Wall for sealed and heat insulated tank

Abstract

The invention relates to a wall (11) comprising a thermal insulation barrier (14, 12) and a sealing membrane (13, 15) resting against the thermal insulation barrier, the thermal insulation barrier comprising a support element (20) comprising: a column (21) standing in the thickness direction of the wall; -an inner plate (22) connected to the inner end of the column by means of connecting means (30) which hold the inner plate on the column in a thickness direction (E), the sealing membrane being fixed to the inner plate, the connecting means having:-a degree of rotational freedom about a first axis perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall,-a second axis perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall; and-a rotational degree of freedom about a second axis perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall and orthogonal to the first axis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of walls for sealed and thermally insulated tanks. More particularly, it relates to the field of walls for sealed and thermally insulated tanks for storing and / or transporting liquefied gases, such as liquid hydrogen at approximately -253°C under atmospheric pressure. These tanks can be installed on land or on floating structures. In the case of floating structures, the tank can be used for transporting liquefied gases or for serving as fuel for propelling the floating structure. Background Technology

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

[0003] Such tanks typically include multiple walls, each wall comprising a multi-layered structure including: at least one thermal insulation barrier held on a supporting structure; and at least one sealing membrane positioned against the thermal insulation barrier and intended to contact the liquefied gas contained within the tank.

[0004] One of the main difficulties lies in the fact that, in the aforementioned types of tanks, the tank walls are subjected to a variety of uneven loads. In particular, the walls are subjected to compressive forces generated by the loading of the tank, thermal stresses during cooling, and forces caused by the dynamic impacts of the fluid contained within the tank due to the "sloshing" or surging of the fluid during sea transport. Furthermore, the forces are applied transversely to the thickness of the wall, and therefore are prone to buckling of the components constituting the tank. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To better distribute stress within the sealing membrane, the inventors conceived of a thermal insulation barrier comprising discrete support structures, each supporting a region of the sealing membrane, to which the sealing membrane is welded. The discrete support structures include, for example, columnar members erected along the thickness direction of the wall to support the sealing membrane.

[0006] This arrangement has several drawbacks because, as mentioned above, the lateral force applied can easily cause the columnar member to buckle.

[0007] Therefore, one concept of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] Another concept of the invention is to provide a wall for a sealed and thermally insulated container, the wall including a support element adapted to resist forces applied along the thickness direction of the wall.

[0009] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a wall for a sealed and thermally insulated tank for storing liquefied gas, the wall including a thermally insulating barrier and a sealing membrane resting against the thermally insulating barrier in the thickness direction of the wall. Thermal insulation barriers include support elements. The support elements include: - A columnar member that stands upright along the thickness of the wall; - Inner plate, which is connected to the inner end of the columnar member by a connecting device that holds the inner plate to the columnar member in the thickness direction, and a sealing film is fixed to the inner plate. The connecting device has: - Rotational degrees of freedom about a first axis perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall, and - Rotational degree of freedom about a second axis that is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall and orthogonal to the first axis.

[0010] Thanks to these features, the connection between the sealing membrane and the column allows for relative movement between the two, thus forming a damping device that reduces the forces that might be transmitted to the column, especially when the sealing membrane is subjected to swaying. Consequently, the bending moment applied to the column is reduced. Therefore, compared to a tank wall without the aforementioned features, the service life of the support element is increased, and thus the service life of the tank wall is also increased.

[0011] This type of wall can be implemented with one or more of the following features.

[0012] In one embodiment, the connecting device has: - Translational degrees of freedom along the first axis, and - Translational degrees of freedom along the second axis.

[0013] In one embodiment of the wall, the connecting device has a rotational degree of freedom along the thickness direction of the wall.

[0014] In one embodiment of the wall, the connecting device has a translational degree of freedom along the thickness direction, which is restricted to translational movement within a specific maximum distance, preferably less than 3 cm.

[0015] In one embodiment, the connecting device includes a support member that is fixed to the inner end of the columnar member.

[0016] In one embodiment, the support includes a sleeve that is pressed into the inner end of the columnar member.

[0017] In one embodiment, the sleeve is fixed against the longitudinal surface of the columnar member.

[0018] In one embodiment, the sleeve extends beyond the inner end of the column.

[0019] In one embodiment, the sleeve is made of composite material or metal.

[0020] In one embodiment, the column is hollow.

[0021] In one embodiment, the column is made of a composite material.

[0022] In one embodiment, the inner plate is made of metal.

[0023] In one embodiment, the sealing membrane is welded to the inner metal plate.

[0024] In one embodiment, the support includes a closing plate that is fixed to and covers the inner end of the column.

[0025] In one implementation, the enclosure is made of metal.

[0026] In one embodiment, the connecting device includes a spherical connecting recess and a spherical connecting head housed within the spherical connecting recess, one of which is rigidly fastened to an inner plate, and the other of which is rigidly fastened to a support member.

