Liquefied natural gas storage tank

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of liquefied natural gas storage, and provides a liquefied natural gas storage tank. The storage tank comprises a storage tank body and multiple stages of partition plates. Wherein liquefied natural gas is stored in the storage tank body. The multiple stages of partition plates are arranged in the storage tank body at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the storage tank body. Or the multiple stages of partition plates are arranged in the storage tank body at intervals in the vertical direction. And each stage of partition plate comprises a main heat insulation layer. By means of the structural arrangement, the multiple stages of partition plates are arranged in the storage tank body in the longitudinal direction at intervals, physical isolation can be formed for all layers of liquefied natural gas, and the liquefied natural gas of all layers is prevented from being mixed and rolling over to a certain extent. Meanwhile, the main heat insulation layers arranged on the partition plates at all levels can slow down the heat exchange speed between the liquefied natural gas layers, and then severe mixing of the different liquefied natural gas layers is avoided to a certain degree. Therefore, dangerous accidents such as boiling expansion and explosion caused by the rolling phenomenon can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of natural gas storage, and in particular to a liquefied natural gas storage tank. Background Art

[0002] Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a crucial component of my country's energy mix. Tank storage is the primary method for storing LNG. When tanks are filled with LNG of varying composition or when the filling method is inappropriate, stratification can occur within the tank. Temperature and density differences exist between different layers of LNG. When these differences reach a certain threshold, the layers quickly mix, causing a rollover. When rollover occurs, the LNG evaporates rapidly, immediately producing large amounts of gas. During peak times, the evaporation rate can be over 100 times higher than normal. If the rollover cannot be controlled quickly, it can lead to dangerous accidents such as boiling, expansion, and explosion. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a liquefied natural gas storage tank, which is used to solve the problem in the prior art that liquefied natural gas is prone to liquid stratification and tumbling, leading to dangerous accidents such as boiling, expansion and explosion.

[0004] A liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention comprises:

[0005] A storage tank body, wherein the storage tank body is used to store liquefied natural gas;

[0006] Multi-stage partitions include a main insulation layer, and the partitions at each stage are arranged in the tank body at intervals along the longitudinal direction.

[0007] According to a liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention, the partition further includes an upper supporting layer and a lower supporting layer.

[0008] The upper supporting layer is attached to one side of the main thermal insulation layer, and the lower supporting layer is attached to the other side of the main thermal insulation layer.

[0009] According to the liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention, the partition is a conical partition, and a gap is formed between the edge of the conical partition and the side wall of the tank body.

[0010] According to the present invention, a liquefied natural gas storage tank is provided, wherein a gap is formed between the first-level partition plate near the bottom of the tank body and the bottom of the tank body, and the first-level partition plate near the top of the tank body is located below the highest liquid level in the tank body.

[0011] According to the present invention, a liquefied natural gas storage tank is provided. The tank body includes an inner tank body and an outer tank body. The outer tank body is provided to cover the outer side of the inner tank body. A thermal insulation structure is provided between the outer tank body and the inner tank body. The inner tank body is used to store liquefied natural gas. The multi-stage baffles are arranged vertically and spaced apart within the inner tank body.

[0012] According to the liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention, the conical partition is coaxially arranged with the inner tank body, and the bottom diameter of the conical partition is equal to 70% to 90% of the diameter of the inner tank body.

[0013] According to the present invention, a liquefied natural gas storage tank is provided with a dissipation tube on each of the conical baffles. One end of each dissipation tube communicates with the underside of the conical baffle, and the other end of each dissipation tube extends into and communicates with the gas phase space of the inner tank body.

[0014] According to a liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention, the escape tubes are staggered along the circumferential direction of the tank body.

[0015] According to the present invention, a liquefied natural gas storage tank further includes a support column, one end of which is connected to the top of the inner tank body, and the other end of which passes through each level of the partitions in sequence and is connected to the bottom of the inner tank body.

