Storage facilities for liquefied gases

Abstract

The present invention relates to a storage facility (1) for liquefied gases, comprising a load-bearing structure (2, 3) and a tank (71) arranged in the load-bearing structure, the tank (71) having a main structure (6) including at least one sealing membrane (17, 19) and at least one thermal barrier (16, 18), the load-bearing structure (2, 3) including a generally flat upper load-bearing wall (4, 5), the sealing membrane, thermal barrier and upper load-bearing wall of the main structure (6) being partially interrupted to define a loading / unloading opening (10), wherein the tank has a cover (12) disposed in the loading / unloading opening (10), and wherein the cover (12) includes an upper cover wall (22), a lower cover wall (23) and a thermal insulation structure, the upper cover wall (22) being positioned in the plane of the upper load-bearing wall and fixed to the upper load-bearing wall, and the lower cover wall (23) being sealed to the sealing membrane of the main structure (6) with the aid of a connector (26).

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Document FR2991430 describes a storage facility for liquefied gases, comprising a sealed and insulated tank integrated into a support structure comprising a double hull of a ship. Each wall of the tank includes a secondary insulation barrier, a secondary sealing membrane, a primary insulation barrier, and a primary sealing membrane.

[0003] In the region located at the top of the tank, the tank includes a chimney-shaped protrusion referred to as the liquid dome section. In this region, the support structure is partially interrupted to define a loading / unloading opening, which is designed to have a fluid loading / unloading pipe passing through the opening. Furthermore, still in this region, the support structure includes: a vertical support wall referred to as the coming section, which rises above the ship's deck; and a horizontal wall located at the top of the vertical support wall, which forms an upper structure on the ship's deck referred to as the dome-shaped seating section. The horizontal wall of the dome-shaped seating section extends around the opening and supports the cover.

[0004] However, this installation with a dome-shaped seat means that the loading / unloading pipelines designed to allow the liquefied gas contained in the tank to enter / exit must also extend vertically above the deck on the dome-shaped seat. This results in a large facility that is difficult to maintain / manage for access to these pipelines, as well as an expensive and cumbersome structure on the ship's deck. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One idea behind this invention is to simplify the support structure of storage facilities in order to reduce the cost and overall size of the facilities.

[0006] Another idea behind this invention is to make the cover suitable for the simplification of such storage facilities.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a liquefied gas storage facility, the storage facility comprising a support structure and a sealed and insulated tank disposed within the support structure.

[0008] A sealed and insulated tank includes a main structure formed by a plurality of tank walls interconnected and fixed to a supporting structure. The main structure defines an internal storage space. The main structure includes at least one sealing membrane and at least one thermal barrier disposed between the sealing membrane and the supporting structure. The supporting structure includes a generally planar upper supporting wall.

[0009] The main structure's sealing membrane, thermal barrier, and upper support wall are partially interrupted, thereby defining a loading / unloading opening that allows fluid loading / unloading through the opening.

[0010] Unload the pipe.

[0011] The tank includes a cover disposed in the loading / unloading opening.

[0012] The covering includes an upper covering wall, a lower covering wall, and a heat insulation structure located between the lower covering wall and the upper covering wall. The upper covering wall is disposed in the plane of the upper support wall and fixed to the upper covering, and the lower covering wall is connected to the sealing membrane of the main structure in a sealed manner by means of a connector.

[0013] Because of these features, the storage facility does not include any dome-shaped seating portion, and therefore does not include any upper structure extending beyond the upper support wall, thus simplifying the storage facility and reducing the volume on the upper support wall. In fact, the upper cover wall is positioned in the plane of the upper support wall, rather than above it, so it does not protrude above the upper support wall.

[0014] "Fixing, connecting, or welding in a sealed manner" refers to the connection between two components that are fixed together, and that connection is both liquid-tight and gas-tight, for example, when welding is performed by means of continuous weld beads.

