Calculation method for calculating the dimensions of a spacing element for building a liquid product storage installation

Abstract

The invention relates to a calculation method (400) for calculating the dimensions of a spacing element (40) for building a liquid product storage installation (1) comprising a load-bearing structure (10) having an interior space (11) defined by a load-bearing wall (12) and a sealed tank (20) mounted in the interior space (11) of the load-bearing wall (12). The calculation method (400) is based on an iterative reduction of the dimensions of the spacing element (40) performed under the constraint of acceptable criteria, including a flatness criterion limiting the deformation of a flat portion (224) of the tank (20).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the construction of liquid product storage facilities. More specifically, this invention relates to the calculation of dimensions of spacer elements intended for use in constructing liquid product storage facilities, which include a load-bearing structure having an internal space defined by load-bearing walls and sealed storage tanks installed within the internal space of the load-bearing walls.

[0002] Storage tanks can be sealed and insulated tanks used for storing and / or transporting liquefied gases at cryogenic temperatures, such as tanks for transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at temperatures between -50°C and 0°C, or tanks for transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) at approximately -162°C at atmospheric pressure. These tanks can be installed onshore or on floating structures. In the case of floating structures, the tanks can be used to transport liquefied gas or to receive liquefied gas used as fuel to propel the floating structure.

[0003] In one embodiment, the liquefied gas is LNG, i.e., a mixture with a high methane content stored at atmospheric pressure and a temperature of about -162°C. Other liquefied gases are also conceivable, particularly ethane, propane, butane, or ethylene, and hydrogen may also be used. The liquefied gas can also be stored at certain pressures, such as relative gauge pressures between 2 and 20 bar, and particularly at a relative gauge pressure of about 2 bar. Various technologies can be used to produce the storage tanks, especially in the form of integrated membrane tanks or self-supporting tanks.

[0004] Alternatively, a sealed storage tank can be a sealed storage tank used for storing and / or transporting liquid products (such as crude oil or refined oil, especially kerosene, diesel or gasoline) under ambient pressure and ambient temperature. Background Technology

[0005] Document WO2020 / 193584A1 discloses a method for constructing a sealed and insulated storage tank in a load-bearing structure. Multiple insulating blocks are placed side-by-side and fixed to the inner surface of the load-bearing wall. Gaskets and putty beads are disposed between the insulating blocks and the load-bearing wall. The gaskets and putty beads allow for compensation of flatness defects on the inner surface of the load-bearing structure, thereby providing an insulating barrier with satisfactory flatness to support the sealing membrane of the storage tank. Summary of the Invention

[0006] A fundamental idea of ​​this invention is to provide a calculation method for calculating the dimensions of spacer elements for constructing a liquid product storage facility, the storage facility comprising a load-bearing structure having an internal space defined by load-bearing walls and a sealed tank installed within the internal space of the load-bearing walls. Another fundamental idea of ​​this invention is to calculate the dimensions of the spacer elements iteratively, more precisely, by iteratively reducing these dimensions under the constraints of acceptable criteria, including flatness criteria that limit the deformation of the planar facet contained in the tank.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention proposes a calculation method for calculating the dimensions of spacer elements for constructing a liquid product storage facility, the storage facility comprising a load-bearing structure having an internal space defined by load-bearing walls and a sealed storage tank installed within the internal space of the load-bearing walls.

[0008] The calculation method is implemented by a computer and includes:

[0009] - Obtain the three-dimensional position measurement values ​​of the load-bearing wall;

[0010] - Based on the position measurements, an initial position of the tank is defined within the internal space of the load-bearing structure. The initial position of the tank includes the initial position of the outer wall of the tank. At this initial position, the outer wall has multiple planar portions forming a polygonal cylindrical surface. The polygonal cylindrical surface has convex polygons as guidelines and generatrices perpendicular to the guidelines.

[0011] -For each planar portion:

[0012] Positioning lines define the positions of juxtaposed wall modules intended to form the outer perimeter wall of the tank; based on the positions of the positioning lines, setting lines extending perpendicularly to the planar portion and the load-bearing wall are defined between the planar portion and the load-bearing wall, the setting lines being configured such that at least one setting line intersects each position of the wall module, the setting lines indicating the positions of the spacer elements to be set between each wall module and the load-bearing wall in the final position of the outer perimeter wall of the tank.

[0013] The initial dimensions of the set line are calculated based on the positional measurements of the load-bearing wall.

[0014] The dimensions of the set line are iteratively reduced to bring the wall module closer to the load-bearing wall until the final position of the outer wall of the tank. The iterative reduction is carried out under the constraints of acceptable standards, including flatness standards that limit the deformation of planar portions.

[0015] Based on these characteristics, the dimensions of the spacer elements are calculated in this way, minimizing their size as much as possible while meeting acceptable criteria, thereby reducing the volume loss between the tank's outer walls and load-bearing walls. Acceptable criteria limit the deformation of planar portions, ensuring that the tank's outer walls have sufficient flatness in their final positions, for example, to support the sealing membrane.

[0016] This calculation method is implemented by a computer, for example, by a suitable computer program. Therefore, users can obtain the dimensions of the spacers automatically, without human intervention, except for pre-specified acceptable standards. Position measurements can be entered manually, in whole or in part, by the user, or provided to the computer program in a computer-readable format.

[0017] According to the implementation method, this calculation method may have one or more of the following features.

[0018] According to one implementation, iteratively reducing the size of the set line includes:

[0019] a) Select the setting line;

[0020] b) Reduce the size of the selected setting line to the reduced size;

[0021] c) Verify whether the acceptable criteria are met through calculation, and: if yes, maintain the reduced size obtained in step b); if no, cancel the size reduction performed in step b).

[0022] d) Verify whether there is at least one set line that has not yet been selected. If yes, perform steps a) to c) on the unselected set line. If no, verify whether at least one set line has maintained the reduced size in step c). If yes, perform steps a) to d) again. If no, record the size of the set line as the size of the spacer element in the memory.

