Storage facility, vessel, transport system, method for assembling a tank structure for a storage facility of liquefied gas, method for loading or unloading a vessel

Abstract

This invention relates to storage facilities, ships, transport systems, methods for assembling tank structures for storage facilities of liquefied gases, and methods for loading or unloading ships. The storage facility (1) includes a support structure (2) and a sealed and insulated tank, the tank including at least one bottom wall (4), wherein the bottom wall (4) includes a tank structure (9) having a container (11) including sidewalls (15), the container (11) being arranged through the thickness of the bottom wall (4) and at least partially located in a well (8) formed in the support structure (2), the tank structure (9) including a metal support ring (18) attached around the sidewalls (15), wherein the storage facility (1) includes at least one support beam (19) attached to the support structure (2) and arranged around the well (8), the support beam (19) including at least one adhesive layer (20).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sealed and insulated storage tanks with membranes. In particular, this invention relates to sealed and insulated storage tanks for storing and / or transporting cryogenic liquefied gases, such as tanks for transporting, for example, liquefied petroleum gas (also known as LPG) with a temperature range 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 to transport liquefied gases or to receive liquefied gases used as fuel to propel the floating structure. Background Technology

[0002] For example, a storage facility for liquefied gases is known in document WO2020016509. This storage facility includes a support structure and a sealed and insulated storage tank located inside and attached to the support structure. The sealed and insulated storage tank comprises a multi-layer structure, which includes a sealing membrane in the thickness direction and an insulating barrier disposed between the sealing membrane and the support structure.

[0003] This storage facility includes a tank structure located on the bottom wall of a storage tank, the tank structure partially interrupting the sealing membrane, the tank structure comprising a container penetrating the bottom wall of the storage tank. The tank structure is arranged in a well formed in a supporting structure, such that the liquid in the container is located at the lowest point of the storage tank. Therefore, by placing a pump inside this container, the volume of useful cargo that can be loaded into and discharged from the storage tank can be optimized.

[0004] During the loading of storage tanks with liquefied gases (such as LNG), components in the tank that come into direct contact with the fluid (such as the tank structure) undergo significant temperature changes that cause thermal contraction. This is why WO2020016509 specifies that the tank structure be attached to the support structure by means of fastening devices that allow the container structure to contract and expand, in order to limit stress in the fastening devices.

[0005] While this system is sufficient to limit the mechanical stress associated with the thermal shrinkage of the tank structure, it has drawbacks, including complexity and the significant assembly time required to attach the tank structure to the support structure.

[0006] In fact, during assembly, it is necessary to control the inclination and alignment of the storage tank structure, while ensuring that the supports around the structure are adequate. Furthermore, these checks must take into account surface irregularities within the supporting structure. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention is based on the following concept: simplifying the assembly of the storage tank structure in the storage facility, while allowing the storage tank structure to thermally shrink / expand.

[0008] 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 insulated tank, wherein the tank includes at least one bottom wall attached to the support structure, wherein the bottom wall includes a multi-layer structure in the thickness direction, the multi-layer structure including at least one sealing membrane and at least one thermal barrier disposed between the sealing membrane and the support structure, wherein the bottom wall includes a tank structure, the tank structure partially interrupting the sealing membrane of the bottom wall, the tank structure including a container having sidewalls, the container being arranged through the thickness of the bottom wall and at least partially located in a well formed in the support structure, the well extending outward of the tank along a well axis, the tank structure including a metal support ring attached around the sidewalls such that it protrudes radially from the container outward of the container, wherein the storage facility includes at least one support beam attached to the support structure and arranged around the well, the support beam including at least one adhesive layer extending parallel to the support structure, the metal support ring of the tank structure being configured to rest on the support beam.

[0009] Due to these characteristics, the support beams simplify the assembly of the tank structure. In fact, the adhesive layer of the support beams allows for easier adjustment of the tank structure's inclination during assembly; the adhesive layer can be compressed to varying degrees in different areas to compensate for defects in the support structure.

[0010] Preferably, the support beam is a structural element with an elongated shape. The support beam can have different shapes. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support beam has a curved shape.

[0011] According to some embodiments, such a facility may include one or more of the following features.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the support beam includes an adhesive layer, a plywood layer, and a metal layer in a direction parallel to the well axis, and the metal support ring of the reservoir structure is configured to rest on the metal layer of the support beam.

[0013] Therefore, the metal layer of the supporting beam, in conjunction with the metal support ring, allows for some sliding between the tank structure and the supporting structure through metal-to-metal contact. Finally, the plywood layer helps to limit heat transfer between the tank structure and the supporting structure.

