrane being spaced apart from the at least one secondary expansion bellows of the secondary corner waterproof membrane so that said bottom face is remote from said at least one secondary expansion bellows of the secondary corner waterproof membrane.

According to one embodiment, the corner structure further comprises an insulating padding disposed between the lower plate of the spacer and the secondary corner waterproof membrane.

Such insulating corner blocks provide a space to accommodate the expansion bellows or dilatation of the secondary corner waterproof membrane. Thus, such insulating corner blocks offer great freedom of realization of the secondary corner waterproof membrane while ensuring the thermal insulation of the tank at the corner structure.

According to one embodiment, the spacer further comprises a contiguous upper plate of the first lateral face and the second lateral face and inclined with respect to the first bearing wall and the second supporting wall, the corner insulating block comprising in addition an insulating padding resting on the upper plate and having a curved upper surface conforming to the primary support strip, the primary support strip resting on said insulating padding. Thus, the angle structure also allows good thermal insulation. In addition, this insulating padding can participate in the transmission of the hydrostatic and dynamic load undergone by the primary support band if it is rigid.

An idea underlying a second object of the invention is to provide a sealed and thermally insulating tank in which two successive sealed membranes can be made independently of one another in an angle of the tank.

According to the second object, the invention also provides a sealed and thermally insulating tank integrated in a supporting structure, said structure comprising a first planar bearing wall and a second planar bearing wall jointly forming an edge of the supporting structure,

the vessel comprising, from the bearing structure towards the interior of the vessel, a secondary heat-insulating barrier anchored to the carrier structure, a secondary waterproof membrane carried by the secondary thermally insulating barrier, a primary thermally insulating barrier carried by the secondary waterproof membrane and a primary waterproof membrane carried by its primary thermally insulating barrier,

the vessel having a first tank wall carried by the first planar bearing wall and a second tank wall supported by the second planar bearing wall, the primary heat-insulating barrier of each tank wall comprising a plurality of juxtaposed parallel paraplegic insulation blocks, the blocks insulators of the primary thermally insulating barrier having lateral faces developing in a plane intersecting with the corresponding supporting wall,

the primary insulating barrier comprising an insulating corner block, said corner insulating block having a first lateral element and a second lateral element connected by a spacer element, the corner insulating block further comprising an insulating lining arranged between the first lateral element and the second lateral element, the first lateral element comprising a first bottom face and a first lateral face, the first bottom face being parallel to the first bearing wall and resting on the secondary waterproof membrane. Its first lateral face developing from the first bottom face towards the primary waterproof membrane parallel to and contiguous to a side face of an insulating block of the primary thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall, the second lateral element having a second bottom face and a second side face, the second bottom face being parallel to its second bearing wall and resting on the secondary waterproof membrane, its second side face developing from the second bottom face towards its waterproof membrane primary parallel and contiguous to a side face of an insulating block of the primary thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall, the spacer element being arranged between the first lateral element and the second lateral element to maintain at a distance Its first bottom face and the second bottom face,

the insulating corner block further comprising a rear face connecting the first bottom face to the second bottom face and inclined relative to the first bearing wall and the second bearing wall so as to provide a space between said rear face of the corner insulating block and secondary waterproof membrane. Thus, the insulating corner block offers a freedom of construction of the secondary waterproof membrane to the right of the edge of the supporting structure, without requiring that the secondary waterproof membrane is formed of rigid flat plates anchored to the bearing wall at the level of the angle of the tank. In particular, the space between the rear face of the insulating corner block and the secondary waterproof membrane makes it possible to produce expansion bellows including on the secondary waterproof membrane at the edge of the edge of the supporting structure. In addition, such an insulating corner block does not require an anchoring member to be held on the supporting structure, the first and second lateral faces of the corner insulating block each cooperating with a respective lateral face of a block. end insulator of the tank walls to block the insulating block angle on the carrier structure. In addition, the spacer element allows a transmission of the forces between the thermally insulating barriers of the first tank wall and the second tank wall through the insulating block angle, a force applied by one tub wall on the insulating block angle tending to push the insulating block angle to the other wall of the tank.

According to one embodiment, the lateral face of the insulating element against which is contiguous the lateral face of the first or second lateral element of the insulating corner block is continuous or discontinuous. According to one embodiment, said lateral face of the insulating element is formed by lateral pillars, a cover panel, a bottom panel and / or any other element forming a flat surface against which can be contiguous and / or support the first or second lateral element of the corner insulating block.

According to one embodiment, an insulating pad is disposed in said space between said rear face and the secondary waterproof membrane to the right of the edge of the carrier structure.

According to one embodiment, the spacer element comprises at least one rigid rod or a rigid plate mounted on the first lateral element and on the second side member inclined with respect to the first carrier wall and the second carrier wall.

According to one embodiment, its rod of the spacer element is mounted on at least one of the first lateral element and the second lateral element by means of a ball joint. Thanks to these characteristics, the same insulating corner block can be easily adapted to the edges of the supporting structure having distinct angles and facilitate assembly.

According to one embodiment, the spacer element comprises a lower plate connecting the first bottom face to the second bottom face and forming said rear face of the corner insulating block.

According to one embodiment, the spacer element further comprises an upper plate connecting an upper end of the first lateral face and an upper end of the second lateral face, said upper plate being inclined relative to the first bearing wall and to the second supporting wall.

According to one embodiment, the vessel further comprises a rigid insulating member resting on the top plate to form a corner support surface for the primary waterproof membrane. According to one embodiment, the tank further comprises a non-rigid insulating element resting on the upper plate and interposed between said upper plate and the primary waterproof membrane.

According to one embodiment, the spacer element further comprises two end plates each developing in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the supporting structure, said end plates connecting the lateral elements so as to delimit together with the upper plate, the lower plate and its lateral elements an interior void of the insulating block angle, an insulating lining being housed in said interior volume. Thus, the corner insulating block can form a box in which an insulating material can be inserted.

According to one embodiment, at least one of Se first lateral element and the second lateral element comprises a parapelepiped-shaped plate, said parallelepiped-shaped plate forming the corresponding lateral face and bottom face of said lateral element. Such side elements are simple to manufacture and compact. According to one embodiment, at least one of the first lateral element and the second lateral element comprises a first plate and a second plate, the first plate developing in a plane intersecting with the bearing wall and forming the lateral face of said element. side and the second plate developing parallel to said carrier wall and forming the bottom face of said side member. Such lateral elements are simple to manufacture and have important cooperation surfaces with the adjacent elements.

According to one embodiment, at least one of the secondary waterproof membrane and the primary waterproof membrane is formed at the edge of the edge by a corner angle.

According to one embodiment, the tank further comprises a curved support band whose concavity is turned towards the inside of the tank, said support band developing parallel to the edge of the supporting structure, said support band comprising a first longitudinal edge resting on the primary thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall and a second longitudinal edge resting on the primary thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall to form a continuous support surface between a support surface formed by the primary thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall and a support surface formed by the primary thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall, the primary impervious membrane resting on said carrier strip.

According to one embodiment, an upper face of the rigid insulating element opposite to the upper plate of the spacer element is curved, the support strip resting on said upper face of the rigid insulating element.

