Sealed and thermally insulated tank wall for storing liquefied gas

Abstract

The invention relates to a wall of a sealed and thermally insulated tank for storing liquefied gas, comprising a thermal insulation barrier (14) comprising:-a first support member (61) and a second support member (62),-linking means (47) positioned between a sealing membrane (15) and a support structure (1), a linking means (47) having a first end connected to the first support member (61) and a second end connected to the second support member (62), the linking means (47) being configured such that, when the linking means is considered independently of the first support member (61) and the second support member (62) in a state in which the linking means is freely contracted, the linking means (47) is released from the first support member (61) and the second support member (62); the linear distance d between the first end and the second end varies by less than 5% during a temperature change [Delta] t between a temperature of 20 DEG C and a temperature to which the joining device (47) is intended to be subjected when the tank is filled with liquefied gas.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of sealed and thermally insulated tanks. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of sealed and thermally insulated tanks for storing and / or transporting liquefied gases, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) stored at atmospheric pressure at about -162 °C or liquid hydrogen stored at atmospheric pressure at about -253 °C. Background Art

[0002] Sealed and thermally insulated tanks for storing liquefied gases are known in the prior art.

[0003] Document EP 2859267 discloses a tank in which the wall has a multi-layer structure. In other words, the wall includes, from the outside to the inside in the thickness direction of the wall: a secondary thermal insulation barrier that is anchored to a support structure; a secondary sealing film that rests against the secondary thermal insulation barrier; a primary thermal insulation barrier that rests against the secondary sealing film; and a primary sealing film for contacting the liquefied natural gas contained in the tank.

[0004] The primary thermal insulation barrier includes a plurality of thermal insulation elements, each of which includes: a covering panel that is rectangular or square in shape; and a plurality of supporting columns that are fixed to the lower surface of the covering panel in a direction perpendicular to the lower surface of the covering surface. The thermal insulation barrier further includes a frame formed by transverse members and surrounding the covering panel. Each transverse member is equipped with an anchoring plate that also rests in a counterbore formed in the covering panel.

[0005] The primary sealing film has a network of vertical corrugations that gives the primary sealing film elasticity in all directions in the plane. The primary sealing film is formed of rectangular sheet metal plates that are lap-welded along their edges. In addition, the sheet metal plates are arranged on the covering panel, and the edges of the sheet metal plates are welded to the anchoring plates that are fixed to the transverse members forming the frame.

[0006] Thus, in a tank of the above type, each covering panel is attached to a plurality of supporting columns, and supports a plurality of flat areas of the sealing film. Since each covering panel provides a connection between the plurality of supporting columns, each covering panel allows the applied load to be distributed over the plurality of supporting columns, thereby allowing the primary sealing film to continuously and effectively perform its supporting function even in the event of failure of one of the supporting columns. However, this configuration results in non-uniform loading of the primary sealing film. Specifically, since each covering panel supports a plurality of flat areas of the primary sealing film, the performance of the thermal insulation barrier is non-uniform when the support structure deforms and / or is subjected to thermal and mechanical loads generated by the liquefied gas stored in the tank. In particular, some of the corrugated portions will deform more than others to compensate for the larger displacement of the corrugated portions that affect the other corrugated portions. In addition, the flat surface of the primary sealing film will rub against the covering panel of the thermal insulation element, further affecting the uniformity of the load distribution. It is important to ensure that the load is distributed as evenly as possible within the primary sealing film, especially when optimizing the service life of the primary sealing film. This defect is particularly prominent when the storage temperature of the liquefied gas is low and thus the thermal load acting on the primary sealing film is large. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Accordingly, one idea underlying the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned defect by providing a wall for a sealed and thermally insulated tank, wherein the thermal insulation barrier has support members for the sealing film, which support members are interconnected by connecting means, and wherein the connecting means allows the load to be distributed between the support members without or with little effect on the uniformity of the load acting on the sealing film. More specifically, the connecting means is designed to prevent the upper part of the support member from rotating by restricting the torque transmitted thereto.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a wall for a sealed and thermally insulated tank for storing liquefied gas, which wall comprises, in the direction of its thickness: a thermal insulation barrier for being anchored to a support structure; and a sealing film resting against the thermal insulation barrier and for contacting the liquefied gas stored in the sealed and thermally insulated tank, the thermal insulation barrier comprising:

[0009] - a first support member and a second support member, the sealing film comprising a first area resting on the first support member and a second area resting on the second support member;

[0010] - A connecting device, which is positioned between the sealing film and the support structure, and which connects a first support member to a second support member such that a load applied to a first area is transmitted from the first support member towards the second support member through the connecting device; the connecting device has a first end connected to the first support member and a second end connected to the second support member.

[0011] Thus, the connecting device enables the load to be distributed between the first support member and the second support member, thereby ensuring continuous support of the sealing film, even in the case where one of the two support members deteriorates. The connecting device allows the support area of the sealing film to remain flat. In other words, the connecting device helps to prevent the covering panel from rotating while maintaining a certain degree of lateral flexibility in the support members.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the connecting device is configured such that: when considering the connecting device in a freely contracting state independently of the first support member and the second support member, in response to a temperature change Δt between a temperature of 20°C and the temperature to which the connecting device is expected to be exposed when the tank is filled with liquefied gas, the straight-line distance d between the first end and the second end changes by less than 5%.

[0013] Herein, the term "considering independently of..." means that the characteristic related to the change in the straight-line distance between the two ends of the connecting device is not evaluated in the normal installation configuration of the connecting device (in which the two ends of the connecting device are fixed to the support members), but rather when the connecting device is in a freely contracting or freely expanding state (meaning that the two ends of the connecting device are not fixed to the support members). Therefore, this characteristic can be evaluated by separating the connecting device from the support members and subjecting the connecting device to the temperature change Δt.

[0014] Thus, during the cooling of the tank, the connecting device hardly exerts any load on the support members. Therefore, the connecting device does not or hardly affects the uniformity of the load acting on the sealing film.

[0015] According to an embodiment, a wall of this type may include one or more of the following features.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the connecting device is configured such that: when considering the connecting device in a freely contracting state independently of the first support member and the second support member, in response to a temperature change Δt between a temperature of 20°C and a temperature in the range from -120°C to -253°C, the straight-line distance d between the first end and the second end changes by less than 5%.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the connecting device includes:

[0018] - A mechanical connecting member, which includes a first end connected to a first support member and a second end connected to a second support member; and

[0019] - A shrinkage compensation member, which cooperates with the mechanical connecting member such that the thermal shrinkage of the shrinkage compensation member compensates for the load that tends to bring the first end and the second end of the mechanical connecting member closer together during the thermal shrinkage of the mechanical connecting member.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the mechanical connecting member includes a bent connecting strip with a concave surface, and the shrinkage compensation member includes a compensation strip that is fixed against the concave surface of the connecting strip to form a bimetallic strip together with the connecting strip. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the compensation strip is lower than that of the connecting strip.

