Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B25/00—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby
  • B63B25/02—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods
  • B63B25/08—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods fluid
  • B63B25/12—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods fluid closed
  • B63B25/16—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods fluid closed heat-insulated
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
  • F17C13/004—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels for large storage vessels not under pressure
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/24—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/30—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for transfer at sea between ships or between ships and off-shore structures
  • B63B27/34—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for transfer at sea between ships or between ships and off-shore structures using pipe-lines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B73/00—Building or assembling vessels or marine structures, e.g. hulls or offshore platforms
  • B63B73/20—Building or assembling prefabricated vessel modules or parts other than hull blocks, e.g. engine rooms, rudders, propellers, superstructures, berths, holds or tanks
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B73/00—Building or assembling vessels or marine structures, e.g. hulls or offshore platforms
  • B63B73/40—Building or assembling vessels or marine structures, e.g. hulls or offshore platforms characterised by joining methods
  • B63B73/43—Welding, e.g. laser welding
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C3/00—Vessels not under pressure
  • F17C3/02—Vessels not under pressure with provision for thermal insulation
  • F17C3/025—Bulk storage in barges or on ships
  • F17C3/027—Wallpanels for so-called membrane tanks
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B2231/00—Material used for some parts or elements, or for particular purposes
  • B63B2231/02—Metallic materials
  • B63B2231/04—Irons, steels or ferrous alloys
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
  • F17C2201/01—Shape
  • F17C2201/0147—Shape complex
  • F17C2201/0157—Polygonal
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
  • F17C2201/05—Size
  • F17C2201/052—Size large (>1000 m3)
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
  • F17C2203/03—Thermal insulations
  • F17C2203/0304—Thermal insulations by solid means
  • F17C2203/0358—Thermal insulations by solid means in form of panels
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
  • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
  • F17C2203/0634—Materials for walls or layers thereof
  • F17C2203/0636—Metals
  • F17C2203/0639—Steels
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
  • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
  • F17C2203/0634—Materials for walls or layers thereof
  • F17C2203/0636—Metals
  • F17C2203/0639—Steels
  • F17C2203/0643—Stainless steels
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
  • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
  • F17C2203/0634—Materials for walls or layers thereof
  • F17C2203/0636—Metals
  • F17C2203/0648—Alloys or compositions of metals
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
  • F17C2205/03—Fluid connections, filters, valves, closure means or other attachments
  • F17C2205/0302—Fittings, valves, filters, or components in connection with the gas storage device
  • F17C2205/0311—Closure means
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
  • F17C2221/03—Mixtures
  • F17C2221/032—Hydrocarbons
  • F17C2221/033—Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
  • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
  • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
  • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
  • F17C2223/0161—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
  • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
  • F17C2223/033—Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2260/00—Purposes of gas storage and gas handling
  • F17C2260/01—Improving mechanical properties or manufacturing
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2270/00—Applications
  • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
  • F17C2270/0102—Applications for fluid transport or storage on or in the water
  • F17C2270/0105—Ships
  • F17C2270/0107—Wall panels

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of storage facilities for liquefied gas comprising a sealed and thermally insulating tank, with membranes.
• the invention relates to the field of sealed and thermally insulating tanks for the storage and / or transport of liquefied gas at low temperature, such as tanks for the transport of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (also called LPG) exhibiting by example a temperature between -50 ° C and 0 ° C, or for the transport of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at approximately -162 ° C at atmospheric pressure.
• LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas
• LNG Liquefied Natural Gas
• Document FR2991430 describes a storage installation for liquefied gas comprising a sealed and thermally insulating tank integrated into a supporting structure formed by the double hull of a ship. Each wall of the tank includes a secondary thermally insulating barrier, a secondary waterproofing membrane, a primary thermally insulating barrier and a primary waterproofing membrane.
• the tank In an area located at the top of the tank, the tank has a protruding portion in the form of a chimney called a liquid dome.
• the supporting structure In this zone, the supporting structure is locally interrupted so as to delimit a loading / unloading opening intended to be crossed by fluid loading / unloading pipes.
• This loading / unloading opening comprises an insulation or thermally insulating barrier as well as an element forming a primary waterproofing membrane.
