Storage facility, transport system, vessel and method for loading or unloading thereof

Abstract

This invention relates to a storage facility for liquefied gases, a vessel for transporting cold liquid products, a conveying system for cold liquid products, and a method for loading or unloading a vessel. The storage facility includes a support structure and a tank including a top wall comprising a thermal insulation barrier and a sealing membrane. The storage facility includes a through structure through an opening formed in the top wall. The through structure includes an inner barrel-shaped member tightly welded to the sealing membrane and fixed to the support wall by means of a fixing device. The fixing device includes: a fixing ring welded around the inner barrel-shaped member; a fixing collar extending radially around and spaced from the inner barrel-shaped member, the fixing collar being welded to the top support wall of the support structure; and a supporting outer tube extending around the inner barrel-shaped member, wherein the supporting outer tube is welded to both the fixing collar and the fixing ring.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Document KR20140088975 discloses a storage facility for liquefied gases, comprising a support structure formed by the double hulls of a ship and a sealed, thermally insulated tank housed within the support structure. The storage facility includes a through structure defining a circulation path between the internal space of the tank and the exterior of the storage facility.

[0003] The through-structure includes: an outer barrel-shaped member that passes through the outer hull of the twin hull and is welded to the inner hull of the twin hull; an inner barrel-shaped member that extends inside the outer barrel-shaped member and is tightly connected to the primary sealing membrane of the tank; and an intermediate insulating space disposed between the inner barrel-shaped member and the outer barrel-shaped member.

[0004] The outer barrel-shaped component includes an assembly flange at its top, which is formed by an outwardly folded lip and receives a removable cover. The inner barrel-shaped component and the insulating intermediate space do not extend to the top of the inner barrel-shaped component, and above the inner barrel-shaped component and the insulating intermediate space, two conduits radially pass through the upper region of the outer barrel-shaped component. The inner barrel-shaped component is secured to the outer barrel-shaped component at its top.

[0005] This through-structure is not entirely satisfactory. In fact, considering the layout and design of through-structures, they are complex to assemble, require a large space in storage facilities, and cannot relieve the stresses associated with thermal contraction / expansion during the passage of liquefied gas, causing the through-structure in this document to directly transfer these stresses to the supporting structure. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] The concept behind this invention is to simplify the through-structure while enhancing the assembly of the through-structure with the support structure and the tank.

[0008] Another concept upon which this invention is based is to limit the propagation of stress related to thermal contraction / expansion of the through-structure to the supporting structure.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a storage facility for liquefied gases, the storage facility including a support structure and a sealed and thermally insulated tank disposed within the support structure, the support structure including a top support wall, and the tank including a top wall fixed to the top support wall of the support structure.

[0010] The top wall includes at least one thermal insulation barrier and at least one sealing membrane in the thickness direction from the outside to the inside of the tank. The sealing membrane is supported by the thermal insulation barrier and is used to contact the fluid contained in the tank.

[0011] The storage facility includes a through-structure that passes through openings formed in the top wall and the top support wall.

[0012] The through-structure includes an internal barrel-shaped component that extends along the thickness direction and passes through the top support wall and the top wall. The internal barrel-shaped component is tightly welded to the sealing membrane and fixed to the top support wall by a fixing device.

[0013] And the fixing device includes:

[0014] - Retaining rings, which are arranged on the outside of the top support wall of the support structure and welded around the inner barrel-shaped member.

[0015] - A retaining collar, extending radially around and spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member, is welded to the top support wall of the support structure around the opening.

[0016] - A supporting outer tube extends around the inner barrel-shaped member. The supporting outer tube is welded to both a retaining collar and a fixing ring, thereby ensuring support for the inner barrel-shaped member. The fixing device is configured to allow for both radial and longitudinal contraction of the inner barrel-shaped member.

[0017] These features simplify the through-structure, particularly by using no more than a single barrel-shaped component and reducing the number of elements to be assembled. Furthermore, the absence of an outer barrel-shaped component covering the inner barrel-shaped component reduces the overall size of the through-structure, facilitating assembly and operation. Finally, the fixing devices allow for the absorption of stresses associated with the thermal contraction / expansion of the inner barrel-shaped component during the passage of liquefied gas, thereby minimizing stress on the supporting structure and / or the through-structure.

[0018] Therefore, the thickness direction is defined as the thickness direction of the top wall.

