WO2020245472A1

WO2020245472A1 - Tank arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2020245472A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/068155
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank-Torsten Appel; Jörg BUMANN; Manfred KÜVER
Original assignee: Tge Marine Gas Engineering Gmbh
Priority date: 2019-06-04
Filing date: 2020-06-26
Publication date: 2020-12-10
Also published as: KR20230018293A; CN114127464A; EP3997378A1; DE102019115018A1

Abstract

A tank arrangement for storing and providing liquefied gas, in particular liquefied natural gas (LNG), for a fuel supply system on ships, having a tank, which has a bi-arched (bilobed) or multi-arched (multi-lobed) form, wherein each arch is formed from a portion of a cylindrical pressure vessel, the cylinder axes extend horizontally and parallel to each other and the pressure vessel portions are arranged one above the other, and having a bearing structure for supporting the tank within a ship, having a first bearing, which absorbs vertical forces acting downward and horizontal forces in the direction of the cylinder axes and transverse thereto, at least one second bearing, which is arranged horizontally in the direction of the cylinder axes at a predefined distance to the first bearing and absorbs vertical forces acting downward and horizontal forces transverse to the cylinder axes, and having at least one third bearing, which is arranged at a predefined distance from the first bearing and the second bearing and absorbs at least horizontal forces transverse to the cylinder axes.

Description

Tank arrangement

The invention relates to a tank arrangement for storing and providing liquefied gas, in particular liquefied natural gas (Liquid Natural Gas - LNG), for a fuel supply system on ships. The invention also relates to a ship with such a tank arrangement.

The use of LNG for the propulsion of ocean-going ships is moving more and more to the fore due to the increasing limitation of the permissible pollutant emissions. Various tank concepts are available for storing and providing the LNG in the ship. Some concepts are very flexible with regard to the utilization of the required space, but leave very little scope for the operating parameters, such as B. pressure, temperature, volume. On the other hand, there are concepts that have a high degree of flexibility in operation, but involve significantly poorer use of space, especially if the available horizontal dimensions change over the height of the available space, such as at the bow or stern or in the Area of the hull bottom of a ship.

For example, from DE 10 2005 057 451 A1, US 2019/0078734 A1 and US 2019/0078736 A1 bilobe and multilobe tanks are known, the spaces with constant width and length and height, the height being relatively small compared to the length and width, make good use of it. However, these tanks do not use the entire width available between the side walls of the ship's hull, for example.

Proposals are known from US 2019/0100099 A1 in order to be able to make better use of more complexly shaped spaces. Tanks are proposed which have two flat side walls lying opposite one another, the circumference of which is a polygon or a circle and can thus be adapted to the available space. The opposing side walls are connected with curved surfaces. A grid or network of stiffeners is arranged inside the tank in order to give the tank the necessary compressive strength. This is associated with a high level of material and labor.

From WO 2008/104758 A1, prismatic and vertical cylindrical tanks for transporting, inter alia, LNG are known. It is suggested here that the tank also be supported by lateral support surfaces. surfaces that extend in the direction of thermal movements of the tank.

The object of the present invention is to propose a tank arrangement with which the available spaces can be better utilized.

According to the invention, this object is achieved with a tank arrangement according to claim 1 and with a ship according to claim 11.

By means of the measures according to the invention, spaces, in particular in a ship, can be used in a simple manner for the storage and provision of liquefied gas which could not be used with the previously known tank arrangements. Because, according to the invention, the pressure vessel sections bilobed or multilayered tanks are arranged lying one above the other, narrow, high spaces can be used, for example, both in the ship's longitudinal and transverse direction. This is because the dimensions of a tank according to the invention horizontally across the direction of the cylinder axes are significantly smaller than its dimensions in the direction of the cylinder axes or in the vertical direction. Since the shape of the tank is made up of pressure vessel sections arranged one above the other, it is not necessary to arrange a stiffening grate extending transversely through the interior of the tank to achieve the necessary pressure resistance even with large vertical dimensions, but rather stiffening ribs running along the inner wall are sufficient. This significantly reduces both material and labor costs. With the third support, the positional security of the height-extending tank according to the invention is ensured, for example security against tipping if the tank is supported vertically from below.

The pressure vessel sections are preferably sections of circular cylindrical pressure vessels. This increases the compressive strength solely because of the shape.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least three pressure vessel sections are arranged one above the other. This means that narrow, high rooms can be used optimally.

