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KR-102963386-B1 - Tank wall for fluid-tight and thermally insulating tank

KR102963386B1KR 102963386 B1KR102963386 B1KR 102963386B1KR-102963386-B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tank wall for a fluid-sealed and insulated tank for the storage of liquefied gas, wherein the tank wall comprises at least one insulating barrier and at least one sealing membrane, wherein the insulating barrier comprises a plurality of insulating panels arranged in parallel with each other, wherein each insulating panel comprises a supporting upper sheet, wherein the supporting upper sheets of the insulating barrier form a supporting surface, wherein the sealing membrane comprises a plurality of strakes, wherein the supporting upper sheet comprises a groove, wherein the tank wall comprises a plurality of metal weld supports, wherein each of the metal weld supports (15) comprises a base retained within the grooves and a branch protruding above the supporting surface between two raised edges of two adjacent strakes, wherein each of the two raised edges is welded to a weld support (15) inserted between the raised edges, and each weld support (15) comprises a main part (32) and at least one weld support It includes an end portion (33), the main portion (32) includes a main base, and at least one weld support end portion (33) includes an end base, the end base is spaced apart from the main base, and a groove in the weld support end portion (33) includes an attachment, the attachment is configured to hold the end base within the groove.

Inventors

  • 헤리 미카엘
  • 로랭 니콜라
  • 사씨 모하메드

Assignees

  • 가즈트랑스포르 에 떼끄니가즈

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20210609
Priority Date
20200609

Claims (20)