[0015] Such a storage facility may be implemented with one or more of the following features.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the cover includes reinforcements disposed on the wall of the upper cover, thereby increasing the stiffness and strength of the cover, for example, during deformation of the supporting structure.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the upper support wall is an inner upper support wall, and the support structure includes an inner support structure and an outer support structure. The inner support structure includes a generally planar upper support wall, and the outer support structure includes a generally planar outer upper support wall disposed above the inner support wall. The main structure of the tank is arranged in the inner support structure.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the main structure includes a top wall and a rear cofferdam wall, with the cover positioned in a straight line with the top wall.

[0019] Therefore, the cover allows the top wall to be connected to the rear cofferdam wall in a straight line with the opening.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the lower cover wall is positioned in a straight line with the sealing membrane of the top wall, and more particularly with the primary sealing membrane.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the lower cover wall includes four edges, three of which are connected in a sealing manner to the sealing membrane of the top wall, more particularly the primary sealing membrane, by means of a first connector.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the fourth edge of the lower cover wall is connected to the sealing membrane of the rear cofferdam wall, more particularly the primary sealing membrane, by means of a second connector.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the upper support wall is an outer upper support wall, and the support structure includes an inner support structure and an outer support structure. The inner support structure includes a generally planar inner upper support wall, and the outer support structure includes a generally planar outer upper support wall arranged above the inner upper support wall. The main structure of the tank is arranged in the inner support structure.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the opening has a rectangular outline.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the upper cover wall has a larger dimension in the plane of the upper support wall compared to the size of the opening, thereby spanning the upper support wall around the opening.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the sealing membrane of the lower cover wall and the main structure is made of metal, and the connectors are welded to the sealing membrane of the lower cover wall and the main structure in a sealing manner.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the lower cover wall is made of a material that is impermeable to gases and liquids, such that the assembly including the sealing membrane of the main structure, the connectors, and the lower cover wall forms the sealing membrane of the tank.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the connector is equal to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the lower cover wall.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes a loading / unloading tower, which includes a plurality of loading / unloading pipes that pass through the cover in a sealed manner via orifices formed in the cover.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the sealing membrane includes a plurality of corrugated metal plates juxtaposed in a repeating pattern and welded together in a sealing manner.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the metal plate is made of stainless steel.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the connector includes a first flange fixed to a sealing membrane of the main structure and a second flange connected to the first flange and fixed to the lower cover wall.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the first flange and the second flange of the first connector are formed in the same plane.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the second flange of the second connector is formed in a plane parallel to the lower cover wall, and the first flange of the second connector is formed in a plane parallel to the sealing membrane of the rear cofferdam wall, more particularly the primary sealing membrane.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the connector includes a plurality of connecting elements welded together to form a continuous portion around the lower cover wall.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the connecting element includes a first connecting element and a second connecting element. The first connecting element is formed by a first planar plate forming a portion of a first flange and a second planar plate forming a portion of a second flange to form an L-shaped cross-section element. The second connecting element is formed by a first corrugated plate including a corrugated portion and forming a portion of the first flange and a second corrugated plate including a corrugated portion and forming a portion of the second flange.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the corrugated portion of the second connecting element is aligned with one of the corrugated portions of the sealing membrane of the main structure to extend the corrugated portion of the sealing membrane of the main structure.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the first connecting element and the second connecting element are arranged alternately around the lower cover wall.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the connector includes a third flange connected to the first flange and / or the second flange, the third flange being fixed to the support structure.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the lower cover wall includes a plurality of planar metal plates assembled together.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the lower cover wall is made of a material having a diameter between 0.5 × 10⁻⁶. -6 K -1 With 2×10 -6 K -1 Between and including 0.5×10 -6 K-1 With 2×10 -6 K -1 It is made of an iron-nickel alloy with a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the connector is made of a material having a diameter between 0.5 × 10⁻⁶. -6 K -1 With 2×10 -6 K -1 Between and including 0.5×10 -6 K -1 and 2×10 -6 K -1 It is made of an iron-nickel alloy with a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the lower cover wall includes a plurality of corrugated metal plates, which are juxtaposed in a repeating pattern and welded together in a sealed manner.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the metal plate is made of stainless steel.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the connector is made of stainless steel.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the thermal insulation structure of the cover includes at least one polymer foam block.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the thermal insulation structure of the cover includes at least one polyurethane foam block, preferably reinforced with fibers, such as glass fibers.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the thermal insulation structure of the cover includes a plurality of box-shaped members arranged side by side and filled with thermal insulation filler.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the thermal insulation filler is made of glass wool, perlite, aerogel, polymer foam, or a combination of two or more of these materials.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the sealing membrane is a primary sealing membrane, the thermal barrier is a primary thermal barrier, and the main structure of the tank includes, in the thickness direction from the outside to the inside of the tank: a secondary thermal barrier fixed to a support structure; a secondary sealing membrane carried by the secondary thermal barrier; a primary thermal barrier carried by the secondary sealing membrane; and a primary sealing membrane carried by the primary thermal barrier and for contact with liquefied gas.