In a favorable development of the invention, in the case of a bilobed tank, one and, in the case of a multi-plump tank, at least one of the pressure vessel sections in the tion has a different length than the other or the others. The utilization of elongated, narrow high spaces, the length of which changes over the height, is optimized by such a combination of superimposed pressure vessel sections, since the tank arrangement according to the invention can be inserted into this space in such a way that the cylinder axes of the pressure vessel sections coincide with the longitudinal direction of the space and the length of each pressure vessel section can be adapted to the longitudinal extent of the space at the respective height at which it is positioned.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in the case of a bilobed tank, the lower and, in the case of a multi-lobed tank, at least the lowermost pressure vessel section in the cylinder axis direction is shorter than the other or the others in order to follow a narrowed ship structure. With such an embodiment, which is installed in the transverse direction of the ship, spaces in the lower area of the ship's hull, for example, can easily be used for the storage and provision of liquid gas.

Adjacent pressure vessel sections lying one above the other are advantageously connected to one another by means of a bulkhead that is open to gas and liquid. In this way, the entire tank can be pumped empty with just one pump, which is installed in the lowest pressure vessel section.

With the exception of the bulkhead in the connection of the pressure vessel sections, the interior of the tank is preferably free of transverse reinforcements. Because of the bilobed or multilobed design of the tank, such internal reinforcements, such as support grids, are not required, so that a tank according to the invention can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.

In addition to the known types of bearings, fixed and loose bearings, in a preferred development of the invention, a third type of bearing has a bearing surface which runs parallel to the direction of shrinkage of the tank. In this way, the tank can shrink or expand again when the temperature changes, so that corresponding thermal stresses in the tank are avoided.

The tank arrangement preferably has at least one fourth type of bearing which absorbs upwardly acting vertical forces in order to allow the tank to float when the tank is flooded To prevent tank space.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the external dimensions of the tank arrangement are designed for its installation in a standard container compartment of a container ship. In this way, there is no need to provide a separate room with special dimensions in a container ship to accommodate the LNG tank. This considerably simplifies the planning and manufacture of a container ship. With a tank arrangement according to the invention, a standard container department can be used most effectively for the storage of LNG, since the length of the pressure container sections in the direction of the cylinder axis and the diameter of the pressure container sections can easily be adapted to the horizontal length and width of the standard container department and the height of the standard container department by means of of the pressure vessel sections arranged one above the other is also used.

In the case of cylinder axes of the tank arrangement running in the transverse direction of the ship, the lengths of the lower pressure vessel sections can also be easily adapted to the narrowing ship structure in the lower region of the ship's hull in order to also use this space in this way.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ship is a container ship and the tank arrangement is built into a standard container compartment. As already explained above, this makes planning and manufacturing a container ship significantly more cost-effective.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings by way of example. Show it:

1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a tank arrangement according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the tank arrangement from FIG. 1 installed in a ship; FIG. and

3 is an end view of the tank assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2. The embodiment of a tank arrangement 1 according to the invention shown in the figures has a horizontal, three-arched (three-above) tank 100. Each arch is formed from a section 101, 102, 103 of a circular cylindrical pressure vessel. The tank 100 thus has the shape of three parallel, intersecting circular cylinders. "Lying" means that the cylinder axes run horizontally. The pressure vessel sections 101, 102, 103, ie the intersecting circular cylinders, are arranged one above the other.

A so-called dome in which operating and monitoring elements for the tank 100 are located is arranged on the uppermost pressure vessel section 101.

Adjacent pressure vessel sections 101, 102; 102, 103 are each connected to one another by a bulkhead 110 that is open to gas and liquid.

In the tank 100, next to the bulkheads 110, no reinforcements are arranged that run transversely through its interior, for example radial or vertical or horizontal reinforcements. Only on the inside walls of the tank can ribs be arranged, which z. B. extend in the circumferential direction.

The illustrated section of a ship 200 could, for example, be a standard container compartment 201 of a container ship.

The lengths of the two upper pressure vessel sections 101, 102 in the cylinder axis direction are the same. In contrast, the lowermost pressure vessel section 103 has a shorter length, whereby in the illustrated embodiment the lowermost pressure vessel section 103 is arranged centrally under the two upper pressure vessel sections 101, 102 - the shortening is therefore symmetrical at both ends of the lowermost pressure vessel section 103.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the lowermost pressure vessel section 103 is in the area of the ship's keel, i. E. in the lowest area of the ship's hull, where the ship's structure narrows. By shortening the lowermost pressure vessel section 103, the space there can also be used. The two upper pressure vessel sections 101, 102, however, extend over the full length between the ship's side walls.