[0019] According to the implementation, such a facility may include one or more of the following features.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the retaining collar is flat.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the top support wall includes a plurality of support metal plates welded to each other, at least one support metal plate being adjacent to the opening, and a retaining collar being welded to the at least one support metal plate.

[0022] According to one embodiment, a retaining collar is formed in the same plane as at least one supporting metal plate adjacent to the opening.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the retaining collar is overlapped and welded to the at least one supporting metal plate.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the fixing collar is in the form of a ring, and the fixing collar includes an outer contour portion welded to the top support wall of the support structure and an inner contour portion positioned spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member. The outer tube is welded to the fixing collar and spaced apart from the inner contour portion, such that a fixing collar portion protrudes from the outer tube toward the inner barrel-shaped member.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the retaining collar is formed by an assembly of multiple plates.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the outer tube and the inner barrel-shaped member are coaxial, with the outer tube positioned between the retaining collar and the retaining ring in the thickness direction. The outer tube and / or the inner barrel-shaped member are, for example, manufactured using rolled metal sheet.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the outer tube includes a top end portion welded to a retaining ring and a bottom end portion welded to a retaining flange.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the retaining ring includes an annular plate formed and welded to surround the inner barrel-shaped member, the annular plate being located in a plane parallel to the retaining ring, and one end of the outer tube being welded to the annular plate.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes an inert gas inlet pipe through which a fixing device passes to communicate a thermal insulation barrier with the inert gas.

[0030] Therefore, the inert gas inlet pipe can avoid passing through the internal barrel-shaped component and the top support wall when passing through the fixed device, and when a secondary sealing membrane is provided, the inert gas inlet pipe does not need to pass through the secondary sealing membrane, thereby limiting the number of intersections required to reach the thermal insulation barrier to generate an inert atmosphere in the barrier.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the inert gas input pipe passes through the fixing device between the annular plate and the fixed collar portion.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the inert gas input pipe passes through the fixing device at the outer pipe and the fixing collar portion.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the annular plate is an inner annular plate, and the fixing ring includes an outer annular plate formed and welded to surround the inner barrel-shaped member. The outer annular plate is located in a plane parallel to the inner annular plate, and the fixing ring includes reinforcements that are fixed to both the inner and outer annular plates. The reinforcements are distributed around the inner barrel-shaped member to reinforce the fixing ring.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the sealing membrane is a primary sealing membrane, the thermal insulation barrier is a primary thermal insulation barrier, and the top wall includes, in the thickness direction of the wall from the outside to the inside of the tank, a secondary thermal insulation barrier fixed to the top support wall, a secondary sealing membrane supported by the secondary thermal insulation barrier, the primary thermal insulation barrier supported by the secondary sealing membrane, and the primary sealing membrane supported by the primary thermal insulation barrier.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the through structure includes a connecting collar located inside the tank and welded around the inner barrel-shaped member, and a primary sealing membrane is blocked to be spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member and welded around the connecting collar via a connecting plate.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the secondary sealing membrane is blocked to be spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member, and the secondary sealing membrane is fixed to the retaining collar via a connecting ring extending around the inner barrel-shaped member.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes an annular reinforcement that protrudes from the outer surface of a retaining collar toward the outside of the tank.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the annular reinforcement and the connecting ring are coaxial and have the same diameter, such that the annular reinforcement forms an extension of the connecting ring on the outside of the tank.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the through structure includes a top, which is fixed to one end of an internal barrel-shaped member that protrudes from the can.

[0040] According to one implementation, the top is domed.

[0041] Therefore, the domed top allows the through structure to better support the internal pressure of the tank.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the can undergoes a stress between 0 barg (1.01 × 10⁻⁶) during its use. 5 Pa) and 3 barg (3.01 × 10 5 The internal pressure between Pa).