[0051] Such storage facilities can be onshore, such as for storing LNG, or installed in coastal or deep-water floating structures, particularly in methane tankers, floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units, etc. These storage facilities can also be used as fuel tanks in any type of ship.

[0052] According to one embodiment, a vessel for transporting cold liquid products includes a twin hull and the aforementioned storage facilities disposed within the twin hull.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the ship includes the aforementioned storage facilities and deck, with the upper support wall of the support structure formed by the deck.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the ship includes the aforementioned storage facilities, an inner deck, and an outer deck, wherein the inner upper support wall of the support structure is formed by the inner deck, and the outer upper support wall is formed by the outer deck.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a delivery system for cold liquid products, the system comprising: the aforementioned vessel; an insulated conduit arranged to connect a tank installed in the hull of the vessel to a floating or onshore external storage facility; and a pump for driving a flow of cold liquid products from the floating or onshore external storage facility to the tank of the vessel, or from the tank of the vessel to the floating or onshore external storage facility, via the insulated conduit.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a method for loading or unloading such a vessel, wherein cold liquid products are delivered from a floating or onshore external storage facility to a tank on the vessel, or from a tank on the vessel to a floating or onshore external storage facility, via insulated pipes. Attached Figure Description

[0057] The invention will be better understood in the following description of specific embodiments of the invention, which are given by way of non-limiting illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings, and other objects, details, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent.

[0058] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the storage facility according to the first embodiment.

[0059] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 It comes from Figure 1 The schematic diagram of detail II shows the jar at the level of the opening more specifically.

[0060] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 This is a partial perspective view of the interior of the box at the connection between the main structure and the cover.

[0061] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 This is a partial perspective view of the connection between the lower cover wall and the primary sealing membrane of the main structure.

[0062] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of a cross-section of the storage facility according to the second embodiment.

[0063] [ Figure 6 ] Figure 6 It comes from Figure 5 The diagram in detail VI shows the can at the level of the opening more specifically.

[0064] [ Figure 7 ] Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the methane tanker storage facilities and the terminals used for loading / unloading the tank. Detailed Implementation

[0065] exist Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates a storage facility 1, which includes a double-support structure comprising an internal support structure 2 and an external support structure 3 serving as a frame for the internal support structure 2. Inside the internal support structure 2, the storage facility 1 includes a sealed and insulated tank 71, which will be described below.

[0066] The internal support structure 2 and the external support structure 3 include multiple walls connected to each other, and specifically, include an internal upper support wall 4 and an external upper support wall 5 located at the top of the storage facility 1, respectively. Figure 1 It is visible in the text.

[0067] When the storage facility 1 is located on a ship such as a methane tank, the support structures 2 and 3 are formed by the ship's double hull. The inner upper support wall 4 is therefore the ship's inner deck 4, while the outer upper support wall 5 is the ship's outer deck 5.

[0068] Tank 71 includes a main structure 6 formed by: a bottom wall (not shown); a top wall 7; two cofferdam walls 8 connecting the bottom wall to the top wall 7 and located at the front and rear when the storage facility 1 is on a ship; two side walls (not shown); and two to four optional chamfered walls (not shown) connecting the side walls to the bottom wall or the top wall 7. The tank walls 71 are thus connected to each other to form a polyhedral structure and define an internal storage space 9.