  1. As a tank wall (101) for a fluid-sealed and insulated tank (71) for storing liquefied gas, The tank wall (101) comprises at least one sealing membrane (103, 105) and at least one insulation barrier (102, 104) intended to be disposed between the sealing membrane (103, 105) and the support structure (1), the insulation barrier (102, 104) comprises a plurality of insulation panels (2, 10, 30, 31) juxtaposed to form at least one row (29) extending in the longitudinal direction, the row (29) comprises main insulation panels (30) and at least one end insulation panel (31), each insulation panel (2, 10, 30, 31) comprises a supporting top sheet (6), the supporting top sheets (6) of the insulation barrier (102, 104) form a supporting surface (11), and the sealing membrane (103, 105) comprises a plurality The strakes (21) are a profiled piece comprising a flat middle portion (22) that extends longitudinally and whose cross section rests on the support surface (11), and at least one raised side edge (23) that protrudes from the support surface (11), and the strakes (21) are arranged parallel to each other on the insulation barriers (102, 104). The above-mentioned upper support sheet (6) includes grooves (12) that extend in the longitudinal and thickness directions, and the grooves of the rows (29) of the insulation panels are aligned in the longitudinal direction. The tank wall (101) comprises a metal weld support (15) supported by the insulation barriers (102, 104), and the metal weld support (15) comprises a main portion (32) located within the grooves of the main insulation panels (30) of the column (29) and at least one metal weld support end (33) located within the groove (12) of the at least one end insulation panel (31). The metal weld support (15) comprises a branch (18) extending longitudinally along the main portion (32) and the metal weld support end (33), the branch (18) protrudes over the support surface (11) between two raised edges (23) of two adjacent strakes (21), each of the two raised edges (23) being welded to the branch (18) of the metal weld support (15) by a fluid-sealed longitudinal weld (28). The main part (32) comprises a main base (16) connected to the branch (18) and retained within the grooves of the main insulation panels (30), and the metal weld support end (33) comprises an end base (17) retained within the groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31), and the end base (17) is adjacent to the main base (16). A groove (12) of a main insulation panel (30) has an entry zone (13) extending in the thickness direction within the thickness of the insulation barrier (102, 104), and a retaining zone (14) positioned below the entry zone (13) and extending parallel to the support surface (11) over a width greater than that of the entry zone (13), the main base (16) is received within the retaining zone (14) of the main insulation panels (30), and a groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31) includes an attachment (26), the attachment (26) is configured to retain the end base (17) within the groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31), a tank wall.
  2. In paragraph 1, The metal welded support (15) extends in the longitudinal direction from one end of the tank wall (101) to the other end of the tank wall (101), forming a tank wall.
  3. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above metal welded support (15) is a tank wall including a cutout (34) located between the end base (17) and the main base (16) to allow the end base and the main base to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.
  4. In paragraph 1 or 2, The metal weld support (15) comprises two metal weld support ends (33) on both sides of the main part (32), and the row (29) of insulation panels comprises end insulation panels (31) at each end of the row (29) to brace the main insulation panels (30), forming a tank wall.
  5. In paragraph 1 or 2, The main base (16) is formed parallel to the support surface (11) within the holding area (14), and the main base (16) is configured to freely translate in the longitudinal direction of the grooves (12), forming a tank wall.
  6. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above end base (17) has a round shape, the above attachment (26) has a complementary round part (27), and the round part (27) of the end base (17) and the above attachment (26) fit into each other, tank wall.
  7. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above end insulation panel (31) is located at one end of the tank wall (101) in the longitudinal direction or at a local interruption of the tank wall (101).
  8. In paragraph 1 or 2, The main part (32) comprises a main branch forming a part of the branch (18) of the metal weld support (15), and the at least one metal weld support end (33) comprises an end branch forming another part of the branch (18) of the metal weld support (15), and the main branch and the end branch are formed as a single piece, a tank wall.
  9. In paragraph 1 or 2, The main part (32) comprises a main branch forming a part of the branch (18) of the metal weld support (15), and the at least one metal weld support end (33) comprises an end branch forming another part of the branch (18) of the metal weld support (15), and the main branch and the end branch are fixed to each other by overlapping or butting, a tank wall.
  10. In Paragraph 9, The above main branch and end branch are fixed to each other by welding and/or rivets, tank wall.
  11. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above insulation barrier is a primary insulation barrier (104), the above sealing membrane is a primary sealing membrane (105) intended to come into contact with liquefied gas, and the above fluid-sealed tank wall comprises a secondary insulation barrier (102) intended to be supported by the support structure (1), and a secondary sealing membrane (103) supported by the secondary insulation barrier (102) and allowing the primary insulation barrier (104) to be supported.
  12. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above main insulation panels are tank walls manufactured by a layer of insulating polymer foam disposed between the above supporting upper sheet and lower sheet.
  13. A tank wall according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the end insulation panel is manufactured using a plywood box formed by the supporting upper sheet, lower sheet, and side walls to form an internal space, and the internal space is filled with insulation packing.
  14. As a vessel (70) for transporting liquid products, The above vessel comprises a hull (72) and a fluid-sealed tank (71) disposed within the hull, wherein the fluid-sealed tank (71) comprises at least one tank wall according to claim 1 or 2.
  15. As a transfer system for fluid products, A transfer system for a fluid product comprising a vessel (70) according to claim 14, insulating pipelines (73, 79, 76, 81) arranged to connect a fluid-sealed tank (71) installed within the hull of the vessel to a floating or land storage facility (77), and a pump for driving the flow of a liquid product through the insulating pipelines from the floating or land storage facility to the fluid-sealed tank of the vessel or from the fluid-sealed tank of the vessel to the floating or land storage facility.