[0043] According to one embodiment, the through structure includes at least one pipe from a liquefied gas loading pipe and a liquefied gas unloading pipe, the at least one pipe passing through the top wall of the tank inside the inner barrel-shaped member, such that the at least one pipe includes an end located inside the tank, the top of the through structure is welded to the end of the inner barrel-shaped member, and the through structure forms a dome-shaped structure.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the inner barrel-shaped component and the top include an outer surface projecting from the top support wall, said outer surface being at least partially covered with insulating filler, preferably, said outer surface being entirely covered with insulating filler.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the at least one pipe passes through the internal barrel-shaped part or the top of the through-structure.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the at least one conduit includes a conduit portion located outside the structure, the conduit portion including an outer surface at least partially covered with insulating filler.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing members of the retaining ring are spaced apart from each other by insulating filler.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the top is removably attached to the end of the inner barrel-shaped member in a manner that, for example, by screwing, forms a manhole structure through the structure.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the inner barrel-shaped member and the top include an inner surface projecting from the top support wall, the outer surface of which is at least partially covered with insulating filler. Preferably, the inner surface of the top is completely covered with insulating filler.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the top of the manhole structure is penetrated by at least one liquid level sensor.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the through structure is a first through structure, the opening is a first opening, and the storage facility includes a second through structure that passes through a second opening formed in a top wall and a top support wall, the second opening being away from the first opening, the first through structure forming a dome structure, and the second through structure forming a manhole structure.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the secondary thermal insulation barrier includes a plurality of juxtaposed parallelepiped insulating blocks, and the secondary sealing membrane includes a plurality of parallel columns, each column having a flat central portion resting on the top surface of an insulating block and two raised edges protruding toward the primary sealing membrane relative to the central portion. The columns are juxtaposed according to a repeating pattern and tightly welded together at the raised edges. Anchoring wings of the insulating blocks anchored to the secondary thermal insulation barrier are disposed between the juxtaposed columns to hold the secondary sealing membrane to the secondary thermal insulation barrier.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the secondary sealing membrane is formed of a metal alloy having a density between 0.5 × 10⁻⁶. - 6 K -1 With 7.5×10 -6 K -1 The coefficient of thermal expansion between them.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the primary sealing membrane is made of corrugated stainless steel plates assembled to each other to form a continuous plate layer, the continuous plate layer having two series of corrugated elements perpendicular to each other.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the fixing device is made of stainless steel.

[0056] Such storage facilities can be onshore, such as those for storing LNG, or installed in floating, coastal, or deep-water structures, particularly methane tankers, floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), and floating production and storage offshore units (FPSOs). These storage facilities can also be used as fuel tanks in any type of vessel.

[0057] According to one embodiment, a ship for transporting cold liquid products includes a twin hull and the aforementioned storage facilities arranged within the twin hull.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a delivery system for cold liquid products, the system comprising: the aforementioned vessel; an insulated pipe configured to connect tanks mounted in the hull of the vessel to an external floating or land-based storage facility; and a pump configured to: drive the flow of cold liquid products from the external floating or land-based storage facility through the insulated pipe to the tanks on the vessel, or drive the flow of cold liquid products from the tanks on the vessel through the insulated pipe to the external floating or land-based storage facility.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a method for loading or unloading such a vessel, wherein cold liquid products are transported from an external floating or land-based storage facility to the vessel's tanks via insulated pipes, or cold liquid products are transported from the vessel's tanks to an external floating or land-based storage facility via insulated pipes. Attached Figure Description

[0060] The invention will be better understood in the following description of several specific embodiments of the invention, which are given by way of non-limiting illustration with reference only to the accompanying drawings, and other objects, details, features and advantages of the invention will become clearer.

[0061] Figure 1A partial cross-sectional view of a storage facility according to a first embodiment is shown, the storage facility including a dome structure and a manhole structure located on the top wall.

[0062] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Detail II is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the dome-shaped structure.

[0063] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Detail II is a cross-sectional view showing the dome-shaped structure.

[0064] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Detail IV is a cross-sectional view showing the manhole structure.

[0065] Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the manhole structure according to the second embodiment.

[0066] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a fixture through which an inert gas inlet pipe passes, according to one embodiment, showing the top wall.

[0067] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of a fixed device through which an inert gas input pipe passes, according to another embodiment.

[0068] Figure 8 It is a cross-sectional schematic representation of a methane tanker including storage facilities and a dock used for loading / unloading the tank. Detailed Implementation

[0069] In this application, the terms "internal" and "external" refer to the relative positions of the components of the storage facility with respect to the interior of the tank, with the so-called internal component being closer to the interior of the tank than the so-called external component.

[0070] Storage facility 71 for liquefied gases includes a support structure 3, which is formed, for example, by the double hull 72 of a ship 70. Figure 8 As shown, and the storage facility 71 includes a tank 1 housed within the support structure 3, such as Figure 1 As shown.