[0021] Therefore, the bimetallic strip deforms with the change of temperature: when the temperature decreases, the bimetallic strip flattens, and when the temperature increases, the bimetallic strip bends, thereby at least partially compensating for the length change of the bimetallic strip during its shrinkage and expansion.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the bimetallic strip is arranged such that: when considering the bimetallic strip independently of the rest of the thermal insulation barrier, in response to the temperature change Δt between 20°C and the temperature at which the bimetallic strip is expected to be exposed when the tank is filled with liquefied gas, the linear distance change between the first end and the second end of the mechanical connecting member is less than 5%.

[0023] According to one embodiment, when the tank is filled with liquefied gas, the temperature at which the bimetallic strip is expected to be exposed is 10°C to 40°C higher than the storage temperature of the liquefied gas at atmospheric pressure, that is, the storage temperature of liquefied natural gas at atmospheric pressure is -162°C, and the storage temperature of liquid hydrogen at atmospheric pressure is -253°C. It should be noted that such a system can be perfectly implemented at the temperature of the liquid or at a temperature more than 40°C above the liquid.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the bimetallic strip has a radius of curvature in a plane orthogonal to the thickness direction of the wall.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the first end and the second end of the mechanical connecting member are respectively hingedly mounted on the first support member and the second support member by means of pivot joints, and the pivot joints have the freedom of rotation around an axis parallel to the thickness direction of the wall.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the first end and the second end of the mechanical connection member are respectively fixed to the fastening projections, for example, by welding or bolting, which project radially from the first support member and the second support member.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the bimetallic strip has two ends and a central portion, wherein the radius of curvature of the ends of the bimetallic strip is greater than the radius of curvature of the central portion. This configuration can particularly limit or eliminate the rotational effect caused by temperature changes at the ends; this makes it possible to limit or suppress the loads in the regions where the ends of the bimetallic strip are fixed, especially when the ends of the bimetallic strip are not mounted in an articulated manner by means of pivot links.

[0028] According to another embodiment not covered by the claims, the mechanical connection member successively includes at least a first connection segment and a second connection segment from the first end to the second end. The first connection segment and the second connection segment are connected to each other by a shrinkage compensator. The first connection segment is fixed to the shrinkage compensator at a first attachment region, while the second connection segment is fixed to the shrinkage compensator at a second attachment region. The first attachment region is positioned along the connecting device between the second attachment region and one end of the second connection segment for fixing to the second support member.

[0029] Therefore, the shrinkage of the traction compensator is used to generate a tensile force on the two connection segments against the shrinkage of the connection segments, thereby at least partially compensating for the thermal load that tends to bring the ends of the connecting device closer together.

[0030] According to an embodiment not covered by the claims:

[0031] - The first connection segment has a length L1 between the first end and the first attachment region measured at 20°C, and the first connection segment is made of a material with a coefficient of thermal expansion α1 at 20°C;

[0032] - The second connection segment has a length L2 between the second end and the first attachment region measured at 20°C, and the second connection segment is made of a material with a coefficient of thermal expansion α2 at 20°C;

[0033] - The shrinkage compensator has a length L3 between the first attachment region and the second attachment region measured at 20°C, and the shrinkage compensator is made of a material with a coefficient of thermal expansion α3 at 20°C;

[0034] L1, L2, L3, α1, α2, and α3 satisfy the following inequality:

[0035] L1 * α1 + L2 * α2 - L3 * α3 < 0.05 * (L1 + L2 - 2 * L3).

[0036] According to an alternative embodiment not covered by the claims, the first connecting section, the second connecting section, and the shrinkage compensator each have the shape of a flat strip member.

[0037] According to another alternative embodiment not covered by the claims, the first connecting section, the second connecting section, and the shrinkage compensator each have a tubular shape.

[0038] According to an embodiment not covered by the claims, the connecting device is made of a composite material that includes a resin and carbon fiber and has a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 3×10 -6 K -1 .

[0039] According to one embodiment, each of the first support member and the second support member includes a support member and an inner plate. The support member extends in the thickness direction of the wall, the inner plate is fixed to the support member, and the first region or the second region of the sealing film rests against the inner plate.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the support member includes an outer base, an inner base fixed to the inner plate, and a columnar member extending between the outer base and the inner base.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the first end portion and the second end portion of the mechanical connecting member are respectively connected to the inner bases of the first support member and the second support member.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the thermal insulation barrier includes a third support member aligned with the first support member and the second support member in a first direction. The third region of the sealing film rests on the third support member, and the third support member is connected to the second support member by a second connecting device.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the thermal insulation barrier includes a fourth support member and a fifth support member aligned with the second support member in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The fourth region of the sealing film rests on the fourth support member, the fifth region of the sealing film rests on the fifth support member, and the fourth support member and the fifth support member are respectively connected to the second support member by a third connecting device and a fourth connecting device.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the first region of the sealing film is fixed to the first support member, for example, welded to the first support member, and the second region of the sealing film is fixed to the second support member, for example, welded to the second support member.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the sealing film includes a first set of corrugations having first corrugation portions parallel to each other, and a second set of corrugations having second corrugation portions parallel to each other and perpendicular to the first corrugation portions. Both the first region and the second region of the sealing film are defined between two adjacent first corrugation portions and between two adjacent second corrugation portions.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the first flat region and the second flat region are separated from each other by the second corrugations which are arranged in the thickness direction opposite to the gap space between the first support member and the second support member.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the inner plate is fixed to the support member by riveting.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the inner plates of the first support member and the second support member are in contact with more than 70% of the surface areas of the first region and the second region respectively, and advantageously in contact with the surface areas between 90% and 100% of the first region and the second region respectively. This makes it possible to distribute the loads generated by the hydrostatic pressure and dynamic pressure exerted by the liquefied gas on the sealing film over a larger support surface, thus contributing to a more uniform load distribution.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the first region and the second region are welded in a supported contact manner against the inner plates of the first support member and the second support member respectively.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the sealing film includes a plurality of corrugated metal sheets, each of which has an edge lap-welded to the edge of an adjacent corrugated metal sheet. The first region and the second region are formed by two edges of two adjacent corrugated metal sheets. In other words, the first inner plate, the second inner plate and the third inner plate support and anchor two adjacent edges of two adjacent corrugated metal sheets.

[0051] According to one embodiment, each of the outer base and the inner base includes a sleeve and a support flange. The sleeve is engaged with one of the ends of the columnar member by an interlocking joint, and the support flange extends radially from one end of the sleeve.

[0052] According to one embodiment, each end of the columnar member is inserted into one of the sleeves. In another alternative embodiment, each sleeve is inserted into one of the ends of one of the columnar members. In another embodiment, the columnar member, the outer base and the inner base are integrally formed.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the support flange of the inner base is supported against the inner plate and fixed to the inner plate.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the support flange of the outer base is supported against and fixed to the outer plate.