[0014] The plywood layer can also be replaced with any component that has thermal insulation properties, so it can be achieved, for example, with solid wood or composite materials.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the sealing film is tightly bonded to the container.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the support structure includes a fixing stud arranged around the well and extending parallel to the well axis, and a support beam is attached to the support structure by means of the fixing stud.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the support structure includes a flat support wall with an opening drilled to form a well inlet, and at least one support beam is attached to the flat support wall around the opening.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the container and the well have a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes at least two support beams, each support beam having an annular sector shape.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the dimensions of at least two support beams are designed such that the sum of the annular sectors of the support beams forms an annular sector of at least 180°.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes a single annular support beam positioned around the well.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes at least one stop attached to a support structure and positioned circumferentially between two support beams around a well. A metal support ring includes a notch in which the stop is received, and the notch is shaped to engage with the stop to restrict movement of the storage tank structure in the circumferential direction and to restrict movement of the storage tank structure in the radial direction.

[0023] Therefore, the stop allows for the restriction of movement of the reservoir structure while maintaining the degrees of freedom required for thermal contraction / expansion.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes at least one stop radially offset to be arranged beyond the annular sector shape of a support beam. A metal support ring has a notch in which the stop is received. The notch is shaped to engage with the stop to restrict movement of the storage tank structure in the circumferential direction and in the radial direction. In this configuration, a portion of the support beam can be inserted between the stop and the storage tank structure.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the stop has a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section, while the notch has an elliptical shape.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the metal support ring includes a main annular body and at least one offset portion, the offset portion being offset from the main annular body in a direction parallel to the well axis and toward the support structure, and a notch being formed in the offset portion.

[0027] Therefore, the interaction between the stop and the notch is completed as close as possible to the supporting structure.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes four support beams evenly distributed around a well and four stops evenly distributed around the well. The sealing film has a first series of parallel corrugations extending in a first direction and a second series of parallel corrugations extending in a second direction. Two of the four stops are aligned with the center of the container in the first direction, and the other two of the four stops are aligned with the center of the container in the second direction.

[0029] Therefore, by making it easier to achieve flat-to-flat contact between the support beams and the metal support rings, a larger number of support beams makes it easier to assemble the tank structure. Furthermore, choosing four support beams allows the stop to be positioned along the main axis of the tank.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes a membrane disposed between an adhesive layer and a support structure in a direction parallel to the well axis, the membrane being configured to prevent the adhesive layer from adhering to the support structure.

[0031] Therefore, the film enables the limitation of stress on the adhesive layer during deformation of the supporting structure.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the film is made of paper (such as kraft paper) or polyethylene film.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the adhesive layer includes a plurality of adhesive segments spaced apart from each other, with foam blocks disposed between the adhesive segments.

[0034] In this way, the foam blocks enable the adhesive layer to avoid excessively rapid creep during the assembly phase of the storage tank structure and before the adhesive layer polymerizes.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the storage facility includes at least one anti-lift plate attached to a support beam, with a metal support ring inserted between the support beam and the at least one anti-lift plate.

[0036] Therefore, anti-lift plates help limit any potential lift of the tank structure in a direction parallel to the well axis, especially when there is a pressure difference between the tank interior and the insulation barrier.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the metal support ring and the metal layer of the support beam are made of stainless steel.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the arithmetic mean roughness (R0) of the upper surface of the metal layer and the lower surface of the metal support ring is... a The micrometers are between 0.2 micrometers and 3.2 micrometers, preferably between 0.2 micrometers and 1.6 micrometers.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the metal layer of the support beam has a coating made of a material with a coefficient of friction of less than 0.2, preferably between 0.05 and 0.2. To facilitate sliding, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) type coating can be added to the metal layer, or the metal layer can be lubricated.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the well axis is the rotation axis of the well, the reservoir structure has the rotation axis of the reservoir structure, and the rotation axis of the well and the rotation axis of the reservoir structure are parallel and spaced apart from each other by a distance between 0 and 30 mm.