[0071] Tank 1 is a membrane-equipped tank, enabling it to store liquefied gases. Tank 1 has a multi-layered structure, which is particularly important in... Figure 5The diagram shows a secondary thermal insulation barrier 2, a secondary sealing membrane 4, a primary thermal insulation barrier 5, and a primary sealing membrane 6, arranged from the outside to the inside in the wall thickness direction. The secondary thermal insulation barrier 2 includes an insulating element resting against a support structure 3. The secondary sealing membrane 4 rests against the secondary thermal insulation barrier 2. The primary thermal insulation barrier 5 includes an insulating element resting against the secondary sealing membrane 4. The primary sealing membrane 6 is for contacting the liquefied gas contained in the tank 1. The primary sealing membrane 6 defines an internal space 7 for receiving the liquefied gas. As an example, such a membrane-equipped tank is specifically described in patent applications WO14057221, FR2691520, and FR2877638, which are respectively related to the Mark developed by the applicant. Mark and technology.

[0072] exist Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the secondary sealing membrane 4 comprises a plurality of parallel rows of plates. Each row of plates includes a flat central portion resting on the top surface of an insulating element of the secondary thermal insulation barrier 2 and two raised edges projecting toward the primary sealing membrane 6 relative to the central portion. The rows of plates are juxtaposed according to a repeating pattern and are tightly welded together at the raised edges. Anchoring flanges for anchoring the insulating element to the secondary thermal insulation barrier 2 are provided between the juxtaposed rows of plates to hold the secondary sealing membrane 4 to the secondary thermal insulation barrier 2. The primary sealing membrane 6 comprises corrugated stainless steel plates assembled together to form a continuous layer of metal sheets. The continuous layer of metal sheets has two series of corrugated elements perpendicular to each other.

[0073] The liquefied gas used for storage in tank 1 can be liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is a gaseous mixture mainly consisting of methane and one or more other hydrocarbons. The liquefied gas can also be ethane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is a mixture derived from petroleum refining and mainly consisting of propane and butane hydrocarbons.

[0074] The tank 1 is a polyhedral tank. Specifically, the tank 1 includes a top wall 8 and a bottom wall 10. The top wall 8 is fixed to the top support wall 9 of the support structure 3, and the bottom wall 10 is fixed to the bottom support wall 11 of the support structure 3.

[0075] Figure 1 A portion of the storage facility 71 is shown, with only a portion of the top wall 8 and the corresponding portion of the bottom wall 9 shown.

[0076] As in Figure 1As can be seen, the storage facility 71 includes two through structures 12 and 13, which pass through openings 14 and 15 formed in the top wall 8 and the top support wall 9. The first through structure is a dome-shaped structure 12 passing through the first opening 14, and the second through structure is a manhole structure passing through the second opening 15. The first opening 14 and the second opening 15 are spaced apart from each other, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown.

[0077] The dome-shaped structure 12 specifically allows for a close intersection of the loading pipe 14 and unloading pipe 15 for liquefied gases with the top wall 8. The manhole structure 13, in itself, allows for the preservation of an entrance to the internal space 7 of the tank 1 for the operator, for example, for maintenance operations.

[0078] Therefore, loading pipe 14 and unloading pipe 15 are located within the internal space 7 of tank 1 to load liquefied gas into or unload liquefied gas from tank 1. Additionally, as can be... Figure 1 As seen in the image, a support foot 16 is provided, which is fixed to the bottom wall 10. The support foot 16 is provided with a guide device 17 surrounding the end of the loading pipe 14 and the end of the unloading pipe 15 to hold the loading pipe 14 and the unloading pipe 15 along the axis of the dome structure 12.

[0079] The through structures 12 and 13, and especially the fixing of the through structures 12 and 13 to the support structure 3, will be described in more detail below.

[0080] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The dome structure 12 is shown in more detail, while Figure 4 and Figure 5 The manhole structure 13 is shown in more detail.

[0081] The through-structures described below, namely the dome structure 12 and the manhole structure 13, have generally similar structures and differ from each other only in the purpose of the dome structure 12 and the manhole structure 13, the elements passing through the dome structure 12 and the manhole structure 13, and the possible dimensions of the dome structure 12 and the manhole structure 13. Furthermore, unlike the dome structure 12, the manhole structure 13 is provided with a removable cover.