[0055] According to one embodiment, each columnar member is fixed to the inner base and the outer base, for example, by bonding.

[0056] According to one embodiment, each columnar member is made of a composite material including fibers and a matrix, so as to provide satisfactory compressive strength under a limited conduction cross-section.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the fibers are selected from glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers, flax fibers, basalt fibers, and mixtures thereof.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the matrix is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polyetherimide, polyacrylate, polyaryletherketone, polyetheretherketone, its copolymers, polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy resin, and polyurethane.

[0059] According to a preferred embodiment, the columnar member is made of epoxy resin reinforced by glass fibers.

[0060] According to one embodiment, each columnar member has a tubular cross-section.

[0061] According to one embodiment, each columnar member has one or more through-holes leading to the inner space of the columnar member.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the primary thermal insulation barrier has a gas phase with an absolute pressure less than 1 Pa, advantageously having a gas phase with an absolute pressure less than 10 -1 Pa, preferably having a gas phase with an absolute pressure less than 10 -2 Pa, and for example having a gas phase with an absolute pressure of about 10 -3 Pa. This allows improving the thermal insulation performance of the primary thermal insulation barrier.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the sealing film is a primary sealing film, and the thermal insulation barrier is a primary thermal insulation barrier. The tank wall further includes a secondary thermal insulation barrier resting against a support structure and a secondary sealing film located between the secondary thermal insulation barrier and the primary thermal insulation barrier.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the present invention also relates to a sealed and thermally insulated tank including a plurality of walls of the above type.

[0065] In one embodiment, the liquefied gas is liquid hydrogen.

[0066] The tank can be constructed using various techniques, in particular, the tank can be constructed as a film-bonded tank.

[0067] Such tanks can form part of a land-based storage facility or be installed in floating structures, coastal structures or deep-sea structures, especially in liquid hydrogen carriers (i.e., hydrogen tankers), floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), floating production, storage and offloading units (FPSOs), etc. Such tanks can also be used as fuel tanks in any type of ship.

[0068] According to one embodiment, a ship for transporting liquefied gas includes a double hull and the aforementioned tank disposed within the double hull.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a conveying system for liquefied gas, the system including the aforementioned ship and an isolation pipeline disposed to connect the tank installed in the hull of the ship to a floating or land-based storage facility.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the conveying system further includes a pump for driving a liquefied gas stream through the isolation pipeline from a floating or land-based storage facility to the tank of the ship, or for driving a liquefied gas stream through the isolation pipeline from the tank of the ship to a floating or land-based storage facility.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the present invention also provides a method for loading or unloading such a ship, wherein liquefied gas is conveyed through the isolation pipeline from a floating or land-based storage facility to the tank of the ship, or liquefied gas is conveyed through the isolation pipeline from the tank of the ship to a floating or land-based storage facility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0072] The present invention will be better understood through the following description of several specific embodiments provided for illustrative purposes only and not limiting in any way with reference to the accompanying drawings, and other objects, details, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent.

[0073] Figure 1 is a schematic sectional perspective view of a support structure for supporting a sealed and thermally insulated tank for storing liquefied gas.

[0074] Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the wall of a sealed and thermally insulated tank according to a first embodiment.

[0075] Figure 3 is Figure 2 a partial sectional view of the secondary thermal insulation barrier of the wall shown in, partially showing the anchoring means for fixing the support members of the primary thermal insulation barrier to the secondary thermal insulation barrier.

[0076] Figure 4 is Figure 2 a schematic sectional view of the primary thermal insulation barrier and the primary sealing film of the wall shown in.

[0077] Figure 5 is a schematic view observed from above, showing a support member and a connecting device for connecting the support members to each other according to the first embodiment.

[0078] Figure 6 shows Figure 5 the geometry of one of the connecting devices shown in

[0079] Figure 7 is similar to the view of Figure 5 and shows a connecting device for connecting support members according to the second embodiment.

[0080] Figure 8 is similar to the view of Figure 5 and Figure 7 and shows a connecting device for connecting support members according to the third embodiment.

[0081] Figure 9 is similar to the view of Figure 5 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 and shows a connecting device for interconnecting support members according to the fourth embodiment.

[0082] Figure 10 is a schematic view of a connecting device for connecting support members according to the fifth embodiment.

[0083] Figure 11 is a perspective view of a connecting device for connecting support members according to a sixth embodiment not covered by the claims.

[0084] Figure 12 is Figure 11 a top view observed from above of the connecting device shown in

[0085] Figure 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of a connecting device for connecting support members according to a seventh embodiment not covered by the claims.

[0086] Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a tank on a ship and a loading / unloading terminal for the tank.

[0087] Figure 15 is a schematic view observed from above of a connecting device for connecting support members according to an eighth embodiment not covered by the claims. Detailed Description

[0088] By convention, the terms "outer" and "inner" are used to define the relative position of one element with respect to another with reference to the interior and exterior of the tank.

[0089] The liquefied gas to be stored in the tank may in particular be liquid hydrogen, which is characterized by being stored at atmospheric pressure at approximately -253 °C. The liquefied gas may also be: liquefied natural gas (LNG), in other words, a gas mixture mainly comprising methane and one or more other hydrocarbons; ethane; liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), in other words, a petroleum-refined hydrocarbon mixture mainly comprising propane and butane; or liquid ammonia.

[0090] Figure 1 Shown is a support structure 1 against which a sealed and thermally insulated tank for storing liquefied gas is fixed.

[0091] In particular, the support structure 1 may be formed of self-supporting sheet metal, or more generally, the support structure 1 may be formed of any type of rigid wall having suitable mechanical properties. For example, the support structure 1 may be formed of the double hull of a ship. In Figure 1 it, the support structure 1 has a substantially polyhedral shape. The support structure 1 has a front support wall 2 and a rear support wall 2, and in the case of an octagonal shape, only the rear support wall 2 of the front support wall 2 and the rear support wall 2 is shown. The front wall 2 and the rear wall 2 are, for example, cofferdam walls of a ship, which extend in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ship. The support structure 1 further includes an upper support wall 3, a lower support wall 4, and side support walls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

[0092] Referring to Figure 2 below, the wall 11 of the sealed and thermally insulated tank will be described according to a first embodiment. The wall 11 has a multi-layer structure, which includes, from the outside to the inside in the thickness direction of the wall 11: a secondary thermal insulation barrier 12, a secondary sealing film 13, a primary thermal insulation barrier 14, and a primary sealing film 15 for contacting the liquefied gas contained in the tank.