[0023] According to one implementation, the size of the set line is reduced in predetermined increments.

[0024] According to one implementation, the acceptable standard includes a lower limit standard, according to which the size of the set line is kept greater than or equal to a first predetermined lower limit.

[0025] According to one implementation, the acceptable criteria include a spacing criterion, according to which the distance between each wall module and the load-bearing wall, perpendicular to the wall module, is maintained greater than or equal to a second predetermined lower limit.

[0026] According to one implementation, the acceptable criterion includes a slope criterion, which is related to the slope difference between the vertices of three aligned adjacent spaced elements.

[0027] According to one embodiment, an acceptable criterion includes a torsion criterion, which is related to the spacing perpendicular to the wall module between each wall module corresponding to the spacer element and the average plane of the wall module.

[0028] According to one embodiment, defining the initial position of the outer wall of the tank includes defining a reference value for the angle formed by the planar portions at the corner edges separating the planar portions.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the outer wall of the tank is entirely formed by juxtaposed planar wall modules, and an acceptable criterion includes an angle criterion, according to which the angle formed by the two slopes connecting the vertices of the two aligned spacers closest to the corner edge on either side of the corner edge falls within the range of an angle reference value including the corner edge.

[0030] According to one embodiment, at one of the corner edges, the wall module includes a dihedral wall module disposed at the corner edge and presenting a dihedral shape, the angle of which is equal to a reference value of the angle at the corner edge, and the acceptable criterion includes a second slope criterion relating, on the one hand, to the slope between the vertices of the spacer element corresponding to the dihedral block and the vertices of adjacent spacer elements, and on the other hand, to the slope difference between the vertices of the spacer element corresponding to the dihedral block and the slopes between the vertices of the spacer element and the points located on the dihedron of the dihedral block and aligned with the spacer element.

[0031] According to one implementation method

[0032] - The load-bearing structure also includes a flat bottom load-bearing wall with dimensional tolerances;

[0033] - Obtaining the three-dimensional position measurement of the load-bearing wall also includes obtaining the three-dimensional position measurement of the bottom load-bearing wall;

[0034] - The initial position of the tank also includes the bottom plane portion that defines the initial position of the tank bottom wall;

[0035] - The calculation method also includes:

[0036] The bottom positioning lines define the positions of juxtaposed bottom wall modules intended to form the bottom wall of the tank.

[0037] Based on the position of the bottom positioning line, a bottom setting line extending vertically relative to the bottom plane portion is defined between the bottom plane portion and the bottom load-bearing wall. The bottom setting line is configured such that at least one bottom setting line intersects each position of the bottom wall module. The bottom setting line indicates the position of the spacer element to be set between each bottom wall module and the bottom load-bearing wall in the final position of the bottom wall of the tank.

[0038] The initial dimensions of the bottom set line are calculated based on the positional measurements of the bottom load-bearing wall.

[0039] The dimensions of the bottom set line are iteratively reduced to bring the wall module closer to the bottom load-bearing wall until the final position of the bottom wall of the tank. The iterative reduction is carried out under the constraints of acceptable standards, including flatness standards that limit the deformation of the bottom planar portion.

[0040] According to one embodiment, a wall module intended to form the outer wall of a storage tank has a rectangular outer contour, positioning lines define the rectangular position of the wall module, and setting lines are configured such that at least four setting lines intersect each of the rectangular positions of the wall module near the corners of the rectangular positions.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the wall module includes a component for holding at least one metal plate intended to form a sealing membrane for the tank.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the storage tank is a sealed, insulated storage tank.

[0043] According to one implementation, the wall module is an insulating block.

[0044] According to one embodiment, each insulation block includes a polymer foam block sandwiched between a cover plate and a base plate. According to one embodiment, the polymer foam block may be a glass fiber reinforced polyurethane foam block. According to one embodiment, the density of the polymer foam is 130 kg / m³. 3 Up to 200kg / m 3 Between. According to one embodiment, the cover plate and the base plate are made of plywood.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the cover plate has an anchor plate designed for welding to the edge of the metal plate to hold the metal plate on the cover plate.

[0046] According to one embodiment, in the initial position, the outer wall of the tank has multiple planar portions forming a polygonal cylindrical surface with a convex polygon as its guide.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the load-bearing wall is formed with a polygonal or cylindrical surface having dimensional tolerances.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the spacer element includes a gasket.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the spacer element includes an anchor bolt. According to one embodiment, the anchor bolt holds the wall module to the load-bearing wall.

[0050] According to one embodiment, obtaining the three-dimensional position measurement of the load-bearing wall includes performing a three-dimensional measurement of the position of the vertical load-bearing wall using a scanning laser rangefinder.

[0051] According to one implementation, with a diameter equal to or less than 2 cm 2 Three-dimensional measurement is performed using the resolution of a single point. Attached Figure Description

[0052] The invention will be better understood from the following description of several specific embodiments of the invention, 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.

[0053] Figure 1A This is a diagram showing the initial position of the outer wall of the tank within the interior space of the load-bearing structure.

[0054] Figure 1B Is with Figure 1A The same diagram shows the shape of a load-bearing structure based on a variation.

[0055] Figure 2 It shows a portion of the main load-bearing wall of the load-bearing structure, a planar portion of the outer wall of the tank in its initial position, and a portion of the outer wall of the tank in its initial position. Figure 1A The diagram shows the initial dimensions of the initial position setting line.

[0056] Figure 3 It is similar to Figure 2 The diagram shows the dimensions of the set line at the final position of the outer wall of the tank.

[0057] Figure 4A This is a block diagram illustrating the steps of the calculation method according to the present invention.

[0058] Figure 4B It is shown in detail Figure 4A A flowchart of one step in the calculation method.

[0059] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing one way of defining the initial dimensions of the setting line.

[0060] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing juxtaposed planar wall modules intended for forming the outer perimeter wall of a storage tank and spacer elements intended for placement between each wall module and the load-bearing wall at the final position of the outer perimeter wall of the storage tank.