[0027] The terms “spherical connector head” and “spherical connector recess” are defined in this text as the protrusion and receiving cavity of a spherical connector, respectively.

[0028] In one embodiment, the connecting device is arranged to press the spherical connector head and the spherical connector recess together.

[0029] In one embodiment, the connecting device includes a nail-like member passing through the ball joint head and the ball joint recess.

[0030] In one embodiment, the pin-shaped member of the connecting device has a first end that is fixed to one of the elements of the support and the inner plate.

[0031] In one embodiment, the pin-shaped member of the connecting device has a second end that is fixed to another element in the support and the inner plate.

[0032] In one embodiment, the nail-shaped member of the connecting device has a first end equipped with an abutment portion.

[0033] In one embodiment, the nail-shaped member of the connecting device has a second end equipped with an abutment portion.

[0034] In one embodiment, the connecting device further includes at least one elastic member or spherical washer, which is mounted on the nail and disposed between one of the spherical connecting recess and the spherical connecting head and the abutment portion, so as to press the spherical connecting head and the spherical connecting recess against each other.

[0035] In one embodiment, the connecting device includes an elastic member or spherical washer mounted on the nail and disposed between the abutment portion and the spherical connecting recess, and further includes an elastic member or spherical washer mounted on the nail and disposed between the abutment portion and the spherical connecting head, to press the spherical connecting head and the spherical connecting recess together.

[0036] In one embodiment, the nail-like member of the connecting device has a first end fixed to one of the elements of the support member and the inner plate, and a second end equipped with an abutment portion. The connecting device further includes at least one elastic member or spherical washer mounted on the nail-like member and disposed between the abutment portion and the spherical connecting recess or spherical connecting head, so as to press the spherical connecting head and the spherical connecting recess against each other.

[0037] In one embodiment, the connecting device includes a nail-like member having a first end fixed to a first element in an inner plate and a support member, and a second end including an abutment portion. The nail-like member passes through a second element in the inner plate and the support member. The connecting device also includes at least one elastic member or spherical washer mounted on the nail-like member and positioned between the inner plate and the support member to press the second element against the surface of the abutment portion.

[0038] In one embodiment of the wall, the elastic member is sized to restrict translational degrees of freedom in the thickness direction.

[0039] In one embodiment, the elastic member includes a Bavarian washer.

[0040] In one embodiment, the elastic member includes a plurality of Bavarian washers, preferably two or three Bavarian washers.

[0041] In one embodiment, the nail-like member is a screw including a screw head, and the abutting portion is the screw head.

[0042] In one embodiment, the connecting device includes a plurality of spaced-apart nails and a plurality of elastic members, each nail having a first end fixed to a first element in an inner plate and a support and a second end including an abutment portion, the nail passing through a second element in the inner plate and the support, and each elastic member being mounted on one of the nails and positioned between the inner plate and the support to press the second element against the surface of the abutment portion.

[0043] In one embodiment, the plurality of nails includes three nails that are distributed such that three straight line segments connecting the nails in pairs form an equilateral triangle.

[0044] In one embodiment, the abutment is positioned in a cavity formed in the spherical connector head or spherical connector recess, with an elastic member or spherical washer located in the cavity between the screw head and the bottom of the cavity.

[0045] In one embodiment, the sealing membrane is made of metal.

[0046] In one embodiment, the sealing film is corrugated.

[0047] In one embodiment, the support elements are spaced apart only by a gas phase—preferably a vacuum—in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall.

[0048] According to another embodiment, the thermal insulation barrier includes a radiation multilayer insulation blanket having openings through which support elements pass and extending transversely to the thickness direction of the wall. The radiation multilayer insulation blanket is typically made of a material represented by the acronym MLI—Multilayer Insulation.

[0049] In one embodiment, the thermal barrier is a primary thermal barrier, and the sealing membrane is a primary sealing membrane. The wall further includes: a secondary thermal barrier intended to rest against a support structure; a secondary metal sealing member placed against the secondary thermal barrier; the primary thermal barrier placed against the secondary sealing membrane; and the primary sealing membrane placed against the primary thermal barrier and intended to contact the liquefied gas contained within the tank.

[0050] In one embodiment, the support element includes: - The outer plate is connected to the outer end of the columnar member via an external connecting device that holds the outer plate to the columnar member in the thickness direction. A secondary sealing membrane is fixed to the outer plate. The external connection device has: - Rotational degrees of freedom about a first axis perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall, and - Rotational degree of freedom about a second axis that is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall and orthogonal to the first axis.

[0051] The implementation of the external connecting device is similar to that of the connecting device, meaning that the external connecting device may have one or more features of the connecting device disposed at the outer end of the columnar member. For example, in one embodiment, the external connecting device includes a support member fixed to the outer end of the columnar member, a spherical connecting recess, and a spherical connecting head housed within the spherical connecting recess, one of which is rigidly fastened to an outer plate, and the other of which is rigidly fastened to the support member.

