Method for assembling corner portion of tank

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing a corner portion of a tank quickly with high reliability.SOLUTION: The method comprises: providing a first row 1 of a plurality of first insulating panels and a second row 2 of a plurality of second insulating panels each provided with an anchor device 4; providing a temporary positioning device 3 having a first part 31 and a second part 34 that are attached to each other so as to form a predetermined fixed angle; attaching the first part to each anchor device of the first insulating panels and attaching the second part to each anchor device of the second insulating panels; attaching the first insulating panels to a first supporting wall and attaching the second insulating panels to a second supporting wall; and removing the first insulating panels and the second insulating panels from the temporary positioning device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of sealed insulated tanks with a membrane for storing and / or transporting liquefied gases, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), at temperatures of about -163°C and atmospheric pressure. Such tanks can be mounted on shore or floating structures. The present invention particularly relates to a method for manufacturing corners of such tanks. [Background technology]

[0002] A method for manufacturing a corner of a hermetically insulated tank is known in the prior art, which comprises the step of placing a secondary insulation panel against two support walls in a corner formed by the support walls to form part of the corner of the tank.

[0003] However, these secondary insulation panels are placed one by one during assembly by one or more workers, which makes this assembly method time-consuming and requires a large number of workers. Furthermore, placing each panel in place one by one can result in misalignment of the secondary insulation panels relative to each other both longitudinally and laterally through the tank. This misalignment can cause premature failure of the tank and can have a detrimental effect on the final properties of the tank. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One idea underlying the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing tank corners quickly and reliably.

[0005] In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for assembling a corner of a sealed insulated tank, the method comprising: - providing a first row including a plurality of first insulation panels, each having an inner plate and an anchoring device attached to the inner plate, and a second row including a plurality of second insulation panels, each having an inner plate and an anchoring device attached to the inner plate; - providing a temporary positioning device having a first portion for mounting and supporting a first insulation panel of the first row and a second portion for mounting and supporting a second insulation panel of the second row, wherein the first and second portions of the temporary positioning device are attached to each other and are at a predetermined fixed angle relative to each other; - attaching the first portion to each of the anchoring devices of the first insulation panel and attaching the second portion to each of the anchoring devices of the second insulation panel; thereafter, positioning the first and second rows at corners formed by a first support wall and a second support wall; - attaching the first insulation panel to the first support wall and the second insulation panel to the second support wall; - removing the first and second insulating panels from the temporary positioning device; thereafter, removing the temporary positioning device; It has.

[0006] This arrangement allows, in particular, the use of the temporary positioning device to move the insulation panels together and place them in the corner of the tank, whereby the insulation panels can be attached to the temporary positioning device and pre-positioned relative to one another at an inclination that corresponds to the corner formed by the two support walls.

[0007] The above method is more reliable and faster than installing individual insulation panels.

[0008] In embodiments, the above-described method may comprise one or more of the following features:

[0009] In one embodiment, each of the anchoring devices includes a first screw hole.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first portion is attached to the first threaded hole of the anchoring device of the first insulation panel via a first threaded rod, and the second portion is attached to the first threaded hole of the anchoring device of the second insulation panel via a first threaded rod.

[0011] In one embodiment, each anchor device includes a second screw hole spaced apart from the first screw hole.

[0012] In one embodiment, the first portion is attached to the second threaded hole of the anchoring device of the first insulation panel via a second threaded rod, and the second portion is attached to the second threaded hole of the anchoring device of the second insulation panel via a second threaded rod.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first threaded rod and / or the second threaded rod are provided with an abutment that can form a temporary mechanical connection between the insulation panel and the first part or the second part.

[0014] In one embodiment, the abutment comprises a nut, such as a wing nut, a screw head, or a metal part welded to the end of the threaded rod.

[0015] In one embodiment, the anchoring device is located at the center of the medial plate.

[0016] In one embodiment, the inner surface of the anchoring device is flush with the inner surface of the inner plate.

[0017] In one embodiment, the anchoring device has a portion disposed within the medial plate.

[0018] In one embodiment, the anchoring device is an anchor plate.

[0019] In one embodiment, the anchor plate is made of metal.

[0020] In one embodiment, the anchor plate is a long piece.

[0021] In one embodiment, the predetermined fixed angle is between 80° and 145°, and preferably the predetermined fixed angle is 90° or 135°.

[0022] In one embodiment, the temporary positioning device is made of metal.

[0023] In one embodiment, the temporary positioning device is in the form of a frame.

[0024] In one embodiment, the temporary positioning device comprises a plurality of tubes.

[0025] In one embodiment, the temporary positioning device is made of metal.

[0026] In one embodiment, the plurality of tubes are made of metal.

[0027] In one embodiment, the metal tube sections are welded together to form the temporary positioning device.

[0028] In one embodiment, the first and second parts of the temporary positioning device are attached to each other via a metal plate that is bent and welded to the first and second parts.

[0029] In one embodiment, the temporary positioning device has through holes arranged facing the screw holes of the anchoring devices of the first and second insulation panels.

[0030] In one embodiment, the first section comprises a plurality of parallel tube sections, each of which has a hole, and in one embodiment, each of which is attached to the anchoring device of one of the first insulation panels in the first row by threading a threaded rod through the hole in the tube and into the threaded hole in the anchoring device.

[0031] In one embodiment, the abutment on the threaded rod may provide a temporary mechanical connection between the insulation panel and the plurality of pipe sections.

[0032] In one embodiment, the second section comprises a plurality of parallel tubes, each of which has a hole, and in one embodiment, each of which is attached to the anchoring device of one of the second insulation panels in the second row by threading a threaded rod through the hole in the tube and into the threaded hole in the anchoring device.