[0093] The secondary thermal insulation barrier 12 includes a plurality of insulation panels 16, which are anchored to the support structure 1. Each of the insulation panels 16 includes an insulation polymer foam layer 17 sandwiched between an inner plate 18 and an outer plate 19. For example, the inner plate 18 and the outer plate 19 are plywood bonded to the polymer foam insulation layer 17. According to an alternative embodiment, the inner plate 18 and the outer plate 19 are made of a polymer matrix reinforced by fibers, such as glass fibers. The insulation polymer foam may in particular be a polyurethane-based foam. Advantageously, the polymer foam is reinforced by fibers, such as glass fibers, which helps to reduce the thermal shrinkage rate of the polymer foam.

[0094] The insulating panel 16 is anchored to the support structure 1 by means of secondary anchoring means (not shown). For example, each insulating panel 16 is fixed at least at each of its four corners. Each secondary anchoring means includes a stud and a bearing member, the stud being welded to the support structure 1, the bearing member being fixed to the stud and bearing against a bearing area of the insulating panel 16. According to one embodiment, the outer plate 19 of the insulating panel 16 projects beyond the thermally insulating polymer foam layer 17 at least at the corners of the insulating panel 16 to form a bearing area of the insulating panel 16 that cooperates with the bearing member of the secondary anchoring means. Elastic elements, such as Belleville washers, are advantageously fitted onto the studs between the nuts mounted on the studs and the bearing members, so as to ensure that the insulating panel 16 is elastically anchored to the support structure 1.

[0095] Advantageously, an adhesive portion 20 is placed between the outer plate 19 of the insulating panel 16 and the support structure 1. The adhesive portion 20 thus helps to compensate for surface irregularities in the support structure 1. According to an advantageous alternative embodiment, the adhesive portion 20 is bonded to the outer plate 19 of the insulating panel 16 and the support structure 1. The adhesive portion 20 thus also helps to anchor the insulating panel 16 to the support structure 1. In this alternative embodiment, the secondary anchoring means are optional.

[0096] The insulating panels 16 have a generally cuboid shape and are arranged side by side in parallel rows, with a gap 21 therebetween, thus ensuring a functional spacing to facilitate assembly. The gap 21 is filled with an insulating filler (not shown), which is, for example, glass wool, rock wool, or a soft open-cell polymer foam. The gap may also be filled with insulating plugs, such as those described in patent applications WO2019155157 or WO2021028624.

[0097] In the illustrated embodiment, the inner face of the insulating panel 16 has two sets of grooves 22 that are perpendicular to each other and are for receiving the corrugations 24 that project outward from the tank, the corrugations 24 being formed on the corrugated metal sheet 25 of the secondary sealing film 13. Each set of grooves 22 is parallel to two opposite sides of the insulating panel 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the grooves 22 completely penetrate the thickness of the inner plate 10 and the inner portion of the insulating polymer foam layer 17. Advantageously, the grooves 22 have a shape complementary to the shape of the corrugations 24 of the secondary sealing film 13.

[0098] In addition, the inner plate 18 of the insulation panel 16 is provided with a metal plate 26 for anchoring the edges of the corrugated metal plate 25 of the secondary sealing film 13 to the insulation panel 16. The metal plate 26 extends in two perpendicular directions, each of the two perpendicular directions being parallel to two opposite sides of the insulation panel 16. The metal plate 26 is fixed to the inner plate 18 of the insulation panel 16 by, for example, threaded members, rivets or nails. The metal plate 26 is placed in a recess formed in the inner plate 18 such that the inner surface of the metal plate 26 is flush with the inner surface of the inner plate 18.

[0099] In addition, the insulation panel 16 is provided with a pressure relief seam 27 that reduces the stiffness of the insulation panel 16, thereby enabling the secondary thermal insulation barrier 12 to deform as uniformly as possible. This allows the corrugated portions 24 of the secondary sealing film 13 to deform in a more consistent manner. Advantageously, the insulation panel 16 has pressure relief seams 27 positioned at least opposite each of the corrugated portions 24 of the secondary sealing film 13.

[0100] The secondary sealing film 13 includes a plurality of corrugated metal sheets 25, each corrugated metal sheet 25 having a generally rectangular shape. The corrugated metal sheets 25 are made of, for example (In other words, an iron-nickel alloy with a coefficient of thermal expansion typically between 1.2x10 -6 K -1 and 2x10 -6 K -1 ) or an iron alloy with a high manganese content (the coefficient of thermal expansion is typically about 7x10 -6 K -1 ). Alternatively, the corrugated metal sheets 25 can also be made of stainless steel or aluminum.

[0101] The corrugated metal sheets 25 are lap-welded along their edges to ensure the sealing of the secondary sealing film 13. In addition, the corrugated metal sheets 25 are arranged to be offset with respect to the insulation panel 16 of the secondary thermal insulation barrier 12 such that each of the corrugated metal sheets 25 extends across a plurality of adjacent insulation panels 16. To ensure the anchoring of the secondary sealing film 13 to the secondary thermal insulation barrier 12, the edges of the corrugated metal sheets 25 are welded to the metal plate 26, for example, by spot welding to the metal plate 26.

[0102] The secondary sealing film 13 has corrugated portions 24, and more specifically, the secondary sealing film 13 has a first set of corrugated portions and a second set of corrugated portions that are perpendicular to each other. Each set of corrugated portions is parallel to two opposite edges of the corrugated metal sheet 25. The corrugated portions 24 protrude outward from the tank, which means that the corrugated portions 24 extend in the direction of the support structure 1. Between the corrugated portions 24, the secondary sealing film 13 includes a plurality of flat regions 28.

[0103] The corrugated portion 24 of the corrugated metal sheet 25 is seated in the grooves 22 formed in the inner surface of the insulating panel 16 and in the gaps 21 formed between adjacent insulating panels 16.

[0104] In addition, the flat regions 28 of the secondary sealing film 13 are each penetrated by a primary anchoring device 29, as Figure 3 shown in detail, and the flat regions 28 of the secondary sealing film 13 are each configured to anchor the support member 30 of the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 to the insulating panel 16 of the secondary thermal insulation barrier 12. Each primary anchoring device 29 includes a stud 31 that passes through the secondary sealing film 13. The stud 31 has an outer end that is fixed to one of the insulating panels 16. In the illustrated embodiment, to achieve this, the outer end of each stud 31 is threaded and screwed into a threaded insert 32 that is fixed within a hole formed in the inner plate 18 of one of the insulating panels 16. In addition, the stud 31 includes a flange 33 that extends radially relative to the axis of the stud 31.

[0105] The flange 33 is welded to the secondary sealing film 13 in a sealed manner around the opening through which the stud 31 passes in the secondary sealing film 13, thereby maintaining the sealing property of the secondary sealing film 13.