[0052] In one implementation, the outer panel is made of metal.

[0053] In one embodiment, the secondary sealing membrane is welded to the metal outer panel.

[0054] In one embodiment, the secondary thermal insulation barrier includes a support element.

[0055] In one embodiment, the secondary thermal insulation barrier includes a plurality of support elements.

[0056] In one embodiment, the primary thermal insulation barrier includes the aforementioned support element.

[0057] In one embodiment, the primary thermal insulation barrier includes a plurality of support elements.

[0058] In one embodiment, both the secondary thermal insulation barrier and the primary thermal insulation barrier include a support element. In another embodiment, both the primary and secondary thermal insulation barriers include multiple support elements.

[0059] In one embodiment, the primary sealing film includes a first series of corrugated portions, the first series of corrugated portions including mutually parallel first corrugated portions, and a second series of corrugated portions, the second series of corrugated portions including mutually parallel second corrugated portions perpendicular to the first corrugated portions; the primary sealing film also includes a plurality of planar regions, each planar region being defined between two adjacent first corrugated portions and between two adjacent second corrugated portions. The primary sealing membrane comprises multiple planar regions including a first planar region which is welded against the inner plate of the support element.

[0060] In one embodiment, the secondary sealing membrane includes a first series of corrugated portions, the first series of corrugated portions including mutually parallel first corrugated portions, and a second series of corrugated portions, the second series of corrugated portions including mutually parallel second corrugated portions perpendicular to the first corrugated portions. The secondary sealing membrane includes a plurality of planar regions, each planar region being defined between two adjacent first corrugated portions and between two adjacent second corrugated portions. The secondary sealing membrane comprises multiple planar regions including a first planar region which is welded against the outer plate of the support element.

[0061] In one embodiment, the primary thermal barrier comprises a gas phase in a vacuum, preferably a gas phase with an absolute pressure of less than 1 Pa.

[0062] In one embodiment, the secondary thermal insulation barrier comprises a gas phase in a vacuum, preferably a gas phase with an absolute pressure of less than 1 Pa.

[0063] In one implementation, the liquefied gas is liquid hydrogen.

[0064] In one embodiment, the invention also provides a sealed and thermally insulated container, the container comprising at least one first wall and at least one second wall as described above.

[0065] In one embodiment of the can, a first wall and a second wall form the corner of the can, and each of the first wall and the second wall includes a row of support elements for supporting the sealing film, the row of support elements extending parallel to the edge formed by the corner of the can, wherein the row of support elements includes support elements.

[0066] In one embodiment of the tank, the first wall and the second wall include: - A first row of support elements supporting the sealing membrane, the first row of support elements extending parallel to the edge and located near the corner of the can, and - A second row of support elements that supports the sealing membrane, the second row of support elements extending parallel to the edge and adjacent to the first row of support elements, the second row of support elements including support elements.

[0067] These tanks can be integrated into onshore storage facilities or installed in coastal or deep-water floating structures, particularly in vessels transporting liquid hydrogen, such as hydrogen carriers, floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), and floating production storage and offloading units (FPSOs). These tanks can also be used as fuel tanks in any type of vessel.

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

[0069] One embodiment of the invention also provides a transfer system for liquefied gases, the system comprising the aforementioned vessel and an isolation pipeline arranged to connect tanks installed in the hull of the vessel to floating storage facilities or onshore storage facilities.

[0070] In one embodiment, the transfer system further includes a pump for pumping a liquefied gas stream from a floating storage facility or onshore storage facility to a tank on a vessel via an insulated conduit, or for pumping a liquefied gas stream from a tank on a vessel to a floating storage facility or onshore storage facility via an insulated conduit.

[0071] In one embodiment, the present invention also provides a method for loading or unloading the aforementioned vessel, wherein liquefied gas is guided from a floating storage facility or an onshore storage facility to a tank of the vessel via an isolation pipe, or from a tank of the vessel to a floating storage facility or an onshore storage facility via an isolation pipe. Attached Figure Description

[0072] The invention will be better understood from the following description of specific embodiments thereof, which are given by way of non-limiting illustration only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, and other objects, details, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent.

[0073] Figure 1 A partial schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the wall of a sealed and thermally insulated tank.

[0074] Figure 2 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the support element in a first variant of the first embodiment is shown.

[0075] Figure 3 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the support element in a second variation of the first embodiment is shown.

[0076] Figure 4 It indicates Figure 3 A partial perspective view of the support element in a second variant of the first embodiment shown.

[0077] Figure 5 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the support element in the third variation of the first embodiment is shown.

[0078] Figure 6 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the support element in the first variant of the second embodiment is shown.

[0079] Figure 7 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the support element in a second variant of the second embodiment is shown.

[0080] Figure 8 A schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the support element in the third variant of the second embodiment.

[0081] Figure 9 A schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the support element in the fourth variant of the second embodiment.