• the tank is installed in a structure subjected to very strong mechanical stresses, such as a ship, which bends and twists according to the conditions of its environment, these mechanical stresses being particularly harmful to the structure of the liquid dome extending vertically like a relatively narrow chimney, above the tank filled with liquefied gas.
• the Applicant intends first of all to propose a less expensive liquid dome but capable of withstanding all the stresses to which it is subjected while making it possible to ensure perfect sealing, both physical and thermal, of the extremely cold fluid contained in the tank.
• the present invention relates to a storage installation for liquefied gas comprising a supporting structure and a sealed and thermally insulating tank arranged in the supporting structure, the sealed and thermally insulating tank comprising a main structure formed by a plurality of walls of tank connected to each other and fixed to the supporting structure, the main structure defining an internal storage space, the main structure comprising at least one waterproofing membrane and at least one thermally insulating barrier, the thermally insulating barrier being placed between the waterproofing membrane and supporting structure; the supporting structure comprising a substantially planar upper supporting wall; the waterproofing membrane, the thermally insulating barrier of the main structure and the upper bearing wall being interrupted locally so as to delimit a pipe forming a bearing wall of a chimney extending along a vertical axis to an upper end consisting of a loading / unloading opening intended to be crossed by fluid loading / unloading conduits in which the vessel has a cover disposed in the loading / unloading opening, and in which the cover comprises an upper
• the invention is characterized in that the aforesaid pipe and the upper cover wall are made of an iron-based alloy of a different nature and in that at least one fixing lug, issuing from the upper cover wall , is fixed in a sealed manner, directly or indirectly, to the lower cover wall.
• the Applicant has observed after multiple tests and analyzes that it is possible to have a carbon steel pipe, inexpensive, provided that a particular arrangement is implemented in order to anchor firmly, while benefiting from a certain degree of freedom to absorb thermal expansions, the lower cover wall forming the primary membrane at the level of the opening of the liquid dome.
• the invention allows substantial savings in the production of the liquid dome while ensuring or maintaining a perfect seal against the liquefied gas and excellent mechanical resilience of the latter to any stresses that this zone conventionally undergoes.
• duct is understood to mean the fact that it forms the outer wall of the liquid dome, more precisely the wall of the chimney of the opening in the tank containing the liquefied gas.
• the fixing tab has an L-shaped section and comprises a linear proximal portion coming from the upper cover wall extended by a distal portion extending, at an angle of 90 ° ⁇ 10, from the portion proximal.
• the thermally insulating barrier is a secondary thermally insulating barrier and the sealing membrane successively comprises, from the interior of the tank towards the pipe, a primary sealing membrane and a secondary sealing membrane, a primary thermally insulating barrier being present between the waterproofing membrane primary and secondary waterproofing membrane, and in that the attachment tab is further sealed to the secondary waterproofing membrane.
• the fixing lug is connected in a sealed manner to the lower cover wall, forming the primary membrane of the opening of the liquid dome, but the fixing lug is also connected to the thermal insulation structure and sealing, in this case the secondary sealing membrane.
• the fixing lug is also connected to the thermal insulation structure and sealing, in this case the secondary sealing membrane.
• the attachment of the fixing lug to the secondary sealing membrane is carried out at the level of the distal portion of the fixing lug.
• the fixing of the fixing lug to the secondary sealing membrane is carried out by gluing.
• this fixing is carried out by welding, in particular in the case where the secondary sealing membrane is a metal or an assemblable of metallic materials.
• the attachment of the fixing lug to the secondary waterproofing membrane is carried out by waterproof welding.
• the fixing when the fixing lug is fixed directly to the lower cover wall, the fixing is carried out by welding at the level of the proximal portion of the fixing lug.
• the primary sealing membrane is sealingly attached to the lower cover wall, preferably by welding.
• the fixing lug when the fixing lug is indirectly fixed to the lower cover wall, a fixed connecting piece of sealing the bottom cover wall, the waterproofing membrane and the fixing lug.
• the fixing tab comprises a wing from the proximal portion, extending at an angle of 90 ° ⁇ 10 ° relative to the proximal portion, the connecting piece being attached to the wing of the mounting bracket.
• the pipe is made of carbon steel.
• the pipe is made of an iron-based alloy and comprises, by weight, 0% ⁇ C ⁇ 2.11%.