[0106] In addition, also as Figure 3 shown, the outer plate 34 has an opening through which the stud 31 passes. The primary anchoring device 29 includes a nut 35 that is screwed onto the threaded inner end of the stud 31, thereby fixing the outer plate 34 against the flat region 28 opposite the secondary sealing film 13. The outer plate 34 has two functions. On the one hand, the outer plate 34 allows the secondary sealing film 13 to press against the insulating panel 16 of the secondary thermal insulation barrier 12 to prevent the secondary sealing film 13 from being torn due to excessive pressure of the secondary thermal insulation barrier 12 relative to the primary thermal insulation barrier 14. On the other hand, the outer plate 34 allows for the attachment of the support member 30 of the primary thermal insulation barrier 14, which will be described in detail below.

[0107] The outer plate 34 advantageously contacts the corresponding flat region 28 and contacts more than 70% of the surface area of the flat region 28, and advantageously contacts between 90% and 100% of the surface area of the flat region 28.

[0108] The outer plate 34 is made of metal, such as stainless steel, for example, but the outer plate 34 can also be made of a composite material, such as an epoxy resin filled with glass fibers, for example.

[0109] Returning to Figure 2, it can be seen that the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 includes a plurality of support members 61, 62, each support member including a support member 30 and an inner plate 42( Figure 2 not visible in Figure 4 but visible in

[0110] As Figure 4 shown, each support member 30 includes an outer base 36, an inner base 37, and a columnar member 38 extending between the outer base 36 and the inner base 37. Both the outer base 36 and the inner base 37 have a sleeve 39 and a support flange 40, the sleeve 39 being fitted with one end of the columnar member 38, and the support flange 40 radially extending from one end of the sleeve 39. The outer base 36 and the inner base 37 may be made of metal, such as stainless steel, or made of a composite material, such as, for example, epoxy resin reinforced by glass fiber. The outer base 36 and the inner base 37 can be fixed to the columnar member 38 by any means, and in particular by adhesive bonding. According to another alternative embodiment, the columnar member 38, the outer base 36, and the inner base 37 are integrally formed, for example, by molding.

[0111] The columnar member 38 has a tubular shape, preferably with a circular cross-section. According to an advantageous embodiment, the columnar member 38 is made of a composite material including fibers and a matrix. Such a columnar member 38 allows satisfactory compressive strength to be obtained with a limited conduction cross-section, thereby limiting heat conduction from the outside to the inside of the tank through the columnar member 38. The fibers are, for example, selected from the following: glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, flax fiber, basalt fiber, and mixtures thereof. The matrix is, for example, selected from the following: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polyetherimide, polyacrylate, polyaryletherketone, polyetheretherketone, their copolymers, polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy resin, and polyurethane. According to a specific embodiment, the columnar member 38 is made of epoxy resin reinforced by glass fiber.

[0112] The columnar member 38 is advantageously provided with through holes (not shown) to facilitate evacuation of the internal space of the columnar member 38 when the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 is evacuated, as described below. Further, the internal space of the columnar member 38 is advantageously filled with a gas-permeable insulating filler, which is particularly made of an open-cell porous material. The insulating filler can be, for example, an open-cell polymer foam, such as open-cell polyurethane foam, glass wool, rock wool, melamine foam, polyester filler, or the insulating filler can be, for example, a polymer aerogel, such as a polyurethane-based aerogel (particularly a polyurethane-based aerogel sold under the brand) or a silica aerogel.

[0113] The support flange 40 of each outer base 36 is fixed, for example, by riveting to Figure 3 the outer plate 34 as shown.

[0114] In addition, the support flanges 40 of the inner base 37 are all supported and fixed to the inner plate 42. The inner plate 42 is made of, for example, metal, such as stainless steel. The support flanges 40 of the inner base 37 are fixed to the inner plate 42, for example, by riveting.

[0115] The support members 61, 62 thus form a discrete support structure, and each support member supports the flat regions 46, 63, 64 of the primary sealing film 15, thereby allowing for effective load distribution between the corrugations 45 of the primary sealing film 15.

[0116] Returning to Figure 2 , it can be seen that the primary sealing film 15 is also formed by assembling a plurality of corrugated metal sheets 44. Each corrugated metal sheet 44 has a generally rectangular shape. The corrugated metal sheets 44 are made of, for example, (in other words, a ferro-nickel alloy with a coefficient of thermal expansion generally between 1.2 x 10 -6 K -1 and 2 x 10 -6 K -1 ) or an iron alloy with a high manganese content (the coefficient of thermal expansion is generally about 7 x 10 -6 K -1 ). Alternatively, the corrugated metal sheets 44 can also be made of stainless steel or aluminum.

[0117] The corrugated metal sheet 44 is lap-welded along its edge to ensure the sealing of the primary sealing film 15. The primary sealing film 15 includes corrugated portions 45. More specifically, the primary sealing film 15 includes a first set of corrugated portions 45a extending in a direction parallel to the first direction and a second set of corrugated portions 45b extending in a direction parallel to the second direction. The directions of the sets of corrugated portions 45a and 45b are perpendicular and parallel or perpendicular to the rows of support members 30. Each set of corrugated portions 45a and 45b is parallel to two opposite edges of the corrugated metal sheet 44. The corrugated portions 45 project towards the interior of the tank, in other words, the corrugated portions 45 project in a direction opposite to the support structure 1. Each corrugated metal sheet 44 includes a plurality of flat areas 46 between the corrugated portions 45.

[0118] The pitch of the corrugated portions 24 of the secondary sealing film 13 is equal to the pitch of the corrugated portions 45 of the primary sealing film 15 or is an integer multiple of the pitch of the corrugated portions 45 of the primary sealing film 15. In addition, each corrugated portion 24 of the secondary sealing film 13 is arranged opposite to the corrugated portion 45 of the primary sealing film 15 in the thickness direction of the wall 11. Therefore, each flat area 46 of the primary sealing film 15 remains opposite to the flat area 28 of the secondary sealing film 13 in the thickness direction of the wall 11. It can be seen that the axis of each support member 30 passes through the center of the flat area 46 of the primary sealing film 15 and the center of the flat area 28 of the secondary sealing film 13.

[0119] Advantageously, each inner plate 42 is in contact with the flat area 46 corresponding to the primary sealing film 15, and is in contact with more than 70% of the surface area of the flat area 46, and advantageously between 90% and 100% of the surface area of the flat area 46.

[0120] The corrugated metal sheet 44 of the primary sealing film 15 is anchored to the inner plate 42 along its edge at least by welding. For this purpose, the edge of the corrugated metal sheet 44 is welded to the inner plate 42 by spot welding, for example. In an advantageous embodiment, the corrugated metal sheet 44 is also anchored to the inner plate 42 outside its edge. For this purpose, the corrugated metal sheet 44 can be welded to the inner plate 42 particularly by transparency weld. In an advantageous embodiment, the corrugated metal sheet 44 is welded to each inner plate 42 that supports it. The particular advantage of this embodiment is that this embodiment allows the load to be distributed more evenly between the corrugated portions 45 of the primary sealing film 15.