[0082] Figure 10 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the support element in the third embodiment is shown.

[0083] Figure 11 This is a schematic perspective sectional view showing a support structure intended to support a sealed and thermally insulated tank for storing liquefied gases.

[0084] Figure 12 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a corner of one embodiment of a sealed and thermally insulated tank for storing liquefied gas.

[0085] Figure 13 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the ship's tanks and the dock used for loading and unloading those tanks. Detailed Implementation

[0086] By convention, the terms “outer” and “inner” are used to refer to the inside and outside of a container to define the position of one element relative to another.

[0087] The following is combined Figure 1 The wall 11 is generally described as being integrated into one embodiment of a sealed and thermally insulated container.

[0088] The wall 11 has a multi-layered structure, which, from the outside to the inside along the thickness direction E of the wall 11, includes: a secondary thermal insulation barrier 12, a corrugated secondary sealing membrane 13 fixed against the secondary thermal insulation barrier 12, a primary thermal insulation barrier 14, and a corrugated primary sealing membrane 15 fixed against the primary thermal insulation barrier 14. The primary sealing membrane 15 is intended to come into contact with a liquefied gas, such as liquid hydrogen, contained within the tank.

[0089] The secondary thermal insulation barrier 12 includes a plurality of insulation panels 16 anchored to the support structure 1. Each insulation panel 16 includes an insulating polymer foam layer 17 sandwiched between an inner panel 18 and an outer panel 19. The inner panel 18 and the outer panel 19 are, for example, plywood glued against the insulating polymer foam layer 17. The insulating polymer foam 17 may in particular be a polyurethane-based foam and is preferably reinforced with fibers.

[0090] The primary thermal insulation barrier 14 includes a plurality of support elements 20 extending along the thickness direction E of the wall 11 between the secondary sealing membrane 13 and the primary sealing membrane 15. Each support element 20 includes a cylindrical column 21. Each column 21 is connected to the inner plate 22 at its inner end by a connecting device 30 and is fixed to the outer plate 23 at its outer end.

[0091] The primary sealing membrane 15 is welded to the corresponding inner plate 22 at the horizontal level of each planar region located between the two pairs of corrugated sections.

[0092] In each planar region between each pair of corrugated sections, the secondary sealing member 13 is welded to a metal plate (not shown) that is housed in and fixed within the outer plate 23.

[0093] The columnar member 21 is preferably made of a composite material comprising fibers and a matrix. The inner plate 22 and the outer plate 23 are made of metal, such as stainless steel.

[0094] The connecting device has a rotational degree of freedom about a first axis X1 that is perpendicular to the thickness direction E of the wall 11 and a rotational degree of freedom about a second axis X2 that is perpendicular to the thickness direction E of the wall 11 and orthogonal to the first axis.

[0095] Furthermore, the gas phase of the primary thermal insulation barrier 14 is advantageously in a vacuum, for example, at an absolute pressure below 1 Pa, and preferably at an absolute pressure below 10 Pa. -2 Pa. For this purpose, the primary thermal barrier 14 is advantageously connected to a vacuum pump. Thanks to the low-pressure gas phase, the thermal insulation performance of the primary thermal barrier 14 is improved. However, the vacuum state of the primary thermal barrier 14 will tend to cause the primary sealing film 15 and the secondary sealing film 13 to deform in the direction inside the primary thermal barrier 15.

[0096] Overall, the arrangement of the multiple support elements 20 enables the primary sealing membrane 15 to be supported and absorb some of the following forces: the forces generated by the hydrostatic pressure and dynamic pressure exerted on the primary sealing membrane 15 by the liquefied gas contained in the tank, and the forces generated by the aforementioned vacuum condition.

[0097] like Figure 1 As shown, the support element 20 is spaced apart by vacuum in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction E.

[0098] The following reference Figures 2 to 10 Several implementations of the support element are described.

[0099] Identical or similar elements are marked with the same reference numerals and increase in multiples of 100.

[0100] The following reference Figure 2 A first variation of the first embodiment of the support element is described.

[0101] The support element 120 includes a hollow column 121, an inner plate 122, and a connecting device 130 for connecting the inner plate 122 to the inner end of the column 121.

[0102] The connecting device 130 includes a support member 131, which is a metal sleeve pressed into the inner end of the column 121 and bonded to the inner longitudinal surface of the column 121 by an adhesive layer 191. The sleeve extends beyond the inner end of the column 121 to form a receiving flange 132, the diameter of which is larger than the outer diameter of the column 121.

[0103] The connecting device 130 includes three nail-like members 133. Figure 2Only one of the three nail-like members is shown in the cross-sectional plane. The three nail-like members 133 are regularly positioned on a geometric circle concentric with the longitudinal axis of the column 121. In other words, the three nail-like members 133 are distributed such that the three straight line segments connecting the nail-like members in pairs form an equilateral triangle. The nail-like members 133 pass through the inner plate 122, and the inner end 134 of each nail-like member is screwed into a threaded hole 135 in the receiving flange 132. The nail-like member 133 also includes a screw head at the level of its inner end 136, which is positioned in a countersunk hole 123 in the inner surface 124 of the inner plate 122.

