Device for stacking a set of blocks, in particular carbon dioxide blocks

Abstract

Stacking device for a set of blocks, in particular carbon dioxide blocks The present invention relates to a stacking device (1) configured to hold together a plurality of blocks (2) comprising a support (4) and a cover (6) connected to the support (4) via at least one connecting member (12), the cover comprising at least one gripping device (22) configured to be caught by a handling means. (figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Device for stacking a set of blocks, in particular blocks of carbon dioxide

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of loading or unloading a gas in the solid state such as carbon dioxide and more particularly concerns a device for stacking blocks of solid carbon dioxide with a view to loading or unloading them from a means of transport, such as a ship for example.

[0002] Currently, a new logistics chain for processing a gas such as carbon dioxide is being developed. This chain involves a first phase of capturing the gas, a second phase of transporting this gas, for example within an entity such as a floating structure, and a final phase of burying the gas at sites very far from the capture sites.

[0003] The transport phase of carbon dioxide is optimal when it is in the solid state; particularly when it comes to maritime transport. At atmospheric pressure, carbon dioxide is in the solid or vapor state. In the solid state, its density is significantly higher than the same gas in the liquid state.

[0004] A problem nevertheless arises during the carbon dioxide transport step. Indeed, there are a plurality of methods for loading or unloading a cargo of carbon dioxide in solid state but these methods have limitations.

[0005] A first limitation is that the transport of solid carbon dioxide currently used requires storing the material in isolated containers with large volumes. Given their mass and dimensions, the containers require significant and time-consuming handling since they require the movement of several cranes to move them. In addition to the loss of transported volume and the increase in transported mass that they generate in the loaded phase, the space and weight of these containers represent a disadvantage for the return phase of the floating structure, because these containers are then empty and occupy a significant amount of space in the terminals, on the deck of the ship, or in its holds. Furthermore, the cost generated by the return of empty containers is significant, which represents an expense that is not exclusively dedicated to the transport of cargo, and which can therefore be considered an economic loss.This large volume also has a strong impact on the intermediate storage phases: the space required to store empty containers before the return trip is particularly penalizing for offshore operations, where space is limited.

[0006] In addition, the containers must be strong enough to withstand the weight of the carbon dioxide to be transported. This mass constituted by these containers weighs heavily on the overall balance, whether economic or ecological: instead of transporting cargo, empty steel containers are transported.

[0007] A second limitation is that the density of solid carbon dioxide in bulk granular form stored in the containers is not optimal.

[0008] A third limitation is that the material in bulk granular form evolves over time and is likely to aggregate during storage and transport phases, which requires it to be disaggregated in order to handle it, and therefore to have the associated equipment for disaggregation.

[0009] The invention proposes to overcome at least one of the problems by finding an alternative to containers.

[0010] The present invention provides a stacking device configured to hold together a plurality of blocks, comprising a support and a cover connected to the support via at least one connecting member, the cover comprising at least one gripping device configured to be caught by a handling means.

[0011] Thanks to the stacking device, the plurality of blocks, in particular blocks of carbon dioxide in the solid state in the case of the invention, can be loaded on board a floating structure or unloaded from the latter thanks to the gripping device. The gripping device can for example be a hook which projects from the cover of the stacking device and intended to be taken by the handling means.

[0012] The handling means may for example be a crane moved by means of mobile gantries on wheels or rails or be a fixed crane. Thus, the handling means engaged with the gripping device makes it possible to lift the stacking device according to the invention and thus transport the plurality of blocks on board the floating structure or to the quay.

[0013] The connecting member may for example be a cable extending from the support to the cover. The connecting member may have an adaptable length to adapt to the quantity of blocks to be loaded, and therefore to the distance separating the support from the cover. Of course, the connecting member is configured to take up the forces that the support undergoes under the weight of the stack of blocks.

[0014] The stacking device can take at least two distinct positions, a first position called "empty", in other words when the stacking device is not transporting any blocks, and a second position called "loading" of the blocks, where several blocks are stacked and arranged between the support and the cover of the stacking device according to the invention.