[0121] In addition, the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 has a gaseous phase in a vacuum, meaning that the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 has an absolute pressure below atmospheric pressure to provide the required thermal insulation performance. Advantageously, the gaseous phase of the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 remains at an absolute pressure below 1 Pa, advantageously remains at an absolute pressure below 10 -1 Pa, preferably remains at an absolute pressure below 10 -2 Pa, and for example remains at an absolute pressure of about 10 -3 Pa. To achieve this, the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 is advantageously connected to a vacuum pump.

[0122] In addition, the support members 30 are connected to each other by a connecting device 47. The connecting device 47 is thus used to distribute the load acting on the primary sealing film 15 between the support members 30. This also reduces the risk of the support members 30 tipping over, and furthermore ensures continuous and reliable support for the primary sealing film 15, even if one of the support members 30 is damaged.

[0123] In the embodiment described below, the connecting device 47 extends in a plane orthogonal to the thickness direction of the wall. In Figures 3 to 13 the embodiment shown, the connecting device 47 includes a mechanical connecting member and a shrinkage compensating member. The mechanical connecting member connects two support members 30 to each other, and the shrinkage compensating member is designed to at least partially offset the load that tends to bring the ends of the mechanical connecting member closer together when the mechanical connecting member shrinks during tank cooling.

[0124] According to an advantageous embodiment, the connecting device 47 is fixed to the inner bases 37 of two adjacent support members 30. Thus, even if one of the columns 38 fails or breaks, the support for the primary sealing film 15 can continue to be maintained. In this regard, the above-described configuration of the connecting device 47 - in other words, having a shrinkage compensating member - is particularly advantageous because the above-described configuration of the connecting device 47 allows the connecting device 47 to be positioned close to the primary sealing film 15, that is, to be positioned in the coldest region of the primary thermal insulation barrier 14, without generating excessive loads on the support members 30 during tank cooling, or even without generating any loads at all.

[0125] In the first embodiment shown in the figure, the connecting device 47 is a bimetallic strip 48. In other words, the connecting device 47 includes two strip members 49, 50, and the two strip members 59, 50 are welded to each other and are made of materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion. The bimetallic strip 48 is curved, and the radius of curvature lies in a plane orthogonal to the thickness direction of the wall. The strip member made of the material with a higher coefficient of thermal expansion is conventionally called the connecting strip member and is marked as 49 in the figure. The strip member made of the material with the lowest coefficient of thermal expansion is called the compensating strip member and is marked as 50. The compensating strip member 50 is fixed to the concave surface of the connecting strip member 49. In other words, the radius of curvature of the connecting strip member 49 is slightly larger than that of the compensating strip member 50.

[0126] As Figure 6 shown, due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the connecting strip member 49 and the compensating strip member 50, the bimetallic strip 48 deforms with temperature changes. Therefore, Figure 6 the upper part of shows the shape of the bimetallic strip 48 at room temperature (20 °C), that is, before the tank is cooled, while the lower part shows the shape of the bimetallic strip 48 after the tank has been filled with liquefied gas. The characteristics of the bimetallic strip 48 are such that: when the temperature of the bimetallic strip 48 decreases, the shape of the bimetallic strip 48 flattens to compensate for the shrinkage of the bimetallic strip 48; and, conversely, when the temperature of the bimetallic strip 48 increases, the shape of the bimetallic strip 48 bends to compensate for the expansion of the bimetallic strip 48.

[0127] Advantageously, the characteristics of the bimetallic strip 48 are selected such that: when considering the bimetallic strip 48 independently of other elements of the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 and in a state of free deformation, in other words, when considering the bimetallic strip 48 alone before the ends of the bimetallic strip 48 are fixed to the support member 30, the straight-line distance d between the two ends of the bimetallic strip 48 changes by less than 5% within the temperature range Δt between the ambient temperature and the temperature that the bimetallic strip 48 experiences when the tank is filled with liquefied gas.

[0128] To achieve this, those skilled in the art can, based on their common sense, determine the materials and thicknesses e1, e2 of the connecting strip member 49 and the compensating strip member 50 and the radius of curvature of the bimetallic strip 48 according to the temperature change Δt such that the change in the straight-line distance d remains below 5%.

[0129] According to an exemplary embodiment, the bimetallic strip 48 has the following characteristics:

[0130] - The connecting strip member 49 has a thickness e1 of 2 mm and is made of 316 stainless steel, and 316 stainless steel has approximately 17x10 at 20 °C-6 K -1 Thermal expansion coefficient of

[0131] - The compensating strip member 50 has a thickness of 0.8 mm and is made of high manganese steel, which has a thermal expansion coefficient of about 17 x 10 -6 K -1 at 20 °C;

[0132] - The radius of curvature of the neutral fiber of the bimetallic strip member 48 is 600 mm at 20 °C; and

[0133] - The straight-line distance d between the two ends is 280 mm.

[0134] Of course, this bimetallic strip member 48 is only an exemplary embodiment, and those skilled in the art can implement other bimetallic strip members with different characteristics.

[0135] In the illustrated embodiment, each end of the bimetallic strip member 48 is welded to the fastening projection 51, which projects radially from the inner base 37 with respect to the axis of the support member 30. Alternatively, the ends of the bimetallic strip member 48 can also be bolted to the fastening projection 51.

[0136] In another embodiment (not shown), each end of the bimetallic strip member 48 is pivotally mounted, in an articulated manner, on one of the support members 30, for example on the fastening projection 51, such as the above-mentioned fastening projection 51, by means of a pivot connection which provides a degree of freedom of rotation about an axis parallel to the thickness direction of the wall. Taking into account that the ends of the bimetallic strip member 48 rotate when the shape of the bimetallic strip member 48 straightens or bends due to temperature changes, this prevents the generation of loads in the attachment area of the ends to the support element 30.

[0137] In Figure 5 the partial configuration shown, each support member 30 is connected to four adjacent support members 30 via a connecting device 47, such as the above-mentioned connecting device 47: two of the four support members 30 are aligned with the support member 30 in a first direction, while the other two support members 30 are aligned in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0138] It can also be observed that the recesses of the four bimetallic strip members 48 fixed to the same support 30 have the same orientation about the central axis of the support 30. In other words, the bimetallic strip members 48 are pairwise symmetric with respect to the central axis of the support 30. This allows the fastening projections 51 to be evenly distributed about the axis of the support 30.

[0139] Figure 7Shows the connecting device 47 according to the second embodiment. These connecting devices 47 are different from the connecting devices described above in connection with Figure 5 The difference is that these connecting devices 47 have a smaller radius of curvature, which means that the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material forming the connecting strip and the compensating strip is lower than Figure 5 The coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the bimetallic strip 48 shown.

[0140] Figure 8 Shows the connecting device 47 according to the third embodiment. This embodiment is different from the embodiments described in connection with Figure 5 And Figure 7 The difference is only that each support member 30 is connected to only two adjacent support members 30 via a connecting device 47 of the above type, where the connecting device 47 thus provides a connection only between support elements 30 aligned in one of the two alignment directions along the support member 30. In particular, this configuration allows the cost and complexity of the can to be limited by restricting the number of connecting devices 47.