[0061] Figure 7 This is another schematic diagram showing the juxtaposed planar wall modules and spacer elements.

[0062] Figure 8A It is shown Figure 3 A, Figure 3 B and Figure 5 The diagram shows the positions of the setting lines and the positioning lines that define the positions of the planar wall modules.

[0063] Figure 8B It is a graph showing the slope between the vertices of aligned adjacent spaced elements.

[0064] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the average plane of a planar wall module and the interval between the wall module and the average plane corresponding to the spacer element, the interval being perpendicular to the wall module.

[0065] Figure 10 It is a diagram showing the slope between the vertices of adjacent spacer elements aligned on either side of the corner edge of the two planar walls separating the tank.

[0066] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a variant of the outer wall of a storage tank, wherein the spacer element is a gasket.

[0067] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating a possible structure of the wall module in a variant of the first embodiment.

[0068] Figure 13 This is a diagram showing the outer wall of the tank in a variation of the first embodiment, which is located at the corner edge of the two planar walls separating the tank.

[0069] Figure 14 This is a partial cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the outer wall of the tank, wherein the spacer element is an anchor bolt.

[0070] Figure 15A This is a diagram showing a possible structure of the outer wall of the tank in a variant of the second embodiment, which is located at the corner edge of the two planar walls separating the tank.

[0071] Figure 15B This is a diagram illustrating the virtual transformation from a dihedral block to a planar block.

[0072] Figure 15C This indicates that it is located in Figure 15A and Figure 15B A diagram showing the calculation of the positions of points on the dihedron of a dihedral block.

[0073] Figure 15D It is similar to Figure 15C The diagram shows the vertices between aligned adjacent spacers and the vertices of these spacers relative to the points located on the left and right. Figure 15A and Figure 15B The slope between points on the dihedron of the dihedral block.

[0074] Figure 16 It is a partial perspective view of the load-bearing structure, showing a portion of the bottom wall and a portion of the main load-bearing wall of the load-bearing structure.

[0075] Figure 17 It is a diagram showing the slope between the vertices of adjacent spacer elements aligned on either side of the corner edge separating the base wall and the main load-bearing wall of the load-bearing structure. Detailed Implementation

[0076] As described above, the present invention relates to a liquid product storage facility, which is indicated by reference numeral 1 in the following description.

[0077] According to one variant, Facility 1 is capable of storing liquefied gases, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG) or other liquefied gases at a temperature and atmospheric pressure of approximately -162°C. According to another variant, Facility 1 is capable of storing various liquid products, such as crude oil or refined oil, particularly kerosene, diesel, or gasoline.

[0078] Facility 1 mainly includes a load-bearing structure 10 and a sealed storage tank 20.

[0079] First, the load-bearing structure 10 will be described. The load-bearing structure 10 includes at least one load-bearing wall defining a cavity intended for accommodating a sealed storage tank 20. In one embodiment, the main load-bearing wall 12 has a generally cylindrical geometry surrounding the cavity. This main load-bearing wall 12 may also be closed at at least one end in the guiding direction by another load-bearing wall. In one embodiment, this main load-bearing wall 12 may extend between a bottom load-bearing wall and a top load-bearing wall.

[0080] Facility 1 can be configured such that it is located on shore. The main load-bearing wall 12 is typically vertical, meaning it lies in a plane parallel to the direction of gravitational acceleration within dimensional tolerances. The load-bearing structure 10 is made of concrete, for example. The bottom load-bearing wall may be located above ground or possibly below ground level, as not shown in the figures. At the end of the main load-bearing wall 12 opposite to the bottom load-bearing wall, the load-bearing structure 10 includes a top load-bearing wall that encloses the internal space defined by the bottom load-bearing wall and the vertical load-bearing wall 12, as not shown in the figures. This top load-bearing wall can support various equipment used to transport liquid products from or into the internal space. The bottom load-bearing wall and / or the top load-bearing wall can be planar, for example. However, the bottom and top load-bearing walls can also be other shapes, particularly spherical dome shapes.

[0081] Alternatively, facility 1 can be configured to be installed on a floating structure (such as a ship). In this case, the load-bearing structure 10 is part of the double hull included in the floating structure. The main load-bearing wall 12 may potentially be non-vertical and have a guiding direction perpendicular to the direction of gravitational acceleration, even when the floating structure is stationary.

[0082] In the following text, the case of facility 1 located on the shore will be considered more specifically, wherein the main load-bearing wall 12 is vertical. Therefore, the following description will refer to the vertical load-bearing wall 12. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the following description applies to any orientation of the main load-bearing wall 12 relative to the direction of gravitational acceleration.

[0083] Figure 1A This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the load-bearing structure 10, which is perpendicular to the vertical axis of the vertical load-bearing wall 12. The vertical load-bearing wall 12 is... Figure 1A The vertical load-bearing wall 12 is shown as a solid line. It forms a polygonal cylindrical surface and is typically constructed using civil engineering techniques. Therefore, the vertical load-bearing wall 12 has vertical panels 14 separated from each other by corner edges 13. The position and orientation of the vertical panels 14 may deviate dimensionally from the provided regular polygonal shape. Furthermore, as... Figure 2 As shown, each vertical panel 14 may exhibit dimensional deviations relative to the ideal shape of the plane. These dimensional deviations may be due, for example, to dimensional tolerances in the concrete structure.

[0084] In one variant, such as Figure 1B As shown, the vertical load-bearing wall 12 can be formed with any convex cylindrical surface, such as an indistinct circular surface, while still exhibiting dimensional deviations relative to a circle. Such a load-bearing wall can be a natural cavity or a structure with high tolerances. However, more generally, the vertical load-bearing wall 12 can have a more irregular or more regular shape than the one shown.