[0069] In order to load and unload tank 71 with liquefied gas, storage facility 1 includes a loading / unloading opening 10 that partially interrupts the outer upper support wall 5, the inner upper support wall 4 and the top wall 7 of the tank so that loading / unloading pipe 11 can reach the bottom of tank 71 after passing through the opening 10.

[0070] Storage facility 1 also includes a loading / unloading tower 13 positioned in line with the opening 10 and located inside the tank 71, thereby forming a support structure for the loading / unloading pipe 11 over the entire height of the tank 71 and for a pump (not shown).

[0071] Furthermore, the storage facility 1 includes a cover 12 disposed in the loading / unloading opening 10 to enclose the internal storage space 9 at the height of the opening 10. The cover 12 includes an opening 14 through which the loading / unloading pipe 11 passes.

[0072] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the first embodiment shown, tank 71 also includes a chimney-like passage 15 located on the main structure 6 at the opening height, allowing the tank wall to extend continuously from the inner deck 4 toward the outer deck 5 at the height where the outer deck 5 is interrupted by the loading / unloading opening 10. In liquefied gas storage tanks, such a chimney-like passage 15 with a cover 12 is referred to as a liquid dome.

[0073] Here, the invention is described with reference to the liquid dome-shaped portion, but it is equally conceivable to apply the invention to other chimney-like passages of tank 71, such as conventional gas dome-shaped portions.

[0074] The loading / unloading opening 10 and the chimney-type passage 15 have a rectangular outline. Therefore, the chimney-type passage 15 includes four walls, one of which is an extension of the rear cofferdam wall 8, such as... Figure 1 As can be seen, the other three walls are connected to the top wall 7 and form a 90° angle with the top wall.

[0075] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 Another specific feature of this embodiment shown is that the cover 12 is located at the height of the outer deck 5, i.e., enclosing the chimney-type passage 15.

[0076] Figure 2 The opening area of ​​the storage facility 1 in the first embodiment is shown schematically in more detail.

[0077] Tank 71 is a membrane tank 71 capable of storing liquefied gas. The main structure 6 of tank 71 includes a multi-layer structure, which from the outside to the inside includes: a secondary thermal barrier 16, which includes a thermal insulation element abutting against a support structure; a secondary sealing membrane 17 abutting against the secondary thermal barrier 16; a primary thermal barrier 18, which includes a thermal insulation element abutting against the secondary sealing membrane 17; and a primary sealing membrane 19 intended to contact the liquefied gas contained in tank 71.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the main structure 6 of tank 71 is based on the Mark specifically described in document FR-A-2691520. It is produced using technology.

[0079] In this main structure 6, the secondary insulation barrier 16, the primary insulation barrier, and the secondary sealing membrane 17 essentially comprise juxtaposed panels located on a supporting structure, which can be an inner supporting structure 2 or a structure connecting an inner upper supporting wall 4 to an outer upper supporting wall 5 at the height of the opening 10. The secondary sealing membrane 17 is formed of a composite material comprising an aluminum sheet sandwiched between two glass fiber pads. The primary sealing membrane 19, in itself, is obtained by assembling multiple metal plates welded together along their edges and comprising corrugated portions 20 extending in two perpendicular directions. The metal plates are formed, for example, from stainless steel or aluminum sheets shaped by bending or pressing. The primary sealing membrane 19 is particularly... Figure 3 As shown in the image.

[0080] Further details of this corrugated metal film are specifically described in FR-A-2861060.

[0081] like Figure 2 As can be seen, in the chimney-type channel 15, the secondary sealing membrane 17 is fixed to the support structure at its edge by means of a connecting ring 21 protruding from the inner surface of the chimney-type channel support wall, which in this region serves as a wall connecting the inner deck 4 to the outer deck 5.

[0082] The cover 12 also includes a multi-layer structure, which from the outside to the inside includes an upper cover wall 22, a lower cover wall 23, and a thermal insulation structure 24 located between the lower cover wall 23 and the upper cover wall 22. The cover 12 also includes a reinforcement 25 located on the upper cover wall 22.