According to one embodiment, the secondary waterproof membrane comprises a plurality of expansion bellows developing parallel to the edge of the carrier structure, the first bottom face and the second bottom face resting on the secondary waterproof membrane between two bellows of adjacent dilation.

According to one embodiment, the spacer element is arranged at a distance from the at least one of the expansion bellows of the secondary waterproof membrane between which the first bottom face and the second bottom face rest. According to embodiments, a sealed and thermally insulating tank according to the first embodiment and / or the second embodiment may comprise one or more of the following characteristics.

According to one embodiment, the first carrier wall and the second carrier wall form an angle of between 45 ° and 135 °.

According to a preferred embodiment, the first carrier wall and the second carrier wall form an angle of 90 ° or 135 °.

According to one embodiment, its waterproof membrane of each tank wall comprises a plurality of parallel expansion bellows.

According to one embodiment, the expansion bellows of the sealed membrane of the first and second vessel walls are arranged parallel to the edge of the supporting structure.

According to another embodiment, the expansion bellows of the sealed membrane of its first and second vessel walls are arranged perpendicularly to the edge of the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, its waterproof membrane of each vessel wall comprises a plurality of strakes with raised edges juxtaposed, the raised edges of two joined strakes forming a bellows of expansion of the sealed membrane.

According to one embodiment, the sealed corner membrane comprises a plurality of strakes with raised edges juxtaposed, the raised edges of said strakes developing parallel to the edge of the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, the raised edges of two juxtaposed strakes of the angular sealing membrane are welded to each other so as to form a bellows of expansion of the corner membrane.

According to one embodiment, said at least one expansion bellows of the angular waterproof membrane develops parallel or slightly obliquely with respect to the edge of the supporting structure. Slightly oblique means that said at least one expansion bellows develops in an iongitudinaie direction whose angle with the edge of the supporting structure does not exceed 45 °. Such oblique expansion bellows with respect to the edge of the supporting structure thus allow a deformation of the waterproof membrane angle both parallel and perpendicular to the edge of the carrier structure.

According to one embodiment, the waterproof corner membrane comprises at least one metal plate having corrugations. According to one embodiment, said corrugations of the angular waterproof membrane form the bellows or expansion bellows of the sealed diaphragm.

According to one embodiment, the insulating blocks are of parallelepipedal shape.

According to one embodiment, the insulating blocks are boxes filled with non-structural insulating material.

According to one embodiment, the insulating blocks are blocks of rigid insulating foam, for example high density foam.

According to one embodiment, the anchoring of the angular waterproof membrane on the support strip is continuous or discontinuous.

According to one embodiment, only part of the stretches of the angular waterproof membrane is anchored to the support strip.

According to one embodiment, the waterproof corner membrane is anchored to the support strip slidably in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the supporting structure, that is to say in a direction of work of the bellows of dilation of the waterproof membrane of angle.

According to one embodiment, the angular waterproof membrane is anchored to a metal insert separating two successive support strips arranged along the edge of the supporting structure, said metal insert comprising an anchoring strip developing perpendicularly to the the edge of the bearing structure flush with the support strips separated by said metal insert, the metal insert further comprising two flanges disposed on either side of the anchor strip and forming a recess relative to the strip anchoring, the support strips separated by the metal insert being each anchored to a respective rim of the metal insert. According to one embodiment, the waterproof corner membrane is welded to the support strip, for example by means of a lap weld along the anchor line.

According to one embodiment, a padding of insulating material is disposed between the edge of the carrier structure and the support strip.

According to one embodiment, the insulating padding comprises glass wool and / or high density insulating foam.

According to one embodiment, a strake of the sealed membrane of at least one tank wall is carried both by the thermally insulating barrier of said tank wall and by the support strip.

According to one embodiment, the support strip is metallic. According to one embodiment, the support strip is made of nickel-steel alloy, for example Invar or of alloy with a high manganese content.

According to one embodiment, the support strip is made of composite materials.

According to one embodiment, the support strip is resistant to traction so as to take up the hydrostatic and dynamic load in the angle of the tank.

According to one embodiment, the support strip is anchored to the thermally insulating barriers by any suitable means, for example by gluing, screwing, riveting or other.

According to one embodiment, the support strip is anchored to at least one thermally insulating barrier in a direction of thickness of the vessel wall on which said support strip is anchored. According to one embodiment, the support strip is anchored on at least one thermally insulating barrier in a direction parallel to the edge of the supporting structure.

According to one embodiment, a plurality of retaining plates are disposed along the at least one end insulating block on which the support strip rests. According to one embodiment, each retaining plate is developed on the whole of an edge of the end insulating block on which the support strip rests.

According to one embodiment, the support strip is carried by the end blocks of the thermally insulating barriers with freedom of sliding in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the supporting structure.

According to a preferred embodiment, the support strip has a coefficient of expansion less than or equal to the expansion coefficient of the sealed membrane. According to one embodiment, the support strip is made of stainless steel and the waterproof membrane is made of alloy with a high manganese content.

According to one embodiment, the support strip has a thickness greater than 2 mm, for example between 3 and 4 mm, so as to have sufficient rigidity to resume without deformation the hydrostatic and dynamic loads in the angle of the tank.

According to one embodiment, the rigid insulating element is a block of high density foam, for example high density polyurethane foam.

According to one embodiment, the corner insulating element and the support strip are independent of one another and do not cooperate directly together.

According to one embodiment, a tank as described above can be part of an onshore storage facility, for example to store LNG or be installed in a floating structure, coastal or deepwater, including a LNG carrier, 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, Se system comprising the aforementioned 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.

Brief description of the figures

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely for illustrative and not limiting with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a sealed and thermally insulating tank at an angle illustrating the secondary thermally insulating barrier and the support strip resting thereon;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 on which a secondary angle waterproof membrane is added;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, in which a primary thermally insulating barrier resting on the secondary waterproof membrane is illustrated:

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 in which a primary angle waterproof membrane has been added;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the supporting structure of a detail of the vessel wall illustrating the secondary or primary angle waterproof membrane and the secondary or primary support strip;

* Figure 8 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to ^the edge of the supporting structure of a detail of the vessel wall illustrating the cooperation between the sealing membrane secondary or primary angle Sa and waterproof membrane ^angle secondary or primary and co-operation between the secondary or primary support strip and a secondary or primary insulation block;

Figure 7 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the carrier structure illustrating a first embodiment of the detail of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the carrier structure illustrating a second alternative embodiment of the detail of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the carrier structure illustrating a first embodiment of the detail of Figure 5;

Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the alternative embodiment of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a second alternative embodiment of the detail of Figure 5;

Figure 12 is a sectional view of the detail of Figure 11 along the axis V-V;

Figure 13 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the carrier structure illustrating a first embodiment of an anchoring of the support strip on an insulating block;

Figure 14 is a top view of the detail of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a sectional view along the axis XV-XV of Figure 14illustrant a second variant of the anchoring of the support strip on an insulating block;

Fig. 16 is a schematic perspective view of a secondary thermally insulating barrier and a secondary corrugated secondary diaphragm corrugated at a vial angle between two walls of the vessel forming an angle of 135 °; Fig. 17 is a schematic perspective view of the vial angle of Fig. 18 partially showing a primary heat-insulating barrier and a primary waterproof membrane;

FIG. 18 is a schematic perspective view of a first variant embodiment of the angular waterproof membrane;

* Figure 19 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the edge of a second embodiment of the waterproof membrane angle;

FIG. 20 is a schematic perspective view of a primary corner insulator block for use in a vessel wall having an angle of 135 °;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the carrier structure of a primary corner insulating block according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the edge of the carrying structure of a primary corner insulating block according to a third embodiment that can be used in a tank wall having a 90 ° angle. ;

. FIG. 23 is a cutaway schematic representation of a vessel of a LNG carrier and a loading / unloading terminal of this vessel.