[0041] Such facilities can be onshore storage facilities, such as those for storing LNG, or floating, coastal, or deep-water storage facilities, particularly for LNG carriers, floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), and offshore floating production storage and offloading (FPSOs). These facilities can also serve as fuel tanks for any type of vessel.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a method for assembling a storage tank structure for a liquefied gas storage facility, the storage facility including a support structure and a sealed and insulated storage tank supported by the support structure, wherein the method includes the following steps: - Provides a support structure including a well that extends outward from the storage tank along a well axis. - A storage tank structure is provided, comprising a container with sidewalls, and the storage tank structure includes a metal support ring fixed around the sidewalls, thereby projecting radially from the container toward the outside of the container. - Attach the support feet and at least one support beam to the support structure such that the support feet and support beam are arranged around the well, and the support beam includes at least one adhesive layer extending parallel to the support structure. - This lowers the tank structure, thereby placing the metal support ring on at least one support beam and positioning the container at least partially in the well. - The centering and tilt of the storage tank structure can be adjusted using support feet. - Wait for the adhesive layer to polymerize. - Remove the support feet.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a method for assembling a storage tank structure for a liquefied gas storage facility, the storage facility including a support structure and a sealed and insulated storage tank supported by the support structure, wherein the method includes the following steps: - Provides a support structure including a well that extends along its axis toward the outside of the storage tank. - A storage tank structure is provided, comprising a container with sidewalls, and the storage tank structure includes a metal support ring fixed around the sidewalls, thereby projecting radially from the container toward the outside of the container. - Pre-assemble at least a portion of a support beam onto a metal support ring. - Attach the support feet to the support structure so that the support feet are positioned around the well. - An adhesive layer belonging to at least one support beam is placed around the well. - This lowers the tank structure, thereby placing at least one portion of the support beam onto the adhesive layer and positioning the container portion in the well. - The centering and tilt of the storage tank structure can be adjusted using support feet. - Wait for the adhesive layer to polymerize. - Remove the support feet.

[0044] According to one embodiment, at least one portion of the support beam comprises a plywood layer and a metal layer.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the support foot includes a first adjustment device and a second adjustment device, the first adjustment device enabling adjustment of the centering of the storage tank structure, and the second adjustment device enabling adjustment of the inclination of the storage tank structure.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the first adjusting device includes an adjusting screw extending in the radial direction relative to the reservoir structure.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the second adjustment device includes an adjustment screw extending in a direction parallel to the well axis.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the present invention also relates to a vessel for transporting cold liquid products, the vessel having a double hull and storage facilities arranged within the double hull.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a conveying system for cold liquid products, the conveying system comprising the aforementioned vessel, insulated pipelines arranged to connect tanks installed in the hull of the vessel to floating or land-based storage facilities, and pumps for driving the flow of cold liquid products from the floating or land-based storage facilities to the tanks of the vessel or from the tanks of the vessel to the floating or land-based storage facilities via the insulated pipelines.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a method for loading or unloading a ship, wherein cold liquid products are transported from a floating or onshore storage facility to a tank of the ship or from a tank of the ship to a floating or onshore storage facility via insulated pipelines. Attached Figure Description

[0051] The invention will be better understood from the following description of several specific embodiments thereof, and other objects, details, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent. These specific embodiments are provided in an illustrative and non-limiting manner only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Figure 1 A perspective view of the support structure located at the well formed in the support structure after the adhesive layer is placed, according to the first assembly variant.

[0053] Figure 2 A partial perspective view of the reservoir structure, particularly the metal support ring of the reservoir structure, is shown on the pre-assembled portion of the support beam in the first assembly variant.

[0054] Figure 3 A perspective view of the support beams attached to the support structure surrounding the well according to the second assembly variant is shown.

[0055] Figure 4 A perspective view of a storage tank structure arranged in a well within a support structure, according to one embodiment, is shown after the storage tank structure has been placed.

[0056] Figure 5 A partial perspective view of a reservoir structure located at the connection between the stop portion of the support structure and the recess in the metal support ring, according to one embodiment, is shown.

[0057] Figure 6 A partial perspective view of a storage tank structure located at the connection between a metal support ring and a support beam, according to one embodiment, is shown.

[0058] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of a storage tank structure arranged in a well of a support structure according to one embodiment is shown.

[0059] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of an LNG carrier with storage facilities and a loading / unloading distribution station for those storage facilities. Detailed Implementation

[0060] In the following description, a storage facility 1 for storing and / or transporting liquefied gases will be described. Storage facility 1 includes a support structure 2 and a sealed and insulated storage tank 71. The sealed and insulated storage tank specifically includes a bottom wall 3, which is preferably generally flat and located at the bottom of the tank relative to the Earth's gravitational field. The general geometry of the storage tank can also be of different types. Polyhedral geometry is the most common. Cylindrical geometry is also possible.