• the carbon content may be between 0% ⁇ C ⁇ 0.8% and more particularly between 0% ⁇ C ⁇ 0.5% depending on the desired weldability properties.
• this carbon steel can also contain, by weight, 0% ⁇ Mn ⁇ 2%, 0% ⁇ Si ⁇ 0.5%.
• the pipe is made of an iron-based alloy of the type comprises, by weight, 0% ⁇ C ⁇ 0.21%, 0% ⁇ Mn ⁇ 1%, 0% ⁇ Si ⁇ 0, 5%, 0% ⁇ P ⁇ 0.035% and 0% ⁇ S ⁇ 0.035%, the remainder being iron and impurities necessarily resulting from the production.
• the pipe is made of grade A, B, D, AH, DH, EH, FH or E steel according to the IGC code - in English, "International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk ”or International code of rules relating to the construction and equipment of ships transporting liquefied gases in bulk for LNG applications, well known to those skilled in the art.
• the upper cover wall, as well as the fixing lug are made of an iron-based alloy consisting of an austenitic steel comprising, by weight, from 0 ⁇ C ⁇ 0.08%, from 0% ⁇ Mn ⁇ 2%, 0% ⁇ Si ⁇ 0.5%, 0% ⁇ P ⁇ 0.045%, 0% ⁇ S ⁇ 0.030%, 8% ⁇ Ni ⁇ 14%, 16% ⁇ Cr ⁇ 50%, 0% ⁇ N ⁇ 0.02%, optionally 0% ⁇ Mo ⁇ 3% and / or 0% ⁇ Ti ⁇ 0.7%, the remainder being iron and impurities necessarily resulting from the production.
• an iron-based alloy consisting of an austenitic steel comprising, by weight, from 0 ⁇ C ⁇ 0.08%, from 0% ⁇ Mn ⁇ 2%, 0% ⁇ Si ⁇ 0.5%, 0% ⁇ P ⁇ 0.045%, 0% ⁇ S ⁇ 0.030%, 8% ⁇ Ni ⁇ 14%, 16% ⁇ C
• the lower cover wall consists of:
• corrugated metal sheets a plurality of corrugated metal sheets, the corrugated metal sheets being juxtaposed in a repeated pattern and welded together in a sealed manner, the metal sheets being made of stainless steel.
• these corrugated metal sheets can consist of a high manganese steel, the term "stainless steel" comprising such an alloy.
• the lower cover wall may have corrugations like those visible on the primary membrane of the main structure in Figures 3 and 4 intended to allow mechanical strength when the metal constituting the sheets expands due to very cold temperatures in the tank or else the lower cover wall may consist of plates having a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, such as, for example, Invar ® .
• the invention relates to a ship for the transport of a cold liquid product, the ship comprising a double hull and a storage facility as described above arranged in the double hull.
• the invention also relates to a transfer system for a cold liquid product, the system comprising a vessel as described above, insulated pipes arranged so as to connect the tank installed in the hull of the vessel to an external installation floating or terrestrial storage and a pump for driving a flow of cold liquid product through insulated pipelines from or to the external floating or terrestrial storage installation to or from the vessel's tank.
• the present invention relates to a method for loading or unloading a ship as described above, in which a cold liquid product is conveyed through isolated pipes from or to a external floating or terrestrial storage installation to or from the vessel's tank.
• Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of a liquid dome according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a corner portion of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a schematic view illustrating a view from a first angle of the elements of the liquid dome shown in Figure 1.
• Figure 4 is a schematic view illustrating a view from a second angle of the elements of the liquid dome shown in Figure 1.
• Figure 5 is a schematic sectional view of an identical portion of the liquid dome to that of Figure 2, according to another embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 6 is a schematic sectional view of an identical portion of the liquid dome to that of Figure 2, according to yet another embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 7 is a cutaway schematic representation of an LNG vessel storage facility and a loading / unloading terminal of this tank.
• vertical here means extending in the direction of the earth's gravity field.
• horizontal here means extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.
• the supporting structure When the storage facility 1 is positioned on a ship such as an LNG carrier, the supporting structure, not visible in the accompanying figures, is formed by the double hull of the ship.
• the outer upper load-bearing wall 5 is called the outer deck 5 of the ship.