[0085] Sealed storage tank 20 (in Figure 1A and Figure 1B (Indicated by dashed lines) This tank is intended for installation within the interior space 11 of the load-bearing structure 10. The tank 20 includes a vertical outer wall 22 intended to face the vertical load-bearing wall 12. As not shown in the figures, the tank 20 also includes a bottom wall facing the bottom load-bearing wall and a top wall facing the top load-bearing wall.

[0086] The vertical outer wall 22 is composed of juxtaposed planar wall modules 30. The edge of the wall module 30 closest to the vertical load-bearing wall 12 is at... Figure 3 The dashed lines represent the components. Typically, the wall modules 30 are arranged in parallel and perpendicular rows. Spacer elements 40 are provided between the wall modules 30 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12 to compensate for the aforementioned dimensional deviations.

[0087] The spacer element 40 should be provided with the smallest possible size to maximize the internal volume of the tank and minimize the amount of material disposed between the vertical load-bearing wall 12 and the vertical outer wall 22, while still ensuring that the vertical outer wall 22 has sufficient flatness to support the sealing membrane of the sealed tank 20.

[0088] Before describing the computational method 400 that enables these objectives, reference will be made to... Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2 and Figure 3 Explaining the overall principle. In these figures, the initial position 220 of the vertical outer wall 22 is shown with a dashed line. Specifically, in Figure 1A and Figure 1B In order to make the attached drawings easier to read, the distance between the initial position 220 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12 has been greatly exaggerated.

[0089] The initial position 220 meets certain acceptable criteria described below. Therefore, the initial position 220 is considered acceptable to ensure sufficient flatness of the vertical outer wall 22. However, the initial position 220 leaves a significant space between the vertical outer wall 22 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12. As a result, as... Figure 2 As shown, if the vertical outer wall 22 is simply positioned in the initial position 220, the size of the spacer element 40 will be very large. Furthermore, if the construction of the tank 20 requires material to be placed between the vertical load-bearing wall 12 and the vertical outer wall 22 to ensure its mechanical strength, the volume of material used will be very large.

[0090] Conversely, at the end of calculation method 400, it was found that the size of the spacer element 40 was reduced at the final position 320 of the vertical outer wall 22. The final position 320 meets the same acceptable criteria as the initial position 220, thus still ensuring that the vertical outer wall 22 has sufficient flatness. However, since the size of the spacer element 40 has been reduced, the volume of material disposed between the vertical load-bearing wall 12 and the vertical outer wall 22 is reduced, and the internal volume of the tank 20 is increased.

[0091] Now refer to Figures 4A to 10 Describe the steps of calculation method 400.

[0092] Method 400 includes step 401, which involves obtaining a three-dimensional position measurement of the vertical load-bearing wall 12. According to a specific example, step 401 includes using a scanning laser rangefinder at a high resolution (e.g., equal to or less than 2 cm). 2 A three-dimensional measurement of the position of the vertical load-bearing wall 12 is performed at a single point.

[0093] In step 402, based on the position measurements obtained in step 401, an initial position 220 of the vertical outer wall 22 of the storage tank 20 is defined within the internal space 11. At the initial position 220, the vertical outer wall 22 has a plurality of planar portions 224 forming a polygonal cylindrical surface having convex polygons as guidelines and generatrices perpendicular to the guidelines. In a particular variant, the polygonal cylindrical surface formed by the planar portions 224 has orthogonally convex polygons as guidelines. According to a particular example, the initial position 220 is obtained by searching for the position of the vertical outer wall 22 under the constraints of one or more criteria, which may include, for example, criteria for minimizing the space between the vertical outer wall 22 of the storage tank 20 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12.

[0094] Following steps 401 and 402, method 400 proceeds to step 403, which includes defining the positioning line 100. For example... Figure 8A As shown, the positioning line 100 defines the position 130 of the wall module 30.

[0095] In the example shown in the accompanying drawings, positioning lines 100 include vertical positioning lines 110 and horizontal positioning lines 120 perpendicular to the vertical positioning lines 110, thereby defining positions 130 that are rectangular and correspond to the rectangular outer contour of the wall module 30. According to a specific example, the vertical positioning line 110 is determined by defining a vertical midline of the planar portion 224 and by setting the vertical positioning lines 110 at regular intervals along this vertical midline. Similarly, the horizontal positioning line 120 is determined by defining a horizontal midline of the planar portion 224 and by setting the horizontal positioning lines 120 at regular intervals along this horizontal midline.

[0096] Following step 403, method 400 proceeds to step 404, which includes defining a setting line 150 based on the position of the positioning line 100. The setting line 150 represents the position of the spacer element 40 at the final position 320. The setting lines 150 are configured such that at least one setting line 150 intersects each of the positions 130 of the wall modules 30.

[0097] In the example shown in the accompanying drawings, the setting lines 150 are configured such that at least four setting lines 150 intersect each of the rectangular positions 130 near the corners of these rectangular positions. However, different numbers of setting lines 150 can be provided, particularly when the spacer elements 40 are positioned in locations other than near the corners of the rectangular positions 130.

[0098] Following step 404, the method proceeds to step 405, which involves calculating the initial size of the set line 150 based on the positional measurements of the vertical load-bearing wall 12 obtained in step 401, and then iteratively reducing the size of the set line 150 to bring the wall module 30 closer to the vertical load-bearing wall 12. This iterative reduction is performed under the constraints of acceptable criteria, which include flatness criteria that limit the deformation of the planar portion 224.

[0099] In some variations, during step 405, the size of the set line 150 is iteratively reduced by a predetermined increment δ.

[0100] Steps 403, 404, and 405 are performed for each of the planar portions 224.

[0101] Now refer to Figures 4B to 10 The possible implementations of step 405 and examples of acceptable standards are described in detail.

[0102] In step 500, the height of the setting line 150 is initialized to meet acceptable standards. According to... Figure 5 In the specific example illustrated herein, the dimensions of the setting line 150 are initialized in the following manner: The setting line 150-1 in which the vertical load-bearing wall 12 is closest to the planar portion 224 is determined, and the dimension of the setting line 150-1 is set to the minimum dimension discussed below with respect to step 503. Then set the dimensions of the other setting lines to 150 to meet acceptable standards.