[0061] The bottom wall 3 is mounted on a supporting structure 2, which is made of, for example, thick steel plates, such as the inner hull of a double-hulled vessel. The bottom wall 3 has a multi-layered structure, which sequentially includes a secondary thermal barrier 4 fixed to the supporting structure 2, a secondary sealing membrane 5 supported by the secondary thermal barrier 4, a primary thermal barrier 6 arranged on the secondary sealing membrane 5, and a primary sealing membrane 7 supported by the primary thermal barrier 6 and intended to contact the liquefied gas contained in the storage tank 71. The multi-layered structure is particularly important in… Figure 7 The diagram is schematically shown. The main sealing membrane 7 defines an internal space designed to receive liquefied gas. For example, such membrane tanks are specifically described in patent applications WO2019239048, WO14057221, FR2691520 and FR2877638.

[0062] The liquefied gas intended to be stored in storage tank 71 can be, in particular, liquefied natural gas (LNG), in other words, a gas mixture mainly composed of methane and one or more other hydrocarbons. The liquefied gas can also be ethane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), in other words, a mixture of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons mainly composed of propane and butane.

[0063] Figure 1 The substantially flat support wall of support structure 2 is shown, to which the bottom wall 3 of storage tank 71 will be fixed. An opening is drilled in the support wall, forming the entrance to well 8. Well 8 extends along well axis 39 toward the outside of storage tank 71.

[0064] Well 8 is designed to accommodate the storage tank structure 9, which will be described later.

[0065] like Figure 7 As can be seen, the storage tank structure 9 includes a first container 10 communicating with the interior of the storage tank and a second container 11 surrounding the lower part of the first container 10. The first container 10 is continuously and sealed to the main sealing membrane 7. Similarly, the second container 11 is continuously and sealed to the secondary sealing membrane 5, thereby ensuring the integrity of the secondary sealing membrane 5 in a sealed manner.

[0066] More specifically, the first container 10 includes a cylindrical sidewall 12, the axis of which is perpendicular to the support wall, and the cylindrical sidewall 12 has a first attachment flange 13 located on its upper portion, the attachment flange being substantially aligned with the main sealing membrane 7. The lower portion of the cylindrical sidewall 12 engages in a well 8 of the support structure 2. A lower wall 14, parallel to the support structure 2, closes the cylindrical sidewall 12 at its lower portion. The first attachment flange 13 is fixed at the upper edge of the cylindrical sidewall 12 and projects radially outward around the first container 10. Thus, the fluid contained in the first container 10 is located at the lowest point of the storage tank 71.

[0067] Similarly, the second container 11 includes a cylindrical sidewall 15, the axis of which is perpendicular to the support wall, and the cylindrical sidewall 15 has a second attachment flange 16 substantially aligned with the secondary sealing membrane 5 and a lower portion that engages in the well 8 below the lower wall 14 of the first container 10. A lower wall 17, parallel to the support wall, closes the cylindrical sidewall 15 of the second container 11 at the lower portion of the cylindrical sidewall 15. The cylindrical sidewall 15 of the second container 11 surrounds the cylindrical sidewall 12 of the first container 10 and is spaced apart from the cylindrical sidewall 12. The second attachment flange 16 is fixed at the upper edge of the cylindrical sidewall 15 and projects radially outward around the second container 11.

[0068] exist Figure 7 The heat insulation component 37, which can be seen in the image, is arranged around the first container 10 and the second container 11.

[0069] In use, since the first container 10 is located below the main sealing membrane 7, the first container 10 receives any liquid residue present in the storage tank by gravity in a reservoir manner. The first container 10 provides sufficient capacity to keep the pump's suction head submerged in the liquid, thereby maximizing the operating efficiency of the storage tank.

[0070] For good structural stability, the first container 10 and the second container 11 are made of a material that is harder than the sealing membrane, such as a metal plate with a thickness of about 6 mm to 20 mm.

[0071] like Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, in particular, the storage tank structure 9 includes a metal support ring 18 welded around the cylindrical sidewall 15 of the second container 11. The metal support ring 18 allows the storage tank structure 9 to rest on the support structure 2.

[0072] In the described embodiment, the tank structure 9 includes two containers 10 and 11, one container located inside the other, because the tank 71 in the example is a double-membrane tank. However, the invention is equally applicable to single-membrane tanks. In this case, the cylindrical sidewall of the single container includes a metal support ring that allows the tank structure to rest on a support structure.

[0073] For example, other embodiments of the storage tank structure 9 are described in document WO2016 / 001142.

[0074] The storage facility also includes multiple support beams 19, in Figure 4 In the example shown, there are four support beams, which are evenly distributed around the edge of the well 8 and attached to the support structure 2. In other embodiments not shown, the number of support beams 19 may vary, for example, a single support beam 19 or two support beams 19.