  16. As a method of loading or unloading a vessel (70) according to paragraph 14, A method of loading or unloading a ship, wherein liquid products are transported from a floating or land storage facility (77) to a fluid-sealed tank (71) of the ship or from a fluid-sealed tank (71) of the ship to a floating or land storage facility (77) through insulated pipelines (73, 79, 76, 81).
  17. A method for mounting a tank wall (101) for a fluid-sealed and insulated tank for storing liquefied gas, wherein the mounting method is: - A step of arranging insulation panels (2, 10, 30, 31) that are juxtaposed with each other in at least one row (29) in the longitudinal direction on a support structure, wherein the row (29) of insulation panels includes main insulation panels (30) and at least one end insulation panel (31), each insulation panel (2, 10, 30, 31) includes a supporting upper sheet (6), said supporting upper sheets (6) of at least one insulation barrier (102, 104) form a supporting surface (11), said supporting upper sheet (6) includes a groove (12) extending in the longitudinal and thickness directions, and the grooves of the row (29) of insulation panels are aligned in the longitudinal direction, and the groove (12) of the main insulation panel (30) includes an entry zone (13) extending in the thickness direction within the thickness of said at least one insulation barrier (102, 104), and is disposed below said entry zone (13) and said entry A step of arranging insulation panels, wherein the insulation panels have a retaining zone (14) extending parallel to the support surface (11) over a width greater than that of the zone (13), and the end insulation panel (31) includes an attachment (26). - A step of sliding a metal welding support (15) formed as a single member into the grooves (12) of the main insulation panels to maintain the base of the metal welding support (15) within the grooves of the main insulation panels (30) and to place a portion of the metal welding support (15) forming a metal welding support end (33) on the groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31), wherein the metal welding support end (33) includes an end base (17), and the portion of the metal welding support (15) maintained within the grooves of the main insulation panels (30) forms a main portion (32) of the metal welding support (15), and the main portion (32) includes a main base (16). - A step of folding the end base (17) by inserting the metal welding support (15) into the groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31) to accommodate the end base (17) within the attachment (26), wherein the attachment (26) is configured to maintain the end base (17) within the groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31). - A step of arranging a plurality of strakes (21) on support surfaces (11) on both sides of the metal weld support (15), wherein each strake (21) is a profile member extending in the longitudinal direction and includes a flat middle portion on which the cross section of the profile member rests on the support surface (11) and at least one raised side edge (23) protruding from the support surface (11), and the metal weld support (15) includes a branch (18) extending in the longitudinal direction connected to the base, wherein the branch (18) protrudes over the support surface (11) between two raised edges of two adjacent strakes, a step of arranging a plurality of strakes. A mounting method comprising the step of welding two raised edges of two adjacent strakes to a branch (18) of the metal weld support (15) by fluid-sealed longitudinal welding (28).
  18. A method for mounting a tank wall (101) for a fluid-sealed and insulated tank for storing liquefied gas, wherein the mounting method is: - A step of arranging insulation panels (2, 10, 30, 31) that are juxtaposed with each other within at least one row (29) in the longitudinal direction on a support structure, wherein the row (29) of insulation panels includes main insulation panels (30) and at least one end insulation panel (31), each insulation panel (2, 10, 30, 31) includes a supporting upper sheet (6), said supporting upper sheets (6) of at least one insulation barrier (102, 104) form a supporting surface (11), said supporting upper sheet (6) includes a groove (12) extending in the longitudinal and thickness directions, and the grooves of the row (29) of insulation panels are aligned in the longitudinal direction, and the groove (12) of the main insulation panel (30) includes an entry zone (13) extending in the thickness direction within the thickness of said at least one insulation barrier (102, 104), and is disposed below said entry zone (13) and said entry A step of arranging insulation panels, wherein the insulation panels have a retaining zone (14) extending parallel to the support surface (11) over a width greater than that of the zone (13), and the end insulation panel (31) includes an attachment (26). - A step of sliding a main part (32) of a metal weld support (15) into the grooves (12) of the main insulation panels (30) to maintain a main base (16) within the grooves of the main insulation panels (30), wherein the main part (32) includes a main branch connected to the main base (16), a sliding step of a main part of a metal weld support. - A step of placing a metal weld support end (33) on a groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31), wherein the metal weld support end (33) comprises an end base (17) and an end branch connected to the end base (17), a step of placing a weld support end, - A step of folding the end base (17) by inserting the metal welding support (15) into the groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31) to accommodate the end base (17) within the attachment (26), wherein the attachment (26) is configured to maintain the end base (17) within the groove (12) of the end insulation panel (31). - A step of fixing the main branch to the end branch to form a continuous branch (18) in the longitudinal direction, - A step of arranging a plurality of strakes (21) on support surfaces (11) on both sides of the metal welded support (15), wherein each strake (21) is a profile member extending in the longitudinal direction and having a flat middle portion whose cross section rests on the support surface (11) and at least one raised side edge (23) protruding from the support surface (11), and the branch (18) extends in the longitudinal direction and protrudes over the support surface (11) between two raised edges of two adjacent strakes, a step of arranging a plurality of strakes. A mounting method comprising the step of welding two raised edges of two adjacent strakes to a branch (18) of the metal weld support (15) by fluid-sealed longitudinal welding (28).
  19. In paragraph 17 or 18, The above method includes a cutting step performed before or after the sliding step, wherein during the cutting step, the base is cut to separate the end base (17) from the main base (16), a mounting method.
  20. In Paragraph 19, A mounting method in which the above cutting step is performed at the connection between the end insulation panel (31) and the main insulation panel (30) adjacent to the end insulation panel (31).