[0082] Therefore, the through structures 12 and 13 include an internal barrel-shaped member 18 that extends along the thickness direction of the wall and passes through the top support wall 9 and the top wall 8. The internal barrel-shaped member 18 is in the form of a cylinder with an annular cross-section. The internal barrel-shaped member 18 is tightly welded to the primary sealing membrane 6 and welded to the top support wall 9 via a fixing device 19.

[0083] Fixing device 19 includes:

[0084] - Retaining ring 20, the retaining ring 20 is arranged on the outside of the top support wall 9 and welded around the inner barrel-shaped member 18.

[0085] - A retaining collar 21 extends radially around and is spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member 18. The retaining collar 21 is welded to the top support wall 9 around the opening 23.

[0086] - Supporting outer tube 22 extends around the inner barrel 18, and on the one hand, the supporting outer tube 22 is welded to the fixing collar 21, and on the other hand, the supporting outer tube 22 is welded to the fixing collar 20, thereby ensuring the support of the inner barrel 18.

[0087] The fixing device 19 allows for radial and longitudinal contraction of the inner barrel 18. In practice, for example, in cases where the contraction of the inner barrel 18 relates to the passage of liquefied gas within the inner barrel 18, the deformation of the fixing device 19 itself follows the deformation of the inner barrel 18 to limit stress on the top support wall 9, welded parts, or the inner barrel 18.

[0088] As in Figures 2 to 5 As can be seen, the retaining ring 20 includes an inner annular plate 24 and an outer annular plate 25, which are formed and welded to surround the inner barrel-shaped member 18. The annular plates are located in a plane parallel to the retaining collar 21 and are spaced apart from each other. One end of the outer tube 22 is welded to the inner annular plate 24. The retaining ring 20 further includes a reinforcing member 26, which is fixed to both the inner annular plate 24 and the outer annular plate 25. The reinforcing member 26 is, for example, a plate formed in a plane orthogonal to the annular plates 24 and 25, with one side of the reinforcing member contacting the inner barrel-shaped member 18. The reinforcing members 26 are distributed around the inner barrel-shaped member 18 to reinforce the retaining ring 20.

[0089] The retaining collar 21 is constructed of a flat plate formed in the same plane as at least one supporting metal plate adjacent to the opening 23, and the retaining collar 21 is welded to said at least one supporting metal plate located on the top supporting wall 9. The retaining collar 21 is annular in shape and includes an outer contour portion welded to the top supporting wall 9 and an inner contour portion positioned spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member 18. The outer tube 22 is welded to the retaining collar 21 and spaced apart from the inner contour portion, such that the outer tube 22 protrudes toward the inner barrel-shaped member 18 with a retaining collar portion 27. This facilitates the welding of the outer tube 22 to the retaining collar 21.

[0090] To help secure the retaining collar 21 to the top support wall 9, the support tab 39 is fixed around the retaining collar 21 and protrudes from the outer contour of the retaining collar 21 in the opposite direction to the inner barrel 18, so as to be placed on the top support wall 9 during the fixing of the through structures 12, 13.

[0091] Regarding the specific features of the dome structure 12, the specific features of the dome structure 12 are... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The diagram is shown in more detail below. The dome structure 12 includes a dome top 28, which is welded to the end of the inner barrel-shaped member 18 that protrudes from the tank 1. Therefore, in the case of the dome structure 12, the top 28 and the inner barrel-shaped member 18 are inseparable from each other after being fixed. The outer surfaces of the inner barrel-shaped member 18 and the top 28 that protrude from the top support wall are covered with insulating filler 40 to form thermal continuity with the thermal insulation of the tank 1.

[0092] exist Figures 1 to 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the dome structure 12 includes a liquefied gas loading pipe 29 and a liquefied gas unloading pipe 30. The unloading pipe 30 passes through the top 28 and extends within the inner barrel 18 to reach the internal space 7 of the tank. The loading pipe 29 passes through the inner barrel 18 and extends within the inner barrel 18 to reach the internal space 7 of the tank. In this embodiment, the dome structure may also include a level sensor 34 and a safety pipe 42, the level sensor 34 enabling measurement of the liquefied gas level in the tank 1.

[0093] In another embodiment not shown, instead of a level sensor and safety conduit, the dome structure 12 may include a liquefied gas injection system, allowing liquefied gas to be injected into the tank 1 prior to loading. The dome structure 12 may also include a steam exhaust conduit, allowing gas in the vapor phase to be discharged from the interior space 7, for example, to the propulsion system of a ship or reliquefaction unit.