[0075] Each support beam includes, in a direction parallel to the well axis 39, an adhesive layer 20, a plywood layer 21 on top of the adhesive layer 20, and a metal layer 22 attached to the plywood layer 21, for example, by screws or rivets. Figure 3 As can be seen, the support beam 19 has a ring sector shape.

[0076] Therefore, the metal support ring 18 of the storage tank structure 9 is placed around the well 8 on the metal layer 22 of the support beam 19.

[0077] Will use Figures 1 to 7 The storage tank structure 9 and its support on the support structure 2 are described in more detail. Figures 1 to 7 The invention is illustrated in different stages of assembly with the storage tank structure 9.

[0078] Figure 1 The first stage of assembling the storage tank structure 9 onto the support structure 2 according to the first assembly variant is shown.

[0079] First, mark the positions of the various components of the storage tank 71 on the support wall of the support structure 2, particularly the positions of the secondary insulation panel of the secondary insulation barrier 4 and the storage tank structure 9. After marking, weld anchor studs 23 to the support structure 2 at the desired attachment points of each component.

[0080] Around well 8, a film, for example made of kraft paper 24, is arranged at the future location of support beam 19 to prevent the adhesive layer 20 of support beam 19 from adhering to support structure 2.

[0081] Similarly, support feet 25 are attached to support structure 2 around well 8 to facilitate precise positioning of tank structure 9.

[0082] In this first variation, the adhesive layer 20 is applied directly to the kraft paper 24 in the form of a plurality of spaced-apart adhesive segments 26. Advantageously, foam blocks (not shown) are inserted between the different adhesive segments to prevent excessively rapid creep of the adhesive layer 20.

[0083] The plywood layer 21 and metal layer 22 of the support beam 19 are pre-assembled together; then, for example by means of wood screws 27, the portion of the support beam 19 formed by the plywood layer 21 and metal layer 22 is temporarily attached to the metal support ring 18 of the storage tank structure 9, as follows. Figure 2 As shown. The adhesive layer 20 and the portion of the support beam attached to the metal support ring are assembled to form the support beam 19 only when the reservoir structure 9 is positioned in the well 8. After positioning the reservoir structure 9, the support beam 19 is attached to the support structure 2 by means of the anchoring stud 23, such that a portion of the anchoring stud 23 protrudes from the support beam 19.

[0084] Figure 3 The first stage of assembling the storage tank structure 9 onto the support structure 2 is shown in the second assembly variant.

[0085] In this variant, each support beam 19 is pre-assembled before being positioned on the support structure 2. Thus, the metal layer 22 is screwed or riveted to the plywood layer 21, and the adhesive layer 20 is arranged directly below the plywood layer 21 in different adhesive segments spaced apart from each other (advantageously separated by foam blocks (not shown)).

[0086] Then, after pre-assembly, each support beam 19 is attached to the support structure by means of anchoring studs 23 positioned around well 8, such that the adhesive layer 20 rests on kraft paper 24 arranged on the support structure 2. Thus, a portion of the anchoring stud 23 protrudes from the support beam 19.

[0087] Figure 4 The second stage of assembling the reservoir structure 9 onto the support structure 2 is shown. In this stage, for example, the reservoir structure 9 is lifted and positioned to align with the well 8 by means of a winch. The reservoir structure is then lowered into the well such that: - In the first assembly variant, the plywood layer 21 temporarily attached to the metal support ring 18 is adhered to the adhesive layer 20 to form the support beam 19. - In the second assembly variant, the metal support ring 18 is placed in contact with the metal layer 22 of the support beam 19.

[0088] Furthermore, after descent, the second attachment flange 16 of the reservoir structure 9 contacts one end of the support foot 25. In the example shown, the support foot 25 includes, at said end, a height adjustment screw 28 extending in a direction parallel to the well axis 39 and a centering screw 29 extending radially relative to the reservoir structure 9.

[0089] The inclination of the storage tank structure 9 can be adjusted by actuating the height adjusting screws 28 of the different support feet 25 arranged around the well 8. Similarly, the alignment of the storage tank structure 9 relative to the well 8 can be adjusted by actuating the centering screws 29 of the different support feet 25 arranged around the well 8.

[0090] During the placement of the tank structure 9 and subsequent adjustments to its tilt and centering, the adhesive layer 20 of the support beam 19 is compressed more or less in different areas by the weight of the tank structure 9 itself to compensate for any irregularities in the planarity of the support structure 2.