[0104] The connecting device 130 also includes an elastic member 137, which is an elastic washer, also known as an elastic washer or a Bass washer.

[0105] The elastic member 137 is mounted on the nail 133 between the inner plate 122 and the receiving flange 132 to press the inner plate 122 against the screw head 136.

[0106] When a force is applied to the primary sealing membrane welded to the inner plate 122, the elastic compression properties of the elastic member 137 allow the inner plate 122 to rotate about a first axis X1 perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall, and allow the inner plate to rotate about a second axis X2 perpendicular to the thickness direction E of the wall and orthogonal to the first axis X1. When the lateral force is no longer applied to the inner plate 122, the elastic member 137 returns to its initial shape, and the inner plate 122 returns to its initial position.

[0107] When a force parallel to the thickness direction E is uniformly applied to the inner plate 122, the elastic properties of the elastic member 137 allow the inner plate 122 to translate along the thickness direction E of the wall. This movement brings the inner plate 122 closer to the fixed flange 132, reducing the distance between the inner plate 122 and the fixed flange 132 to a distance less than or equal to the distance represented by the elastic compressive capacity of the elastic member 137. When the force is removed, the elastic member 137 returns to its initial shape, and the inner plate 122 returns to its initial position.

[0108] The following reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 A second variation of the first embodiment of the support element is described.

[0109] Support element 520 and Figure 2 The difference lies in that the support 531 is a closed plate, which is made of metal, for example, and covers the opening in the hollow column 521. The diameter of the closed plate is similar to or the same as the diameter of the column 521.

[0110] Support element 520 includes three nail-like members 533. Figure 3Only one of the three nail-like members is shown in the cross-sectional plane. Each nail-like member 533 passes through the inner plate 522 and has an outer end 534 fixed in a hole 535 in the closing plate and an inner end 536 fixed to a cavity 525 having a bottom 526. The nail-like member 533 is fixed to the support member 531, for example, by an internal and external thread system. The height of the inner plate 522 can be adjusted by rotating the nail-like member 533 in the threaded hole 535.

[0111] The connecting device 530 includes four Bavarian washers 537, which are stacked and mounted on each nail 533, located between the inner plate 522 and the closing plate.

[0112] Three nail-like pieces 533 are distributed at the periphery of the closed plate 531, such that the three straight line segments connecting the nail-like pieces in pairs form an equilateral triangle.

[0113] The following reference Figure 5 A third variation of the first embodiment of the support element is described.

[0114] Support element 820 and Figure 2 The difference lies in that the support element includes a first metal component 840, which is positioned against the outer surface 827 of the inner plate 822 and secured against the outer surface 827 by a fixing screw 841. The support element 820 also includes a second metal component 850 facing the first metal component 840. The second metal component 850 is positioned against the inner surface of the receiving flange 832 and secured against the receiving flange 832 by a fixing screw 844.

[0115] The support element includes a central pin 833 that passes through a hole 835 in the second metal member 850. The pin 833 has an outer end portion 834 that is secured against the outer surface of the second metal member 850 at the level of the hole 835 by an abutment portion. The pin also has an inner end portion 836 that is secured by an abutment portion to a cavity 825 located in the first metal member 840, having a bottom 826. The pin 833 is secured to the first metal member 840 and the second metal member 850, for example, by a nut and bolt fastening system. A Bavarian washer 837 is optionally adjustable, for example, by tightening or loosening a nut mounted on the pin 833.

[0116] The following reference Figure 6 A first variation of the second embodiment of the support element is described.

[0117] Support element 220 and Figure 2The difference lies in that the connecting device 230 includes a spherical connecting head 238 housed within a spherical connecting recess 239. The spherical connecting recess 239 is formed in the receiving flange 232 and located at the center of the diameter of the receiving flange 232. The spherical connecting head 238 is formed by a protrusion projecting from the inner plate 222 and has a shape complementary to the spherical connecting recess 239.

[0118] The connecting device 230 includes a screw 233 that passes through an inner plate 222, a spherical connector head 238, and a spherical connector recess 239. The outer end 234 of the screw 233 is secured in a hole 235 in the spherical connector recess 239, and the inner end of the screw 233 includes a screw head 236 positioned in a cavity 225 formed in the inner surface 224 of the inner plate 222, the cavity 225 having a bottom 226. An elastic member 237 is located in the cavity 225, between the head of the screw 233 and the bottom 226 of the cavity 225, to press the inner plate 222 against a receiving flange 232, thereby allowing rotational freedom about a first axis X1 and rotational freedom about a second axis X2.

[0119] The following reference Figure 7 A second variation of the second embodiment of the support element is described.