[0103] After initialization in step 500, the method proceeds to step 501, which includes selecting setting line 150.

[0104] In step 502, the size of the set line 150 selected in step 501 is reduced by an increment δ.

[0105] In step 503, it is verified that the size of the reduced setting line 150 in step 502 meets the lower limit standard. According to the lower limit standard, the size of the setting line 150 remains greater than the minimum size. Preset minimum size For example, it could be the smallest size that allows for the provision of spacer element 40 while still permitting the manufacture and use of spacer element 40. Figure 6 The minimum dimensions are shown where the spacer element 40 is a gasket. As shown below Figure 10 and Figure 11 Further description. Figure 6 The multiplicity of the increment δ is also shown.

[0106] In step 504, it is verified that the size of the reduced set line 150 in step 502 meets the interval standard. According to this interval standard, at any point 39 along the position of the vertical load-bearing wall 12 obtained in step 401, the distance perpendicular to the wall module 30 between the corresponding wall module 30 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12 remains greater than the minimum interval e. min Preset minimum interval e min . Figure 7 The minimum spacing e is schematically shown when the spacer element 40 is a gasket. min As follows about Figure 10 and Figure 11 Further description.

[0107] In step 505, it is verified that the size of the reduced set line 150 in step 502 satisfies a slope criterion related to the slope difference α between the vertices of the three aligned adjacent spacers 40. More precisely, it is verified that the slope difference α remains below a threshold 2A, where A is a preset amplitude.

[0108] Figure 8A and Figure 8B An example of slope standard calculation is shown. In the Cartesian reference frame (x, z), the vertex coordinates of the three aligned set lines 150 are represented by (x1, z1), (x2, z2), and (x3, z3), where x is parallel to the line 190 connecting these three set lines 150 (see...). Figure 8A If the following inequality is satisfied, then the slope criterion is met:

[0109] [Mathematics 1]

[0110]

[0111] In step 506, it is verified that the size of the reduced set line 150 in step 502 meets the torsion criterion, which is related to the interval between the corresponding wall module 30 (corresponding to the spacer element of the wall module 30) and the average plane of the wall module, the interval being perpendicular to the wall module 30.

[0112] Figure 9 An example of a torsion standard is illustrated. For a wall module 30 corresponding to several set lines 150, an average plane 430 can be defined for the wall module 30. The distances from the vertices of the set lines 150 to this average plane 430 are d1, d2, d3, d4… (For ease of understanding) Figure 9As clearly shown in the diagram, the vertices of the setting lines 150, which are distances d2 and d4 from the mean plane 430, are above the mean plane 430, while the vertices of the setting lines 150, which are distances d1 and d3 from the mean plane 430, are below the mean plane 430. The portion of the wall module 30 below the mean plane 430 is also represented by dashed lines. If the quantity D = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4 + ... is below a predetermined threshold, it is considered to meet the torsion criterion.

[0113] The acceptable criteria for steps 503 to 506 are only related to the setting line 150 corresponding to the single planar portion 224. However, as Figure 10 As shown, it may also be desirable to ensure that the dimensions of the setting line 150 can easily connect two adjacent planar portions 224 separated by the corner edge 225.

[0114] For this purpose, in step 402, a reference value β is also defined for the angle at which the two planar portions 224 are separated at the corner edge 225 (see...). Figure 1A and Figure 10 The reference value β can be the same for all corner edges 225.

[0115] In step 507, the angle γ formed by the two slopes P1, P2 of the vertices of the two aligned spacers 40 closest to the corner edge 225 on either side of the corner edge 225 is calculated, and it is verified whether the angle γ conforms to the angle criterion. If the angle γ is contained within a range including the reference value β, it is considered to conform to the angle criterion. The span of this range quantifies the acceptable difference between γ and β: the narrower the range, the closer the angle γ formed by the planar portion 224 is to the reference value β. Mechanical connection of the portions is facilitated by ensuring greater consistency of angles between portions, for example, through the possibility of using standardized components.

[0116] Figure 10 The angle γ and its calculation method are shown. The distance between the vertex of the spacer element 40 and the corresponding planar portion is represented by dZ1, dZ2, dZ3, and dZ4, and the distance between the spacer elements 40 is represented by d 12 and d 34 This means that we conclude:

[0117] [Mathematics 2]

[0118]

[0119] If the absolute value of γ-β is within the predetermined range, it is considered to meet the criteria of step 507.

[0120] If one of the acceptable criteria in steps 503 to 507 is not met, the method proceeds to step 508, in which the reduction of the set line 150 performed in step 502 is canceled. In other words, the set line 150 selected in step 501 is restored to its size prior to step 502.

[0121] Conversely, if all acceptable criteria in steps 503 to 507 are met, the method proceeds to step 509, in which the reduction of the set line 150 performed in step 502 is verified.

[0122] After step 508 or 509, the method proceeds to step 510, in which it is verified whether there are still unselected setting lines 150.

[0123] If so, the method proceeds to step 511, where an unselected setting line 150 is selected, and then steps 502 to 510 are repeated for that setting line 150. The selection of the unselected setting line 150 in step 511 can be implemented in various ways. According to one variation, this selection is completely random. According to another variation, this selection is limited to the setting line 150 of a single planar portion 224; in other words, in step 511, as long as there are still unselected setting lines 150 on a given planar portion 224, the selection of the setting line 150 corresponding to that planar portion 224 continues.

[0124] If not, the method proceeds to step 512, where for at least one setline 150, it is verified whether the size reduction has been satisfied in step 508. It should be understood that if the verification is negative, it is no longer possible to further reduce the size of the setline 150 without violating the acceptable criteria of steps 503 to 507; therefore, the method proceeds to step 513, where the size of the setline 150 is recorded in memory as the size of the spacer element 40. It should be understood that, conversely, if the verification is positive, it is still possible to reduce the size of some setlines 150 without violating the acceptable criteria of steps 503 to 507; therefore, the method returns to step 501 to select the setline 150 again and repeat steps 502 to 509.