[0016] According to the present invention, the support column is a hollow cylinder. The sidewalls of the hollow cylinder and the sidewalls of the escape tube each include an inner support layer, a secondary thermal insulation layer, and an outer support layer. The inner support layer is bonded to the inner side of the secondary thermal insulation layer. The outer support layer is bonded to the outer side of the secondary thermal insulation layer.

[0017] According to a liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention, the upper supporting layer, the lower supporting layer, the inner supporting layer and the outer supporting layer are all corrugated plate layers.

[0018] The liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention includes a tank body and multi-stage baffles. The tank body stores liquefied natural gas. The multi-stage baffles are spaced longitudinally within the tank body. Alternatively, the multi-stage baffles are spaced vertically within the tank body. Each stage of the baffles includes a primary insulation layer.

[0019] This structural arrangement, with multiple levels of baffles spaced longitudinally within the tank, physically isolates the various layers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), preventing them from mixing and tumbling. Furthermore, the primary insulation layer on each level of baffles slows the heat exchange between the layers, further minimizing the risk of violent mixing between the different layers. This reduces the risk of dangerous accidents such as boiling, expansion, and explosions caused by tumbling. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, a brief introduction is given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a simplified structural diagram of the liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention;

[0022] Reference numerals:

[0023] 100. Storage tank body; 120. Inner tank body; 110. Outer tank body; 200. Partition; 210. Upper support layer; 220. Lower support layer; 230. Main insulation layer; 300. Dissipation tube; 310. Outer support layer; 320. Inner support layer; 330. Auxiliary insulation layer; 400. Support column. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following embodiments of the present invention are described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate the present invention but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0026] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections, electrical connections; and direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediary. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0028] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiment of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, in the absence of mutual contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiment of the present invention clearer. The technical solutions in the embodiment of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiment of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] The following combination Figure 1 A liquefied natural gas storage tank provided in an embodiment of the present invention is described. It should be understood that the following description is merely an illustrative embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any particular limitation to the present invention.

[0030] An embodiment of the present invention provides a liquefied natural gas storage tank, such as Figure 1 As shown, the liquefied natural gas storage tank includes:

[0031] The storage tank body 100 is used for storing liquefied natural gas;

[0032] The multi-stage partition 200 includes a main insulation layer 230 , and the partitions 200 at each stage are arranged in the storage tank body 100 at intervals along the longitudinal direction.

[0033] The liquefied natural gas storage tank provided by the present invention includes a tank body 100 and multi-stage baffles 200. Liquefied natural gas is stored within the tank body 100. The multi-stage baffles 200 are spaced apart longitudinally within the tank body 100. In other words, the multi-stage baffles 200 are spaced apart vertically within the tank body 100. Each stage of the baffles 200 includes a primary insulation layer 230.

[0034] This structural arrangement, with multiple levels of baffles 200 spaced longitudinally within the tank body 100, physically isolates the various layers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), preventing them from mixing and tumbling. Furthermore, the primary insulation layer 230, located on each level of baffles 200, slows the heat exchange between the layers, further minimizing the risk of violent mixing between the different LNG layers. This reduces the risk of dangerous accidents such as boiling, expansion, and explosions caused by tumbling.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present invention, the separator 200 further includes an upper supporting layer 210 and a lower supporting layer 220 .

[0036] The upper support layer 210 is attached to one side of the main thermal insulation layer 230 , and the lower support layer 220 is attached to the other side of the main thermal insulation layer 230 .