[0091] During the alignment of the storage tank structure 9, markings can be used to align the storage tank structure 9. These markings are made on the support structure 2 and represent the future position of the corrugations of the insulation panel and / or corrugated sealing film. Figure 7As can be seen, this alignment using markings may result in a misalignment 38 between the rotation axis of well 8 and the rotation axis 40 of tank structure 9. However, despite any possible misalignment, the support of tank structure 9 on support structure 2 is still ensured by support beam 19.

[0092] Then, while the tank structure 9 is held in place until the adhesive layer polymerizes, the assembly process provides a waiting period, for example, 24 hours. In another embodiment, not shown, for a second assembly variant, the step of compressing the adhesive layer 20 can be performed before placing the tank structure 9 into the well 8, for example by means of a lighter structure having dimensions suitable for simultaneously compressing all the support beams 19.

[0093] Once the adhesive layer 20 has polymerized, remove the support foot 25 from the support structure 2.

[0094] Figure 5 The third stage of assembling the storage tank structure 9 onto the support structure 2 is shown.

[0095] As shown in the figure, the metal support ring 18 includes a main annular body 30 and a plurality of offset portions 31 evenly distributed around the storage tank structure 9. Each offset portion 31 is displaced from the main annular body 30 in a direction parallel to the well axis 39 and toward the support structure 2. Each offset portion 31 protrudes from the main annular body 30 toward the outside of the second container 11 in a radial direction. Each offset portion 31 has an elliptical notch 32.

[0096] In this step, cylindrical stop portions 33 with circular cross-sections are arranged in each recess 32 of the metal support ring 18 and welded to the support structure 2. The stop portions 33 that mate with the recesses 32 enable the restriction of movement of the reservoir structure 9 in the circumferential direction and also restrict the movement of the reservoir structure 9 in the radial direction to prevent any damage to the main sealing membrane 7 or the secondary sealing membrane 5 and any damage to the main thermal insulation barrier 6 or the secondary thermal insulation barrier 4.

[0097] By welding the stop part 33 to the support structure 2 after positioning the storage tank structure 9, manufacturing and assembly tolerances can be overcome, thereby facilitating the assembly of the storage tank structure.

[0098] It may be advantageous to temporarily lift the tank structure 9 after the stop portion 33 has been partially welded to the support structure 2 to complete the welding of the stop portion 33, thereby facilitating the welding operation. In this case, for the first assembly variant, the wood screws 27 are removed before lifting the tank structure 9.

[0099] In the case of a primary sealing membrane 7 or a corrugated secondary sealing membrane 5 comprising a first series of parallel corrugations extending in a first direction and a second series of parallel corrugations extending in a second direction, the facility may advantageously include four stops 33. Two of the four stops 33 are located on both sides of the reservoir structure and aligned with the center of the second container 11 in the first direction, and the other two stops 33 are located on both sides of the reservoir structure 9 and aligned with the center of the second container 11 in the second direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the stops 33 are arranged circumferentially between two adjacent support beams 19 of the well 8. In another embodiment, not shown, the stops 33 are radially offset in a manner that extends beyond the annular sector shape of the support beams 19.

[0100] Furthermore, in the case of storage facility 1 installed on vessel 70, the first direction can advantageously be the longitudinal direction of vessel 70, while the second direction can be the transverse direction of vessel 70.

[0101] like Figure 5 It can also be seen that the metal support ring 18 has cutouts 34, which are aligned with the portion of the anchor stud 23 that protrudes from the support beam 19. These cutouts 34 allow the metal support ring 18 to be positioned at a distance from the anchor stud 23, thereby allowing for thermal contraction / expansion deformation of the reservoir structure 9. These cutouts 34 are formed at the free end of the main annular body 30.

[0102] In the case of the first assembly variation, for example, at the end of the assembly stage, the wood screws 27 that temporarily attached the plywood layer 21 to the metal support ring 18 are removed.

[0103] Figure 6 The fourth stage of assembling the storage tank structure 9 onto the support structure 2 is shown.

[0104] At this stage, the lift guard 35 is attached to the anchoring stud 23 protruding from the support beam 19, such that the metal support ring 18 is clamped between the lift guard 35 and the support beam 19. Therefore, translational movement along the well axis 39 parallel to the reservoir structure 9 is restricted. If the lift guard 35 is not tightened onto the metal support ring 18, or is tightened relatively loosely, it will not prevent thermal contraction / expansion of the reservoir structure 9.

[0105] like Figure 6 As shown, the attachment of these anti-lift plates 35 can be achieved by means of a washer / nut assembly 36. For example, the anti-lift plate 35 has a disc shape with a diameter larger than the diameter of the notch 34.