[0094] Regarding the specific features of the manhole structure 13, the specific features of the manhole structure 13 are described according to two variant embodiments. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The diagram is shown in more detail below. The manhole structure 13 includes a domed top 28, which is removably secured to the protruding end of the inner barrel-shaped member 18 from the can 1. For example, the domed top 28 is removably secured to the protruding end of the inner barrel-shaped member 18 from the can 1 using a securing system 31 formed by bolts. Therefore, in the case of the manhole structure 13, the top 28 forms a cover for the manhole structure 13 located on the inner barrel-shaped member 18.

[0095] exist Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the manhole structure 13 includes a liquefied gas injection system 32, allowing liquefied gas to be injected into the tank 1 prior to loading to cool the interior space 7, and a steam exhaust pipe 33, allowing the gas in a vapor phase to be discharged from the interior space 7 to be directed to a propulsion system, such as that of a ship or reliquefaction unit. The injection system 32 and the steam exhaust pipe 33 extend through the top 28 and within the internal barrel 18 by means of fastening to the top 28 to reach the interior space 7 of the tank 1. For example, when the top 28 is removed during maintenance, the injection system 32 and the steam exhaust pipe 33 are also removed.

[0096] exist Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the manhole structure 13 includes a level sensor 34, enabling measurement of the level of liquefied gas in tank 1, and the manhole structure 13 includes a safety conduit (not shown). The level sensor 34 passes through the top 28 and is partially located within the inner barrel 18. The level sensor 34 is, for example, an optical sensor pointing to the bottom of tank 1. The level sensor 34 is also removed, for example, when the top 28 is removed during maintenance.

[0097] The thermal insulation barriers 2 and 5 of the liquefied gas tank 1 are permeated with an inert gas, such as nitrogen, to inertize the thermal insulation barriers 2 and 5 and / or to detect leaks in one of the sealing membranes 4 and 6. To add this inert gas to these barriers 2 and 5, the storage facility 71 includes at least one inert gas inlet pipe 35 that passes through a fixture 19, such as... Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown.

[0098] exist Figure 6 In the variant shown, the inert gas inlet pipe 35 passes through the fixing device 19 at the inner annular plate 24 and the fixing collar portion 27, while... Figure 7 In the variant shown, the inert gas inlet pipe 35 passes through the fixing device 19 at the outer pipe 22 and the fixing collar 27.

[0099] Figure 6 It also allows us to show how the closure of the primary sealing membrane 6 and the secondary sealing membrane 4 is produced on the through structures 12 and 13.

[0100] In fact, the secondary sealing membrane 4 is blocked and spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member 18, and is fixed to the retaining collar 21 via the connecting ring 36 surrounding the inner barrel-shaped member 18. Therefore, the secondary sealing membrane 4 is welded to the connecting ring 36 around the inner barrel-shaped member 18.

[0101] Furthermore, the annular reinforcement 37 protrudes outward from the outer surface of the retaining collar 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the annular reinforcement 37 extends within the extension of the connecting ring 36.

[0102] The primary sealing membrane 6 is also blocked and spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member 18. Through structures 12, 13 include a connecting collar 38, which is located within the internal space 7 of the tank 1 and welded around the inner barrel-shaped member 18. The primary sealing membrane 6 is directly welded to the connecting collar 38. In another embodiment, not shown, the primary sealing membrane 6 may be welded to the connecting collar 38 via a connecting plate.

[0103] exist Figure 6 The diagram schematically illustrates the insulating elements of the secondary thermal insulation barrier 2 and the primary thermal insulation barrier 5. These insulating elements may be formed, for example, from layers of polymer foam, such as fiber-reinforced polyurethane foam, to which a top plate and / or a bottom plate made of plywood may be fixed.

[0104] Size example:

[0105] - Diameter of the internal barrel-shaped component 18: approximately 1160 mm.

[0106] - The protruding height of the dome-shaped structure 12 on the outside of the tank 1: approximately 1420 mm.

[0107] - The protrusion height of the manhole structure 13 on the outside of the tank 1 is approximately 1400 mm.

[0108] -Outer diameter of retaining collar 21: approximately 1970 mm.

[0109] Reference Figure 8 The cross-sectional view of the methane tanker 70 shows a generally prismatic, sealed, and insulated tank 1 installed within the ship's twin hulls 72. The twin hulls 72 include an inner hull and an outer hull. The walls of the tank 1 include a primary sealing membrane for contact with the LNG contained within the tank, a secondary sealing membrane disposed between the primary sealing membrane and the ship's twin hulls 72, and two insulating barriers respectively disposed between the primary and secondary sealing membranes and between the secondary sealing membrane and the twin hulls 72.