• the tank 71 comprises a main structure formed of a bottom wall (not shown), a ceiling wall and two cofferdam walls, not visible on the attached figures, connecting the bottom wall to the ceiling wall and located at the front and at the rear when the storage installation 1 is located on a ship, two side walls (not shown) and optionally two to four chamfer walls (not shown) connecting the side walls to the bottom wall or to the ceiling wall, not shown in the accompanying figures.
• the walls of the tank 71 are thus connected to each other so as to form a polyhedral structure and to define an internal storage space 9.
• the storage installation 1 comprises a loading / unloading opening 10 locally interrupting the upper outer bearing wall 5, the upper inner bearing wall and the ceiling wall of the tank 71 so as to allow in particular loading / unloading pipes, not shown in the appended figures, to reach the bottom of tank 71 by passing through this opening 10.
• the storage installation 1 also includes a loading / unloading tower, not visible in the accompanying figures, located to the right of the opening 10 and inside the tank 71 forming a support structure for the pipes loading / unloading over the entire height of the tank 71 as well as for the pumps (not shown).
• a loading / unloading tower located to the right of the opening 10 and inside the tank 71 forming a support structure for the pipes loading / unloading over the entire height of the tank 71 as well as for the pumps (not shown).
• the storage installation 1 comprises a cover 12 arranged in the loading / unloading opening 10 in order to close the internal storage space at the level of said opening 10.
• the cover 12 comprises orifices allowing the loading / unloading lines to pass through the cover 12.
• the tank 71 comprises a chimney 15 located on the main structure at the level of the opening and allowing the tank walls to extend continuously from the internal bridge to the external bridge 5 at the level where these are interrupted by the loading / unloading opening 10.
• a chimney 15 provided with said cover 12 is called: the liquid dome.
• the loading / unloading opening 10 as well as the chimney 15 conventionally has a rectangular outline.
• the chimney 15 thus comprises four walls, one being the extension of the rear cofferdam wall 8, as visible in Figure 1, while the other three are connected to the ceiling wall form an angle of 90 ° therewith.
• the cover 12 is located at the level of the external bridge 5, that is to say to close or enclose the chimney 15.
• the tank 71 is a tank 71 with membranes for storing liquefied gas.
• the main structure of the tank 71 comprises a multilayer structure comprising, from the outside inwards, a secondary thermally insulating barrier 16 comprising insulating elements, resting against the supporting structure, a secondary waterproofing membrane 17 resting against the barrier.
• secondary thermally insulating 16 comprising insulating elements, resting against the supporting structure, a secondary waterproofing membrane 17 resting against the barrier.
• secondary thermally insulating 16 comprising insulating elements, resting against the supporting structure, a secondary waterproofing membrane 17 resting against the barrier.
• secondary thermally insulating 16 comprising insulating elements, resting against the supporting structure
• a secondary waterproofing membrane 17 resting against the barrier.
• the main structure of the tank 71 is conducted using the technology Mark III ®, which is described especially in document FR-A-2691520.
• the secondary thermally insulating barrier 16, the primary thermally insulating barrier and the secondary waterproofing membrane 17 essentially consist of panels juxtaposed on the supporting structure, which can be the internal supporting structure or the structure. connecting the upper internal load-bearing wall to the upper external load-bearing wall 5 at the level of the opening 10.
• the secondary waterproofing membrane 17 is formed of a composite material comprising an aluminum foil sandwiched between two sheets of fabric. fiberglass.
• the primary waterproofing membrane 19 is for its part obtained by assembling a plurality of metal plates, welded to each other along their edges, and comprising corrugations extending in two perpendicular directions.
• the metal plates are, for example, made of stainless steel or aluminum sheets, shaped by bending or by stamping.
• the primary waterproofing membrane 19 is particularly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. Other details of such a corrugated metal membrane are described in particular in FR-A-2861060.
• the secondary sealing membrane 17 is fixed at its upper end to the fixing lug 50, more precisely at the level of the distal portion 51 of the latter 50.
• the connection between the fixing lug 50 and the secondary membrane 17 is advantageously produced by sealed bonding, optionally by welding.
• the cover 12 also comprises a multilayer structure comprising, from the outside inwards, an upper cover wall 23, a lower cover wall 22 and a thermal insulation structure 24 located between the lower cover wall. 22 and the top cover wall 23.