[0106] Following this stage, insulation components are arranged around the storage tank structure 9, and then the secondary insulation barrier 4 is assembled around the storage tank structure 9. Then, the secondary sealing membrane 5, the primary insulation barrier 6, and the primary sealing membrane 7 are assembled in sequence.

[0107] Reference Figure 8 The exploded view of vessel 70 shows a generally prismatic, sealed, and insulated storage tank 71 installed in the double hull 72 of vessel 70. The tank wall includes a primary sealing membrane 7 intended to contact the LNG contained in the tank, a secondary sealing membrane 5 disposed between the primary sealing membrane 7 and the double hull 72 of vessel 70, and two thermal barriers disposed between the primary sealing membrane 7 and the secondary sealing membrane 5 and between the secondary sealing membrane 5 and the double hull 72, respectively.

[0108] As is known in the art, loading / unloading pipelines 73 arranged on the upper deck of a ship can be connected to offshore or port distribution stations by means of appropriate connectors to transport LNG cargo from or to storage tank 71.

[0109] Figure 8 An example of an offshore terminal distribution station including a loading and unloading station 75, underwater pipelines 76, and an onshore facility 77 is depicted. The loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed offshore facility including a boom 74 and a tower 78 supporting the boom 74. The boom 74 carries a bundle of insulated flexible pipes 79, which can be connected to the loading / unloading pipeline 73. The directional boom 74 is suitable for all LNG carrier sizes. Connecting pipelines, not shown, extend inside the tower 78. The loading and unloading station 75 enables methane carriers to load onto or unload from the onshore facility 77. The onshore facility 77 includes liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and connecting pipelines 81 that connect to the loading and unloading station 75 via the underwater pipeline 76. The underwater pipeline 76 enables the transport of liquefied gas over long distances (e.g., 5 km) between the loading and unloading station 75 and the onshore facility 77, thereby allowing methane carriers to remain away from the coast during loading and unloading operations.

[0110] To generate the pressure required for transporting liquefied gases, pumps on the vessel 70 and / or pumps equipped with onshore facilities 77 and / or pumps equipped with loading and unloading stations 75 are used.

[0111] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is obvious that the invention is by no means limited to these specific embodiments, and the invention includes all technical equivalents and combinations thereof of the described apparatus if such technical equivalents and combinations thereof fall within the scope of the invention.

[0112] The use of the verbs “comprising,” “including,” or “containing,” and their variations, does not exclude the presence of components or stages other than those mentioned in the claims.

[0113] In the claims, any reference numerals shown in parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims.

Claims

1. A storage facility (1) for liquefied gases, the storage facility comprising a support structure (2) and a sealed and insulated storage tank, the storage tank comprising at least one bottom wall (3) attached to the support structure (2), wherein, The bottom wall (3) includes a multi-layer structure in the thickness direction, the multi-layer structure including at least one sealing membrane (5, 7) and at least one thermal barrier (4, 6) disposed between the sealing membrane (5, 7) and the support structure (2). The bottom wall (3) includes a storage tank structure (9) that partially interrupts the sealing membrane (5, 7) of the bottom wall (3). The storage tank structure (9) has a container (11) including a sidewall (15). The container (11) is arranged to extend through the thickness of the bottom wall (3) and is at least partially located in a well (8) formed in the support structure (2). The well (8) extends along the well axis (39) toward the outside of the storage tank (71). The storage tank structure (9) includes a metal support ring (18) attached around the sidewall (15) and protruding radially from the container (11) toward the outside of the container (11). The storage facility (1) includes at least one support beam (19) attached to the support structure (2) and arranged around the well (8), the support beam (19) including at least one adhesive layer (20) extending parallel to the support structure (2), and the metal support ring (18) of the tank structure (9) is configured to rest on the support beam (19).

2. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The support beam (19) includes the adhesive layer (20), the plywood layer (21) and the metal layer (22) in a direction parallel to the well axis (39), and the metal support ring (18) of the reservoir structure (9) is configured to rest on the metal layer (22) of the support beam (19).

3. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The support structure (2) includes a flat support wall with an opening drilled to form a well inlet, and at least one support beam (19) is attached to the flat support wall around the opening.

4. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The container (11) and the well (8) have a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section, and the storage facility (1) includes at least two support beams (19), each support beam having an annular sector shape.

5. The storage facility (1) according to claim 4, wherein, The dimensions of the at least two support beams (19) are designed such that the sum of the annular sectors of the support beams (19) forms an annular sector of at least 180°.