Detailed description of embodiments

In the description below, reference is made to a sealed and thermally insulating tank having an internal space intended to be filled with combustible or non-combustible gas. The gas may in particular be a liquefied natural gas

(LNG), that is to say a gas mixture comprising mainly methane and one or more other hydrocarbons, such as ethane, propane, n-butane, i-butane, n-pentane i-pentane, neopentane, and nitrogen in a small proportion. The gas may also be ethane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), i.e. say a mixture of hydrocarbons from petroleum refining consisting essentially of propane and butane.

Such a sealed and thermally insulating tank is integrated into a supporting structure such as, for example, the double hull of an LNG transport vessel. This supporting structure defines a plurality of contiguous bearing walls at the level of edges 1 of the supporting structure. and jointly delimiting an internal space of the double shell for receiving the sealed and thermally insulating vessel. The sealed and thermally insulating tank has a plurality of tank walls each carried by a respective carrier wall. The vessel walls are joined at the edges 1 of the carrier structure. Each tank wall comprises, from the corresponding bearing wall to the inside of the tank, a secondary heat-insulating barrier, a secondary waterproof membrane, a primary heat-insulating barrier and a primary waterproof membrane.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate the edge 1 between a first bearing wall 2 and a second supporting wall 3 together forming a 90 ° angle. In these FIGS. 1 to 4, a first tank wall 4 is carried by the first bearing wall 2 and a second tank wall 5 is carried by the second bearing wall 3.

FIG. 1 illustrates the secondary thermally insulating barriers of the first and second vessel walls 4, 5. These secondary thermally insulating barriers are formed of secondary insulating elements 6 juxtaposed. The secondary insulating elements 6 are anchored to the supporting structure by any appropriate means, for example by gluing and / or by mechanical retaining members. Each of the secondary insulating elements 6 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape having two large faces, or main faces, and four small faces, or side faces. These secondary insulating elements 6 each comprise an upper face forming a secondary support surface 8 for receiving the secondary waterproof membrane. Such secondary insulating elements are for example made in the form of plywood boxes filled with insulating material such as perlite, airgel, silica, glass wool or insulating foam.

The thermally insulating barrier further comprises a secondary angle insulating element 15 similar to the insulating elements 6 and / or which can be integrated into one of them. This secondary angle insulating element 15 is of parallelepipedal shape and extends both the secondary thermally insulating barrier of the first tank wall 4 and the secondary thermally insulating barrier of the second tank wall 5. In other words, the insulating element ^secondary angle 15 has a thickness equal to the thickness of the secondary thermally insulating barrier of the first wall of tank 4 in a direction perpendicular to the first supporting wall 2 and a thickness equal to the thickness of the secondary thermally insulating barrier the second tank wall 5 in a direction perpendicular to the second carrier wall 3. These thicknesses may be equal or different.

The secondary waterproof membrane of the vessel walls can be made in different ways, preferably in metal sheets. Such a secondary waterproof membrane has expansion bellows. These expansion bellows are made in any suitable manner, for example in the form of corrugations of metal sheets or by welding two by two raised edges of the adjacent metal sheets. These expansion bellows can absorb the deformations of the secondary waterproof membrane in a direction perpendicular to the direction of said expansion bellows. By way of example, such secondary insulating elements 6 and / or secondary watertight membranes in membrane tanks may be analogous to the corresponding elements described in the documents W014Q57221, FR2891520 and FR2877638.

An angle structure connects the first vessel wall 4 and the second vessel wall 5 at the edge 1. This corner structure includes a curved and rigid secondary support band 12. The secondary support band 12 develops parallel to the edge 1 and has a concavity turned towards the inside of the tank. The secondary support strip 12 has a first longitudinal edge 13 which develops parallel to the edge 1 and rests on a secondary insulating element 8 located at the end of the first tank wall 4. The secondary support strip 12 also comprises a second longitudinal edge 14 which develops parallel to the edge 1 and rests on a secondary insulating element 6 located at the end of the second tank wall 5. This secondary support band 12 serves to take up the hydrodynamic and static loads undergone over there secondary waterproof membrane at the angle of the tank. For this, the secondary support strip 12 is made of relatively rigid and resistant material.

The secondary support strip 12 can be made in different ways. According to a first embodiment, this support strip 12 is made of a metallic material, for example nickel or manganese steel, and has a thickness greater than 2 mm, for example between 3 and 4 mm thick. According to a second embodiment, the support strip 12 is made of a composite material, namely a mixture of polymer resin and fibrous material. The polymer resin may be a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin. The fibrous material may be carbon fibers, metal fibers, synthetic fibers, glass fibers or other mineral fibers and mixtures thereof. The fibers may be woven or non-woven. For example, a composite material incorporating woven carbon fibers may be selected to achieve good tensile strength at moderate cost. The thickness of the composite material can be chosen as a function of the compressive stresses and thermal expansion stresses to be supported.

The secondary support strip 12 forms a continuous secondary corner support surface 17. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 rests on the secondary corner support surface 17. Such a secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. for example. In order to ensure the tightness of the secondary waterproof membrane, the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 is sealingly connected to the secondary waterproof membrane on the one hand of the first tank wall 4 and on the other hand to the second tank wall 5, as is explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

Since the secondary support strip 12 rests on the thermally insulating barriers of the tank walls 4, 5, the charges taken up by the secondary support strip 12 are transmitted to said thermally insulating barriers without the need for complex structural support to be manufactured in the structure. angle to take back these loads. In order to complete the isolation barrier of the corner structure, secondary insulating padding 18 is inserted between the secondary support strip 12 and the secondary end insulating blocks 6 on which the secondary support strip 12 rests. secondary insulating padding 18 may be made in different ways, for example by means of a rigid block of high-density polyurethane foam conforming on the one hand to the upper surface of the secondary insulating blocks 6 and, on the other hand, the curved shape of the underside of the secondary support strip 12.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and in a similar manner to the secondary thermally insulating barrier, the primary thermally insulating barrier of the first and second vessel walls 4, 5 comprises a plurality of primary insulating elements 22. These primary insulating elements 22 are similar to the secondary insulating elements 6 and are, for example, made of parallelepiped plywood box filled with insulating material. The primary insulating elements 22 may be anchored to the supporting structure in different ways, for example either directly via anchoring members passing through the secondary heat-insulating barrier and the secondary waterproof membrane, or indirectly by being anchored to the secondary waterproof membrane. Similarly, the primary insulating elements 22 of each tank wall form a support surface carrying the primary waterproof membrane of said tank wall.