[0110] As is known in itself, the loading / unloading pipe 73, which is arranged on the top deck of the ship, can be connected to a sea or port terminal by means of appropriate connectors to transfer LNG cargo to or from tank 1.

[0111] Figure 8An example of an offshore terminal is shown, comprising a loading and unloading station 75, an underwater pipeline 76, and an onshore facility 77. The loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed offshore facility, comprising a movable boom 74 and a riser 78 supporting the movable boom 74. The movable boom 74 is supported by bundles of insulated flexible tubing 79 that can be connected to the loading / unloading pipeline 73. The directional movable boom 74 is suitable for all types of methane tankers. Connecting pipes, not shown, extend within the riser 78. The loading and unloading station 75 is capable of loading a methane tanker 70 from the onshore facility 77 or unloading the methane tanker to the onshore facility. The onshore facility 77 includes liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and connecting pipes 81 that connect to the loading or unloading station 75 via the underwater pipeline 76. The underwater pipeline 76 enables liquefied gas to be transferred over a considerable distance, such as 5 km, between the loading or unloading station 75 and the onshore facility 77, which allows the methane tanker 70 to maintain a considerable distance from the coast during loading and unloading operations.

[0112] To generate the pressure necessary for transferring liquefied gas, pumps embedded in the ship 70, and / or pumps equipped in the onshore facility 77, and / or pumps equipped in the loading and unloading station 75 are implemented.

[0113] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is apparent that the invention is by no means limited to these embodiments, and that the invention includes all technical equivalents and the described means and combinations thereof, where they fall within the scope of the invention.

[0114] The use of the verbs “comprising” or “including” and their variations does not exclude the presence of elements or other steps other than those listed in the claims.

[0115] In the claims, any reference numerals between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claims.

Claims

1. A storage facility (71) for liquefied gas, the storage facility (71) comprising a support structure (3) and a sealed and thermally insulated tank (1) disposed in the support structure (3), the support structure (3) comprising a top support wall (9), the tank (1) comprising a top wall (8), the top wall (8) being fixed to the top support wall (9) of the support structure (3). in, The top wall (8) includes at least one thermal insulation barrier and at least one sealing membrane in the thickness direction from the outside to the inside of the tank (1), the sealing membrane being supported by the thermal insulation barrier and for contacting the fluid contained in the tank (1). The storage facility (71) includes a through structure that passes through an opening (23) formed in the top wall (8) and the top support wall (9). The through structure includes an inner barrel-shaped member (18) that extends along the thickness direction and passes through the top support wall (9) and the top wall (8). The inner barrel-shaped member (18) is tightly welded to the sealing membrane and fixed to the top support wall (9) by a fixing device (19). And wherein the fixing device (19) includes: - A retaining ring (20), which is arranged outside the top support wall (9) of the support structure (3) and welded around the inner barrel-shaped member (18). - A retaining collar (21) that extends radially around and is spaced apart from the inner barrel (18) and is welded around the opening to the top support wall (9) of the support structure (3). - A supporting outer tube (22) extends around the inner barrel (18), and on the one hand, the supporting outer tube (22) is welded to the fixing collar (21), and on the other hand, the supporting outer tube (22) is welded to the fixing collar (20), thereby ensuring support for the inner barrel (18), the fixing device (19) being configured to allow radial and longitudinal contraction of the inner barrel (18).

2. The storage facility (71) according to claim 1, wherein, The fixing collar (21) is in the form of a ring. The fixing collar (21) includes an outer contour portion welded to the top support wall (9) of the support structure (3) and an inner contour portion positioned to be spaced apart from the inner barrel-shaped member. The support outer tube (22) is welded to the fixing collar (21) and spaced apart from the inner contour portion, such that a fixing collar portion (27) protrudes from the support outer tube (22) toward the inner barrel-shaped member (18).

3. The storage facility (71) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, The supporting outer tube (22) and the inner barrel-shaped member (18) are coaxial, and the supporting outer tube (22) is located between the fixing collar (21) and the fixing ring (20) in the thickness direction.