[0015] In the first position, the lid can be fitted into or placed on the support, so as to form a single-piece unit that is easier to handle. In the second position, the lid is spaced apart from the support but connected thereto by means of the connecting member, in order to leave a space for the blocks arranged between the support and the lid.

[0016] It is provided that the garbage disposal devices according to the invention can be stacked on top of one another when they are in the second position, i.e. in the block-carrying configuration.

[0017] The carbon dioxide blocks can thus be loaded in large quantities, while requiring a compact stacking device of limited mass, composed of a support, a cover and at least one connecting member. This compactness makes it possible to save considerable storage volume on board floating structures or storage warehouses while optimizing the handling phases.

[0018] According to an optional characteristic of the invention, the cover and / or the support comprises at least one means for locking the connecting member relative to the cover and / or the support.

[0019] Alternatively, the support comprises at least one means for locking the connecting member relative to the support.

[0020] Alternatively, the support and the cover each comprise at least one means for locking the connecting member.

[0021] The locking member may for example be a clamping lock which wedges the connecting member relative to the cover or the support. Such a locking member makes it possible to maintain pressure on the stack of carbon dioxide blocks, and thus prevent it from spilling to the side. According to a variant, the locking member is sufficiently elastic to maintain pressure on the stack throughout storage.

[0022] According to another optional feature of the invention, the cover comprises a holding frame configured to center the cover relative to a last block of the plurality of blocks.

[0023] The holding frame has a zone complementary to a shape made on the last block of the stack, that is to say the one which is covered by the cover. The zone can be an “L” shaped frame, one of the branches of the “L” being configured to come to bear on an upper face of the block, while the other branch of the “L” is configured to come to the right, for example in contact, with a lateral side of the block.

[0024] According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the cover comprises at least one winder around which the connecting member is wound.

[0025] The winder is configured to wind the connecting member when the stacking device is in its first position. This allows the connecting member to be stored. The distance between the cover and the support varies depending on the size and / or the number of stacked blocks, the winder is then the component around which the excess connecting member is wound.

[0026] According to yet another optional characteristic of the invention, the cover and the support have a parallelepiped shape, the connecting member being arranged at at least one angle of the parallelepiped shape. The stacking device is thus square or rectangular, and the blocks then have a similar shape.

[0027] Advantageously, a connecting member, called a peripheral connecting member, is arranged so as to join two by two, at the level of the cover and the support, each angle of a section of the parallelepiped shape. In such a case, the stacking device comprises four connecting members. The arrangement of several connecting members at several angles is advantageous because the connecting members, in addition to ensuring the absorption of the forces undergone by the support, force the stack to remain vertically upright and guide the position of the blocks constituting said stack.

[0028] It is understood here that the connecting members extend along the edges of the stack. Alternatively, two connecting members can be crossed and form a cross on one face of the stack.

[0029] According to another optional characteristic, the cover comprises at least one orifice arranged in a central section of the cover, the connecting member being integral with the support passing through the orifice.

[0030] In such a case, the connecting member passes substantially over one of the axes of symmetry, and for example in the center, of the cover and is connected in a central portion of the support. According to this embodiment, the blocks of the stack are provided with a passage arranged substantially in their center and through which the connecting member passes, here a central connecting member. This embodiment makes it possible to center the plurality of blocks stacked on each other and relative to the cover and the support, and this, by means of a single and unique connecting member.

[0031] According to another characteristic of this embodiment, the orifice is arranged in the gripping member. Such a solution allows the handling means to exert a force on the connecting member.

[0032] According to an optional feature of the invention, the support comprises at least one rim configured to center a first block of the plurality of blocks.

[0033] The rim delimits an area configured to receive a lower portion of the first block of the stack. This lower portion is thus held laterally by the rim.

[0034] According to another optional characteristic of the invention, the connecting member is at least one cable, a first end of which is connected to the cover and a second end of which is connected to the support. The cable can thus withstand tensile forces caused by the weight of the stack, while still being flexible so that it can be wrapped around the reel.

[0035] According to another optional feature, the cover comprises a pressurizing device configured to exert pressure on the plurality of blocks.