The corner structure also includes a primary support strip 23 similar to the secondary support strip 12 described above. The primary support strip 23 develops parallel to the edge 1 along said edge 1. This primary support strip 23 is curved with a concavity turned towards the inside of the tank and has a first longitudinal edge 24 resting on a primary insulating element 22 situated at the end of the first tank wall 4 and a second longitudinal edge. 25 based on a primary insulating element 22 located at the end of the second tank wall 5. This primary support strip 23 forms a continuous primary corner support surface 26 on which rests a primary corner waterproof membrane 27.

Unlike the secondary thermally insulating barrier which rests on the supporting structure, the primary thermally insulating barrier rests on the secondary waterproof membrane. However, the secondary waterproof membrane comprises expansion bellows projecting towards the inside of the tank.

In order to accommodate the expansion bellows of the secondary sealed membrane carried by the first and second cell walls 4, 5, the primary insulating elements 22 of the first tank wall 4 and the second tank wall 5 comprise grooves on a lower surface for accommodating said expansion bellows. This grooved solution is simple to perform for the first and second vessel walls 4, 5 due to the parallelepiped nature of the primary insulating elements 22 and the substantially flat appearance, with the exception of the expansion bellows, of the membrane However, this solution is complex to implement for a primary corner insulating element 30 of the corner structure. Indeed, the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 resting on the secondary support strip 12 has a curved shape. Therefore, it is not possible to make a parallelepipedic primary corner insulating block of similar shape to the secondary corner insulating block 15.

In order to maintain a design freedom of the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 while having a primary insulation in the corner structure, the primary corner insulating element 30 includes a first side member 31 and a second side member 32 connected by a spacer 33.

The first lateral element 31 comprises a first lateral face 34 developing perpendicularly to the first bearing wall 2. This first lateral face 34 is contiguous to a lateral face 35 of the primary insulating element 22 situated at the end of the first wall of tank 4 on which the primary support strip 23 rests.

The first lateral element 31 also comprises a first bottom face 36 which rests on a flat portion of the secondary waterproof membrane, preferably between two adjacent expansion bellows. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the secondary waterproof membrane is made from strakes with raised edges 9 and this first bottom face 36 rests on a flat portion of a secondary strake 9 of the first wall of vat 4 sealingly connected to an adjacent secondary corner strake 19 of the waterproof membrane In a non-illustrated embodiment, this first bottom face 38 rests on a flat portion of a secondary corner strake 19 of the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18, i.e. between raised edges 20 of said secondary corner strake 19.

The first lateral element 31 and the second lateral element 32 are symmetrical with respect to a bisector of the angle formed by the first bearing wall 2 and the second supporting wall 3. Thus, the second lateral element 32 has a second lateral face 37 contiguous at one side face 38 of the primary insulating element 22 situated at the end of the second tank wall 5 on which the primary support strip 23 rests and a second bottom face 39 resting on the secondary waterproof membrane between two bellows of adjacent dilation.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the spacer 33 is formed using a bottom plate 40 and a cover plate 41 developing parallel to each other. These bottom plates 40 and cover 41 develop parallel to the edge 1 in respective planes inclined with respect to both the first carrier wall 2 and the second carrier wall 3. The bottom plate 40 connects the first face 36 and the second bottom face 39. The cover plate 41 connects the first lateral face 34 and the second lateral face 37. The spacer 33 further comprises two end plates 42, only one of which is visible in the figures. 3 and 4. These end plates 42 each develop in a plane perpendicular to the respective edge 1. Each end plate 42 interconnects the first side face 34, the first bottom face 36, the bottom plate 40, the second bottom face 39, the second side face 37 and the cover plate 41. In other words, primary corner insulating element 30 is a polyhedral box as illustrated in FIG. 20 and each face of which is formed by a respective plate. In FIGS. 3, 4 and 19, this primary corner insulating element 30 is an extruded form of hexagonal section formed by the end plates 42 in a direction parallel to the edge 1.

Advantageously, an insulating padding is disposed between the first lateral element 31 and the second lateral element 32. Typically, a primary corner insulating element 30 in the form of a box as described above and illustrated Figures 3, 4 and 19 are filled with insulating material such as perlite, glass wool or the like.

Such a primary corner insulator element 30 has many advantages. Indeed, the spacer 33 connecting the bottom faces 36, 39 allows to provide a space 43 between the primary corner insulating block 30 and the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18. This space 43 offers freedom of design of the secondary angle waterproof membrane 18 since the primary corner insulating element 30 rests on the secondary waterproof membrane via the first and second bottom faces 36, 39 which are distant from each other. In addition, the first and second lateral faces 34, 37 are each contiguous to the primary insulating elements 22 end, a charge transmission between the primary thermally insulating barrier of the first tank wall 4 and the primary thermally insulating barrier of the second tank wall 5 via the primary corner insulating element 30 is possible. Finally, the first and second lateral faces 34, 37 developing perpendicular respectively to the first supporting wall 2 and the second supporting wall 3, the primary corner insulating element 30, once installed, is locked in position between the 35,38 side faces of the primary insulating elements 22 end of the tank walls 4, 5. Since then, the primary insulating elements 22 end being anchored, directly or indirectly, on the carrier structure, the insulating element of primary angle 30 is indirectly anchored to the supporting structure without the need for additional anchoring. In a non-illustrated embodiment, displacement locking members may, however, be provided for blocking in displacement parallel to the edge the primary corner insulating element 30 along the edge 1. Such locking members the primary corner insulating element 30 can be made in many ways, for example, cleats for anchoring the primary insulating elements 22 protruding end of said primary insulating elements 22 towards the edge 1 of the side and else of the primary corner insulating element 30 in order to block it in displacement along the edge 1. Such displacement locking members can also be used in a similar way to block the insulation elements in displacement. secondary angle 15, cleats for anchoring the end secondary insulation elements 6 being extended and protruding towards the edge 1 to block the secondary angle insulating elements 15 moving along the edge 1.

A lower insulating pad 44 is disposed between the bottom plate 40 and the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18. This lower insulating pad 44 can be made in many ways, for example by using a flexible insulating material such as of glass wool or low-density polyurethane foam between the expansion bellows 21 and a rigid insulating material, for example high-density polyurethane foam insulation, above the bellows 21. an upper insulating padding 45 is disposed between the cover plate 41 and the primary support strip 23. Such upper padding 45 is for example made using a high density polyurethane foam conforming to the curved shape of the strip primary support 23 and allows a recovery of the loads incurred by the primary support strip 23.

Figures 5 to 15 illustrate details of the embodiment of the sealed and thermally insulating vessel. These details are described below in the context of a secondary thermally insulating barrier and / or a secondary waterproof membrane. However, this description applies by analogy to the primary waterproof membrane.

