System for stacking sealed and thermally insulated tanks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system of membranes for the stacking of sealed and thermally insulated tanks, the system of membranes for sealed and thermally insulated tanks (1', 1") comprising at least two spacers (14) respectively positioned between two large corrugations (2) and two small corrugations (3) of each of two adjacent membranes (1', 1"), the spacers (14) having a profile at least partially identical to the space defined respectively between the two small corrugations (3) and the two large corrugations (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquefied gas storage devices, including sealed and thermally insulated tanks with corrugated membranes. In particular, this invention relates to the field of sealed and thermally insulated tanks for storing and / or transporting liquefied gases at low temperatures, such as tanks for transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at temperatures, for example, between -50°C and 0°C, or liquefied natural gas (LNG) at approximately -162°C and atmospheric pressure. These tanks can be installed on land or floating structures. In the case of floating structures, the tanks can be used to transport liquefied gases and / or contain liquefied gases used as fuel to propel the floating structure. Background Technology

[0002] Document FR2991430, filed in the name of the applicant, describes a liquefied gas storage device comprising a sealed and thermally insulated tank integrated into a load-bearing structure formed by a double hull of a ship. Each wall of the tank includes a secondary thermal insulation barrier, a secondary sealing membrane, a primary thermal insulation barrier, and a primary sealing membrane, wherein these different components constitute the main structure of the liquefied gas storage tank.

[0003] The corrugated membranes assembled into sealed and thermally insulated tanks are specially manufactured in large sizes to provide tightness and thermomechanical strength, thus featuring both small and large protruding corrugations on one surface of the membrane. These membranes must then be transported to the tank assembly and installation site, where they are welded together and, obviously, must not be damaged. For transport, these membranes cannot simply be stacked one on top of another, especially because of the nodes (the intersections of small undulations or corrugations and large undulations or corrugations), which are areas of complex geometry where embossing and / or folding are performed to enhance the thermomechanical strength of the membrane.

[0004] For these reasons, these corrugated membranes are arranged in a container, with each membrane spaced sufficiently apart. This stacking is directly related to the properties and function of the corrugated (or wavy) membrane. Therefore, without limitations, the stack of special metal membranes must protect each membrane from damage associated with all types of contact within the container, prevent any movement of each membrane within the container, where these membranes are typically transported partly by ship, and finally, ensure that each membrane can be handled once the stack is created.

[0005] Currently, these corrugated membranes are stored in batches of ten membranes per box, or approximately one thousand boxes for the four tanks typically present on or within an LNGC vessel. Therefore, the boxes themselves and their transportation represent a cost.

[0006] In the prior art, document KR101812224 is known, which describes a protective coating arranged between each stack of films. In this solution, the protruding portions of the films (typically undulations or corrugations) are not covered by adjacent films, resulting in suboptimal use of space within the box. Furthermore, this solution requires load transfer through node areas, limiting its flexibility. Finally, this solution is costly due to the need for large-size molds for the production of standard boards.

[0007] Therefore, there is currently no solution that can optimize the use of storage space in the container while providing all guarantees regarding the risk of damage to the corrugated membrane, and thus reduce the economic impact of transporting these corrugated membranes.

[0008] After numerous studies and tests, the applicant discovered a system for stacking these corrugated metal films that is simple to implement and highly efficient, enabling an increase in the number of films per box (without changing the size or shape of the standard box) without negatively impacting the safety of the film during transport. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Therefore, the present invention relates to a system for stacking sealed and thermally insulating membranes of cans, the system comprising:

[0010] - Multiple flat metal films in a plane, each flat metal film having:

[0011] ο Protruding from plane P with a height H, multiple large corrugations extend along a parallel axis x'x.

[0012] ο Protrudes from plane P with multiple small ripples of height h, each ripple extending along a parallel axis y'y that is approximately perpendicular to the parallel axis x'x.

[0013] ο Multiple nodes are generated by the intersection of small and large ripples, each node having multiple folded and / or embossed areas.

[0014] All membranes are arranged in a stacked manner, one on top of the other, such that the small and large corrugations are aligned along the same parallel axes x'x and y'y.

[0015] - At least one spacer arranged between two adjacent membranes.