[0120] Support element 320 and Figure 6 The difference is that the metal sleeve 331 does not receive a flange, and the spherical connecting head 338 protrudes from the metal part 340 positioned against the outer surface 327 of the inner plate 322. The diameter of the metal plate 340 is larger than the outer diameter of the column 321.

[0121] The metal component 340 is secured to the inner plate 322 by fixing screws 341 located at the periphery of the metal component 340. The fixing screws 341 pass through the inner plate 322 and the metal component 340. Each fixing screw 341 has: an outer end portion 342, which is secured to the metal component 340, for example, by riveting; and an inner end portion 343, which includes a screw head that is received in a countersunk hole 323 in the inner surface 324 of the inner plate 322.

[0122] The following reference Figure 8 A third variation of the second embodiment of the support element is described.

[0123] Support element 420 and Figure 6The difference lies in that the support element includes a first metal component 440, which is positioned against the outer surface 427 of the inner plate 422 and fixed against the outer surface 427 by a fixing screw 441. The support element 420 also includes a second metal component 450 facing the first metal component 440. The second metal component 450 is positioned against the inner surface of the receiving flange 432 and fixed against the receiving flange 432 by a fixing screw 444.

[0124] The first metal component 440 includes a spherical connecting head 438 with a protrusion formed on its outer surface 445, and the second metal component 450 includes a base 452 protruding from its inner surface 451, the base including a spherical connecting recess 439. The spherical connecting head 438 is received in the spherical connecting recess 439.

[0125] For example, the first metal part 440, the second metal part 450, and the receiving flange 432 have the same or similar diameters.

[0126] Screw 433 passes through inner plate 422, first metal part 440, ball joint head 438, ball joint recess 439, and second metal part 450. Screw 433 has an outer end that is fixed to the second metal part 450.

[0127] exist Figure 8 In a modified embodiment, the elastic member 437 is replaced by a spherical washer located in the chamber 425 between the screw head 436 and the bottom 426 of the chamber 425. The spherical washer comprises two parts that engage with each other via spherical surfaces, which allows movement of the screw head 436 relative to the inner plate 422.

[0128] The following reference Figure 9 A fourth variation of the second embodiment of the support element is described.

[0129] Support element 620 and Figure 7 The difference is that the support member is a closed plate 631. A spherical connecting recess 639 is formed in the closed plate 632, located at the center of the diameter of the closed plate 632.

[0130] The fixing nail 633 passes through the inner plate 622, the metal component 640 and the closing plate 632.

[0131] The nail 633 has: an outer end 634, which is fixed in a hole 635 at the center of the diameter of the closing plate 632; and an inner end, which is fixed in a cavity 625 in the inner plate 622 by a nail head 636.

[0132] The following reference Figure 10 The third implementation method is described.

[0133] Support element 920 and Figure 8 The difference is that the support element does not include Figure 8 The spherical connector head 438 and base 452 are shown, and the elastic member 837 is positioned between the first metal part 940 and the second metal part 950.

[0134] Nail 933 is similar to, for example Figure 5 The embodiment shown is fixed to the first metal part 940 and the second metal part 950 by means of a nut and bolt fastening system.

[0135] The wall 11, comprising one or more of the aforementioned support elements, is intended to be integrally formed into a sealed and thermally insulated container for storing liquefied gases. In particular, the liquefied gas intended to be stored in the container may be liquid hydrogen, which has the special property of being stored at atmospheric pressure at approximately -253°C.

[0136] This type of container is fixed and supported as... Figure 11 The support structure 1 shown is shown.

[0137] Specifically, the support structure 1 can be made of self-supporting metal plates, or more generally, of any type of rigid bulkhead with suitable mechanical properties. The support structure 1 is, for example, formed by the double hull of a ship. Figure 11 In this structure, the support structure 1 has an overall polyhedral shape. This support structure has a front support wall and a rear support wall 2—here, an octagonal shape, with only the rear support wall 2 shown. The front and rear walls 2 are, for example, bulkheads of a ship, extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ship. The support structure 1 also includes an upper support wall 3, a lower support wall 4, and side support walls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

[0138] Figure 12 A corner of a sealed and thermally insulated tank 171 for storing liquefied gas is depicted. The tank includes a first tank wall 111 and a second wall 211 forming the corner, which are connected in a connection region 92. The first and second walls may have the features described above.

[0139] The secondary sealing membrane 113 of the first tank wall 111 is connected to the secondary sealing membrane of the second wall 211 in the connection area 92.

[0140] The primary sealing membrane 115 of the first tank wall 111 is connected to the primary sealing membrane of the second wall 211 in the connection area 92.

[0141] Each of the first tank wall 111 and the second wall 211 includes, at the level of the primary thermal insulation barrier, a first support element row 95 that supports the primary sealing membrane, the first support element row extending parallel to an edge formed at the intersection between the first and second walls, and extending between the secondary sealing membrane 113 and the primary sealing membrane 115 in the thickness direction of the respective wall.