In FIGS. 5 to 10, the secondary waterproof membrane of the tank walls 4, 5 has a repeated structure alternately comprising, on the one hand, secondary metal sheet strips 9, hereinafter called secondary metal strakes 9, placed on the surface of secondary support 8 and, on the other hand, elongated welding supports 10 connected to the secondary support surface 8 and extending parallel to the secondary strakes 9 over at least a portion of the length of the secondary strakes 9. Sheet metal strips 9 have lateral raised edges 11 disposed and welded against the adjacent solder supports. The metal strakes are, for example, made of Invar®, that is to say an alloy of iron and nickel whose expansion coefficient is typically between 2.10 ⁶ and 2.10 ^-6 K ^~ , or in an alloy of iron with a high manganese content, the coefficient of expansion of which is typically of the order of 7 to 9 × 10 ^-6 K

Furthermore, the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 10 comprises a plurality of sheet metal strips in the form of corner strakes. 19 The raised edges 20 protrude substantially perpendicularly to the secondary support strip 12. The adjacent raised edges of two adjacent secondary corner strakes 19 are welded together by lines of welds 46 parallel to the edge 1. These weld lines 46 are preferably made at the ends of the raised edges 20 opposite the secondary support strip 12. Thus, the raised edges

The two-by-two welded seams form a plurality of secondary expansion bellows 21 extending parallel to the ridge 1. These secondary expansion bellows 21 differ from the expansion bellows formed by the secondary and secondary secondary membranes. tank walls 4, 5 in that they are formed by the direct welding of the raised edges 20, without the need for a welding flange 10. These secondary expansion bellows of angle 21 make it possible to absorb the deformations of the waterproof membrane secondary angle 18 in a direction perpendicular to the edge 1.

In addition, in Figures 5 and 6, the secondary support strip 12 is metallic.

In Fig. 5, a central secondary corner strake 19 is anchored to the secondary support strip 12 along a weld line 47 parallel to the edge 1. Thus, the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 is maintained on the secondary support band 12, even in the presence of an overpressure in the secondary thermally insulating barrier, such an overpressure may for example occur during a tightness test of the secondary waterproof membrane by overpressure of the thermally insulating barrier secondary.

FIG. 6 illustrates the junction between the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 and the secondary waterproof membrane of the first tank wall 4 in the context of a secondary waterproof membrane of the first tank wall 4 having expanding expansion bellows parallel to the edge 1.

A cover panel 7 of the secondary secondary insulating element 6 comprises a countersink 48. This countersink 48 has a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the secondary support strip 12. This countersink 48 is developed over the entire length of the cover panel 7 taken parallel to the edge 1. The first longitudinal edge 13 of the secondary support strip 12 rests on said secondary end insulator element 6 in said counterbore 48. Thus, the corner support surface 17 formed by the secondary support strip 12 is flush with the support surface 8 formed by the cover panel 7 so as to form a surface substantially continuous support for the secondary waterproof membrane.

The secondary end strake 9 of the first tank wall 4 is anchored in a sealed manner by a weld 49 on the secondary corner support surface 17. The raised edge 11 of this end strake 9 is welded sealed by a weld line 50 at the raised edge 20 of an adjacent secondary corner strake 19 so as to form a dilatation bellows adapted to absorb the deformations of the secondary waterproof membrane in a direction perpendicular to the edge 1.

Similarly, the primary corner waterproof membrane 27 may be formed of a plurality of primary corner strakes 28 with raised edges developing parallel to the edge 2. These primary corner strakes 28 have connected raised edges two by two so as to form primary expansion bellows of angle 29.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the sealed connection between the secondary sealed membrane of the first tank wall 4 and the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18.

In this variant, the cover panel 7 of the secondary insulating element 6 of the end of the first tank wall 4 comprises a solder support 10 disposed between the counterbore 48 and a secondary insulating element 6 of the first tank wall 4 adjacent. The secondary secondary strake 9 of the secondary watertight membrane of the first tank wall 4 has a raised edge 11 welded to said weld support 10. Furthermore, the corner strake 19 of the end of the secondary waterproof membrane Angle 18 co-rests on the secondary corner support surface 17 formed by the secondary support strip 12 and on the secondary support surface 8 formed by the secondary end insulating element 8 on which said secondary support strip 12 rests. This end corner strake 19 also has a raised edge 20 welded to the weld support 10. This embodiment has the advantage of forming a bellows of dilation while providing direct anchoring of the secondary corner strake 19 on the secondary support surface 8.

FIG. 8 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the sealed connection between the secondary sealed membrane of the first tank wall 4 and the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 in the case of a secondary sealed membrane of the first tank wall 4 having expansion bellows developing perpendicularly to edge 1.

In this embodiment, the raised edges 1 1 of the secondary strakes 9 are interrupted before the secondary insulating element 6 end so that the end of the secondary strakes 9 resting on the support surface 8 formed by the insulating member Secondary 6 end are flat.

The secondary end insulating element 6 has a housing 51 developing parallel to the edge 1. An anchoring strip 52 metallic developing parallel to the edge 1 is housed in this housing 51. The housing 51 and the strip anchoring each have in a plane perpendicular to the edge 1 an inverted "T" shape. This inverted "T" shape allows the anchoring strip 52 to slide in the housing 51 in a direction parallel to the edge 1 while anchoring the anchoring strip 52 in the housing 51 in one direction. thickness of the secondary thermally insulating barrier. A clearance between the anchoring strip 52 and the housing 51 can further ensure a sliding of the anchoring strip 52 in the housing 51 in a direction perpendicular to the edge 1 and parallel to the first bearing wall 2.

The anchor strip 52 has a planar upper surface 53 flush with the support surface 8 formed by the secondary insulating element 6 end. The flat end of the secondary end strake 9 is anchored sealingly by a weld 54 on the upper surface 53. The end corner strake 19 rests jointly on the secondary support strip 12 and on the surface of the support 8 formed by the secondary insulating element 6 end. However, unlike the embodiments illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, a longitudinal edge 55 opposite the secondary support strip 12 of the end corner strake 19 is flat. This flat longitudinal edge 55 is welded 56 sealingly at the flat end of the secondary strake 9, thus ensuring the sealing connection between the secondary waterproof membrane of the first tank wall 4 and the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18. According to a first manner of performing the sealed seal, the flat end of the secondary end strake 9 is clinched and the solder 57 is not necessary. According to a second way of producing the sealed weld, the flat longitudinal edge 55 is also welded 57 to the upper surface 53 of the anchoring strip 52 in order to ensure anchoring of the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 on the strip. anchorage 52.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the anchoring of the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 on the secondary support strip 12. This variant embodiment differs from that of Figure 5 in that the secondary support strip 12 is not metallic and therefore does not allow direct anchoring by welding of the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 on the secondary support strip 12.

In this alternative embodiment, a plurality of metal fastening rivets 58 are installed on the secondary support strip 12. These fastening rivets 58 are arranged along an anchor line 59 parallel to the edge 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. embodiment illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, the anchor line 59 is substantially centered on the secondary support strip 12 between the first longitudinal edge 13 and the second longitudinal edge 14.

Fastening rivets 58 comprise an upper rivet head 80 forming a flat metal plate. The central secondary corner strake 19 is anchored by means of spot-sealed seals along the anchor line 59 on the heads 60 of the fastening rivets 58.

