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EP-4158239-B1 - VACUUM PANEL

EP4158239B1EP 4158239 B1EP4158239 B1EP 4158239B1EP-4158239-B1

Inventors

  • FOSS, STEIN
  • ØIEN, Sverre
  • ANDERSEN, AAGE BJORN
  • PAULSEN, Terje

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210527

Claims (15)

  1. A modular insulation arrangement comprising one or more tessellating insulation units, each unit comprising a first inwardly facing layer and a second outwardly facing layer spaced from the first layer, the two layers defining a space therebetween and one or more spacing members extending between the first and second layers, and wherein the surfaces defining the first layer, the second layer and the outer perimeter extending around the arrangement are air impermeable surfaces, wherein the spacing member(s) is/are in the form of a plurality of columns extending between the first and second layers, wherein each column comprises an aperture allowing air to enter and leave the volume within the column, wherein the perimeter of the or each tessellating unit comprises a connection surface for abutment with an adjacent tessellating unit, wherein the connection surface provides a continuous contact between adjacent units along the surface when adjacent units are brought together, wherein the connection surface is in the form of a radially extending rim extending from the perimeter of the unit, and wherein the air impermeable surface defining the outer perimeter of the arrangement is formed of a first portion coupled to the first layer and a second portion coupled to the second layer and further comprising a third portion coupled to the first and second portions.
  2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the space between the first and second layers and the surface defining the outer perimeter of the arrangement defines an internal volume to the arrangement and wherein the spacing members are arranged in use to resist atmospheric pressure acting on the surfaces when the internal volume is evacuated of air.
  3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the arrangement comprises a valve in fluid communication with the internal volume, the valve arranged in use to allow air to be evacuated from the internal volume.
  4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third portion has a lower thermal conductivity coefficient than the first and or second portions.
  5. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the spacing member(s) is/are formed all or in part from a material selected from wood, plywood, wood composites, bamboo, cardboard, polyurethane, PEEK, PTFEE or stainless-steel.
  6. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the spacing member(s) is/are formed of a first portion extending from the first surface and a second portion extending from the second surface and an intermediate portion connecting the first portion to the second portion of the spacing member, optionally wherein: the intermediate portion has a lower thermal conductivity coefficient than the first and or second portions, and optionally: wherein the first portion and second portion of the spacing element are formed of aluminium or an alloy thereof and wherein the intermediate portion is formed from a material selected from the list of aluminium, aluminium alloy, stainless-steel, rubber, POM, PTFE or PEEK.
  7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each unit comprises a first radially extending rim on the inwardly facing surface of the unit and a second radially extending rim on the outwardly facing surface of the unit.
  8. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the tessellating insulation units have a shape selected from triangle, square, rectangular, hexagonal or tessellating polygon.
  9. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tessellating insulation units are hexagonal, and the one or more spacing elements are hexagonal in cross-section, and optionally wherein the spacing element is in the form of a single matrix of hexagonal columns.
  10. An insulation system comprising a plurality of modular insulation arrangements as claimed in any preceding claim and wherein multiple modular insulating arrangements are in gaseous communication with one another such that evacuation of one arrangement causes air to be drawn from other arrangements, optionally wherein adjacent modular insulation arrangements are welded together along a perimeter of each arrangement, optionally further comprising one or more air pumps in gaseous communication with one or more insulation arrangements and arranged in use to draw air from the or each arrangement, and optionally further comprising A a pressure detector arranged in use to monitor the pressure within the or each arrangement and further comprising a control arrangement arranged to activate an air pump in response to the detected pressure; And/Or B a temperature sensor arranged in use to monitor the temperature within the or each arrangement and further comprising a control arrangement arranged to activate an air pump in response to the detected temperature.
  11. A cryogenic containment tank comprising an outer insulation layer formed of a modular insulation arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 or insulation system as claimed in claim 10.
  12. An ocean-going ship comprising a cryogenic containment tank as claimed in claim 11.
  13. A method of insulating a cryogenic containment tank comprising a modular arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, the method comprising the step of evacuating the space within one or more modular arrangements, and optionally: wherein the vacuum is intermittently measured, and further evacuation carried out to maintain the vacuum.
  14. A liquefied gas transport arrangement comprising a tank for containing a liquefied gas and an insulation layer surrounding the outer surface of the tank, wherein the insulation layer comprises the modular insulation arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 9, optionally wherein the insulation layer surrounding the tank is divided into separate insulating sections and wherein the separate insulating sections are arranged in use to abut one another to envelope the tank, and optionally: wherein the modular insulation arrangement comprises a support structure configured to contain the one or more tessellating insulation units and wherein the support structure is arranged in use to be coupled to adjacent and corresponding support structures to form an array of individual liquefied transport arrangements.
  15. A shipping insulation system comprising one or more tessellating insulation units as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, arranged against or proximate to a cargo containing tank of the ship and defining a primary insulation layer the system comprising a second insulation layer, spaced from said first layer, and defining a space therebetween, optionally wherein the second layer is also a plurality of tessellating insulations units or a layer or polyurethane, and optionally wherein a gap or cavity between the one or more tessellating insulation units and the cargo containing tank of the ship is filled with a gas selected from helium or hydrogen or is a vacuum.