[0083] like Figure 2 As can be seen, the cover 12 is disposed in the loading / unloading opening 10 such that the upper cover wall 22 is located in the plane of the outer upper support wall 5 or the outer deck 5. Therefore, the storage facility 1 does not include a dome-shaped seating portion, and the cover 12 does not protrude above the outer deck 5.

[0084] The upper cover wall 22 is sealed to the outer deck 5 around the opening 10, such that at the height of the cover 12, the upper cover wall 22 acts as a secondary sealing membrane 17. The upper cover wall 22 is made of metal, such as stainless steel.

[0085] The lower cover wall 23 is welded in a sealed manner to the primary sealing membrane 19 of the main structure 6, which is the chimney-type channel 15, by means of connector 26. Connector 26 will refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 A more detailed description follows. The lower cover wall 23 is also welded to the loading / unloading pipe 11 in a sealed manner.

[0086] The insulation structure 24 of the cover 12 includes multiple insulation elements juxtaposed on each other, which may be similar or different. In a preferred embodiment, the insulation elements positioned in a straight line with the lower cover wall 23 and the connector 26 are structured insulation elements, while the insulation elements located at the periphery of the insulation structure 24 are unstructured insulation elements. The so-called "structured" insulation elements substantially have mechanical properties or characteristics greater than or even significantly greater than those of the so-called "unstructured" insulation elements. The structured insulation elements may optionally be high-density polymer foam blocks reinforced with fibers or plywood, or composite box-shaped pieces filled with insulating fillers such as glass wool, polymer foam, or perlite. The unstructured insulation elements may be low-density polymer foam blocks or glass wool blocks.

[0087] The connector 26 includes a first flange 27 that is welded in a sealing manner to the main structure 6, and a second flange 28 that is connected to the first flange 27 and welded in a sealing manner to the lower cover wall 23 around the lower cover wall 23. The connector 26 is designed differently depending on the design of the lower cover wall 23, for example, according to... Figure 3 The first variant shown or according to Figure 4 The second variant shown is designed in a different way.

[0088] Figure 3 The interior of the tank 71 at the connection between the main structure 6 and the cover 12 is shown, and a first variant of the connector 26 is shown.

[0089] In Figure 3 In the middle, the lower cover wall 23 is formed by an assembly of planar metal plates 29, which are welded together in a stacked manner. Here, these planar metal plates 29 are planar metal plates 29 with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, in this case, the coefficient of thermal expansion is between 0.5 × 10⁻⁶. -6 K -1 With 2×10 -6 K -1 Between and including 0.5×10 -6 K -1 and 2×10 -6 K -1 This results in minimal contraction as the liquefied gas passes through the loading / unloading pipe 11. The flat metal plate 29 is, for example, made of an iron-nickel alloy known as Invar alloy.

[0090] In each of the variants, the connector 26 is made of a material having the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the material of the lower cover wall 23, so that it contracts and expands in a uniform manner with the lower cover wall 23.

[0091] Therefore, in this first variant, the connector 26 is also made of a material with a diameter between 0.5 x 10 mm. -6 K-1 With 2x10 -6 K -1 The connector 26 is made of an iron-nickel alloy with a coefficient of thermal expansion between the two. Therefore, the connector 26 is formed by a continuous strip around the lower cover wall 23. This strip is made using one or more connecting elements forming the first flange 27 and the second flange 28.

[0092] In an embodiment not shown, connector 26 includes a third flange located in the same plane as the first flange 27 and connected to the first flange 27 and the second flange 28 to form a T-section connector 26. The third flange is fixed to a support structure, thereby forming an anchoring portion at the height of connector 26 for the primary sealing membrane 19 and the lower cover wall 23. The first flange 27 and the third flange may be formed as a single piece. Alternatively, the first flange 27 and the second flange 28 may be formed from the same bent plate.