[0125] In the variant, only some of the acceptable criteria from steps 503 to 507 may be used.

[0126] The steps of calculation method 400 can be implemented by a suitable computer program executed by a computer. The position measurement values ​​obtained in step 401 can be entered manually by the user, either in whole or in part, or provided to the computer program in a computer-readable format.

[0127] The above principle can be applied to various types of tank walls, including planar wall modules and spacers disposed between the planar wall modules and the load-bearing wall. Two variations of this type of tank wall will be described below.

[0128] Figures 11 to 13 A first embodiment variation of the vertical outer wall 22 is shown. In this variation, the spacer element 40 takes the form of a shim. Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of the wall module 30 at its center, and therefore the gasket 40 is not shown.

[0129] The wall module 30 is in the form of an insulating block with an overall parallelepiped shape. The block 30 is anchored to the vertical load-bearing wall 12 at its corners by anchoring members. Figure 10 The location of the anchoring members is indicated by reference numeral 90 in the attached drawing. Shims 40 are arranged on or near these anchoring members. Furthermore, shims 40 are arranged below block 30. Therefore, the variable dimensions of shims 40 make it possible to compensate for flatness defects in the vertical load-bearing wall 12.

[0130] Figure 12 The structure of block 30 is shown in more precise terms. Block 30 comprises a polymer foam block 32, for example made of polyurethane foam, optionally reinforced with glass fiber, and with a density possibly of 130 kg / m³. 3 and 200kg / m 3 Between. Block 32 is sandwiched between, for example, a cover plate 31 and a base plate 33 made of plywood.

[0131] from Figure 12 It can also be seen that glass wool plugs 318 and / or polyurethane foam blocks 319 can be disposed between blocks 30 to fill the gaps 990 created between the blocks. Furthermore, putty beads 98 can potentially be disposed between blocks 30 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12. Before installing blocks 30 and gaskets 40, a coating 99, for example made of polymer, can be applied to the surface of the vertical load-bearing wall 12.

[0132] A metal plate 171 is disposed above block 30 and welded along its edges according to known techniques to form a sealing membrane. The edges of the metal plate 171 may be welded to a metal anchor plate of the cover plate 31 supporting block 32, in order to retain the metal plate 171 on the cover plate 31, in a manner not shown. The metal plate 171 may have corrugations 172 to absorb thermal shrinkage caused by contact with cold liquid products such as LNG.

[0133] Figure 13 A portion of the vertical outer wall 22 is shown, with two of its planar portions forming an angle between them. The angle of the vertical outer wall 22 is formed only by the joint (not shown) between two adjacent blocks 30.

[0134] Figure 10 The arrangement of the shims 40 under block 30 shown is merely an example. The shims 40 may be arranged differently relative to block 30; for example, the shims 40 may be arranged under each corner of each block 30.

[0135] In addition, such as Figure 6 As shown, additional shims 80 can be disposed below each block 30, between the positions of the shims 40. The dimensions of these additional shims 80 can be calculated based on the dimensions of the shims 40 calculated by calculation method 400 and the position measurements obtained in step 401.

[0136] Furthermore, the spacer element 40 can take other forms besides a shim. This is merely an example. Figure 14 A second embodiment variation of the vertical outer wall 22 is schematically shown, in which the spacer element 40 takes the form of an anchor bolt. The wall module 30 takes the form of a planar plate with an integral parallelepiped shape. Metal plates are disposed above the wall module 30 in a manner not shown, and are welded along their edges according to known techniques to form a sealing membrane. For example, the metal plates can be welded to an anchor plate formed by the wall module 30.

[0137] In this configuration, each panel 30 includes a rectangular fastening piece 51, which is anchored at each corner by an anchor bolt 40. For this purpose, the fastening piece 51 has a countersunk hole 52 at its corner. The ends of the anchor bolts 40 opposite the vertical load-bearing wall 12 are received in through holes (not shown) contained in the bottom of the countersunk holes 52. Thus, the anchor bolts 40 can be fastened to the bottom of the countersunk holes 52 by anchoring members (not shown), which keep each panel 30 abutting in the direction of the vertical load-bearing wall 12. After the panels 30 have been installed on the vertical load-bearing wall 12, cement grout or other similar materials can be injected into the space 94 left between the panels 30 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12 to ensure the mechanical strength of the vertical outer wall 22 on the vertical load-bearing wall 12.

[0138] The vertical outer wall 22 has already been described here, and it is made solely of juxtaposed planar wall modules 30. However, as... Figure 15A As shown, in a variant, the vertical outer perimeter wall 22 may include dihedral blocks 660 disposed between the planar wall modules 30. The dihedral blocks 660 exhibit a dihedral angle of β, where β is the aforementioned reference value. In this case, spacer elements 40, which are shims, are also disposed between these dihedral blocks 660 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12. The above principle can also be applied to the vertical outer perimeter wall 22 produced in this manner, provided that the presence of the dihedral blocks 660 is considered by modifying the calculation method 400 in the following way:

[0139] In step 506, the aforementioned torsion standard applies to setting lines 150, which correspond to the spacer elements 40 corresponding to the dihedral block 660. For these setting lines 150, in order to calculate the average plane 430, the vertices of the two setting lines 150 located on the same side of the dihedron of the dihedral block 660 are virtually shifted by rotation, which aims to virtually transform the dihedral block 660 into a planar virtual block 660', as... Figure 15B As shown. Then, the torsional standard is verified through the mean plane 430, as described above. Figure 10 Explanation.