[0016] The invention is characterized in that the system includes at least two spacers, which are respectively positioned between two large corrugations of each of two adjacent membranes and between two small corrugations of each of two adjacent membranes, the spacers having a profile that is at least partially identical to the spaces defined between the two small corrugations and between the two large corrugations.

[0017] Therefore, the shape and size of the spacers according to the invention reproduce at least a portion of the space or volume between two adjacent (large or small) corrugations, such that, once the membranes are stacked one on top of the other, the upper adjacent membranes abut against the spacers, while these spacers abut against the lower adjacent membranes. This general definition of the spacers according to the invention is illustrated by the appendix. Figure 5 and attached Figure 6 ,in particular Figure 6 The examples shown are used to illustrate this.

[0018] The term “profile” associated with spacers refers to the shape and size of the three-dimensional object. Naturally, the length of these spacers is usually less than the length of the surrounding area, and advantageously less than the length between two adjacent / nearest nodes, which is always the case for spacers positioned between small corrugations, and advantageously for spacers positioned on or between large corrugations.

[0019] The term "parallel axes" in relation to axes x'x and y'y means that all small ripples or all large ripples extend parallel to each other along the corresponding linear axes x'x and y'y, respectively.

[0020] The term “approximately perpendicular” for the intersection or meeting of small undulations or ripples and large undulations or ripples means that each intersection / meeting between small and large ripples that define the nodes of the membrane occurs at an angle of 90 degrees plus or minus 10 degrees (90° ± 10°).

[0021] The term "space" between two adjacent small corrugations / undulations or between two large corrugations / undulations refers to the volume that exists between two adjacent corrugations / undulations along the length of a related spacer.

[0022] As mentioned above, a node is a region with a complex geometry that must never be damaged and also prohibits any possibility of the membranes wrapping around each other. Maintaining a minimum distance between two adjacent membranes is crucial, especially for this reason.

[0023] This technological solution does not exhaustively list the following direct economic and environmental benefits:

[0024] - While maintaining the dimensions of standard / regular shipping boxes, add at least three additional films to each box;

[0025] - Taking all shipping containers into account, the total weight of the shipping containers and the shock-absorbing components they typically contain increases by almost 30%;

[0026] - Due to the shape and geometry of the spacer, the spacer according to the invention does not require the use of complex molds as in the prior art, thus enabling considerable savings in the production of the spacer.

[0027] It should be noted here that, despite the fact that the weight of each shipping box increases by almost 120 kg (for so-called standard-sized films, an increase of approximately 40 kg, such as...), Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown in the figure, the weight increases from approximately 400 kg to 520 kg, but this additional weight does not affect the handling, management, or installation / arrangement of the container in the transport vehicle (ship, truck, or other).

[0028] In its broadest sense, this invention is applicable to all types of metal films with protrusions primarily designed to improve thermomechanical properties, thereby creating volumes or spaces that can be inserted into portions of adjacent films. Therefore, this invention is particularly applicable to MARK. This type of membrane and all other sealing membranes capable of withstanding and resisting high mechanical stress and drastic temperature changes (including very cold temperatures).

[0029] This invention proposes, herein and hereinafter, a metal film having correspondingly different heights of small and large corrugations. However, this invention can be applied when these small and large corrugations have the same height (H = h) or the same cross-section, i.e., when the form and size of the corrugations are the same. In fact, this invention can be applied regardless of the shape and size of the membrane corrugations, i.e., whether the membrane corrugations have the undulating form presented herein or any other shape protruding from the flat portions of the membrane.

[0030] Similarly, the invention is not limited to using all the same spacers, particularly spacers arranged between small corrugations and spacers arranged between large corrugations. Therefore, it is quite possible to combine embodiments of the spacers specifically presented below, or, regardless of whether the spacers are the same, to use spacers according to the invention in combination with other spacers according to the prior art or having different features.

[0031] In the following text, the terms “ripples” and “undulations” are used arbitrarily to refer to the same element.

[0032] Other advantageous features of the present invention are briefly summarized below:

[0033] Advantageously, the spacer has a maximum thickness in the space between two adjacent corrugations, which is at most 75% of the height (H, h), and advantageously at most 2 / 3 of the height (H, h). According to the possibility provided by the invention, the spacer may have a maximum thickness in the space between two adjacent corrugations, which is at most one-third of the height (H, h).