[0037] For example, Figure 1 As shown, the partition 200 includes an upper support layer 210, a primary insulation layer 230, and a lower support layer 220. The primary insulation layer 230 is sandwiched between the upper support layer 210 and the lower support layer 220. Specifically, the upper support layer 210 is positioned above the primary insulation layer 230, while the lower support layer 220 is positioned below the primary insulation layer 230. The upper support layer 210 and the lower support layer 220 are used to enhance the support strength of the primary insulation layer 230. For example, the primary insulation layer 230 may be an expanded perlite layer or a glass-faced insulation layer. The thickness of the primary insulation layer 230 can be set to 10 mm to 50 mm. Both the upper support layer 210 and the lower support layer 220 are austenitic stainless steel or aluminum alloy layers. This ensures the support strength of the upper support layer 210 and the lower support layer 220 in low-temperature environments. The thickness of the upper support layer 210 and the lower support layer 220 can be set to 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0038] In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, both the upper support layer 210 and the lower support layer 220 are corrugated sheet layers. The corrugated sheet layers have uniform thickness. A primary insulation layer 230 is placed between the two corrugated sheet layers to form the separator 200. This provides the separator 200 with greater room for thermal expansion and contraction when the temperature of the liquid natural gas in each layer fluctuates.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present invention, the partition 200 is a conical partition with a gap between the edge of the conical partition and the side wall of the storage tank body 100 .

[0040] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, there is a gap between the first-level partition near the bottom of the tank body 100 and the bottom of the tank body 100, and the first-level partition near the top of the tank body 100 is located below the highest liquid level in the tank body 100.

[0041] Specifically, if Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, five levels of baffles are vertically spaced apart within the storage tank body 100. From top to bottom, they are: the primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and fifth levels. For example, the primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and fifth levels are all conical, and are coaxially arranged. The spacing between adjacent baffles 200 is 3 to 5 meters. The distance between the bottom edge of the fifth level baffle and the inner bottom surface of the storage tank body 100 is 3 meters. The apex of the primary baffle should be located below the highest liquid level in the storage tank body 100. The top angles of the primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and fifth levels can all be set to 120° to 160°. In addition, gaps are provided between the first-level partition, the second-level partition, the third-level partition, the fourth-level partition, and the fifth-level partition and the inner wall of the storage tank body 100 .

[0042] According to the embodiment described above, by setting the partitions 200 at each level as conical partitions and, at the same time, providing gaps between the conical partitions at each level and the inner wall of the storage tank body 100, the liquefied natural gas on the upper side of each conical partition can fall back smoothly and quickly, thereby causing the liquid level in the liquefied natural gas storage tank to drop smoothly, thereby facilitating the accuracy of the liquid detection inside the storage tank body 100.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present invention, a storage tank body 100 includes an inner tank body 120 and an outer tank body 110. The outer tank body 110 is positioned to cover the outer side of the inner tank body 120. A thermal insulation structure is provided between the outer tank body 110 and the inner tank body 120. The inner tank body 120 is used to store liquefied natural gas. Multi-stage baffles 200 are vertically spaced apart within the inner tank body 120.

[0044] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the conical partition is coaxially arranged with the inner tank body 120. The bottom diameter of the conical partition is equal to 70% to 90% of the diameter of the inner tank body 120.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the outer tank body 110 is sleeved onto the outer side of the inner tank body 120 to protect it. The interior of the inner tank body 120 is used to store liquefied natural gas (LNG). Both the inner tank body 120 and the outer tank body 110 have cylindrical structures. Each level of the baffles 200 is conical. It should be noted that each conical baffle is hollow and bottomless. The primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and quinary baffles are coaxially arranged with the inner tank body 120 and have identical dimensions. The bottom diameter of each level of the baffles 200 can be set to 70% to 90% of the diameter of the inner tank body 120 to ensure sufficient clearance for the LNG to fall without compromising the thermal and physical isolation functions of the baffles 200.

[0046] In one embodiment of the present invention, each conical partition is provided with a diffusion tube 300. One end of each diffusion tube 300 is connected to the lower side of the conical partition, and the other end of each diffusion tube 300 extends into the gas phase space of the inner tank body 120 and is connected to the gas phase space.

[0047] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the diffusion tubes 300 are staggered along the circumferential direction of the storage tank body 100 .