[0140] The angle criterion in step 507 was not met; instead, only for the set line 150 corresponding to the spacer element 40 corresponding to the dihedral block 660, is the slope criterion specific to the dihedral block 660 verified in step 507. This slope criterion is related to the slope difference ζ between the following two items:

[0141] On the one hand, the slope between the vertices of the spacer element 40 corresponding to the dihedral block 660 and the vertices of the adjacent spacer element 40, and

[0142] On the other hand, the slope between the vertices of the spacer elements 40 corresponding to the dihedral block 660 and the points 660P located on the dihedron of the dihedral block 660 and aligned with these spacer elements 40 (refer to...) Figure 15A , Figure 15C and Figure 15D ).

[0143] More precisely, it was verified that the slope difference ζ remained below a threshold 2B, where B is a pre-set amplitude. B is preferably chosen to be equal to A to facilitate the connection between the dihedral block 660 and the planar wall module 30.

[0144] Figure 15C and Figure 15D An example of slope standard calculation specific to dihedral block 660 is shown. First, refer to Figure 15C The position of point 660P is calculated as follows: taking into account the height of the spacer element 40 corresponding to the block, point 660P is located at the intersection of the bisector 612 of the reference angle β and the position 960 of the dihedral block 660. Then, the reference... Figure 15D In the Cartesian coordinate system (x, z), the coordinates of point 660P and the coordinates of the vertices of the two defined lines 150 aligned with this point are respectively given by (x1, z1)(x2, z2)(x... P , z p This indicates that x is parallel to line 190 connecting the two defined lines 150 (see...). Figure 8A If the following inequality is satisfied, then it meets the slope criterion specific to dihedral block 660:

[0145] [Mathematics 3]

[0146]

[0147] The principle described above for the vertical outer wall 22 of the storage tank 20 can also be applied to the bottom wall 23 of the basic plane of the storage tank 20, which is provided on the bottom load-bearing wall 19 of the load-bearing structure 10. This bottom load-bearing wall 19 is schematically shown in... Figure 16 and Figure 17 middle.

[0148] like Figure 17 As shown, the bottom load-bearing wall 19 may exhibit dimensional deviations relative to the ideal shape of the plane. These dimensional deviations may be due, for example, to dimensional tolerances in the concrete structure.

[0149] Figure 17 The position of the bottom wall 23 of the tank 20 is also shown in dashed lines. Like the vertical outer wall 22, the bottom wall 23 of the tank 20 is formed by juxtaposed planar wall modules (not shown), which may be the same as the planar wall module 30 constituting the vertical outer wall 22; and spacers (not shown) identical to the spacers 40 of the vertical outer wall 22 may be provided between the wall modules and the bottom load-bearing wall to compensate for the aforementioned dimensional deviations.

[0150] Similar to the vertical outer wall 22, the spacer element should be provided with the smallest possible size to maximize the internal volume of the tank and minimize the amount of material placed between the bottom load-bearing wall 19 and the bottom wall 23, while still ensuring that the bottom wall 23 has sufficient flatness to support the sealing membrane of the sealed tank 20.

[0151] Therefore, calculation method 400 is modified as follows:

[0152] In step 401, the obtained position measurement values ​​include the three-dimensional position measurement values ​​of the bottom load-bearing wall 19;

[0153] In step 402, the initial position of the bottom wall 23 is also defined within the interior space 11. This initial position is defined by the bottom plane portion 223 (see...). Figure 17 );

[0154] In step 403, a positioning line 700 is also defined for the wall module of the bottom wall 23, defining a position 730 (see...). Figure 16 According to one implementation, the positioning line 700 is defined based on the positioning line 100. For example, as... Figure 16 As shown, the positioning line 700 includes a first positioning line 710 and a second positioning line 720. The first positioning line 710 is an extension of the vertical positioning line 110 on the bottom load-bearing wall 19, and each of the second positioning lines 720 is orthogonal to the first positioning line 710.

[0155] In step 404, a setting line 750 is also defined (see...). Figure 17 The setting line 750 represents the position of the spacer element of the bottom wall 23 in its final position, and like the setting line 150, it is configured such that at least one setting line 750 intersects with each of the positions of the wall modules of the bottom wall 23;

[0156] In step 405, the initial dimension of the setting line 750 is also calculated based on the position measurement of the bottom load-bearing wall 19 obtained in step 401, and the dimension of the setting line 750 is iteratively reduced so that the wall module of the bottom wall 23 is closer to the bottom load-bearing wall 19. This iterative reduction is performed under the constraints of acceptable standards, which include flatness standards that limit the deformation of the bottom planar portion 223.

[0157] In summary, the calculation method 400 defines and processes the setting line 750 of the bottom wall 23 of the storage tank 20 and the setting line 150 of the vertical outer wall 22 of the storage tank 20.

[0158] The acceptable criteria for setting line 750 are similar to or even the same as those for setting line 150 described above. Therefore, they will not be described in detail further.

[0159] However, it should be noted that, in order to allow for easy connection between the bottom planar portion 223 and the planar portion 224, a reference value θ is defined for the angle separating the bottom planar portion 223 and each planar portion 224. This reference value θ can be the same for each of the corner edges 725 separating the bottom planar portion 223 from the planar portion 224.

[0160] The above is about step 507 and Figure 10 The previously described angle criteria include, for a corner edge 725, calculating the two slopes PF and PV of the vertices of the two aligned spacers closest to the corner edge 725 (see [reference]). Figure 17 The angle formed And verify the angle Whether it is included in the range that includes the reference value θ.

[0161] In the variant, similar to the above regarding... Figures 15A to 15D The connection between the bottom planar portion 223 and the planar portion 224 can be generated using dihedral blocks. In this case, for the setting lines 150 and 750 corresponding to these dihedral blocks, the above-mentioned combination is verified. Figures 15A to 15D The slope standard is described as unique to dihedral blocks.

[0162] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is obvious that the invention is by no means limited thereto, and if the described apparatus falls within the scope of the invention, the invention includes all technical equivalents of the described apparatus and combinations thereof.

[0163] The use of the verbs “having,” “including,” or “comprising,” and their variations, does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in the claims.

[0164] In the claims, any reference numerals between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims.