[0034] Advantageously, each spacer has a plane of symmetry S. Due to this feature, the spacers according to the invention are easy to manufacture and do not require complex molds.

[0035] According to a particularly interesting aspect of the invention, the minimum spacing between two adjacent membranes is equal to thirty (30) millimeters, and the maximum spacing between two adjacent membranes is at most fifty (50) millimeters.

[0036] According to one embodiment of the invention, the profile of the spacer includes an inverted V-shaped cross-section. This embodiment is particularly evident in the appendix. Figure 5 As shown in the image.

[0037] According to Figure 5 In a complementary embodiment shown, the spacer includes a distal portion that extends from each of the two wings of a portion having an inverted V-shaped cross-section and extends at least into the space between two flat portions of two adjacent membranes. This embodiment is particularly relevant in the appendix. Figure 8 As shown in the image.

[0038] According to another embodiment of the invention, each spacer comprises two parts: a primary part and an additional part. The primary part has an inverted V-shaped cross-section profile, and the additional part is not connected to the primary part with the inverted V-shaped cross-section profile and is positioned between two adjacent flat portions of the membrane. Here, the expression "not connected" regarding the two parts means that the two parts are physically or materially independent. Alternatively, variations of this embodiment can be provided in which the two parts are connected by at least one link or connector, so that the operator does not risk losing one or the other part during the operation of arranging the membrane in the transport container. Ideally, such a link or connector is as fine as possible while being resistant to low / moderate mechanical forces, although the possibility of the link or connector breaking once the two parts are positioned on the membrane can also be considered.

[0039] In a supplementary embodiment, advantageously, the additional portion extends to at least one portion of the inter-corrugation space between two adjacent small corrugations or two adjacent large corrugations.

[0040] Advantageously, the stiffness of the spacer is at least 0.05 MPa.

[0041] According to the possibilities provided by the invention, due to the nature and / or shape of the spacers, the spacers according to the invention are divisible while maintaining their technical function, allowing the operator to freely adjust the spacers as needed. To facilitate this operation, the spacers according to the invention advantageously include grooves, notches, or recesses forming weak areas that allow the spacers to be easily separated. Alternatively, it is conceivable that several spacers are initially connected to each other as blocks, wherein these spacers have separating lines (grooves, notches, or gaps) between them, allowing the operator to separate a specific number of spacers required for membrane storage and transport operations, while other unused spacers remain connected as blocks.

[0042] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the spacer comprises a plastic material produced from a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer or a mixture of such polymers, wherein, preferably, the spacer is made of expanded polystyrene.

[0043] The spacers according to the invention can also be formed from a polymer matrix, such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyamide (PA), or polyurethane (PU), into which glass, aramid, or carbon fibers are embedded or inserted, wherein the proportion of fibers in the polymer matrix must be kept relatively low to avoid potential damage to the membrane. The spacers can also be made of graphene, cardboard, or even metal materials, provided that such materials are lightweight, strong, and economically feasible; aluminum may be such a material. Advantageously, the spacers according to the invention are hollow or have voids to reduce the weight of the spacers.

[0044] Advantageously, the spacer according to the invention is produced or obtained by molding, injection molding or extrusion.

[0045] According to an advantageous possibility of the invention, the spacer includes an adhesive device on at least one of the upper and / or lower surfaces of the spacer that contact the membrane. The adhesive device may include, for example, adhesive or double-sided adhesive tape. These upper and lower surfaces of the spacer may include means for adhesion to the membrane, or may be covered with a removable protective film to facilitate handling of the spacer.

[0046] Preferably, the density of the spacer is at most 1000 kg·m³. -3 Advantageously less than 100 kg·m -3 Very advantageously less than 50 kg·m -3 Typically, this is a preferred embodiment of the invention in the case of spacers made of polystyrene, with a density of approximately 30 kg·m³.-3 .