Description

Tank wall for fluid-tight and thermally insulating tank The present invention relates particularly to the field of fluid-sealed tanks for the storage or transport of fluids, and particularly to fluid-sealed and insulated tanks for liquefied gases at low temperatures. Fluid-sealed and insulated tanks are employed specifically for the storage of liquefied gases, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), stored at atmospheric pressure. These tanks can be installed on land or on floating structures. Storage or transport tanks for low-temperature liquefied gases are known, for example, from WO2012072906 or FR3054872, wherein each sealing membrane consists of thin metal sheets called metal strakes, which are connected to each other in a fluid-sealed manner to ensure the sealing of the tank. Each strake is a longitudinally extended profile member, and its cross-section includes a flat middle section resting on an insulating barrier and two protruding raised side edges. The strakes are arranged parallel to each other on the insulating barrier. The insulation barrier comprises a plurality of insulation panels placed in parallel with one another, and each insulation panel comprises an upper support sheet having a groove extending in the longitudinal and thickness directions. The weld support comprises a base and a branch connected to the base to form an L-shape and is slidably inserted into a groove. The base is accommodated within the retaining zone of the groove to hold the weld support to the insulation barrier. The branch of the weld support includes a lower portion adjacent to the base and an upper portion protruding from the insulation barrier. These weld supports are long members that slide longitudinally along the groove of the wall when mounted. The raised edges of each of the two adjacent metal strakes are welded to both sides of the upper part of the branch of the weld support. Thus, together with the weld support, the raised edges form a deformable bellows that allows forces associated with the contraction of the fluid-sealing membrane to be absorbed, for example, when a cryogenic liquid is loaded inside the tank. Sealing membranes are subjected to significant stress, particularly due to sloshing of liquefied gas within the tank, deformation of the ship's beams when the tank is transported on a ship, or thermal shrinkage/expansion. Certain sections of the sealing membrane, particularly at the ends of the walls, for example, at the tops of vertical walls, are subjected to these stresses, which poses a risk of the weld support peeling off from the groove, potentially causing damage to the sealing membrane. In other types of tanks, J-shaped weld supports are also known. Here, the base of the weld support is round, and the groove contains an attachment located within the groove. The attachment has a complementary rounded portion so that the base of the weld support and the portion of the attachment fit together to retain the base of the weld support within the groove. However, this type of fixed support increases mounting complexity and also increases the time required for mounting. In practice, while L-shaped fixed supports can slide along the groove and thus be mounted quickly, this is not the case with J-shaped weld supports. The present invention aims to solve these problems. With reference to the attached drawings, the invention will be better understood from the following description of some specific embodiments of the invention given in a non-limiting manner purely for the purpose of illustration, and other objects, details, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a fluid-sealed and insulating tank wall according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a portion of the thermal insulation panels of an insulating barrier according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the connection between the end insulation panel and the main insulation panel according to another embodiment. FIG. 4 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view along IV-IV of FIG. 2 illustrating the main part of a welded support within a groove according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view along VV of FIG. 2 illustrating a welded support end within a groove according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the weld support at the connection between the end of the weld support and the main portion. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a main insulation panel adjacent to an end insulation panel according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a methane transport tank including multiple tank walls and a loading/unloading terminal for the tank. In the description below, a sealing membrane is referred to in the context of a fluid-sealed and insulating tank. Such a tank comprises an internal space formed by a number of tank wall