Liquid cargo carrier

Abstract

The liquid cargo carrier of the present invention comprises a hull, a trunk deck provided on the upper part of the hull, a storage tank provided between the hull and the trunk deck and having a storage space formed therein for accommodating liquid cargo, and an inner wall unit surrounding the storage tank, with a space formed therein between the storage tank and the inner wall unit. In this invention, a space is formed where heat transfer can be minimized, such as in a vacuum atmosphere, so that a barrier structure for preventing vaporization of liquefied gas cargo can be minimized or simplified.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid cargo carrier. Background Technology

[0002] Liquid cargo refers to cargo loaded in a liquid state, such as LNG, LPG, and ammonia. Liquid cargo can be stored on ships (liquid cargo carriers) or in liquid cargo storage tanks at onshore storage facilities.

[0003] In particular, the liquid cargo carrier can have a double-walled hull and several bulkheads installed inside in the fore-and-aft length direction, and accordingly, several liquid cargo storage tanks can be located in the fore-and-aft length direction.

[0004] Liquid cargo carriers are equipped with liquid cargo storage tanks using insulation, such as Type-A, Type-B, and Membrane Types, inside the hull to prevent the vaporization of liquefied gas cargo caused by a rise in the internal temperature of the storage tanks.

[0005] For example, the barrier structure of a liquid cargo storage tank storing LNG, a cryogenic fluid, can be formed by sequentially combining a primary barrier, an upper insulation board, a secondary barrier, and a lower insulation board. Prior art literature

[0006] Republic of Korea Publication No. 10-2014-0038786 A (2014.03.31) Republic of Korea Publication No. 10-2012-0135494 A (2012.12.14) The problem to be solved

[0007] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a liquid cargo carrier in which a space is formed where heat transfer can be minimized, such as in a vacuum atmosphere, thereby minimizing or simplifying the barrier structure for preventing the vaporization of liquefied gas cargo.

[0008] The problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0009] An aspect of the liquid cargo carrier of the present invention for achieving the above objective comprises a hull, a trunk deck provided on the upper part of the hull, a storage tank provided between the hull and the trunk deck and having a storage space formed therein for accommodating liquid cargo, and an inner wall unit surrounding the storage tank, with a space formed therein between the storage tank and the inner wall unit.

[0010] A vacuum atmosphere can be formed between the inner wall unit and the storage tank.

[0011] The above storage tank may be supported on the hull or the trunk deck by connecting units provided as girders or stringers, with the support provided as a block being omitted so that the contact area with the hull or the trunk deck is minimized.

[0012] The present invention may further include an insulation unit provided between the storage tank and the inner wall unit.

[0013] The above insulation unit surrounds the storage tank and may be provided as expanded polyurethane foam or a plate.

[0014] Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings. Effects of the invention

[0015] A liquid cargo carrier according to the present invention can have a space formed where heat transfer can be minimized, such as a vacuum atmosphere, thereby simplifying the barrier structure for preventing vaporization of liquefied gas cargo and improving profitability. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0016] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a liquid cargo carrier according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a liquid cargo carrier according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0017] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but can be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a liquid cargo carrier according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, a liquid cargo carrier (100) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a hull (110), a trunk deck (120), a storage tank (130), and an inner wall unit (140).

[0020] The hull (110) is a floating body that floats on the sea, and may be provided with a propulsion device (not shown) such as a propeller, and may be provided with various devices for ship operation (engine, generator and equipment, etc.).

[0021] The hull (110) can have a double-walled structure, and the space formed by the double-walled structure can form a ballast tank (B10) in which ballast water is stored.

[0022] The trunk deck (120) can be provided on the upper part of the hull (110) as an uppermost deck. For example, the trunk deck (120) can be provided as a deck that surrounds the upper part of the storage tank (130). That is, the storage tank (130) can have a structure in which the lower part surrounds the hull (110) and the upper part surrounds the trunk deck (120).

[0023] A plurality of reinforcing structures (133) may be provided in the trunk deck (120) and hull (110), and the reinforcing structures (133) may be longitudinals provided as beams extending along the longitudinal direction of the hull (110). For example, the reinforcing structures (133) may have a cross-section of 'I' or 'T'.

[0024] A storage tank (130) may be provided between the hull (110) and the trunk deck (120), and a storage space (S10) for accommodating liquid cargo may be formed.