[0142] Each of the first tank wall 111 and the second tank wall 211 includes, at the level of the primary thermal insulation barrier, a second support element row 96 parallel to the first support element row, in which support elements also extend in the thickness direction of their respective walls. Each second support element row 96 includes a support element 720, which, for example, has... Figures 1 to 10 Features of the support element shown in any of the figures.

[0143] The arrangement of this support element 720 is capable of absorbing forces applied laterally along the thickness direction of the wall.

[0144] For example, when a tank is filled with liquefied gas, such a force is applied. In fact, when a tank is filled with liquefied gas, a sudden drop in temperature is observed. Therefore, thermal contraction of the various components constituting the tank is observed, particularly at the corners of the tank, which specifically generates a force applied laterally along the thickness of the wall. This force affects the instability of the support elements, and primarily affects the instability of the columnar members that bear bending moments. The aforementioned support element 720 enables the reduction of bending moments and thus increases the service life of the tank.

[0145] The connection region 92 may have a different structure than the first wall 111 and the second wall 211, which is not shown. In other words, the aforementioned techniques for providing a sealing and thermally insulating wall can be used in most areas of the tank, particularly in flat walls, but not necessarily for the entire tank. The tank may have different structures in specific areas—particularly the connection region between the two walls forming the corners of the tank.

[0146] Reference Figure 13 The cross-sectional view of vessel 70 shows a sealed and thermally insulated tank 71 with a prismatic overall shape installed in the double hull 72 of the vessel. The wall of tank 71 includes a primary sealing membrane intended to contact the liquefied gas—preferably liquid hydrogen—contained within the tank, a secondary sealing membrane disposed between the primary sealing membrane and the double hull 72 of the vessel, and two thermally insulated barriers disposed between the primary sealing membrane and the secondary sealing membrane and between the secondary sealing membrane and the double hull 72, respectively.

[0147] In a manner known per se, the loading / unloading pipeline 73, located on the upper deck of a ship, can be connected to a sea dock or port terminal via appropriate connectors to transfer liquefied gas cargo from or to tank 71.

[0148] Figure 13 An example of an offshore terminal is also shown, comprising a loading and unloading station 75, an underwater pipeline 76, and a land-based facility 77. The loading and unloading station 75 is a fixed offshore facility comprising a movable arm 74 and a tower 78 supporting the movable arm 74. The movable arm 74 carries bundles of insulated flexible tubing 79, which can be connected to a loading / unloading pipeline 73. The directional movable arm 74 is adaptable to hydrogen carriers of all sizes. Connecting pipelines—not shown—extend within the tower 78. The loading and unloading station 75 enables the loading and unloading of liquefied gas from the land-based facility 77 to the hydrogen carrier 70, or vice versa. The land-based facility includes liquefied gas storage tanks 80 and a connecting pipeline 81 connected to the loading or unloading station 75 via the underwater pipeline 76. The underwater pipeline 76 enables the transport of liquefied gas over long distances, such as 5 km, between the loading or unloading station 75 and the onshore facility 77, allowing the vessel 70 to maintain a long distance from the coast during loading and unloading operations.

[0149] To generate the pressure required for transporting liquefied gas, pumps on the ship 70 and / or pumps equipped on the land facility 77 and / or pumps equipped on the loading and unloading station 75 may be used, or the pressure inside the tank may be increased due to the evaporation effect of the liquefied gas stored in the tank.

[0150] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is obvious that the invention is by no means limited to these embodiments, and the invention covers all technical equivalents of the described means and combinations thereof, provided that they fall within the scope of the invention.

[0151] The use of the verbs “having” or “comprising” and their variations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those described in the claims.

[0152] In the claims, any reference numerals between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claims.

Claims

1. A sealed and thermally insulated tank wall for storing liquefied gas, the wall (11, 111, 211) comprising a thermally insulating barrier (12, 14) and a sealing membrane (13, 15, 113, 115) resting against the thermally insulating barrier in the thickness direction (E). The thermal insulation barrier includes a plurality of support elements (20, 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920), which are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall and support the sealing membrane. Each support element includes: - Columnar members (21, 121, 221, 321, 421, 521, 621, 721, 821, 921), which are erected along the thickness direction of the wall; - Inner plates (22, 122, 222, 322, 422, 522, 622, 722, 822, 922), said inner plates are connected to the inner end of the columnar member by connecting devices (30, 130, 230, 330, 430, 530, 630, 730, 830, 930), said connecting devices holding the inner plates on the columnar member along the thickness direction, and the sealing film is fixed to the inner plates. The connecting device has: - Rotational degrees of freedom about a first axis (X1) perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall, and - Rotational degrees of freedom about a second axis (X2) that is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall and orthogonal to the first axis. The sealing films (13, 15, 113, 115) are placed against the inner plate of the supporting element.