[0036] The pressure device may for example be a spring and a plate, said plate being pressed by the spring against the last block to apply a force to the latter, and thus limit any risk of one block slipping relative to the other. The pressure device is combined with the locking means, to ensure that the spring exerts a force on the stack.

[0037] Alternatively, the pressurizing device can also be incorporated into the connecting member: in fact, by selecting for example a cable with a suitable non-linear stiffness, it is then possible to ensure the function of maintaining pressure on the blocks on each other.

[0038] According to another solution, the pressurizing device can be arranged between the cover and the locking device of the connecting member, for example using a spring or elastic washers.

[0039] As mentioned above, the stacking device is configured to take a first position in which the support and the cover are in contact with each other and a second position in which the support and the cover are distant and connected by at least the connecting member.

[0040] The first position thus makes it possible to store the stacking device so that it occupies a volume limited to the addition of that of the support with that of the cover. In this first position, the connecting member is wound onto the cover winder, the cover being for example fitted within the support. The stacking device thus assembled is ready to be stored on or in a transport rack for several stacking devices.

[0041] The second position is the position in which the stacking device is capable of transporting the plurality of blocks. This second position is any position where the cover is distant from the support, these two components being connected by the connecting member.

[0042] According to one characteristic, the stacking device comprises a plurality of blocks which are superimposed on each other so as to form a stack supported by the support and topped by the cover.

[0043] It is understood here that the plurality of blocks is arranged between the cover and the support and that it forms part of the stacking device.

[0044] According to another characteristic, the connecting member connects the support to the cover from the outside of the battery.

[0045] It is understood that the connecting member runs along each edge extending along the stacking axis of the pile. In doing so, the tension in the connecting member contributes to maintaining the vertical character of the stack of blocks, by exerting a lateral force against the blocks, in the possible event of their displacement.

[0046] According to an alternative or in addition to the characteristic mentioned above, the connecting member connects the support to the cover via the inside of the battery.

[0047] The connecting member passes through the central section of each block making up the stack, and it thus extends from the cover to the support.

[0048] According to another optional feature of the invention, the connecting member is sized to support the mass of the stack. For example, a stack of carbon dioxide blocks can weigh several tens of tons, ideally between sixty tons and one hundred and twenty tons. The connecting member is thus designed and manufactured so as to withstand such a load.

[0049] According to another characteristic, the stacking device comprises thermal protection partially or totally surrounding the stack.

[0050] Thermal protection is a fabric or flexible sheet configured to reflect solar radiation. Such protection is thus reflective. This thermal protection can also act as a protective tarpaulin that protects the pile from external aggressions (rain, wind, etc.) as well as falling pieces of blocks. Furthermore, the thermal protection protects the pile from and against the surrounding environment, by limiting any massive entry of ambient air, which in addition to accelerated heating, would be likely to cause pollution of the pile, in particular by condensation of water vapor. Finally, the thermal protection prevents the piles from sticking together, in particular by recondensation of carbon dioxide.

[0051] According to another characteristic, the cover comprises at least one means for attaching the thermal protection. It is thus easy to fix the thermal protection at the highest point of the stacking device, and to let the thermal protection slide or unroll along the stack.

[0052] According to another optional characteristic, the blocks of the plurality of blocks comprise at least one truncated portion through which the connecting member extends. The truncated portion corresponds to a clearance made in an external peripheral sector of the block, or to a hole made substantially in the center of the block.

[0053] The truncated portion is arranged at each corner of a section in a major extension plane of the block. The truncated portion is thus produced at a corner of the block, or at an edge extending along the stacking axis of the blocks. Alternatively, the truncated portion may be provided in a central portion of the block. The truncated portion sleeps a housing which receives the connecting member and limits the risk of the block constituting the pile falling by creating mechanical interference between the connecting member and the block concerned, in the event of slippage relative to the lower or upper block.

[0054] According to another characteristic, at least one block of the plurality of blocks comprises an upper face and a lower face, the upper face comprising a protuberance and the lower face comprising a cavity.