[0141] Figure 9 Shows the connecting device 47 according to the fourth embodiment. This embodiment is different from the previously described embodiments in that the radius of curvature of the bimetallic strip 48 is not constant. Thus, in the embodiment shown, the radius of curvature of the end 52 of the bimetallic strip 48 is greater than the radius of curvature of the central portion 53 of the bimetallic strip 48. In an alternative embodiment, the radius of curvature of the end 52 of the bimetallic strip 48 is infinite. In other words, the end 52 of the bimetallic strip 48 is straight. This helps to reduce or eliminate the rotational effect caused by temperature changes at the end 52, thereby allowing the load in the attachment area of the end 52 of the bimetallic strip 48 to be limited or eliminated. This also simplifies the positioning of the fastening protrusion 51, so that the fastening protrusion 51 can be aligned with the alignment direction of the support member 30.

[0142] Figure 10 Shows the connecting device 47 according to the fifth embodiment. Similar to the previous embodiment described in connection with Figure 9 The radius of curvature of the end 52 of the bimetallic strip 48 is greater than the radius of curvature of the central portion 53 of the bimetallic strip 48. However, this embodiment is different in that each connecting device 47 includes two identical bimetallic strips 48, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane passing through the central axis of the two support members 30 connected by the connecting device 47. The particular advantage of this configuration is that, in view of the above symmetry, the torsional moment about its axis that may be generated on the support member 30 during the deformation of the bimetallic strip 48 is cancelled out.

[0143] Figure 11 and Figure 12 shows a coupling device 47 according to the sixth embodiment. The coupling device 47 has a generally straight shape and includes two straight connecting segments 54, 55 which are connected to each other by a shrinkage compensator 56 which is also straight. In the present embodiment, the two connecting segments 54, 55 are formed of flat metal strip members. The shrinkage compensator 56 is also formed of a flat metal strip member. The shrinkage compensator 56 is sandwiched between the two connecting segments 54, 55. The shrinkage compensator 56 is welded to the two connecting segments 54, 55 at least in the two attachment regions 57, 58 shown in Figure 12 and located at the two ends of the shrinkage compensator 56. Thus, the attachment region 57 of the connecting segment 54 and the shrinkage compensator 56 is positioned along the coupling device 47 between the other connecting segment 55 and the attachment region 58 of the shrinkage compensator 56 and the end of the connecting segment 55 for fixing to one of the support members in the support member 30. Advantageously, the attachment regions 57, 58 are positioned near the ends of the shrinkage compensator 56.

[0144] Taking into account the positions of the above-mentioned attachment regions 57, 58, when the temperature drops, the shrinkage of the shrinkage compensator 56 generates a tensile force in the connecting segments 54, 55, which resists the shrinkage of the connecting segments 54, 55, so that it is possible to at least partially compensate for the thermal load tending to bring the ends of the coupling device 47 closer together.

[0145] In addition, according to an advantageous embodiment, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the shrinkage compensator 56 is higher than that of the connecting segment.

[0146] Advantageously, the characteristics of the shrinkage compensator 56 and the characteristics of the connecting segments 54, 55 are selected such that: when the coupling device 47 is considered separately from the other components of the primary thermal insulation barrier 14, in the freely deformable state (i.e., before the ends of the coupling device 47 are fixed to the support member 30), for the temperature change Δt between the ambient temperature and the temperature at which the coupling device 47 is located when the tank is filled with liquefied gas, the linear distance d between the two ends of the coupling device 47 does not change, or changes by less than 5%, and preferably changes by less than 0.5%, for example, changes by about 0.1% to 0.2%.

[0147] To achieve this, the lengths L1, L2 and L3 satisfy the following inequality:

[0148] Ll*α1+L2*α2-L3*α3<0.05*((L1+L2-2*L3)

[0149] where:

[0150] L1: The distance (in meters) measured at 20°C between the end 59 of the first connecting section 54 and the attachment area 57 of the first connecting section 54 and the shrinkage compensator 56;

[0151] α1: The coefficient of thermal expansion at 20°C of the material for the first connecting section 54;

[0152] L2: The distance (in meters) measured at 20°C between the end 60 of the second connecting section 55 and the attachment area 58 of the second connecting section 55 and the shrinkage compensator 56;

[0153] α2: The coefficient of thermal expansion at 20°C of the material for the second connecting section 55;

[0154] L3: The distance (in meters) measured at 20°C between the attachment area 57 of the shrinkage compensator 56 and the first connecting section 54 and the attachment area 58 of the shrinkage compensator 56 and the second connecting section; α3: The coefficient of thermal expansion at 20°C of the material for the shrinkage compensator 56.

[0155] Figure 13 The connecting device 47 according to the seventh embodiment is shown. This seventh embodiment follows the same basic principle as Figure 11 and Figure 12 the sixth embodiment shown, but differs in that the connecting sections 55, 56 and the shrinkage compensator 57 are not flat metal strip members, but have a tubular shape (only partially shown in cross-section for clarity in Figure 12 ).

[0156] One of the connecting sections 55 includes an end inserted into the other connecting section 54, and the shrinkage compensator 56 is a sleeve radially positioned between the two connecting sections 54, 55.

[0157] Same as the embodiment in Figure 12 , the straight-line distance d between the two ends of the connecting device 47 does not change, or preferably changes by less than 0.5%, for example, changes by about 0.1% to 0.2%.

[0158] In Figure 15 another embodiment shown, the connecting device 47 is made of a material with an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion. In other words, the connecting device 47 is made of a material with a coefficient of thermal expansion generally less than 3x10 -6 K -1It is made of ground materials. Such materials include: polymer resins, such as polyamides; and carbon fibers, and advantageously, carbon fibers with a Young's modulus greater than 530 GPa, which are arranged, for example, in the form of laminates or fabrics. Such carbon fibers are known for having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion. Thus, by adjusting the proportion of carbon fibers according to the expansion coefficient of the resin, a composite material with an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion can be obtained. In this case, the connecting device can particularly include a strip made of the above materials, and both ends are fixed to one of the two adjacent support members 30.

[0159] Referring Figure 14 , a cross-sectional view of a ship 70, such as a liquid hydrogen tanker, shows a sealed and thermally insulated tank 71 installed in the double hull 72 of the ship. The tank 71 has a generally prismatic shape. The wall of the tank 71 includes a primary sealing film for contacting the liquefied gas, preferably liquid hydrogen, contained in the tank, a secondary sealing film arranged between the primary sealing film and the double hull 72 of the ship, and two thermal insulation barriers respectively arranged between the primary sealing film and the secondary sealing film and between the secondary sealing film and the double hull 72.