[0093] One of the pipes in the loading / unloading pipeline 11 is in Figure 3 As shown, the loading / unloading conduit passes through the cover 12 and, in particular, through one of the orifices 14 formed in the cover 12, through the lower cover wall 23. To seal the connection between the loading / unloading conduit 11 and the lower cover wall 23, the conduit 11 is provided with a flange 30 welded in a sealing manner around the conduit, which is also welded in a sealing manner to the lower cover wall 23.

[0094] Figure 4 A second variant of connector 26 is shown. In fact, it is advantageous for connector 26 to be adapted when the current cover wall 23 is manufactured or constructed in the same manner as the primary sealing membrane 19 of the main structure 6.

[0095] like Figure 4 As can be seen, the lower cover wall 23 includes a plurality of corrugated metal plates 31, which are juxtaposed in a repeating pattern and welded together in a sealing manner. The corrugations 20 of the lower cover wall 23 are aligned with the corrugations 20 of the primary sealing membrane 19 of the main structure 6. To create this continuity at the height of the connector 26 and to seal the connection, the connector 26 is formed by a plurality of first connecting elements 32 and a plurality of second connecting elements 33. The first connecting elements 32 are formed by a first flat plate 34 forming a portion of a first flange 27 and a second flat plate 35 forming a portion of a second flange 28 to form an L-shaped cross-section element. The second connecting elements 33 are formed by a first corrugated plate 36 including a corrugation 38 and forming a portion of the first flange 27 and a second corrugated plate 37 including a corrugation 38 and forming a portion of the second flange 28. The first connecting elements 32 and the second connecting elements 33 are arranged alternately around the lower cover wall 23.

[0096] Therefore, the corrugated portion 37 of the second connecting element 33 is aligned with one of the corrugated portions 20 of the sealing membrane of the main structure 6 and also with one of the corrugated portions 20 of the lower cover wall 23, as shown. Figure 4 As can be seen in the image. Therefore, the second connecting element 33 can ensure the continuity of the corrugated portion at the height of the connecting member 26, while simultaneously providing a seal by engaging the edges of the primary sealing film 19 and the lower cover wall 23.

[0097] Figure 5 and Figure 6 This illustrates a second embodiment of the storage facility 1. Compared to the first embodiment, the upper cover wall 22 is positioned within the plane of the inner upper support wall 4 or inner deck 4. Therefore, in this embodiment, the main structure 6 of the tank 71 does not include the chimney-type passage 15 and terminates at the portion of the main structure above the sealing wall 7. Thus, the cover 12 is an extension of the sealing wall 7, allowing the loading / unloading pipe 11 and loading / unloading tower 13 to pass through without the cover 12 protruding from the inner deck 4, and even less from the outer deck 5. The cover 12 can connect the sealing wall 7 to the rear dike wall 8 in a straight line with the opening. The outer deck 5 may be provided with a closing element aligned in a straight line with the opening, thereby closing the outer deck 5 after the insertion of the loading / unloading pipe 11 and the cover 12.

[0098] Figure 6 The opening area of ​​the storage facility 1 in the second embodiment is shown schematically in more detail. The design of the cover 12 in this embodiment is very similar to that of the cover in the first embodiment. However, the lower cover wall 23 is in the same plane as the primary sealing membrane 19 of the sealing wall 7, and is sealed to the primary sealing membrane 19 at three edges of the lower cover wall 23, the fourth edge being connected to the primary sealing membrane 19 of the rear cofferdam wall 8 by means of an element of the L-shaped or T-shaped cross-section connector 26 as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the connector 26 includes three edges connected to the connecting element of the top primary sealing membrane 19 at the height of the three edges, with the first flange 27 and the second flange 28 formed in the same plane for the connecting element.

[0099] The liquefied gas intended to be stored in tank 71 can be, in particular, liquefied natural gas (LNG), that is, a gaseous mixture primarily consisting of methane and one or more other hydrocarbons. The liquefied gas can also be ethane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), that is, a mixture of hydrocarbons produced by petroleum refining, primarily consisting of propane and butane.