[0055] The protrusion of one block fits into the cavity of another block installed immediately above, so as to fit together to lock a position of two adjacent blocks.

[0056] The invention also covers a solid state carbon dioxide block comprising at least one upper face and at least one lower face, the upper face comprising a protrusion and the lower face comprising a cavity.

[0057] According to another characteristic of this block, it comprises at least one truncated portion configured to allow a connecting member of a stacking device to pass through, for example a stacking device as described in the present document.

[0058] The invention also relates to a sealed and thermally insulating tank comprising at least one wall comprising at least one thermally insulating panel intended to rest, directly or indirectly, against a supporting structure, and at least one stacking device as described in the present document.

[0059] Finally, the invention covers a floating structure comprising a hull forming a supporting structure and a tank as detailed in this document.

[0060] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several exemplary embodiments given for informational and non-limiting purposes with reference to the attached schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0061] [Fig.l] represents the device for stacking the carbon dioxide blocks,

[0062] [Fig.2] illustrates the stacking device of [Fig.l] stored on another device of stacking,

[0063] [Fig.3] illustrates the support belonging to the stacking device of [Fig.l],

[0064] [Fig.4] illustrates a stack of carbon dioxide blocks of [Fig.3] arranged in the stacking device,

[0065] [Fig.5] represents the stack of carbon dioxide blocks of [Fig.4] protected by thermal packaging,

[0066] [Fig.6] is a cross-section of the stacking device according to the invention.

[0067] [Fig.l] illustrates a stacking device 1 for a plurality of blocks 2 of dioxide of carbon, as shown in [Fig.4] and described below. The stacking device 1 may be used or housed within an entity capable of transporting or storing carbon dioxide in the solid state. This entity can, for example, be a floating structure or a warehouse located on land. This entity is equipped with high-resistivity thermal insulation which significantly limits the evaporation of the blocks during the transport and / or storage phases. The carbon dioxide blocks 2 can thus be stacked to or from a loading or unloading point, so as to form a cargo.

[0068] The problem that arises in the prior art lies in the step of loading / unloading the solid carbon dioxide within or from the entity. In order to overcome this problem, the stacking device 1 according to the invention is configured to be capable of taking a first position P1 and a second position P2, one of which is capable of adapting to the quantity of blocks of solid carbon dioxide to be stacked and the other in which the stacking device 1 does not transport any blocks, this latter position being called “empty”.

[0069] The stacking device 1 according to the invention comprises at least one support 4 and one cover 6 connected together by a connecting member 12. The connecting member 12 is adjustable to move from one of the positions P1, P2 to the other. The modular configuration of the stacking device 1 makes it less bulky and heavy than the containers. This makes it possible to reduce the volume occupied by the stacking devices 1 when they are stored empty and also to reduce the number of handling operations when they are gathered together in a rack.

[0070] In the first position PI illustrated in figures lou 2, the stacking device 1 is compact and is ready to be stored on racks. Such a rack can support, for example, ten to twenty stacking devices 1 stacked on top of each other or next to each other. The racks are arranged within the floating structure or near the warehouse.

[0071] In the second position P2 illustrated in figures 4 or 5, the stacking device 1 carries the blocks 2 of carbon dioxide with a view to loading or unloading them vertically from the floating structure.

[0072] In each position P1, P2 as illustrated respectively in figures 1 and 4, the stacking device 1 comprises a support 4 and a cover 6 which have a substantially parallelepiped shape, with here four angles 8, seen in a section made in a major plane of the support 4 or of the cover 6. The support 4 and the cover 6 are connected to each other by at least one connecting member 12. Such a connecting member takes up the forces which result from the mass of the blocks 2 of carbon dioxide carried by the support 4.

[0073] At least one angle 8 of the parallelepiped shape of the support 4 and the cover 6 (seen in a plane), and advantageously all the angles 8 of said parallelepiped shape, has a guide member 10 in which is arranged a portion of the connecting member 12. This portion is shown in dotted lines in [Fig.l]. The guide member 10 is an area of ​​the support 4 or the cover 6 where the connecting member 12 can circulate.