• the cover 12 also includes stiffeners 25 located on the top cover wall 23.
• the cover 12 is arranged in the loading / unloading opening 10 so that the upper cover wall 23 is placed in the plane of the upper outer bearing wall 5 or outer bridge 5. Thus, here the installation of storage 1 does not have a dome seat and the cover 12 does not protrude above the outer deck 5.
• the upper wall of the cover 23 is fixed in a sealed manner to the outer bridge 5 all around the opening 10 so that at the level of the cover 12, it is the upper wall of the cover 23 which acts as a membrane. secondary seal 17.
• the upper cover wall 23 is produced using a metallic material, for example stainless steel.
• the lower cover wall 22 is sealed to the primary sealing membrane 19 of the main structure, here the chimney 15, using a connecting piece 26.
• the connecting piece 26 is described in more detail in Figures 2 to 5 according to the various embodiments of the invention.
• the lower cover wall 22 is also sealed in particular to the loading / unloading pipes.
• the thermal insulation structure 24 of the cover 12 comprises a plurality of insulating elements juxtaposed to each other which may be of similar or different constitution.
• the insulating elements located at the right of the lower cover wall 22 and of the connecting piece 26 are structural insulating elements while the insulating elements located on the periphery of the thermal insulating structure 24 are non-structural insulating elements.
• the structural insulating elements may consist of high density polymer foam blocks optionally reinforced with fibers or plywood or composite boxes filled with insulating padding such as glass wool or perlite.
• the non-structural insulating elements can be low density polymer foam blocks or glass wool.
• the fixing tab 50 comes from the upper cover wall 23 and extends vertically comprising a vertical proximal portion 51 and a distal portion 52 extending horizontally or forming a hook in the form of C.
• fixing 50 is therefore advantageously made of a material identical to that of the upper cover wall 23.
• This fixing lug 50 is therefore made of a metallic material, typically an iron-based alloy, exhibiting better mechanical strength when the ambient temperature is substantially less than 0 ° C, or even less than or equal to -40 ° C.
• the upper cover wall 23 as well as this fixing lug 50 may consist of a stainless steel of the 300 series authorized by the IGC code.
• the bracket 50 consists of an austenitic steel according to the ASTM A240 standard.
• the present invention resides in the first place in the fact that the pipe 30 forming the chimney 15 of the liquid dome is made, thanks to the presence of the fixing lug 50, in a so-called carbon steel, in particular consisting of a grade A, B, D, AH, DH, EH, FH, or E steel according to ASTM A131.
• carbon steel in particular consisting of a grade A, B, D, AH, DH, EH, FH, or E steel according to ASTM A131.
• Such steel grades are less resistant or resilient when the ambient temperature drops significantly below 0 ° C, which is a probable or even certain risk in a liquefied gas tank, but these steels are significantly less expensive than stainless steels.
• the essential aspect of the present invention lies in the connection and fixing of the lower cover wall 22 with the fixing lug 50.
• this fixing lug is offset with respect to the pipe 30 of the chimney 15 of the liquid dome at least several centimeters, that is to say from five to thirty-five centimeters from the pipe, preferably from a distance of between fifteen and twenty-five centimeters.
• Such an offset of the fixing lug 50 relative to the pipe 50 results in a flexible fixing of the lower cover wall 22 so that the assembly can easily withstand significant mechanical stresses, it being noted that the zone of the chimney 15 of the liquid dome, by virtue of its dimensions much smaller or narrower than the tank 71 and of its vertical position, concentrates high mechanical stresses and tensions when the structure which houses the tank 71 consists of a vessel.
• the offset of the fixing lug 50 relative to the pipe 30 makes it possible to reduce the use of structural thermal insulation 40, which is more expensive and difficult to arrange than other thermal insulation. non-structural 41.
• the number of structural thermal insulation 40 can be slightly reduced compared to a conventional liquid dome, without the fixing bracket 50.
• a second aspect of the present invention lies in the fact that the fixing lug can be connected directly or indirectly to the lower cover wall 22.
• a connecting piece 26 can be used, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, while when the attachment is direct, one embodiment is shown in Figure 6.