[0025] The storage tank (130) may be provided as an independent tank, unlike the Membrane Type, and may, for example, have a polyhedral shape and a space may be formed between it and the hull (110). The storage tank (130) may be spaced apart from the hull (110) and the trunk deck (120), that is, a space may be formed between the hull (110) and the storage tank (130) so that heat transfer by heat conduction does not occur or is minimized. As the space is formed between the trunk deck (120) and the storage tank (130), the storage tank (130) may not be supported by a separate support (such as a wooden block with a large contact cross-sectional area compared to a plate connected at a right angle to allow line contact), and a connecting unit (131) (a stringer and / or girder formed as a plate in the longitudinal and / or transverse direction) may be provided.

[0026] In the storage tank (130) of the present embodiment, an inner wall unit (140) may be provided in a space formed spaced apart from the hull (110) and / or trunk deck (120).

[0027] The inner wall unit (140) surrounds the storage tank (130), but a space may be formed between it and the storage tank (130). That is, the inner wall unit (140) is provided as a tank structure corresponding to the shape of the storage tank (130) on the outside of the storage tank (130), and can be provided as a double tank structure together with the storage tank (130).

[0028] The inner wall unit (140) may be provided with various steel plates to provide the hull (110) and the storage tank (130), and may be provided with a sealing member (not shown, e.g., rubber plate and / or silicone plate, etc.) to seal the space, or to cover the entire area where the steel plates are connected.

[0029] The space formed by the inner wall unit (140), that is, the space between the inner wall unit (140) and the storage tank (130), can be formed into a vacuum atmosphere so that heat transferred by a fluid such as air, for example, heat transfer by convection, is minimized or prevented.

[0030] A vacuum atmosphere may be formed by a vacuum pump (not shown) that sucks air from the space between the inner wall unit (140) and the storage tank (130), but this is merely one example and is not limited thereto.

[0031] And various variations are possible, such as the vacuum pump forming a vacuum atmosphere in the space between the inner wall unit (140) and the storage tank (130) and then being removed after the ship is built, but also being provided after the ship is built, i.e., during the ship's operation, so that a vacuum atmosphere can be formed as needed during the ship's operation.

[0032] Below, variations of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2, and redundant descriptions of identical components having the same function will be omitted.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a liquid cargo carrier according to a second embodiment of the present invention. With reference to FIG. 2, the differences from the description using FIG. 1 will be explained in detail.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 2, a liquid cargo carrier (100) according to a second embodiment of the present invention may include a hull (110), a trunk deck (120), a storage tank (130), and an inner wall unit (140) in the same or similar manner as in the first embodiment.

[0035] Meanwhile, the liquid cargo carrier (100) of the second embodiment differs in that it further includes an insulation unit (150).

[0036] An insulation unit (150) may be provided between the storage tank (130) and the inner wall unit (140). For example, the insulation unit (150) may surround the storage tank (130) and may be provided as expanded polyurethane foam or a plate (steel plate and / or wooden plate, etc.).

[0037] However, the liquid cargo carrier (100) of the present embodiments is intended to simplify the insulation structure formed inside the storage tank (130), and since an inner wall unit (140) is provided so that a space in which a vacuum atmosphere can be formed can be created, various variations are possible in which the insulation unit (150) performs an insulation function but has a minimized insulation thickness, or can be provided as a single plywood made of a material with low thermal conductivity other than foamed urethane foam, thereby simplifying the insulation structure.

[0038] In the liquid cargo carrier (100) according to such an embodiment, a space is formed where heat transfer can be minimized, such as in a vacuum atmosphere, so that the barrier structure (first barrier, upper insulation board, second barrier and lower insulation board) for preventing vaporization of the liquefied gas cargo can be minimized, thereby improving profitability.

[0039] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be implemented in other specific forms without changing its technical concept or essential features. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. Explanation of the symbols

[0040] 100: Liquid Cargo Carrier 110: Hull 120: Trunk deck 130: Storage tank 140: Interior wall unit

Claims

Claim 1 A liquid cargo carrier comprising: a hull; a trunk deck provided on the upper part of the hull; a storage tank provided between the hull and the trunk deck, having a storage space formed therein for accommodating liquid cargo; and an inner wall unit surrounding the storage tank, with a space formed therein between the storage tank and the inner wall unit. Claim 2 A liquid cargo carrier according to claim 1, wherein the space between the inner wall unit and the storage tank forms a vacuum atmosphere. Claim 3 A liquid cargo carrier according to claim 1, wherein the storage tank is supported by a connecting unit provided as a girder or stringer, and the support provided as a block is omitted so as to minimize the contact area with the hull or the trunk deck. Claim 4 A liquid cargo carrier according to claim 1, further comprising an insulation unit provided between the storage tank and the inner wall unit. Claim 5 In paragraph 4, the above insulation unit surrounds the storage tank and is provided as expanded polyurethane foam or a plate, a liquid cargo carrier.

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