[0047] Advantageously, each membrane is made of an iron-based alloy, the alloy by weight composition including:

[0048] Carbon 0 < C < 0.08; Manganese 0 < Mn < 2; Silicon 0 < Si < 0.5; Phosphorus 0 < P < 0.045; Sulfur 0 < S < 0.030; Nickel 8 < Ni < 14; Chromium 16 < Cr < 20; Nitrogen 0 < N < 0.02, the balance being iron and impurities necessarily resulting from production;

[0049] MARK The membrane falls within the definition of the above iron-based alloy composition.

[0050] However, the present invention is also applicable to membranes made of an iron-based alloy, the alloy by weight composition including: 34.5% ≤ Ni ≤ 53.5%; 0.15% ≤ Mn ≤ 1.5%; 0% ≤ Si ≤ 0.35% (silicon); preferably 0.1% ≤ Si ≤ 0.35%; 0 ≤ C ≤ 0.07%, optionally 0% ≤ Co ≤ 20% (cobalt); 0% ≤ Ti ≤ 0.5% (titanium); 0.01% ≤ Cr ≤ 0.5%. Including The metal membrane of the plate falls within the definition of the above iron-based alloy composition.

[0051] Here, it can be noted that the present invention can be applied to a metal plate of a membrane forming a corrugation, although the thickness is not a decisive criterion regarding the stacking system according to the present invention, but the thickness of the metal plate is at most five millimeters (mm), advantageously at most three millimeters.

[0052] According to the possibilities provided by the present invention, the spacer is made of a solid material or at least partially hollow material. The term "solid material" regarding the spacer means that these have no internal cavities, voids or other internal empty spaces visually.

[0053] According to the characteristics of the present invention, the length of each membrane is between 2.8 meters and 3.3 meters, preferably between 3 meters and 3.1 meters, and the width of each membrane is between 0.9 meters and 1.2 meters, preferably between 1 meter and 1.1 meters.

[0054] According to a particularly advantageous arrangement of the present invention, at least one spacer between two adjacent membranes is respectively arranged at every three consecutive small corrugations or large corrugations, preferably, at least one spacer is respectively arranged at every two consecutive small corrugations or large corrugations. Thus, due to this optimized arrangement of the spacers according to the present invention, it is not necessary to provide these spacers on all consecutive corrugations (whether small undulations or large undulations), and at most ninety percent of the corrugations are equipped with spacers.

[0055] According to a particularly interesting aspect of the invention, at least thirteen membranes having the spacers are stacked in a space in the form of a parallelepiped rectangle, the interior height of which is between 1.1 meters and 1.3 meters, preferably 1.2 meters, the interior length of which is between 3 meters and 3.2 meters, preferably 3.1 meters, and the interior width of which is between 1 meter and 1.2 meters, preferably 1.1 meters.

[0056] Therefore, advantageously, this space, in the form of a parallelepiped rectangle, is the space of the box, or more precisely, the internal volume of a standard or conventionally sized box, in other words, without changing the dimensions of the shipping boxes currently in use.

[0057] Therefore, the present invention also relates to a transport and / or storage box having an outer wall made of wood, metal and / or plastic, and including a stacking system of membranes for sealing and thermally insulating the cans as described above, advantageously, the internal space of the box is also filled with at least one shock-absorbing material. Attached Figure Description

[0058] The invention will be better understood and other objects, details, features and advantages of the invention will become clearer in the following description of several specific embodiments of the invention, which are given for illustrative and non-limiting purposes only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] Figure 1 The perspective view schematically illustrates MARK with parallel rows of small ripples and parallel rows of large ripples. Type membrane.

[0060] Figure 2 Two adjacent membranes are schematically shown in perspective, one stacked on top of the other and with a spacer according to the invention between them.

[0061] Figure 3 A membrane fitted with a spacer according to the invention is shown schematically in perspective view.

[0062] Figure 4 This is a top view of the stacked corrugated membranes, showing the arrangement of spacers on small and large corrugations, forming a stacking system according to the invention.

[0063] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a spacer as generally defined according to the present invention.

[0064] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a spacer as generally defined according to the present invention.

[0065] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of a first additional embodiment of the spacer according to the present invention.

[0066] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a variation of the first additional embodiment of the spacer according to the present invention.