Figures 1 1 and 12 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18. In this embodiment, the secondary corner waterproof membrane is formed by corrugated metal plates. Such corrugated metal plates are, for example, manufactured in a similar manner to the corrugated plates described in document FR2691520 and used in the context of sealed membranes known as ark-III type membranes of the applicant. The secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 thus comprises expansion bellows 21 in the form of corrugations 81 developing parallel to the edge 1. This embodiment also differs from the embodiments described above in that the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 is anchored on an angle anchoring strip 62. This corner anchoring strip 62 is developed perpendicularly to the edge 1 and separates two successive secondary support strips 12 arranged along the edge 1. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the angle anchoring strip 62 is curved with a concavity turned towards the edge 1. inside the tank. The radius of curvature of the corner anchor strip 62 is substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the secondary support strips 12. This corner anchor strip 62 has an anchor surface 63 flush with the support surfaces. 17 secondary support strips 12 that it separates. In addition, the angle anchoring strip 62 has two recesses 64 disposed on either side of the anchoring surface 63. The two secondary support strips 12 separated by the angle anchoring strip 62 are each welded to one of said recess 64 respectively. The depth of these recesses 64 is equal to the thickness of the secondary support strips 12 so that the support surfaces 17 formed by the secondary support strips 12 are flush with the anchoring surface 63 and together form a continuous support surface for the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18. The secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 is anchored to the anchoring surface 63 between two adjacent corrugations 61.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a first anchoring variant of the secondary support strip 12 on the secondary secondary insulating element 6 of the first tank wall 4.

In this first variant, the counterbore 48 comprises a step 65. This step 65 is disposed between a bottom surface 66 of the counterbore 48 on which rests the first longitudinal edge 13 of the secondary support band 12 and the support surface 8 formed by said secondary insulating element 6 end. The first longitudinal edge 13 further comprises a recess 67 in the thickness of the secondary support strip 12. This recess 67 forms a flat surface that is flush with the step 65.

A retaining plate 68 is anchored in the counterbore 48 on the step 65 by means of a screw, by gluing, riveting or otherwise. This retaining plate 68 develops parallel to the first bearing wall 2 and covers both the step 85 and the recess 67. The retaining plate 68 thus holds the secondary support strip 12 on the cover panel 7, Moreover, this retaining plate 68 is flush with the support surface 8 and thus forms a flat surface substantially continuous between its support surface 17 of the secondary support strip 12 and the support surface 8.

On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the recess 67 of the first longitudinal edge 13 has a plurality of obraceous holes 89. These obingual holes 69 develop perpendicular to the edge 1. The retaining plate 68 comprises a plurality of lugs 70 protruding towards the secondary support strip 12. Each lug 70 is housed in a respective oblong hole 89. Thus, the secondary support strip 12 is blocked in displacement in a direction parallel to the edge 1 by abutting cooperation between the lugs 70 and the walls of the corresponding holes 69. However, the support strip 12 retains a freedom of sliding in the counterbore 48 in a direction perpendicular to the edge 1 by sliding the lugs 70 in the holes obiongs 69.

The retaining plate 68, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 14, develops along the entire length taken along a direction parallel to the edge 1 of the counterbore 48, that is to say along the entire length of the secondary insulating element. However, in a non-illustrated embodiment, a plurality of retaining plates 88 of reduced size in the direction parallel to the edge 1 are anchored along the countersink 48. This plurality of plates retainers 68 thus form point anchorages of the secondary support strip 2 in the counterbore 48. Similarly, in a non-illustrated embodiment, the lugs 70 and the obiect holes 69 are inverted, that is to say that the lugs 70 protrude from the first longitudinal edge 13 and are housed in corresponding holes 69 which are formed on the retaining plate 68.

FIG. 15 illustrates a second variant embodiment of the anchoring of the secondary support strip 12 on the cover panel 7. In this variant, the counterbore 48 does not include a step 65 and the first longitudinal edge 13 of the strip secondary support 12 does not include a recess 67. However, the first longitudinal edge 13 has the obiong holes 69 developing perpendicular to the edge 1. These obiong holes 69 are different from the holes oblongs described above in that they each comprise two internal flanges 71 developing parallel to the edge 1 over the entire length of said oblong hole 69. The anchoring of the secondary support strip 12 is achieved by means of rivets 72 riveted in the counterbore 48 and each passing through a respective oblong hole 69. Each rivet 72 has a rivet head 91 bearing on the inner flanges 71 of the corresponding oblong hole. Thus, the secondary support strip 12 is anchored in the counterbore 48 in a direction perpendicular to the first bearing wall 2 by abutment of the internal flanges 71 on the rivet heads 91. The secondary support strip 12 is also anchored in a parallel direction. at the edge 1 by abutment of the rivets 72 on the inner flanges 71 of the oblong holes 69. However, this anchoring allows a sliding of the secondary support strip 12 in a direction perpendicular to the edge 1 and parallel to the first bearing wall 2 by the freedom of movement of the rivets 72 along the oblong holes 69.

Figures 16 and 17 illustrate a tank angle at an edge 1 formed by two bearing walls having an angle of 135 °.

This configuration differs from that described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 in that the secondary end insulating elements 6 have dimensions smaller than the dimensions of the other secondary insulating elements 6 in a direction perpendicular to the edge 1.

In addition, the insulating angle member 15 has two bottom faces each resting on one of the carrier walls forming the edge 1, two side walls perpendicular to one of said supporting walls and contiguous to a secondary insulating member 6 respective end, and an upper face developing parallel to the edge 1 and symmetrically with respect to a bisector of the angle formed by the carrier walls 2, 3.

Furthermore, the secondary and primary angle membranes 18, 27 are formed from corrugated metal plates as described above with reference to FIG. 11 and whose corrugations 61 develop parallel to the edge 1.

FIG. 18 illustrates a bowl angle having a secondary angle waterproof membrane 18 according to an alternative embodiment. In addition, this figure 18 also illustrates a secondary waterproof membrane of a tank wall having expansion bellows developing perpendicular to the edge 1. In this embodiment, the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 comprises bellows 21 of expansion in the form of undulations 61 developing parallel to the edge 1. This secondary angle waterproof membrane 18 further comprises corrugations 73 developing perpendicularly to the edge 1, These corrugations 73 develop continuously over the entire width of the waterproof membrane secondary angle 18. Each end of the corrugations 73 protrudes from a respective longitudinal edge 13, 14 and is sealingly welded to the secondary waterproof membrane of the corresponding vessel wall to seal the secondary waterproof membrane. . In addition, in order to avoid interference with the expansion bellows of the secondary waterproof membranes of the tank walls 4, 5, the corrugations 73 are arranged along the edge 1 between two adjacent expansion bellows of the secondary waterproof membrane of said tank walls 4, 5. Such corrugations 73 make it possible to absorb the deformations of the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 in a direction parallel to the edge 1,

In a non-illustrated embodiment, the expansion bellows 21 of the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 are slightly oblique with respect to the edge 1. Such oblique expansion bellows 21 can deform so as to absorb the deformations of the secondary angle waterproof membrane 18 both in a direction parallel to the edge 1 and in a direction perpendicular to said edge 1.