6. The storage facility (1) according to claim 4, wherein, The storage facility (1) includes at least one stop (33) attached to the support structure (2) and positioned circumferentially between two support beams (19) around the well. The metal support ring (18) includes a notch (32) in which the stop (33) is received. The notch (32) is shaped to cooperate with the stop (33) to restrict movement of the storage tank structure (9) in the circumferential direction and to restrict movement of the storage tank structure (9) in the radial direction.

7. The storage facility (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The storage facility (1) includes four support beams (19) evenly distributed around the well (8) and four stops (33) evenly distributed around the well. The sealing membrane (5, 7) has a first series of parallel corrugations extending in a first direction and a second series of parallel corrugations extending in a second direction. Two of the four stops (33) are aligned with the center of the container (11) in the first direction, and the other two stops (33) are aligned with the center of the container (11) in the second direction.

8. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The storage facility (1) includes a thin film (24) arranged in a direction parallel to the well axis (39) between the adhesive layer (20) and the support structure (2), the thin film (24) being configured to prevent the adhesive layer (20) from adhering to the support structure (2).

9. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The storage facility (1) includes at least one anti-lift plate attached to the support beam (19), and the metal support ring (18) is inserted between the support beam (19) and the at least one anti-lift plate (35).

10. The storage facility (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The well axis (39) is the rotation axis of the well, and the reservoir structure has the rotation axis (40) of the reservoir structure. The rotation axis of the well and the rotation axis (40) of the reservoir structure are parallel and spaced apart from each other by a distance between 0 and 30 mm.

11. A vessel (70) for transporting cold liquid products, the vessel having a double hull (72) and a storage facility (1) arranged in the double hull according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A conveying system for cold liquid products, the conveying system comprising: The vessel (70) according to claim 11; insulated pipelines (73, 79, 76, 81) arranged to connect a storage tank (71) installed in the hull of the vessel to a floating or onshore (77) storage facility (1); and a pump for driving a flow of cold liquid products from the floating or onshore storage facility (1) to the storage tank of the vessel, or from the storage tank of the vessel to the floating or onshore storage facility, via the insulated pipelines.

13. A method for assembling a tank structure (9) for a liquefied gas storage facility (1), said storage facility comprising a support structure (2) and a sealed and insulated storage tank (71), wherein, The method includes the following steps: - Provide a support structure (2) including a well (8) extending along a well axis (39) toward the outside of the storage tank. - A storage tank structure (9) is provided, the storage tank structure including a container (11) having sidewalls (15), and the storage tank structure (9) including a metal support ring (18) fixed around the sidewalls (15) so as to protrude radially from the container (11) toward the outside of the container (11). - Attach a support foot (25) and at least one support beam (19) to the support structure (2) such that the support foot (25) and the support beam (19) are arranged around the well (8), the support beam (19) including at least one adhesive layer (20) extending parallel to the support structure (2). - Lower the storage tank structure (9) to place the metal support ring (18) on the at least one support beam (19) and position the container (11) at least partially in the well (8). - The centering and tilt of the storage tank structure (9) can be adjusted by means of the support feet (25). - Wait for the adhesive layer (20) to polymerize, - Remove the support foot (25).

14. A method for assembling a tank structure (9) for a liquefied gas storage facility (1), said storage facility comprising a support structure (2) and a sealed and insulated storage tank (71), wherein, The method includes the following steps: - Provide a support structure (2) including a well (8) extending along a well axis (39) toward the outside of the storage tank. - A storage tank structure (9) is provided, the storage tank structure including a container (11) having sidewalls (15), and the storage tank structure (9) including a metal support ring (18) fixed around the sidewalls (15) so as to protrude radially from the container (11) toward the outside of the container (11). - Pre-assemble a portion of at least one support beam (19) onto the metal support ring (18), - Attach the support foot (25) to the support structure (2) such that the support foot (25) is arranged around the well (8). - An adhesive layer (20) belonging to the at least one support beam (19) is placed around the well. - Lower the storage tank structure (9) to place the portion of the at least one support beam (19) onto the adhesive layer (20) and to position the container (11) at least partially within the well (8). - The centering and tilt of the storage tank structure (9) can be adjusted by means of the support feet (25). - Wait for the adhesive layer (20) to polymerize, - Remove the support foot (25).

15. A method for loading or unloading a vessel (70), wherein, Cold liquid products are transported from a floating or onshore (77) storage facility (1) to a tank (71) of a vessel (70) according to claim 11 via insulated pipelines (73, 79, 76, 81), or from a tank of a vessel according to claim 11 to a floating or onshore storage facility.

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