[0067] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a second additional embodiment of the spacer according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0068] The term "vertical" here refers to extending along the direction of the Earth's gravitational field. The term "horizontal" here refers to extending along a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0069] Figure 1 The membrane 1 shown has a feature for MARK The standard dimensions of the membrane are specified. Therefore, the membrane 1 comprises large corrugations 2 and small corrugations 3, the large corrugations being more precisely three large corrugations 2 extending along the parallel axis x'x, and the small corrugations being more precisely six small corrugations 3 extending along the parallel axis y'y. Here, the height and size of the large corrugations 2 are greater than the height and size of the small corrugations 3. However, as stated above, the invention can be applied to corrugations 2 and 3 of any form and size, including when the form and size of the corrugations are the same, two rows of corrugations 2 and 3 intersecting substantially perpendicularly, i.e., intersecting at an angle between 80° and 100°.

[0070] Membrane 1 is flat and extends in a plane P parallel to each membrane 1 when one membrane 1 is stacked on top of another. Only small corrugations 3 and large corrugations 2 protrude a few centimeters relative to this plane P and extend on one side of membrane 1 or from one surface of the membrane.

[0071] These membranes 1 are intended to be placed and installed in sealed and thermally insulated tanks (not shown in the figures), and the corrugations 2 and 3 function to allow thermomechanical contraction when the membranes 1 come into contact with a very cold fluid (e.g., LNG). To form the tank, the membranes 1 are typically welded together, and then the corrugations 2 and 3 project along the direction of the tank's storage space. When the membranes 1 are positioned on the lower or upper wall of the tank, the corrugations project vertically; or when the membranes 1 are positioned on a vertical sidewall, the corrugations project horizontally; or when the sidewall extends in an inclined plane, the corrugations project at an angle between 10° and 80° (in which case such a wall is typically referred to as a ramp).

[0072] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The membrane 1 shown is Figure 1 The membrane 1 in the figures has different dimensions. In this case, the membrane 1 in both figures includes nine small corrugations 3, but it should be understood that these figures are merely illustrative of the invention and not limiting. Therefore, in the same manner, in order to illustrate these... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The selected spacer 14 has no preferred or limiting features in its shape and the positioning of the corrugations 3.

[0073] Should Figure 2 The diagram shows two stacked membranes 1', 1', illustrating the overlapping alignment between the large corrugation 2 and the small corrugation 3 of the two membranes 1', 1' stacked on top of each other, assuming that a larger number of stacked membranes 1 would have a similar appearance.

[0074] exist Figure 2 In the middle, the upper membrane 1' includes only two spacers 14, which are positioned on the same small corrugations 3 on both sides of the large corrugations 2. Figure 2 The spacer 14 shown is in Figure 6 The type of spacer is shown in more detail in the cross-section. As can be seen from the figure, spacer 14 is arranged at the apex 10 of the small corrugations 2, and the length of this spacer is equal to or approximately equal to the length of the side of the square formed by the intersection of two adjacent small corrugations 2 and two adjacent large corrugations 3. In other words, spacer 14 extends approximately from one node 5 to another adjacent node 6, but the length of spacer 14 can naturally vary and may only represent, for example, half or one-third of the distance between two adjacent nodes 5.

[0075] exist Figure 3 In the diagram, membrane 1 is included in the attached... Figure 7 and attached Figure 8 The spacer 14 is shown in more detail in the figure. As can be seen in the figure, spacer 14 is placed or mounted on small corrugations 3, and other spacers 14 are placed or mounted on large corrugations 2. It is assumed that this arrangement of spacers 14 on at least one small corrugation 3 and at least one large corrugation 2 is considered a necessary feature to prevent any movement of the stacked membranes 1, 1', 1" . It should also be noted that spacers 14 are arranged with at least two sides of the square of corrugations 2, 3 spaced apart or spaced apart; in other words, spacers 14 are arranged at every three consecutive small corrugations 3. Finally, it should also be noted that the additional portion 15 of spacer 14, i.e., the portion 15 intended to be positioned between the flat portions extending in the plane P of two adjacent membranes 1, 1', 1" occupies all or almost all of the area between corrugations 2, 3, i.e., occupies the (square) area defined between adjacent small corrugations 2 and large corrugations 3. However, the additional portion 15 may also occupy only a portion of this area, for example, occupying half or only one-third of the same area between corrugations 2, 3.