FIG. 19 illustrates a detail of a 90 ° bowl angle comprising a variant embodiment of the primary corner waterproof membrane 27. In this variant, the primary corner waterproof membrane 27 is made using a rigid corner angle.

The rigid corner angle comprises two rigid metal flat plates 88 jointly forming a 90 ° angle, each flat plate 88 being welded 89 sealingly to its primary waterproof membrane of a respective tank wall 4, 5. Such a rigid corner angle does not require to rest on a primary support strip 23. Thus, each flat plate 88 is anchored directly on a respective end insulating element 22. This anchoring can be achieved in different ways, for example by screwing, riveting bonding or other.

The corner structure comprises a primary corner insulating element 30 as described above with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 20. However, the upper insulating padding 45 consists of two rigid insulating blocks 90. Each insulating block presents a triangular section of which a first face rests on the cover plate 41, a second face is contiguous to the side face of a respective primary end-terminal block 22, and a third lower face of a respective flat plate 88. These two rigid insulating blocks 90 thus form a flat support surface for the flat plates 88.

Figure 19 also illustrates the space 43 cleared under the lower plate 40 for housing the secondary corner waterproof membrane 18 of curved shape. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the bottom faces 36 and 39 make it possible to accommodate expansion bellows projecting from flat portions of the secondary waterproof membrane in a similar manner to the lower surfaces of the primary insulating elements of the tank walls 4, 5. .

FIGS. 21 and 22 show alternative embodiments of the primary corner insulating element 30. These variant embodiments differ from the primary corner insulating element described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 19 in that the first Lateral element 31 and second lateral element 32 are each formed by a flat parallelepipedal plate 74. The first lateral face 34 and the second lateral face 37 are thus each formed by one of the larger faces of the corresponding plate 74. In addition, the first bottom face 36 and the second bottom face 39 are formed by a face developing in the thickness of the corresponding plate 74.

In a first variant illustrated in Figure 21, the spacer 33 is formed of two rods 75 each developing perpendicular to the edge 1 and inclined relative to the bearing walls forming the edge 1. These rods 75 are anchored to Any suitable manner on the plates 74. For example the plates 74 each comprise a through hole traversed by the rod 75. Each of these orifices has an inner rim on which bears a nut mounted on one end of the rod 75 through said orifice. In a second variant illustrated in Figure 22, the spacer 33 is formed by a single rod 75 developing perpendicular to the edge 1 and inclined relative to the bearing walls forming the edge 1. However, this single rod 75 is fixed on each plate 74 by means of a ball joint 92. This second variant has the advantage of being used for edges 1 having different angles.

The technique described above for producing a sealed and thermally insulating tank can be used in different types of tanks, for example to form an LNG tank in a land installation or in a floating structure such as a LNG tank or other.

Referring to Figure 23, a cutaway view of a LNG tank 78 shows a sealed and insulated tank 77 of generally prismatic shape mounted in the double hull 78 of the ship. The wall of the tank 77 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 78 of the ship, and two insulating barriers arranged respectively between the primary watertight barrier and the secondary watertight barrier and between the secondary watertight barrier and the double hull 78.

In a manner known per se, loading / unloading lines 79 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 77.

FIG. 23 represents an example of a marine terminal including a loading and unloading station 81, an underwater pipe 82 and an onshore installation 83. The loading and unloading station 81 is a fixed off-shore installation comprising an arm mobile 80 and a tower 84 which supports the movable arm 80. The movable arm 80 carries a bundle of insulated flexible pipes 85 that can connect to the loading / unloading pipes 79. The movable arm 80 can be adapted to all gauges of LNG carriers . A connection pipe (not shown) extends inside the tower 84. The loading and unloading station 81 allows the loading and unloading of the tanker 76 to or from shore facility 83. This includes liquefied gas storage tanks 86 and connecting lines 87 connected by underwater pipe 82 to the loading or unloading station 81. Underwater pipe 82 allows the transfer of the liquefied gas between the loading or unloading station 81 and the onshore installation 83 over a large distance, for example 5 km, which makes it possible to keep the LNG ship 76 at a 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 onboard the ship 76 and / or pumps fitted to the shore installation 83 and / or pumps equipping the loading and unloading station 81 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.

Thus, in the description above, reference has been made to individualized elements, but the features described above also apply to a plurality of identical elements repeated in a regular pattern in the vessel. Thus, when a connection between two elements has been described, this connection may for example be applied by analogy to a row of said two elements developing repeatedly in the tank along an edge 1.

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.

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

Claims

1. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel integrated in a supporting structure, said supporting structure comprising a first planar bearing wall (2) and a second intersecting flat bearing wall (3) at a ridge (1) of the supporting structure,

the tank having a first tank wall (4) carried by the first planar bearing wall (2), a second tank wall (5) carried by the second planar carrying wall (3) and an angle structure connecting said first and second tank wall at the edge (1) of the supporting structure, each tank wall comprising successively from the bearing structure towards the inside of the tank a thermally insulating barrier and a sealed membrane,

the thermally insulating barrier of each tank wall comprising a plurality of insulating blocks (6, 22) juxtaposed and anchored on the plane bearing wall carrying said tank wall to form a support surface (8) intended to receive the waterproof membrane,

the sealed membrane of each vessel wall having a plurality of metal plates (9) anchored to the support surface (8),

the angle structure of the vessel comprising a curved support strip (12, 23) whose concavity is turned towards the interior of the vessel and developing parallel to the edge (1) of the carrier structure, said belt of support (12, 23) having a first longitudinal edge (13, 24) resting on the thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall (4) and a second longitudinal edge (14, 24) resting on the thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall (5) to form a continuous support surface between the support surface (8) formed by the thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall (4) and the support surface (8) formed by the barrier thermally insulating of the second vessel wall (5), the angle structure further comprising an angular sealing membrane (18, 27) resting on the curved support strip (12, 23) and sealingly connecting the membrane tight of the first wall of vat (4) and the impervious membrane of the second vat wall (5), said angular sealing membrane (18, 27) having at least one expansion bellows (21, 29, 61) arranged on the support strip (12, 23) to provide an elongation of the angle-sealing membrane (18, 27) at least in a direction perpendicular to the edge (1) of the supporting structure, said at least one expansion bellows (21, 29, 61) of the angle-sealing membrane (18, 27) developing parallel or slightly oblique with respect to the edge (1) of the supporting structure.

2 sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 1, wherein the thermally insulating barrier of each vessel wall comprises a row of end insulating blocks (6, 22) on which slides slidably in a direction perpendicular to the ridge (1) of the supporting structure respectively at least one of the first longitudinal edges (13, 24) and second longitudinal edge (14, 25) of the support strip (12, 23).

3. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 1, wherein an said insulating block (6, 22) end of the row of insulating blocks (6,

22) has a cover panel (7) having a counterbore (48) in which is housed the corresponding longitudinal edge of the support strip (12,

23).

Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first longitudinal edge (13, 24) and the second longitudinal edge (14, 25) of the support strip (12, 23) are anchored. respectively on the thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall (4) and the second vessel wall (5).

Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 3, wherein the end of at least one longitudinal edge (13, 14, 24, 25) of the support strip (12, 23) comprises a recess (67) in a thickness direction of the support strip (12, 23), the bowl further comprising a retaining plate (68) attached to the cover panel (7) of the end insulating block (6, 22) having the counterbore (48) in which is located said end of the longitudinal edge (13, 14, 24, 25) of the support strip (12, 23), said retaining plate (68) being fixed on said cover panel (7) at said countersink (48) and covering the recess (67) of the end of the support strip (12, 23) so that said end of the support strip (12, 23) is interposed between a bottom (66) ) the counterbore (48) of the end insulating block (6, 22) and the retaining plate (68).

A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 5, wherein one of the retaining plate (68) and the end of the longitudinal edge (13, 14, 24, 25) of the support strip (12, 23 ) covered by said retaining plate (88) has an obiong hole (69) developing perpendicular to the edge (1) and the other one of the retaining plate (68) and the end of the longitudinal edge (13, 14). , 24, 25) of the support strip (12, 23) covered by said retaining plate (88) comprises a pin (70) housed in the obiong hole (69) so as to lock in motion along the ridge (1) of the supporting structure the support strip (12, 23) while allowing the displacement of the support strip (12, 23) in a direction perpendicular to the edge (1) of the supporting structure.

7. Watertight and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sealed diaphragm (18, 27) is anchored to the support strip (12, 23).

Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the angular sealing membrane (18, 27) is anchored to the support strip (12, 23) at one or more points or continuously along the an anchor line (47, 59) parallel to the edge (1) of the carrier structure.

9. A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 8, wherein the support strip (12, 23) comprises a plurality of metal anchors (58) arranged along the anchor line (59), the leaktight angle membrane (18, 27) being welded to said anchoring members (58) in a pointwise manner along the anchor line (59),

Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the angular sealing membrane (18, 27) comprises a plurality of parallel expansion bellows (61) and the angular waterproof membrane (18, 27). ) is anchored between two expansion bellows (81) of the angular waterproof membrane (18, 27) on an anchoring strip (62) separating two successive support strips (12, 23) along the edge ( 1).

11. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the sealed diaphragm angle (18, 27) comprises corrugations (73) developing perpendicular to the edge (1) of the structure carrier, these corrugations (73) and the expansion bellows (21, 29, 61) of the sealed diaphragm (18, 27) being crossed.

12. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the thermally insulating barrier of each tank wall is a primary thermally insulating barrier and the insulating blocks are primary insulating blocks (22) and the waterproof membrane each of the tank walls is a primary waterproof membrane, the support strip of the corner structure being a primary support strip (23) and the corner waterproof membrane of the corner structure being a waterproof membrane of angle primary (27),

the tank further comprising a secondary thermally insulating barrier anchored to the carrier structure and a secondary sealed membrane carried by the thermally secondary barrier, the primary insulating blocks (22) being carried by the secondary waterproof membrane and anchored directly or indirectly to the supporting structure .

A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 12, wherein the secondary thermally insulating barrier of each vessel wall comprises a plurality of secondary insulating blocks (6) juxtaposed and anchored to the carrier structure to form a support surface (8). secondary receptacle intended to receive the secondary waterproof membrane,

the secondary waterproof membrane of each vessel wall having a plurality of metal plates (9) anchored to the secondary support surface (8), the vessel angle structure having a curved secondary support band (12) whose concavity is turned towards the inside of the tank and developing parallel to the edge (1) of the carrier structure, said secondary support band (12) having a first secondary longitudinal edge (13) resting on the secondary thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall (4) and a second secondary longitudinal edge (14) resting on the secondary thermally insulating barrier of the second wall of the vessel (5) so as to form a continuous secondary support surface (17) between the surface of secondary support (8) formed by the secondary thermally insulating barrier of the first vessel wall (4) and the secondary support surface (8) formed by the thermally insulating barrier of the second vessel wall (5), the angle structure further comprising a secondary-angle waterproof membrane (18) slidably resting in a direction perpendicular to the ridge (1) of the carrier structure on the secondary support strip (12) curved and sealingly connecting the secondary waterproof membrane of the first tank wall (4) and its secondary waterproof membrane of the second tank wall (5), said secondary corner waterproof membrane (18) comprising at least one secondary expansion bellows (21) arranged on the secondary support band (12) to provide an elongation of the secondary waterproof membrane at least in a direction perpendicular to the edge (1) of the supporting structure .

A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 13, wherein the corner structure further comprises a row of primary corner insulating blocks (30), a said primary corner insulating block (30) having a first element lateral portion (31) having a first lateral face (34) contiguous to a primary end insulating block (22) of the first tank wall (4) and a first bottom face (36) resting on the secondary waterproof membrane, and a second lateral element (32) comprising a second lateral face (37) contiguous to a primary end insulating block (22) of the second tank wall (5) and a second bottom face (39) resting on the waterproof membrane secondary of the second tank wall (5),

the primary corner insulator block (30) further comprising a spacer (33) connecting the first side member (31) and the second side member (32), said spacer (33) being arranged to provide a space (43) between the primary corner insulating block (30) and the secondary waterproof membrane, said space (43) housing said at least one secondary expansion bellows (21) of its secondary corner membrane (18).

15. A sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to claim 14, wherein the spacer (33) comprises a bottom plate (40) contiguous with the first bottom face (38) and the second bottom face (39) and inclined by relative to the first bearing wall (2) and its second supporting wall (3), the first bottom face (36) and the second bottom face (39) of the primary corner insulating block (30) resting on the membrane secondary seal by being at least one secondary expansion bellows (21) of the secondary corner waterproof membrane (18) so that said lower plate (40) is spaced from said at least one secondary expansion bellows (21) of the secondary corner waterproof membrane (18); ).

The sealed and thermally insulating vessel of claim 15, wherein the corner structure further comprises an insulating pad (44) disposed between the bottom plate (40) of the spacer (33) and the corner waterproof membrane. secondary (18).

17. Sealed and thermally insulating vessel according to one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the spacer (33) further comprises a top plate (41) contiguous of the first lateral face (34) and the second lateral face ( 37) and inclined with respect to the first supporting wall (2) and the second supporting wall (3), the corner insulating block (30) further comprising an insulating pad (45) resting on the top plate (41). and having a curved upper surface conforming to the primary support strip (23), the primary support strip (23) resting on said insulating pad (45).

18. Ship (76) for the transport of a cold liquid product, the ship comprising a double hull (78) and a tank (77) according to one of claims 1 to 17 disposed in the double hull.

A method of loading or unloading a vessel (76) according to claim 18, wherein a cold liquid product is conveyed through insulated pipes (79, 85, 81, 87) to or from a floating storage facility or (93) to or from the vessel (76).

20. Transfer system for a cold liquid product, the system comprising a ship (76) according to claim 18, insulated pipes (79, 85, 81, 87) arranged to connect the tank (77) installed in the hull. the vessel to a floating or land storage facility (83) 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.