[0074] The connecting member 12 is for example a cable of which a first end of this cable is connected to the cover 6 and a second end 14 is connected to the support 4. It is thus understood that the connecting member 12 extends from the support 4 to the cover 6. According to the example illustrated in the figures, it is also understood that the support 4 is connected to the cover 6 by means of four lateral connecting members 12.

[0075] The first end 14 of the connecting member 12 is integral with a fixing member 11 belonging to the support 4. The fixing member 11 is for example arranged at each corner of the support 4, and / or in its center, depending on the embodiment. This same connecting member 12 passes through the guide member 10 belonging to the cover 6. It is understood that the fixing member 11 and the guide member 10 are aligned in the same axis A which is perpendicular to a general plane of extension of the support 4 and the cover 6.

[0076] According to one aspect, the cover 6 comprises a locking means 20 allowing the release or locking of the connecting member 12 relative to the cover 6. The locking means 20 of the cover 6 is either arranged at each corner of the cover 6, or in or above a gripping device 22 of the stacking device 1.

[0077] Alternatively or additionally, the support 4 also comprises a locking means 20 allowing the release or locking of the connecting member 12 relative to said support 4.

[0078] In the locked position, the cover 6 is secured to the connecting member 12 and therefore cannot slide along it. In the unlocked position of the locking means 20, the cover 6 can slide away from the support 4, so as to free up a space intended to be occupied by the blocks 2 of carbon dioxide. According to an exemplary embodiment, the locking means is in particular a clamp operated by a lever.

[0079] In the locked position, the support 4 is secured to the connecting member 12 and it cannot therefore be separated from one another. In the unlocked position of the locking means 20 of the support 4, it then becomes advantageous to separate the support 4 from the connecting member 12, in order to take advantage of gravity to extract the constituent blocks of the stack.

[0080] It is noted that the support 4 can thus comprise a fixing member 11 which irremovably connects the support 4 to the connecting member 12. Such a fixing member 11 can be replaced by the locking means 20 of the support 4 as presented above.

[0081] In position PI as illustrated in figures 1 or 2, the connecting member 12 is detached from the cover 6 to be wound around a reel 18 belonging to the cover 6.

[0082] The winder 18 is configured to wind the connecting member 12 until the support 4 and the cover 6 are brought into contact so as to form a single-piece assembly. The cover 6 and the support 4 are brought together by a movement along a direction D1, until the cover 6 fits into said support 4 or rests on said support 4.

[0083] The cover 6 may also comprise a gripping device 22, comparable to one or more hooking studs, configured to be engaged with a handling means. The handling means may for example be a crane arranged at the unloading or loading point. The crane may be mobile using wheels or rails, or even be fixed. The handling means is adapted according to the load, in other words the number of blocks 2. This avoids using large and time-consuming, or even expensive, means. Thus, the stacking device 1 may be moved vertically using existing means, for example in a port. Alternatively, or in addition, the guide members 10 may have the role of gripping device 22.

[0084] Furthermore, the cover 6 may comprise at least one orifice 24 arranged in a central section of said cover 6. In [Fig. 1], the orifice 24 is advantageously located inside the gripping device 22 and it passes right through the cover 6. In an embodiment where the connecting member 12 is central, the latter passes through the orifice 24 to reach the support 4.

[0085] It is thus understood that there are two possible ways of connecting the support 4 to the cover 6 by means of the connecting member 12. One is called "lateral" by the arrangement of several connecting members 12 at the periphery, in particular at the corners, of the pair formed by the support and the cover. The other is called "central" by the arrangement of a single connecting member 12 substantially in the center of the cover 6 and the support 4. Finally, it is also possible to connect the support 4 to the cover 6 by combining the so-called "lateral" way and the so-called "central" way.

[0086] [Fig.l] also shows that the cover 6 comprises a holding frame 30 configured to center a last block of the plurality of carbon dioxide blocks. Such a holding frame 30 is a peripheral metal strip which delimits a receiving area of ​​the last block.

[0087] It is noted that the cover 6 also comprises a hooking means 48 which is integral with the holding frame 30. The advantage of this hooking means will be explained during the description of [Fig.5].