4. The storage facility (71) according to claim 2, wherein, The fixing ring (20) includes an annular plate formed and welded around the inner barrel (18), the annular plate being located in a plane parallel to the fixing collar (21), and one end of the supporting outer tube (22) being welded to the annular plate.

5. The storage facility (71) according to claim 4, wherein, The storage facility (71) includes an inert gas inlet pipe (35), and the fixing device (19) is passed through the inert gas inlet pipe at the annular plate and the fixing collar (27), thereby allowing the thermal insulation barrier to communicate with the inert gas without the inert gas inlet pipe (35) needing to pass through the inner barrel (18) or the top support wall (9) of the support structure (3).

6. The storage facility (71) according to claim 4, wherein, The annular plate is an inner annular plate (24), and the fixing ring (20) includes an outer annular plate (25) formed and welded around the inner barrel-shaped member. The outer annular plate (25) is located in a plane parallel to the inner annular plate (24), and the fixing ring (20) includes a reinforcing member (26) which is fixed to the inner annular plate (24) on one hand and to the outer annular plate (25) on the other hand. The reinforcing member (26) is distributed around the inner barrel-shaped member to reinforce the fixing ring (20).

7. The storage facility (71) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The sealing membrane is a primary sealing membrane (6), the thermal insulation barrier is a primary thermal insulation barrier (5), and the top wall (8) includes a secondary thermal insulation barrier (2) fixed to the top support wall (9) in the thickness direction from the outside to the inside of the tank (1), a secondary sealing membrane (4) supported by the secondary thermal insulation barrier, the primary thermal insulation barrier supported by the secondary sealing membrane, and the primary sealing membrane supported by the primary thermal insulation barrier.

8. The storage facility (71) according to claim 7, wherein, The through structure includes a connecting collar (38) located inside the tank (1) and welded around the inner barrel (18), and the primary sealing membrane (6) is blocked to be spaced apart from the inner barrel (18) and welded around the connecting collar (38) via a connecting plate.

9. The storage facility (71) according to claim 7, wherein, The secondary sealing membrane (4) is blocked to be spaced apart from the inner barrel (18), and the secondary sealing membrane (4) is fixed to the retaining collar (21) via a connecting ring extending around the inner barrel (18).

10. The storage facility (71) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising an annular reinforcement (37) protruding from the outer surface of the retaining collar (21) toward the outside of the tank (1).

11. The storage facility (71) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The through structure includes a dome-shaped top (28) which is fixed to the end of the inner barrel-shaped member (18) that protrudes from the can (1).

12. The storage facility (71) according to claim 11, wherein, The through structure includes at least one pipe from one of the liquefied gas loading pipe (29) and the liquefied gas unloading pipe (30), the at least one pipe passing through the top wall (8) of the tank inside the inner barrel (18), such that the at least one pipe includes an end located inside the tank (1), the dome-shaped top (28) of the through structure being welded to the end of the inner barrel (18), the through structure forming a dome structure.

13. The storage facility (71) according to claim 11, wherein, The dome-shaped top (28) is removably attached to the end of the inner barrel-shaped member (18), and the through structure forms a manhole structure.

14. The storage facility (71) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The through structure is a first through structure, the opening is a first opening, the storage facility (71) includes a second through structure, the second through structure passes through a second opening formed in the top wall (8) and the top support wall (9), the second opening is away from the first opening, the first through structure forms a dome structure, and the second through structure forms a manhole structure.

15. A vessel (70) for transporting cold liquid products, the vessel comprising a twin hull (72) and a storage facility (71) arranged in the twin hull according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A conveying system for cold liquid products, the conveying system comprising a vessel (70) according to claim 15, insulated conduits (73, 79, 76, 81) and a pump, the insulated conduits (73, 79, 76, 81) being configured to connect a tank mounted in the double hull of the vessel to a floating or land-based storage facility (77), the pump being configured to: drive the flow of cold liquid products from the floating or land-based storage facility through the insulated conduits to the tank (1) of the vessel, or drive the flow of cold liquid products from the tank (1) of the vessel through the insulated conduits to the floating or land-based storage facility.

17. A method for loading or unloading the vessel (70) according to claim 15, wherein, The cold liquid product is transported from the floating or land-based storage facility (77) to the tank (1) of the ship via insulated pipes (73, 79, 76, 81), or the cold liquid product is transported from the tank (1) of the ship to the floating or land-based storage facility (77) via the insulated pipes (73, 79, 76, 81).

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