[0076] The spacer 14 according to the invention has the function of supporting the membrane 1 arranged above it and preventing the stacked membranes 1 from shifting. Both functions must be fully realized regardless of the shape or number of the components forming the spacer 14. Therefore, the applicant has tested various shapes and components presented in the drawings, as well as other shapes and components not shown for simplicity, and found that all these embodiments of the spacer 14 satisfy both the functions of supporting and fixing the stacked membranes 1.

[0077] Figure 4 The corrugated membrane 1 or a corrugated membrane with undulations 2, 3 is shown from above. This illustration depicts an advantageously optimized positioning of the spacer 14 according to the invention. On this membrane 1, three large corrugations 2 extend longitudinally along a parallel axis x'x, and nine small corrugations 3 extend laterally along a parallel axis y'y (in other words, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the corrugated membrane 1). In this example of the corrugated membrane 1, sixteen squares 20 are formed by the intersection of the large corrugations 2 and the small corrugations 3, each square 20 having two longitudinal sides formed by the large corrugations 2 and two transverse sides formed by the small corrugations 3. In this exemplary embodiment of the corrugated membrane 1, the side of each of the sixteen squares 20 is equal to 340 millimeters (mm).

[0078] In this optimized positioning of spacer 14, if we consider the large corrugation 2, then spacer 14 exists on the length of said corrugation 2 and on the length of every three sides of the square 20 of corrugations 2 and 3 (i.e., approximately every 1020 mm (340 × 3)); if we consider the small corrugation 3, then spacer 14 also exists on the length of said corrugation 3 and on the length of every three sides of the square 20 of corrugations 2 and 3 (more precisely, on the length of approximately every two and a half sides, therefore 850 mm (340 × 2.5)).

[0079] Therefore, according to the optimized arrangement of spacers 14, spacers 14 exist on small corrugations 2 and large corrugations 3, at least on corrugations 2 and 3 per meter of length (there is one spacer 14 for each length of corrugation 2 and 3), assuming that in Figure 4In the example, the density or number of spacers 14 is variable; for example, if the density of spacers 14 is greater on one of the corrugations 2 or 3 (in this case, the smaller corrugation 3), the density of the spacers on the other corrugation 2 or 3 (in this case, the larger corrugation 2) may be smaller. In any case, the applicant has defined an average minimum density of one spacer 14 per meter of length on the corrugations 2 or 3 that satisfies the guarantee condition of keeping the corrugated membrane 1 in place under standard conditions. Naturally, this density is adjusted if the stack of membranes 1 is significantly greater than about twelve membranes 1, or conversely, significantly less than about twelve membranes. Therefore, the applicant has also determined that, in order to improve the safety of transporting the membranes 1, particularly when the number of membranes 1 in the stack is greater than fifteen, it is suitable to arrange at least one spacer 14 on the length of each pair of sides of the square 20 of the corrugations 2 or 3 (i.e., approximately every 680 mm (340 × 2)).

[0080] Figure 5 The spacer 14 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in the broadest sense, wherein at least a portion or component 16' of the spacer 14 is located in the space between adjacent corrugations 2 or 3. However, as in this... Figure 5 As can be seen, the spacer 14 is formed by two elements 15 and 16, which essentially form the spacer 14. The spacer is composed of a first element 16' and a second element 15, which extend along the plane P of two adjacent membranes 1' and 1" with the cross-section of the first element located in the space between the corrugations 2 or 3 and the cross-section of the second element located in the space between the flat portions.

[0081] Therefore, based on technical needs, Figure 5 The illustrated embodiment includes a single spacer 14, which is composed of a pair of two independent elements 15 and 16 described above. These two independent elements may or may not be arranged on either side of the corrugations 2 and 3 or in the space between the corrugations 2 and 3, as shown. When the spacer 14 includes or is formed by the two elements 15 and 16, a plane of symmetry S exists between these two elements 15 and 16, which passes through the vertices 10 or ridges or lines of the two adjacent corrugations 2 or 3.