[0088] [Fig.2] illustrates two stacking devices 1 arranged one on top of the other. It is noted that the support 4 comprises a plurality of feet 26 which are hollowed out so to receive a locking means 20 of the stacking device 1 arranged immediately below. This superposition allows the optimized storage of a plurality of stacking devices 1 and thus limits the volume used by these means when they are inactive. [Fig.2] also shows the presence of reinforcements 27 welded to a rim 28 constituting the support 4.

[0089] [Fig. 3] illustrates the support 4 on which a block of carbon dioxide rests. The support 4 comprises the rim 28 framing a first block 2a of carbon dioxide. The rim 28 is configured to center the first block 2a within the support 4. The rim 28 is peripheral and delimits a space for receiving said block or the cover 6, when the stacking device is in position PL

[0090] Each block 2 of carbon dioxide comprises an upper face 32 and a lower face 34. The upper face 32 comprises a protuberance 36 and the lower face 34 comprises a cavity 38. The protuberance 36 of a first block 2a, located below, is intended to be arranged in the cavity 38 of a second block 2b immediately located above the first block 2a, so as to reinforce the connection between this first block 2a and the second block 2b in a plane parallel to a major plane of extension of the block.

[0091] The cavity 38 is delimited by a dotted line shown in [Fig.3]. The combination of the rim 28 and the holding frame 30 with the arrangement of the protrusion 36 in the cavity 38 constitute two means configured to linearly and stably structure a stack 40 of carbon dioxide blocks 2, as visible in [Fig.4].

[0092] In the embodiment where the connecting member 12 is central, each block 2 is crossed from its upper face 32 to its lower face 34 by an orifice 42. The latter is configured to be crossed by the connecting member 12 in order to secure the cover 6 to the support 4. Such an organization ensures a certain security since the connecting member 12 which passes through the orifice 42 forms a means of vertically holding the stack 40.

[0093] As detailed in Figures 3 and 4, each block 2 may also comprise a truncated portion 44 arranged at each corner of said block 2. The truncated portions 44 are configured to allow the connecting member 12 to pass through, in an embodiment where at least one connecting member 12 is lateral. More precisely, the connecting member 12 which extends between the cover 6 and the support 4 passes through the truncated portions 44 of the blocks 2a, 2b.

[0094] The invention covers the case where the stacking device 1 comprises only one or more connecting members 12 arranged laterally, a single connecting member 12 arranged centrally, or a combination of these two positions, as illustrated in [Fig. 3] by the simultaneous presence of the orifice 42 and the truncated portions 44.

[0095] [Fig.4] illustrates a plurality of blocks 2 superimposed on each other so that to form the stack 40 supported by the support 4, surmounted by the cover 6 and connected to each other by a plurality of connecting members 12, here arranged at the four corners of the stacking device 1. The stacking device 1 thus illustrated is in its second position P2, as mentioned above.

[0096] In this second position P2, the cover 6 is moved away from the support 4. The connecting member 12 is thus unwound from the reel 18. Furthermore, the connecting member 12 is configured to support the mass of the battery 40. It may for example be a cable or a chain.

[0097] The stacking device 1 according to the invention is advantageous in that it is adaptable to the number of blocks 2 which constitute the stack 40. In fact, the distance which separates the cover 6 from the support 4 can be adjusted by means of the connecting member(s) 12, in particular using the locking means 20 which makes it possible to lock the cover 6 at various locations on the connecting member 12. In other words, the clamp constituting the locking means can clamp the cable at a point adapted to the number of blocks in the stack 40.

[0098] The support 4 and the cover 6 are connected by several connecting members 12 running along the outside of the stack 40. More precisely, the connecting members 12 pass through the truncated portions 44 of the blocks 2 of carbon dioxide.

[0099] [Fig.5] illustrates the stack 40 surrounded by a thermal protection 46 configured to protect the blocks 2 of carbon dioxide from solar radiation. This limits the phenomenon of sublimation of carbon dioxide, at least during its loading or unloading phase. The cover 6 comprises at least the attachment means 48 of the thermal protection 46. This attachment means 48 supports the thermal protection 46 which extends along the entire length of the stack 40. For example, the thermal protection is a flexible, tubular-shaped tarpaulin, which has a reflective outer surface.