[0160] As is known per se, the loading / unloading pipeline 73 arranged on the upper deck of the ship can be connected to a port or a marine terminal by means of appropriate connectors to transport liquefied gas from the tank 71 or transport liquefied gas to the tank 71.

[0161] Figure 14 An example of a marine terminal is also shown. The marine terminal includes a loading / unloading station 75, a subsea pipeline 76, and a land facility 77. The loading / unloading station 75 is a fixed offshore facility that includes a movable arm 74 and a tower 78 that supports the movable arm 74. The movable arm 74 supports a bundle of insulated flexible hoses 79, which can be connected to the loading / unloading pipeline 73. The articulated movable arm 74 can be adapted to ships of all sizes. A connecting pipeline (not shown) extends inside the tower 78. The loading and unloading station 75 enables unloading from the ship 70 to the land facility 77 or loading the ship 70 from the land facility 77. The land facility 77 includes a liquefied gas storage tank 80 and a transmission pipeline 81 connected to the loading and unloading station 75 through the subsea pipeline 76. The subsea pipeline 76 allows the transport of liquefied gas at a relatively large distance, for example, 5 km, between the loading and unloading station 75 and the land facility 77, thus allowing the ship 70 to remain at a relatively far distance from the coast during loading and unloading operations.

[0162] To generate the pressure required for transporting liquefied gas, an on-board pump in the ship 70, and / or a pump installed at the land facility 77, and / or a pump located at the loading and unloading station 75 can be used, or the pressure in the internal space of the tank can be increased by vaporizing the liquefied gas stored in the tank.

[0163] Although the present invention has been described in connection with multiple specific embodiments, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and if the technical equivalents of the device and their combinations fall within the scope of the present invention, the present invention includes all such technical equivalents of the device and their combinations.

[0164] The use of any variant form of the verb "comprise", "include" or "contain" and its variant forms does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those recited in a given claim.

[0165] In a claim, any reference numeral placed in parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claim.

[0166] More generally, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the above embodiments based on the teachings just disclosed. In the appended claims, the terms used should not be construed as limiting the claims to the embodiments set forth in the specification, but should be construed as including all equivalent solutions that the claims are intended to cover by their terms and that are within the scope that can be achieved by those skilled in the art based on their common general knowledge.

Claims

1. A wall (11) of a sealed and thermally insulated tank for storing liquefied gas, the wall (11) comprising, in the thickness direction of the wall, in sequence: A thermal insulation barrier (14) for being anchored to a support structure (1); and a sealing film (15) resting against the thermal insulation barrier (14) and for contacting a liquefied gas stored in the sealed and thermally insulated tank, the thermal insulation barrier (14) comprising: - a first support member (61) and a second support member (62), the sealing film (15) comprising a first region (63) resting on the first support member (61) and a second region (64) resting on the second support member (62), - a connecting device (47) intended to be positioned between the sealing film (15) and the support structure (1), and the connecting device (47) connecting the first support member (61) to the second support member (62) such that a load applied to the first region (63) is transmitted from the first support member (61) to the second support member (62) through the connecting device (47); the connecting device (47) has a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the first support member (61) and the second end being connected to the second support member (62), the connecting device (47) being configured such that: when considering the connecting device (47) in a free contraction state independent of the first support member (61) and the second support member (62), in response to a temperature change Δt between a temperature of 20°C and the temperature experienced by the connecting device (47) when the tank is filled with liquefied gas, the linear distance d between the first end and the second end changes by less than 5%, the connecting device comprising: - mechanical connectors (49, 54, 55), the mechanical connectors (49, 54, 55) comprising the first end connected to the first support member (61) and the second end connected to the second support member (62); and - shrinkage compensators (50, 56) cooperating with the mechanical connectors (49, 54, 55) such that the thermal shrinkage of the shrinkage compensators (50, 56) is used to at least partially compensate for a load tending to bring the first end and the second end of the mechanical connectors (49, 54, 55) closer together during the thermal shrinkage of the mechanical connectors (49, 54, 55); wherein, the mechanical connectors comprise a connecting strip member (49), the connecting strip member (49) is curved and has a concave face, and the shrinkage compensators comprise a compensating strip member (50), the compensating strip member (50) being fixed against the concave face of the connecting strip member (49) to form a bimetallic strip member (48) together with the connecting strip member (49), and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the compensating strip member (50) is lower than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the connecting strip member (49).

2. The wall (11) according to claim 1, wherein, The bimetallic strip (48) has a radius of curvature in a plane orthogonal to the thickness direction of the wall.

3. The wall (11) according to claim 2, wherein, The first end and the second end of the mechanical connection member are respectively mounted in an articulated manner on the first support member (61) and the second support member (62) by means of pivot joints, and the pivot joints have a degree of freedom to rotate about an axis parallel to the thickness direction of the wall.

4. The wall (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The first end and the second end of the mechanical connection member are respectively fixed to fastening protrusions (51) that project radially from the first support member (61) and the second support member (62).

5. The wall (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The bimetallic strip (48) has two ends (52) and a central portion (53), and wherein the radius of curvature of the ends (52) of the bimetallic strip is greater than the radius of curvature of the central portion (53).

6. The wall (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, Each of the first support member (61) and the second support member (62) includes a support member (30) and an inner plate (42), the support member (30) extends in the thickness direction of the wall (11), the inner plate (42) is attached to the support member (30), and the first region (62) or the second region (63) of the sealing film (15) rests against the inner plate (42).

7. The wall (11) according to claim 6, wherein, The support member (30) includes: an outer base (36); an inner base (37) that is fixed to the inner plate (42); and a columnar member (38) that extends between the outer base (36) and the inner base (37).

8. The wall (11) according to claim 7, wherein, The first end and the second end of the mechanical connection member (49, 54, 55) are respectively connected to the inner base (37) of the first support member (61) and the inner base (37) of the second support member (62).

9. The wall (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The thermal insulation barrier (14) includes a third support member that is aligned with the first support member (61) and the second support member (62) in a first direction, a third region of the sealing film (15) rests on the third support member, and the third support member is connected to the second support member (62) by a second connecting device (47).

10. A sealed and thermally insulated tank, the tank including a plurality of walls (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A ship (70) for transporting liquefied gas, the ship including a double hull (72) and a tank (71) according to claim 10, the tank (71) being arranged within the double hull.

12. A conveying system for liquefied gas, the system including a ship (70) according to claim 11 and insulating pipelines (73, 79, 76, 81) arranged to connect the tank (71) installed in the hull of the ship to a floating or land-based storage facility (77).

13. A method for loading or unloading a ship (70) according to claim 11, wherein, The liquefied gas is transported through insulated pipelines (73, 79, 76, 81) from a floating or land-based storage facility (77) to the tank (71) of the ship (70), or the liquefied gas is transported through insulated pipelines (73, 79, 76, 81) from the tank (71) of the ship (70) to a floating or land-based storage facility (77).

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