• the connecting piece 26 comprises a first wing 27 sealingly welded to the primary waterproofing membrane 19 of the main structure, a second wing 28 connected to the first wing 27 and sealed to the bottom wall of cover 22, all around the lower cover wall 22, and a third wing 29 connected to a wing 53 extending horizontally from the proximal portion 51.
• the wing 53 comes from the fixing lug 50 and advantageously made of an identical material to these portions 51, 52.
• FIGS 3 and 4 show additional, non-essential elements of the liquid dome according to the invention.
• the corrugations 60 present on the primary membrane 19 of the main structure of the tank 71. These corrugations 60 allow the primary membrane 19 to withstand the thermal expansions of the latter 19 when the tank 71 is filled with a liquefied gas, exhibiting a very low temperature, well below 0 ° C.
• the distal portion 52 here has a C-shaped section, inverted, so that a part of this distal portion 52 is fixed by welding to the secondary membrane 17 while another part of this distal portion 52 is in contact with the secondary thermally insulating barrier 16 and limits the space of the latter 16 in the chimney 15.
• the wing 53 of the fixing lug 50 extends horizontally, that is to say at an angle of 90 ° ⁇ 10 ° relative to the proximal portion 51, so as to approach the connecting piece 26 or directly the lower wall of the cover 22, the latter embodiment - in which there is no connecting piece 26 but a wing 53 protruding from the proximal portion 51 - not being visible on the appended figures but capable of being considered in the context of the present invention.
• FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the essential difference lies in the absence of the wing 53 coming from the proximal portion 51.
• the wing 29 of the connecting piece 26 extends until it comes into abutment with the proximal portion 51 of the fixing lug 50.
• This wing 29 of the connecting piece 26 is, like the other embodiments, fixed by sealed welding to the proximal portion 51 of the fixing lug 50.
• the wing 29 of the connecting piece 26 is much longer than in the other embodiments, typically the wing 29 here has a length of at least fifteen centimeters, preferably about twenty centimeters.
• FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which there is no connecting piece 26 so that the fixing between the fixing lug 50 and the lower wall of the cover 22 is called "direct".
• the wing 53 of the fixing lug 50 extends until it meets and fixes the lower wall of the cover 22 or else, as shown in FIG. 6, the lower wall of the cover 22 s 'extends until it comes to a stop with the fixing lug 50.
• the fixing between the fixing lug 50 and the lower cover wall 22 is produced in a sealed manner, preferably produced by welding.
• the primary membrane 19 of the main structure has at its end a flat 19 ', that is to say an L-shaped end portion, coming to bear or in abutment with the lower wall of the cover 22 so that the connection by welding between the lower wall of the cover 22 and the primary membrane 19 is perfectly sealed.
• a flat 19 ' that is to say an L-shaped end portion
• FIG. 7 represents an example of a maritime terminal comprising a loading and unloading station 75, an underwater pipe 76 and an onshore installation 77.
• the loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed off-shore installation comprising a movable arm 74 and a tower 78 which supports the movable arm 74.
• the movable arm 74 carries a bundle of insulated flexible pipes 79 which can be connected to the loading / unloading pipes 73.
• the movable arm 74 can be swiveled and adapts to all types of LNG carrier templates.
• a connecting pipe (not shown) extends inside the tower 78.
• the loading and unloading station 75 allows the loading and unloading of the LNG carrier 70 from or to the onshore installation 77.
• the latter comprises liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and connecting pipes 81 connected by the underwater pipe 76 to the loading or unloading station 75.
• the underwater pipe 76 allows the transfer of the liquefied gas between the loading or unloading station 75 and the installation on land 77 over a great distance, for example 5 km, which makes it possible to keep the LNG carrier 70 at a great distance from the coast during loading and unloading operations.
• pumps on board the ship 70 and / or pumps fitted to the shore installation 77 and / or pumps fitted to the loading and unloading station are used. 75.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
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• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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Citations (4)

• 2020
  • 2020-05-20 FR FR2005161A patent/FR3110667B1/fr active Active
• 2021
  • 2021-05-19 KR KR1020227042855A patent/KR20230008186A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2021-05-19 WO PCT/EP2021/063266 patent/WO2021233986A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2021-05-19 CN CN202180036951.2A patent/CN115698580A/zh active Pending
  • 2021-05-19 JP JP2022570605A patent/JP2023526089A/ja active Pending

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