[0048] For example, Figure 1 As shown, each conical partition is equipped with a dissipation tube 300. The lower end of each dissipation tube 300 is connected to the corresponding conical partition and is interconnected with the lower space of the corresponding conical partition. The lower end of the dissipation tube 300 is located near the apex of the corresponding conical partition. The upper end of each dissipation tube 300 passes through the various levels of conical partitions on its upper side and extends to the gas phase space on the upper side of the inner tank body 120. As a result, the gas generated on the lower side of each conical partition can directly enter the gas phase space of the storage tank body 100 through the dissipation tube 300 near the apex of the conical partition under the constraint of the conical partition, and thus enter the gas recondensation system outside the storage tank body 100. The gas recondensation system is a commonly used device in the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0049] This structural arrangement can reduce the amount of gas inside each layer of liquefied natural gas, preventing the gas from churning up and down and causing the tumbling of each layer of liquefied natural gas, thereby avoiding dangerous accidents caused by the tumbling phenomenon.

[0050] In addition, the diffusion tubes 300 can be evenly arrayed inside the inner tank body 120 with the central axis of a certain conical partition as the array center, so that the gas can be evenly diffused into the gas phase space and interference between the diffusion tubes 300 can be avoided.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, the liquefied natural gas storage tank further includes a support column 400. One end of the support column 400 is connected to the top of the inner tank body 120, and the other end of the support column 400 passes through each level of the partition 200 in sequence and is connected to the bottom of the inner tank body 120.

[0052] For example, Figure 1 As shown, multiple support columns 400 are spaced apart within the inner tank body 120. The upper ends of the support columns 400 are fixedly connected to the top of the inner tank body 120. The other ends of the support columns 400 sequentially pass through the multiple support columns 400, evenly arranged around the central axis of the conical partition, and extend into the inner tank body 120. Each of the various levels of partitions 200 is sequentially inserted and fixed. The primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and fifth levels of partitions are connected to the bottom of the inner tank body 120. For example, the upper ends of the support columns 400 and the top of the inner tank body 120, as well as the lower ends of the support columns 400 and the bottom of the inner tank body 120, are welded. In addition, the support column 400 and the perforated edges of the first-level partition, the second-level partition, the third-level partition, the fourth-level partition and the fifth-level partition can also be connected by welding. On the one hand, the connection between the first-level partition, the second-level partition, the third-level partition, the fourth-level partition and the fifth-level partition can be reinforced; on the other hand, the sealing between the support column 400 and the perforations of the first-level partition, the second-level partition, the third-level partition, the fourth-level partition and the fifth-level partition can also be increased.

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, support column 400 is a hollow cylinder. The sidewalls of the hollow cylinder and the sidewalls of the diffuser 300 both include an inner support layer 320, a secondary thermal insulation layer 330, and an outer support layer 310. The inner support layer 320 is bonded to the inner side of the secondary thermal insulation layer 330. The outer support layer 310 is bonded to the outer side of the secondary thermal insulation layer 330.

[0054] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, both the inner supporting layer 320 and the outer supporting layer 310 are corrugated plate layers.

[0055] As can be seen from the embodiments described above, configuring the support column 400 as a hollow cylindrical structure can reduce its weight and material costs. Furthermore, the hollow cylinder and the diffuser tube 300 are each constructed by crimping their corresponding sidewalls together. The sidewalls of the hollow cylinder and the diffuser tube 300 both include an inner support layer 320, a secondary thermal insulation layer 330, and an outer support layer 310. The inner support layer 320 and the outer support layer 310 are attached to the inner and outer sides of the secondary thermal insulation layer 330, respectively. The inner support layer 320 and the outer support layer 310 enhance the strength of the support column 400 or diffuser tube 300, while the secondary thermal insulation layer 330 provides auxiliary thermal insulation. For example, the outer support layer 310 and the inner support layer 320 of the diffuser tube 300 and the hollow cylinder can be made of austenitic stainless steel or an aluminum alloy. The secondary thermal insulation layer 330 of the diffuser tube 300 and the hollow cylinder can also be made of expanded perlite or glass wool. The thicknesses of the outer support layer 310, inner support layer 320, and auxiliary thermal insulation layer 330 in the diffuser tube 300 and hollow cylinder can be set to different values. For example, in the diffuser tube 300, the inner diameter can be set to 200 mm to 300 mm. The thicknesses of the outer support layer 310 and inner support layer 320 can be set to 1 mm to 3 mm; the thickness of the auxiliary thermal insulation layer 330 can be set to 10 mm to 20 mm. The thicknesses of the outer support layer 310, auxiliary thermal insulation layer 330, and inner support layer 320 in the hollow cylinder can be determined according to actual needs. For example, to enhance the strength of the support column 400, the thicknesses of the outer support layer 310 and inner support layer 320 can be set to relatively large values. Furthermore, both the inner support layer 320 and the outer support layer 310 are corrugated sheet layers with uniform thickness. The auxiliary thermal insulation layer 330 is filled between these two corrugated sheet layers to form the sidewalls of the diffuser tube 300 or support column 400. Thus, the diffusion tube 300 and the support column 400 can be prevented from being deformed when the temperature of the liquefied natural gas changes, or the degree of deformation of the diffusion tube 300 and the support column 400 when the temperature of the liquefied natural gas changes can be reduced.