[0082] It is important to note that the broad definition of the spacer 14 according to the invention only provides that the spacer 14 is at least partially located in the space or volume between adjacent corrugations 2 or 3 belonging to two adjacent membranes 1', 1''; the space or volume between corrugations 2 or 3 is the space or volume defined between two adjacent small corrugations 3 or large corrugations 2.

[0083] therefore, Figure 6A more general representation of the concept upon which the invention is based is shown, wherein the spacer 14 shown comprises a single or integral element 16 located in a part or portion of a space or volume between adjacent corrugations 2 or 3. However, Figure 6 The embodiment of spacer 14 shown adds the fact that, in addition to this basic feature, spacer 14 shown here includes a plane of symmetry S that still passes through the vertices 10 or ridges or lines of the two adjacent corrugations 2 or 3.

[0084] exist Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the spacer 14 includes two portions 15 and 16, namely portion 16 and an additional portion 15 having an inverted V-shaped cross-sectional profile. The additional portion is not connected to portion 16 with the inverted V-shaped profile and is positioned between two adjacent flat portions of membranes 1', 1" . It can be noted that the additional portion 15 is in the form of a parallelepiped rectangle, but portion 15 may also be in the form of a square or cylinder.

[0085] In particular, in this embodiment, the additional portion 15 only functions to support the adjacent membrane 1", while portion 16 has an inverted V-shaped cross-sectional profile, such as... Figure 6 As shown, depending on whether the portion 16 is arranged between the large corrugations 2 or between the small corrugations 3, the portion has a supporting function and a fixing function or a function to prevent two adjacent membranes 1', 1" from shifting along the axis x'x or y'y.

[0086] Here, in Figure 7 It should be noted again that the spacer 14 has a plane of symmetry S that passes through the vertices 10 or ridges or lines of the vertices of two adjacent corrugations 2 or 3, as shown in all embodiments of the spacer 14 according to the invention in the figures. However, it should be noted that this feature of the plane of symmetry S relative to the spacer 14, while advantageous, is not a fundamental feature of the invention. Similarly, although in all embodiments shown, particularly where the profile of the cross-section of adjacent corrugations differs from the profile of the cross-section chosen in the figures to illustrate the invention, the plane of symmetry S may extend in different ways. Finally, the spacer 14 may also have several planes of symmetry.

[0087] Figure 8 The spacer 14 shown is with Figure 7 The main difference in the spacer shown is that the additional portions 15 and 16' are again composed of two elements 18 and 19, which include a component 16' located in the space or volume between corrugations 2 or 3 and a component 15 positioned or arranged between the flat portions of adjacent membranes 1' and 1"; therefore, the Figure 8The embodiments shown include Figure 5 and Figure 6 The combination of embodiments of spacer 14 shown. Furthermore, regarding the additional portions 15, 16' and the fact that the additional portions herein include two elements 18, 19, it can also be considered that the additional portions 15, 16' have only a single element 18 or 19, see reference. Figure 7 The spacer 14 and its portion 15 shown are indicated and illustrated in this manner.

[0088] Figure 9 The main difference between the spacer 14 shown and spacers in other embodiments is that, for this spacer 14, the space or volume between the corrugations is completely occupied or filled by a portion 16 of the spacer 14 along its entire length. Additionally, the spacer 14 comprises a single block including a portion 16 having a profile with an inverted V-shaped cross-section and an additional portion 15 positioned between two adjacent membranes 1', 1'', and a flat portion extending along plane P. Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the embodiments, they are separate or independent.

[0089] In this embodiment, the presence of the symmetry plane S can be noted again, which passes through the vertices 10 of two adjacent corrugations 2 or 3. However, it can be considered that the additional portion 15 located between the flat portions of two adjacent membranes 1', 1" does not extend the same length on both sides of the space / volume between corrugations 2 or 3. This variation applies to this embodiment as described in the other embodiments above.

[0090] Generally, although the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it is obvious that the invention is by no means limited to these embodiments and includes all technical equivalents and combinations thereof of the described means, as long as these fall within the scope of the invention.

[0091] The use of the verbs “comprising,” “including,” or “including,” and their conjugate forms, does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps besides those listed in the claims.

[0092] Any reference numerals in parentheses in the claims should not be construed as limiting the claims.