Description

Background The present invention relates to an insulation arrangement for insulating low temperature containment tanks. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to the storage and transportation (and consumption in the case of fuel) of cryogenic liquids such as liquefied hydrogen and liquefied natural gas (LNG), either as cargo or as fuel. Transporting such liquefied gases allows for large volumes of gas to be transported in a single journey which reduces pollution and increases transport efficiencies. In order to transport such liquified gases, an extremely low temperature must be maintained during the journey of the ship. Maintaining the gases in liquid condition at these low temperatures is achieved by applying thermal insulation of the tanks used to contain the liquefied gases. This is generally in the form of one or more layers of an insulating material such as polyurethane foam which may be sprayed onto the tank surface or mounted in the form of prefabricated panels often including the use of plywood and which prevents the surrounding heat from reaching the cargo tanks and heating the liquefied gas. Such systems have been successfully used in a variety of gas carrying ships which have been able to safely transport liquefied gases around the world. However, the inventors have devised a new arrangement that allows liquefied gases at extremely low temperatures to be contained and insulated from the surrounding conditions more efficiently than existing methods. More specifically, an invention described herein allows for the insulation of cargo tanks or fuel tanks at temperatures close to absolute zero i.e. lower than -250 degrees C. Advantageously such a system allows gases such as hydrogen or methane to be contained and maintained in a liquid state. Combustion of hydrogen only creates water as a waste product and so the ability to contain and use such a fuel provides significant environmental and efficiency advantages. It also allows ship and fleet operators to comply with ever more stringent environmental regulations that may apply to the shipping industry in the future. Other advantages are described herein. US 3990202A relates to an 'Insulating wall unit'. Summary of the invention: The scope of protection relates to a modular insulation arrangement in accordance with independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the rest of the claims. Viewed from a first aspect a modular insulation can be arranged comprising one or more tessellating insulation units, each unit comprising a first inwardly facing layer and a second outwardly facing layer spaced from the first layer, the two layers defining a space therebetween and one or more spacing members extending between the first and second layers, and wherein the surfaces defining the first layer, the second layer and the outer perimeter extending around the arrangement are air impermeable surfaces. Thus, according to the disclosure a modular insulation system or arrangement is provided which allows a range of tank geometries to be insulated. The space between the layers may be evacuated of air to create a full or near full vacuum which provides enhanced insulation properties and prevents heat from the outside ambient environment being communicated to the tank and thus to the contents of the tank. The invention relates to insulation in conjunction with the containment and/ or carriage of liquefied gas such as LNG, Hydrogen and any other relevant gases. Gases are liquefied typically by reducing temperatures to extreme levels. Such conditions require insulation to avoid vaporisation. Furthermore, reflecting on consequences including those related to safety following potential leakage of liquefied gas from tanks, a barrier may be required to safeguard its immediate environment. Depending upon requirements by operations and/ or by regulation, insulation systems may be designed to provide both as a temperature control device as well as a barrier, a second barrier assuming the tank itself represents a first barrier. This invention may be used in applications where it will fulfil one or both requirements. The invention may be applied for insulating cryogenic tanks to minimise thermal leakage and vaporisation. Such tanks may be tanks for the storage or transportation of gas as cargo as well as for fuel. The innovation may be used for different tank types, e.g. IMO type A tank, IMO type B tank, IMO type C tank, prismatic tanks, tanks arranged in a vessels structure integrated or stand-alone, tanks arranged in a stand-alone skid structure such as an ISO container or arranged in any other way. It may be applied onto the tank, in immediately vicinity of the tank or it may be applied to insulate a room or hold in which the tank is situated. Furthermore, the invention may be arranged so that it will fulfil the purpose of insulation and in addition provide as secondary barrier by securing containment and sufficiently low temperatures, secu