2. The wall according to claim 1, wherein, The connecting device has: - Translational degrees of freedom along the first axis (X1), and - Translational degrees of freedom along the second axis (X2).

3. The wall according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The connecting device includes support members (131, 231, 331, 431, 531, 631, 831, 931), which are fixed to the inner end of the columnar member.

4. The wall according to claim 3, wherein, The support includes sleeves (131, 231, 331, 431, 831, 931) that are pressed into the inner end of the columnar member.

5. The wall according to claim 3, wherein, The support includes a closing plate (531, 631) which is fixed to the inner end of the column and covers the inner end of the column.

6. The wall according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein, The connecting device includes a spherical connecting recess (239, 339, 439, 639) and a spherical connecting head (238, 338, 438, 638) housed in the spherical connecting recess. One of the spherical connecting recess and the spherical connecting head is rigidly fastened to the inner plate, and the other of the spherical connecting recess and the spherical connecting head is rigidly fastened to the support member.

7. The wall according to claim 6, wherein, The connecting device is arranged to press the spherical connector head and the spherical connector recess together.

8. The wall according to claim 7, wherein, The connecting device includes a nail-like member (233, 333, 433, 633) that passes through the spherical connector head and the spherical connector recess. The nail-like member includes a head forming an abutment portion. The connecting device also includes an elastic member (237, 337, 437, 637) or a spherical washer that is mounted on the nail-like member and disposed between the abutment portion and the spherical connector recess or the spherical connector head to press the spherical connector head and the spherical connector recess against each other.

9. The wall according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein, The connecting device includes a nail-like member (133, 533, 833, 933) having a first end (134, 534, 834, 934) fixed to a first element in the inner plate and the support member, and a second end (136, 536, 836, 936) including an abutment portion. The nail-like member passes through a second element in the inner plate and the support member. The connecting device further includes at least one elastic member (137, 537, 837, 937) mounted on the nail-like member and positioned between the inner plate and the support member to press the second element against the surface of the abutment portion.

10. The wall according to claim 9, wherein, The connecting device includes a plurality of elastic members and a plurality of nail-like members spaced apart from each other. Each nail-like member (133, 533) has a first end (134, 534) fixed to a first element in the inner plate and the support member and a second end (136, 536) including an abutment portion. The nail-like member passes through the second element in the inner plate and the support member, and each elastic member (137, 537, 837) is mounted on one of the nail-like members and positioned between the inner plate and the support member to press the second element against the surface of the abutment portion.

11. The wall according to claim 10, wherein, The plurality of nail-like elements includes three nail-like elements, which are distributed such that three straight line segments connecting the nail-like elements in pairs form an equilateral triangle.

12. The wall according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The thermal insulation barrier is a primary thermal insulation barrier (14), the sealing membrane is a primary sealing membrane (15, 115), and the wall further includes: a secondary thermal insulation barrier (12), which is intended to rest against the support structure (1); and a secondary metal sealing member (13, 113), which is placed against the secondary thermal insulation barrier, the primary thermal insulation barrier resting against the secondary sealing membrane, and the primary sealing membrane resting against the primary thermal insulation barrier and intended to contact the liquefied gas contained in the tanks (71, 171). The supporting element includes: - Outer plate (23, 123), the outer plate is connected to the outer end of the columnar member by an external connecting device, the external connecting device holding the outer plate on the columnar member along the thickness direction, and the secondary sealing film is fixed to the outer plate. The external connection device has: - Rotational degrees of freedom about a first axis perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall, and - Rotational degree of freedom about a second axis that is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the wall and orthogonal to the first axis.

13. A sealed and thermally insulated container, the sealed and thermally insulated container comprising at least one first wall (111) and at least one second wall (211), the first wall and the second wall being the wall according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The sealed and thermally insulated container according to claim 13, wherein, The first wall (111) and the second wall (211) form the corner of the can, and each of the first wall and the second wall includes a row of support elements (95, 96) supporting the sealing membrane, the row of support elements extending parallel to the edge formed by the corner of the can, wherein the row of support elements (95, 96) includes the support elements (20, 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920).

15. A vessel (70) for transporting liquefied gas, the vessel comprising a twin hull (72) and a tank (71) according to claim 13 or 14 disposed in the twin hull.

16. A transfer system for liquefied gases, the system comprising: The vessel (70) according to claim 15; and the isolation conduit (73, 79, 76, 81), the isolation conduit being arranged to connect the tank (71) installed in the hull of the vessel to a floating storage facility or a land-based storage facility (77).

17. A method for loading or unloading the vessel (70) according to claim 15, wherein, The liquefied gas is directed from the floating storage facility or the onshore storage facility (77) to the tank (71) of the vessel (70) via isolation pipes (73, 79, 76, 81), or the liquefied gas is directed from the tank (71) of the vessel (70) to the floating storage facility or the onshore storage facility (77) via isolation pipes (73, 79, 76, 81).

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