Claims

1. A stacking system for stacking membranes (1, 1', 1'') arranged in a transport and / or storage container, the membranes being intended to be installed in a sealed and thermally insulated container, the stacking system comprising: - Multiple films of flat metals (1, 1', 1'') in a plane (P), each film of a flat metal having: o Protruding from the plane (P) and having a first height (H), a plurality of large corrugations (2) extend along a first parallel axis (x'x). o Protruding from the plane (P) and having a second height (h), a plurality of small ripples (3) extend along a second parallel axis (y'y) that is substantially perpendicular to the first parallel axis (x'x). o Multiple nodes (5) are generated by the intersection of the small ripples (3) and the large ripples (2), each node (5) having multiple folded and / or embossed areas. All membranes (1, 1', 1'') are arranged in a stacked manner, such that the small corrugations (3) and the large corrugations (2) are aligned along the same first parallel axis (x'x) and second parallel axis (y'y). - At least one spacer (14) is arranged between two adjacent membranes (1, 1', 1''). The stacking system is characterized in that it includes at least two spacers (14) positioned between two large corrugations (2) of each of two adjacent membranes and between two small corrugations (3) of each of two adjacent membranes, the spacers (14) having a profile that is at least partially identical to the space defined between the two small corrugations (3) and between the two large corrugations (2).

2. The stacking system according to claim 1, wherein, The maximum thickness of the spacer (14) in the space between two adjacent large corrugations (2) or small corrugations (3) is at most 75 percent of the first height (H) or the second height (h).

3. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each of the spacers (14) has a plane of symmetry (S).

4. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The minimum spacing between two adjacent membranes is 30 millimeters, and the maximum spacing between two adjacent membranes is at most 50 millimeters.

5. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The profile of the spacer (14) includes a portion (16) of the profile having an inverted V-shaped cross-section.

6. The stacking system according to claim 5, wherein, The spacer (14) includes a distal portion (15) that extends from each of the two wings of the portion (16) having an inverted V-shaped cross-section and extends at least into the space between the two flat portions of the two adjacent membranes.

7. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each of the spacers (14) comprises two parts, namely a part and an additional part, wherein the part has an inverted V-shaped cross-section profile, and the additional part is not connected to the part having the inverted V-shaped cross-section profile and is positioned between two flat portions of the two adjacent membranes.

8. The stacking system according to claim 7, wherein, The additional portion extends to at least one portion (16') of the inter-wave space between two adjacent small waves (3) or two adjacent large waves (2).

9. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The spacer (14) comprises a plastic material produced from a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer or a mixture of thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers.

10. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The density of the spacer (14) is at most 1000 kg·m³. -3 .

11. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each membrane (1, 1’, 1’’) is made of an iron-based alloy which, by weight, consists of: Carbon 0 < C < 0.08; Manganese 0 < Mn < 2; Silicon 0 < Si < 0.5; Phosphorus 0 < P < 0.045; Sulfur 0 < S < 0.030; Nickel 8 < Ni < 14; Chromium 16 < Cr < 20; Nitrogen 0 < N < 0.02, the balance being iron and inevitable impurities resulting from production.

12. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The length of each membrane (1, 1’, 1’’) is between 2.8 m and 3.3 m, and the width of each membrane (1, 1’, 1’’) is between 0.9 m and 1.2 m.

13. The stacking system of claim 12, wherein, At least one spacer (14) between two adjacent membranes (1, 1’, 1’’) is arranged respectively at every three consecutive small corrugations (3) or large corrugations (2).

14. The stacking system of claim 12, wherein, At least thirteen membranes (1, 1’, 1’’) with the spacers (14) are stacked in a space in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, the internal height of the space being between 1.1 m and 1.3 m, the internal length of the space being between 3 m and 3.2 m, and the internal width of the space being between 1 m and 1.2 m.

15. The stacking system according to claim 9, wherein, The spacer is made of expanded polystyrene.

16. The stacking system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The density of the spacer (14) is less than 100 kg·m³. -3 .

17. A transport and / or storage box having an outer wall made of wood, metal and / or plastic and comprising the stacking system according to claim 14.

18. The transport and / or storage container according to claim 17, wherein, The internal space of the transport and / or storage box is further filled with at least one shock-absorbing material.

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