[0100] [Fig.6] shows that the stacking device 1 may comprise a device for pressure 50 configured to exert pressure on the plurality of blocks 2 constituting the stack 40.

[0101] The cover 6 carries the pressurizing device 50 and the latter extends into the receiving area of ​​the cover 6. The pressurizing device comprises at least one spring 51 associated with a plate 52. The plate 52 comprises an upper surface 54 and a lower surface 56 opposite the upper surface 54. The upper surface 54 is in contact with the spring 51 and the lower surface 56 is in contact with the last block 2 constituting the stack 40. This pressurizing device 50 makes it possible to apply a force in the stacking direction of the stack 40, which increases the stability of the stack during handling.

[0102] [Fig.6] also shows winding turns of the connecting means 12 when it is wound around the reel 18, as well as the gripping device 22 which projects from the cover 6, in the center of the reel 18.

[0103] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0104] The invention, as just described, achieves the aim it has set itself, and makes it possible to propose a system for handling carbon dioxide in the solid state capable of taking a first compact configuration, optimizing the space necessary for its return transport and minimizing handling requirements; and a second configuration capable of adapting to the load of carbon dioxide to be handled.

Claims

Claims

1. Stacking device (1) configured to hold together a plurality of blocks (2), comprising a support (4) and a cover (6) connected to the support (4) via at least one connecting member (12), the cover (6) comprising at least one gripping device (22) configured to be caught by a handling means, the stacking device comprising a plurality of blocks (2) superimposed on each other so as to form a stack (40) supported by the support (4) and surmounted by the cover (6) and a thermal protection (46) partially or totally surrounding the stack (40).

2. Stacking device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cover (6) and / or the support (4) comprises at least one means (30) for locking the connecting member (12) relative to the cover (6) and / or the support (4).

3. A stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the cover (6) comprises a holding frame (30) configured to center the cover (6) relative to a last block (2) of the plurality of blocks (2).

4. Stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cover (6) comprises at least one winder (18) around which the connecting member (12) is wound.

5. Stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the cover (6) and the support (4) have a parallelepiped shape, the connecting member (12) being arranged at at least one angle (8) of the parallelepiped shape.

6. Stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cover (6) comprises at least one orifice (24) arranged in a central section of the cover (6), the connecting member (12) being integral with the support (4) passing through the orifice (24).

7. Stacking device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the orifice (24) is provided in the gripping member (22).

8. A stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the support (4) comprises at least one rim (26) configured to center a first block (2a) of the plurality of blocks (2).

9. Stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the connecting member (12) is at least one cable of which a first end is connected to the cover (6) and a second end (14) is connected to the support (4).

10. A stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the cover (6) comprises a pressurizing device (50) configured to exert pressure on the plurality of blocks (2).

11. Stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, configured to take a first position (PI) in which the support (4) and the cover (6) are in contact with each other and a second position (P2) in which the support (4) and the cover (6) are distant and connected by at least the connecting member (12).

12. Stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the connecting member (12) connects the support (4) to the cover (6) from the outside of the stack (40).

13. Stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the connecting member (12) connects the support (4) to the cover (6) via the inside of the stack (40).

14. Stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the cover (6) comprises at least one means (48) for attaching the thermal protection (46).

15. A stacking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the blocks (2) of the plurality of blocks comprise at least one truncated portion (44) through which the connecting member (12) extends.

16. A stacking device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein at least one block (2) of the plurality of blocks (2) comprises an upper face (32) and a lower face (34), the upper face (32) comprising a protrusion (36) and the lower face (34) comprising a cavity (38).

17. A sealed and thermally insulating tank comprising at least one wall comprising at least one thermally insulating panel intended to rest, directly or indirectly, against a supporting structure, and at least one stacking device according to any one of claims 1 to 16 arranged in the tank.

18. Floating structure comprising a hull forming a supporting structure and a tank according to claim 17 integral with said supporting structure.

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