The tank arrangement 1 rests on two saddle bearings 301; 121, 122, one of which is a festival ger 121 and one is designed as a floating bearing 122. The fixed bearing 121 absorbs vertical forces acting downwards and horizontal forces in the direction of the cylinder axes and across them. The floating bearing 122 is arranged in the cylinder axis direction at a predetermined distance from the fixed bearing 121 and also absorbs vertical forces acting downwards and forces acting horizontally transversely to the cylinder axes. In the cylinder axis direction, the tank arrangement 1 can move freely on the floating bearing 122 and thus freely shrink or expand in the event of temperature changes, so that the tank arrangement 1 is not additionally loaded from this.

The two saddle bearings 121, 122 engage on both sides of the lowermost pressure vessel section 103 on the middle pressure vessel section 102.

In the upper half of the tank arrangement 1, in the illustrated embodiment on the uppermost pressure vessel section 101, further bearings 303, 304 engage on both sides of the tank arrangement 1 opposite each other transversely to the cylinder axis direction via the saddle bearings 121, 122.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the upper pressure vessel section 101 has a bracket 302 there with a sloping lower contact surface and a horizontally extending upper contact surface.

Third bearings 303 with a bearing surface, the inclination of which corresponds to that of the contact surface of console 302, are in contact with the lower, inclined contact surface of consoles 302. The inclination of the bearing surface and the contact surface run parallel to the direction of shrinkage of the tank 100. These third bearings 303 form a safeguard against tilting of the tank 100. Since the inclination is parallel to the direction of shrinkage of the tank 100, it is ensured on the one hand that also with If the contact surfaces of the brackets 302 always bear against the bearing surface, and on the other hand the tank 100 can freely shrink and expand and the tank 100 is therefore not acted upon by corresponding thermal forces.

Fourth bearings 304 rest on the horizontal surfaces of the consoles 302, which form a safeguard against floating of the tank 100, which could occur when the tank space is flooded in the event of a defect on the ship. The third and fourth bearings 303, 304 are also designed as fixed or loose bearings 123, 124 in accordance with the saddle bearing 121, 122 above which they are arranged.

All bearings derive their bearing forces into the ship structure.

Claims

1.

Tank arrangement for the storage and supply of liquefied gas, in particular liquefied natural gas (LNG), for a fuel supply system on ships

a tank (100) which has a two-lobed (bilobe) or multi-lobed (multi-lobe) shape, wherein

- each sheet is formed from a section (101, 102, 103) of a cylindrical pressure vessel,

- the cylinder axes are horizontal and parallel to each other and

- The pressure vessel sections (101, 102, 103) are arranged one above the other, and with a bearing structure (121, 122, 303) for supporting the tank (100) within a ship

a first bearing (121) which absorbs vertical forces acting downwards and horizontal forces in the direction of the cylinder axes and across them,

at least one second bearing (122) which is arranged horizontally in the direction of the cylinder axes at a predetermined distance from the first bearing (121) and which absorbs vertical forces acting downwards and horizontal forces transversely to the cylinder axes, as well as with

at least one third bearing (303) which is arranged at a predetermined vertical distance from the first and second bearings (121, 122) and which absorbs at least horizontal forces transverse to the cylinder axes.

2.

Tank arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pressure vessel sections (101, 102, 103) are sections of circular-cylindrical pressure vessels.

3.

Tank arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least three pressure vessel sections (101, 102, 103) are arranged one above the other.

4th

Tank arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the case of a bilobe tank one and in the case of a multi-lobe tank at least one of the pressure vessel sections (101, 102, 103) has a different length in the cylinder axis direction than the other or the other.

5.

Tank arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that in the case of a bilobed tank the lower and in the case of a multi-lobed tank at least the lower pressure vessel section (103) is shorter in the cylinder axis direction than the other or the others in order to follow a narrowed ship structure.

6th

Tank arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that adjacent pressure vessel sections (101, 102; 102, 103) lying one above the other are connected to one another by means of a bulkhead (110) open to gas and liquid.

7th

Tank arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the tank (100) is free from stiffeners which cross the interior of the tank.

8th.

Tank arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the third bearing (303) has a bearing surface which runs parallel to the direction of shrinkage of the tank (100).

9.

Tank arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized by at least one fourth bearing (304) which absorbs vertical forces acting upwards.

10.

Tank arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the external dimensions of the tank arrangement (1) are designed for its installation in a standard container compartment of a container ship.

11.

Ship with a tank arrangement (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 10.

12.

Ship according to claim 1 1, characterized in that the cylinder axes of the tank arrangement (1) run in the transverse direction of the ship.

13.

Ship according to claim 1 1 or 12, in connection with claim 10, characterized in that the ship (200) is a container ship and the tank arrangement (1) is built into a standard container compartment (201).