Claims

1. A calculation method for calculating the dimensions of a spacer element intended for use in constructing a liquid product storage facility, the storage facility comprising a load-bearing structure having an internal space defined by load-bearing walls and a sealed storage tank installed in the internal space of the load-bearing walls. The calculation method is implemented by a computer and includes: - Obtain the three-dimensional position measurement value of the load-bearing wall; - Based on the position measurement, an initial position of the tank is defined in the internal space of the load-bearing structure. The initial position of the tank includes the initial position of the outer wall of the tank. In the initial position, the outer wall has a plurality of planar portions forming a polygonal cylindrical surface. The polygonal cylindrical surface has a convex polygon as a guideline and a generatrix perpendicular to the guideline. as well as -For each planar portion: A positioning line is defined, which defines the positions of juxtaposed wall modules intended to form the outer wall of the tank; Based on the position of the positioning line, a setting line extending perpendicularly to the planar portion is defined between the planar portion and the load-bearing wall, the setting line being configured such that at least one setting line intersects each of the positions of the wall modules, the setting line indicating the position of the spacer element to be disposed between each wall module and the load-bearing wall in the final position of the outer wall of the tank. The initial dimension of the set line is calculated based on the position measurement value of the load-bearing wall; The dimensions of the set line are iteratively reduced to bring the wall module closer to the load-bearing wall until the final position of the outer wall of the tank, under the constraints of acceptable criteria, which include flatness criteria that limit the deformation of the planar portion, including at least one of slope criteria, torsion criteria, and angle criteria.

2. The calculation method according to claim 1, wherein iteratively reducing the size of the set line comprises: a) Select the setting line; b) Reduce the size of the selected setting line to the reduced size; c) Verify by calculation whether the acceptable criteria are met, and: if yes, maintain the reduced size obtained in step b); if no, cancel the size reduction performed in step b). d) Verify that there is at least one set line that has not yet been selected, and: if yes, perform steps a) to c) for the set line that has not yet been selected; if no, verify that the reduced size was maintained for at least one set line in step c), and: if yes, perform steps a) to d) again; if no, record the size of the set line as the size of the spacer element in the memory.

3. The calculation method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the size of the set line is reduced by a predetermined increment δ.

4. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the acceptable standard includes a lower limit standard, according to which the dimension of the set line remains greater than or equal to a first predetermined lower limit. min .

5. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the acceptable criterion includes an interval criterion, according to which the distance perpendicular to the wall module between each wall module and the load-bearing wall is maintained greater than or equal to a second predetermined lower limit e. min .

6. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the flatness standard includes a slope standard, the slope standard being related to the slope difference α between the vertices of three aligned adjacent spaced elements, the slope difference α being less than a threshold 2A, where A is a preset amplitude.

7. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the flatness standard includes a torsion standard, the torsion standard being related to the spacing perpendicular to the wall module between each wall module corresponding to the spacing element and the average plane of the wall module, and the distance from the vertex of the set line to the average plane being d1, ..., d k Where k is an integer, if quantity D = d1 + ... + d k If the value is below the predetermined threshold, it is considered to meet the torsion standard.

8. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein defining the initial position of the outer wall of the tank includes defining a reference value for the angle β formed by the planar portion at the corner edges separating the planar portions.

9. The calculation method of claim 8, wherein the outer wall of the tank is entirely formed by juxtaposed planar wall modules, and wherein the acceptable criterion includes an angle criterion, according to which the angle γ formed by two slopes connecting the vertices of two aligned spacers closest to the corner edge on either side of the corner edge falls within the range of the reference value of the angle β including the corner edge.

10. The calculation method of claim 8, wherein the wall module includes a dihedral block at one of the corner edges, disposed at the corner edge and presenting a dihedron, the angle of the dihedron being equal to the reference value of the angle β at the corner edge, and wherein the acceptable criterion includes a second slope criterion relating, on the one hand, to the slope between the vertex of a spacer element corresponding to the dihedral block and the vertex of an adjacent spacer element, and on the other hand, to the slope difference ζ between the vertex of the spacer element corresponding to the dihedral block and the slope between the vertex of the spacer element and a point located on the dihedron of the dihedral block and aligned with the spacer element.

11. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: -The load-bearing structure also includes a planar bottom load-bearing wall with dimensional tolerances; Obtaining the three-dimensional position measurement value of the load-bearing wall also includes obtaining the three-dimensional position measurement value of the bottom load-bearing wall; - The initial position of the tank also includes a bottom plane portion that defines the initial position of the bottom wall of the tank; -The calculation method further includes: The bottom positioning line is defined based on the positioning line, which defines the position of the juxtaposed bottom wall modules intended to form the bottom wall of the tank; Based on the position of the bottom positioning line, a bottom setting line extending vertically relative to the bottom plane portion is defined between the bottom plane portion and the bottom load-bearing wall. The bottom setting line is configured such that at least one bottom setting line intersects each of the positions of the bottom wall modules. The bottom setting line indicates the position of the spacer element to be set between each bottom wall module and the bottom load-bearing wall in the final position of the bottom wall of the tank. The initial dimension of the bottom setting line is calculated based on the position measurement value of the bottom load-bearing wall; The dimensions of the bottom set line are iteratively reduced to bring the wall module closer to the bottom load-bearing wall until the final position of the bottom wall of the tank, under the constraints of acceptable criteria, which include flatness criteria that limit the deformation of the bottom planar portion.

12. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the wall module intended to form the outer wall of the tank has a rectangular outer contour, the positioning lines define a rectangular position of the wall module, and the setting lines are configured such that at least four setting lines intersect each of the rectangular positions of the wall module near the corners of the rectangular positions.

13. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein in the initial position, the outer wall of the tank has a plurality of planar portions forming a polygonal cylindrical surface, the polygonal cylindrical surface having a convex polygon as a guideline.

14. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the load-bearing wall forms a polygonal or cylindrical surface with dimensional tolerances.

15. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the spacer element comprises a gasket.

16. The calculation method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the spacer element comprises an anchor bolt.

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