[0056] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquefied natural gas storage tank, characterized in that: include: A storage tank body (100), wherein the storage tank body (100) is used for storing liquefied natural gas; A multi-stage partition (200) includes a main heat-insulating layer (230), and each stage of the partition (200) is arranged in the storage tank body (100) at intervals along the longitudinal direction.

2. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The partition (200) further includes an upper support layer (210) and a lower support layer (220). The upper support layer (210) is attached to one side of the main thermal insulation layer (230), and the lower support layer (220) is attached to the other side of the main thermal insulation layer (230).

3. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 2, characterized in that: The partition (200) is a conical partition, and a gap is formed between the edge of the conical partition and the side wall of the storage tank body (100).

4. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 3, characterized in that: There is a gap between the first-level partition (200) close to the bottom of the storage tank body (100) and the bottom of the storage tank body (100), and the first-level partition (200) close to the top of the storage tank body (100) is located below the highest liquid level in the storage tank body (100).

5. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 4, characterized in that: The storage tank body (100) includes an inner tank body (120) and an outer tank body (110), wherein the outer tank body (110) is covered on the outside of the inner tank body (120), and a heat insulation structure is provided between the outer tank body (110) and the inner tank body (120), wherein the inner tank body (120) is used for storing liquefied natural gas, and the multi-stage partitions (200) are arranged in the inner tank body (120) at intervals along the vertical direction.

6. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 5, characterized in that: The conical partition is coaxially arranged with the inner tank body (120), and the bottom diameter of the conical partition is equal to 70% to 90% of the diameter of the inner tank body (120).

7. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each of the conical partitions is provided with a diffusion tube (300), one end of each of the diffusion tubes (300) is communicated with the lower side of the conical partition, and the other end of each of the diffusion tubes (300) extends into the gas phase space of the inner tank body (120) and is communicated with the gas phase space.

8. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 7, characterized in that: The diffusion tubes (300) are staggered along the circumferential direction of the storage tank body (100).

9. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: The liquefied natural gas storage tank further comprises a support column (400), one end of which is connected to the top of the inner tank body (120), and the other end of which passes through each level of the partitions (200) in sequence and is connected to the bottom of the inner tank body (120).

10. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 9, characterized in that: The support column (400) is a hollow cylinder, and the side wall of the hollow cylinder and the side wall of the dissipation tube (300) both include an inner support layer (320), an auxiliary thermal insulation layer (330) and an outer support layer (310), wherein the inner support layer (320) is adhered to and supported on the inner side of the auxiliary thermal insulation layer (330), and the outer support layer (310) is adhered to and supported on the outer side of the auxiliary thermal insulation layer (330).

11. The liquefied natural gas storage tank according to claim 10, characterized in that: The upper supporting layer (210), the lower supporting layer (220), the inner supporting layer (320), and the outer supporting layer (310) are all corrugated plate layers.

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