[0100] Reference Figure 7The cross-sectional view of the methane tanker 70 shows a sealed and insulated tank 71 of an overall prismatic shape installed in the ship's twin hulls 72. The walls of the tank 71 include a primary sealing barrier intended to contact the LNG contained in the tank, a secondary sealing barrier disposed between the primary sealing barrier and the ship's twin hulls 72, and two thermal insulation barriers disposed between the primary sealing barrier and the secondary sealing barrier and between the secondary sealing barrier and the twin hulls 72, respectively.

[0101] In a manner known per se, the loading / unloading pipe 73 located on the top deck of the ship can be connected by means of suitable connectors to a maritime or port terminal to transfer LNG cargo from tank 71 or to tank 71.

[0102] Figure 7 An example of a marine terminal including a loading and unloading station 75, an underwater pipeline 76, and a land-based facility 77 is shown. The loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed offshore facility comprising a mobile boom 74 and a tower-like structure 78 supporting the mobile boom 74. The mobile boom 74 carries a bundle of insulated flexible tubing 79 that can be connected to a loading / unloading pipeline 73. The directional mobile boom 74 is suitable for all methane tank loading specifications. Connecting pipes, not shown, extend inside the tower-like structure 78. The loading and unloading station 75 is capable of loading or unloading methane tanks 70 from or onto the land-based facility 77. The land-based facility 77 includes liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and connecting pipes 81 connected to the loading or unloading station 75 via the underwater pipeline 76. The underwater pipeline 76 enables the transport of liquefied gas over a considerable distance, such as 5 km, between the loading or unloading station 75 and the land-based facility 77, allowing methane tankers to maintain a greater distance from the coast during loading and unloading operations.

[0103] Pumps installed on the ship 70 and / or equipped with pumps at the land facility 77 and / or equipped with pumps at the loading and unloading station 75 are used to generate the pressure required to transport liquefied gases.

[0104] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is clear that the invention is by no means limited thereto, and the invention includes all technical equivalents of the described apparatus and combinations thereof if all technical equivalents of the described apparatus and combinations thereof fall within the scope of the invention.

[0105] The use of the verbs “comprising” or “including” and their variant forms does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those mentioned in the claims.

[0106] Any reference numerals in parentheses in the claims should not be construed as limiting the claims.

Claims

1. A storage facility (1) for liquefied gas, said storage facility (1) comprising a support structure and a sealed and insulated tank (71) disposed in said support structure, The sealed and insulated tank (71) includes a main structure (6) formed by a plurality of tank walls connected to and fixed to the support structure, the main structure (6) defining an internal storage space, and the main structure (6) including at least one sealing membrane and at least one heat insulation barrier disposed between the sealing membrane and the support structure. The support structure includes a generally planar upper support wall. The sealing membrane and the heat insulation barrier of the upper support wall and the main structure (6) are partially interrupted, thereby defining a loading / unloading opening (10), which is used to allow a fluid loading / unloading pipe (11) to pass through the loading / unloading opening (10), wherein, The tank (71) includes a cover (12) disposed in the loading / unloading opening (10). The cover (12) includes an upper cover wall (22), a lower cover wall (23), and a heat insulation structure (24) located between the lower cover wall (23) and the upper cover wall (22). The upper cover wall (22) is disposed in the plane of the upper support wall and fixed to the upper support wall. The lower cover wall (23) is connected to the sealing membrane of the main structure (6) in a sealed manner by means of a connector (26). The upper support wall is an outer upper support wall (5). The support structure includes an inner support structure (2) and an outer support structure (3). The tank (71) includes an internal upper support wall (4) that is generally planar, and an external support structure (3) that includes an external upper support wall (5) that is generally planar above the internal upper support wall (4). The main structure (6) of the tank (71) is arranged in the internal support structure (2). The tank (71) includes a chimney-like passage (15) that is located on the main structure (6) and flush with the loading / unloading opening (10). The tank wall extends continuously from the internal upper support wall (4) toward the generally planar external upper support wall (5). The cover (12) encloses the chimney-like passage.

2. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The loading / unloading opening (10) has a rectangular outline.

3. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The sealing membrane of the lower cover wall (23) and the main structure (6) is made of metal, and the connector (26) is welded to the sealing membrane of the lower cover wall (23) and the main structure (6) in a sealed manner.

4. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The lower cover wall (23) is made of a material that is impermeable to gases and liquids, such that the assembly including the sealing membrane of the main structure (6), the connector (26), and the lower cover wall (23) forms the sealing membrane of the tank (71).

5. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the connector (26) is equal to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the lower cover wall (23).

6. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The storage facility (1) includes a loading / unloading tower (13) which includes a plurality of loading / unloading pipes (11) that pass through the cover in a sealed manner via orifices (14) formed on the cover (12).

7. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The sealing membrane comprises a plurality of corrugated metal plates (31) arranged in a repeating pattern and welded together in a sealing manner, the metal plates of the sealing membrane being made of stainless steel.

8. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The connector (26) includes a first flange (27) and a second flange (28), the first flange (27) being fixed to the sealing membrane of the main structure (6), and the second flange (28) being connected to the first flange (27) and fixed to the lower cover wall (23).

9. The storage facility (1) according to claim 8, wherein, The connector (26) includes a third flange connected to the first flange (27) and / or the second flange (28), the third flange being fixed to the support structure.

10. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The lower cover wall (23) comprises a plurality of planar metal plates (29) assembled together, and the lower cover wall (23) is made of materials having a diameter between 0.5 × 10⁻⁶. -6 K -1 With 2×10 -6 K -1 It is made of an iron-nickel alloy with a coefficient of thermal expansion between the two.

11. The storage facility (1) according to claim 10, wherein, The connector (26) is made of a material with a diameter between 0.5 × 10⁻⁶. - 6 K -1 With 2×10 -6 K -1 Between and including 0.5×10 -6 K -1 and 2×10 -6 K -1 It is made of an iron-nickel alloy with a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

12. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The lower cover wall (23) includes a plurality of corrugated metal plates (31) arranged in a repeating pattern and welded together in a sealed manner. The metal plates of the lower cover wall (23) are made of stainless steel.

13. The storage facility (1) according to claim 12, wherein, The connector (26) is made of stainless steel.

14. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The thermal insulation structure (24) of the cover (12) includes at least one polymer foam block.

15. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The thermal insulation structure (24) of the cover (12) includes a plurality of box-shaped pieces arranged side by side and filled with thermal insulation filler.

16. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The sealing membrane is a primary sealing membrane (19), the heat insulation barrier is a primary heat insulation barrier (18), and wherein the main structure (6) of the tank (71) includes, in the thickness direction from the outside to the inside of the tank (71): a secondary heat insulation barrier (16) fixed to the support structure; a secondary sealing membrane (17) carried by the secondary heat insulation barrier (16); the primary heat insulation barrier (18) carried by the secondary sealing membrane (17); and the primary sealing membrane (19) carried by the primary heat insulation barrier (18) and for contact with the liquefied gas.

17. A vessel (70) for transporting cold liquid products, the vessel comprising a twin hull (72) and a storage facility (1) disposed in the twin hull according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. The vessel (70) according to claim 17, wherein, The ship (70) includes an inner deck and an outer deck, the inner upper support wall (4) of the support structure is formed by the inner deck, and the outer upper support wall (5) is formed by the outer deck.

19. A conveying system for cold liquid products, the conveying system comprising: The ship (70) according to claim 17 or claim 18; insulated pipes (73, 79, 76, 81) arranged such that the tank (71) installed in the double hull of the ship is connected to a floating or land-based external storage facility (77); and a pump for driving a flow of cold liquid product from the floating or land-based external storage facility to the tank of the ship, or from the tank of the ship to the floating or land-based external storage facility, via the insulated pipes.

20. A method for loading or unloading a vessel (70) according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein, Cold liquid products are transported from a floating or onshore external storage facility (77) to the tank (71) of the vessel via insulated pipes (73, 79, 76, 81), or from the tank (71) of the vessel to the floating or onshore external storage facility (77).

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