[0033] In one embodiment, the first section is attached to the first insulation panels such that the spacing between adjacent first insulation panels is constant. In one embodiment, adjacent ones of the parallel tube sections of the first section are spaced a fixed distance apart.

[0034] In one embodiment, the second section is attached to the second insulation panels such that the spacing between adjacent second insulation panels is constant. In one embodiment, adjacent ones of the plurality of parallel tube sections of the second section are spaced a fixed distance apart.

[0035] Such an embodiment significantly reduces any misalignment due to assembly compared to placing the panels one by one, thus allowing the method to position the panels with high precision and with good spacing control.

[0036] In one embodiment, the distance between adjacent first insulating panels and / or adjacent second insulating panels is 10 mm to 30 mm, preferably 10 mm to 20 mm.

[0037] In one embodiment, the separation distance between adjacent pipe sections is 300 mm to 700 mm, preferably 300 mm to 500 mm, for example 340 mm or 480 mm.

[0038] In one embodiment, each of the first insulating panels comprises insulating foam sandwiched between the inner and outer plates.

[0039] In one embodiment, each of the second insulating panels comprises insulating foam sandwiched between the inner and outer plates.

[0040] In one embodiment, the first insulating panel and the second insulating panel each comprise a layer of insulating foam sandwiched between the inner and outer plates.

[0041] In one embodiment, the insulating foam comprises polyurethane (PU) and / or polyisocyanurate (PIR).

[0042] In one embodiment, the insulating foam has a density of 110 kg / m 3 ~150kg / m 3 is.

[0043] In one embodiment, the inner plate has a recess in its center for retaining the anchoring device between the insulating foam and the inner plate.

[0044] In one embodiment, the anchoring device includes a retaining portion disposed between the insulating foam and the inner plate.

[0045] In one embodiment, the first insulating panel and the second insulating panel have the following dimensions: - the first dimension of 250 to 480 mm, - a second dimension of 300 to 500 mm, and -200~380mm height, for example 300mm height, wherein the first dimension corresponds to a dimension of the insulating panel extending in a direction of an edge formed by the first support wall and the second support wall; The second dimension corresponds to a dimension of the insulating panel that is perpendicular to the first dimension.

[0046] Each dimension of the first insulating panel and the second insulating panel should be considered to have a tolerance of ±10 mm.

[0047] Installing these small size insulation panels is fast and is facilitated by the manufacturing method, which allows for multiple insulation panels to be placed in corners where walls abut.

[0048] In one embodiment, the first insulating panel and the second insulating panel have at least one through shaft through a thickness of the insulating panel, and the method includes inserting a mounting element into the shaft to mount the insulating panel against the support wall.

[0049] In one embodiment, the through shaft is filled with insulating padding such as polyurethane foam, polystyrene or glass wool.

[0050] In one embodiment, at least one insulating element is positioned to fill a space between the first and second rows of the corner formed by the first and second support walls.

[0051] In one embodiment, the insulating element is made of a compressible insulating material, such as glass wool, low density synthetic foam, etc. In one embodiment, the density of the low density synthetic foam is 50 kg / m 3 is less than.

[0052] In one embodiment, the insulating element comprises a core made of PU foam and an outer portion made of a compressible insulating material.

[0053] In one embodiment, the overall shape of the insulating element is a triangular prism.

[0054] In one embodiment, the first row of the first insulating panels comprises n first insulating panels and the second row of the second insulating panels comprises n second insulating panels, where n is between 2 and 8, preferably between 3 and 5, more preferably n is 4.

[0055] In one embodiment, the method further comprises disposing a bead of mastic between the first insulation panel and the first support wall, and a bead of mastic between the second insulation panel and the second support wall.

[0056] This method corrects the difference in height between the first and second support walls. Specifically, the mastic beads are used to fill the gap between each support wall and a flat reference surface. This allows the first and second insulation panels to be placed in position without any difference in height between adjacent insulation panels, thereby avoiding further mechanical stress on the sealing membrane and extending the life of the resulting sealed, insulated tank.

[0057] In one embodiment, the bead of mastic is disposed against the outer surface of the outer plate of the first insulating panel and against the outer surface of the second insulating panel.

[0058] In one embodiment, the bead of mastic is disposed against the first support wall and the second support wall.

[0059] In one embodiment, the bead of mastic is applied prior to the step of placing the first and second rows in place at the corners formed by the two support walls.

[0060] In one embodiment, the bead of mastic is applied after the steps of attaching the first portion to the respective anchoring devices of the first insulation panel and attaching the second portion to the respective anchoring devices of the second insulation panel.

[0061] In one embodiment, the beads of mastic include longitudinally oriented beads or transversely oriented beads.

[0062] In one embodiment, the first insulating panel and the second insulating panel are secondary insulating panels, and the method further comprises, after the step of removing the temporary positioning device, - providing a first primary insulation panel and a second primary insulation panel; - attaching a first primary insulation panel to the anchoring devices of a first secondary insulation panel in the first row and attaching a second primary insulation panel to the anchoring devices of a second secondary insulation panel in the second row; It further has:

[0063] In this way, the anchoring device serves both to attach the temporary positioning device and then to attach the primary insulation panel, which further simplifies assembly by eliminating the need for additional dedicated components for attaching the temporary positioning device to the insulation panel.

[0064] In one embodiment, the method further comprises attaching a secondary sealing membrane to the anchoring device prior to the step of attaching the first primary insulation panel to the anchoring device.

[0065] In this way, the anchoring device serves three purposes: to attach the temporary positioning device, to attach the secondary sealing membrane, and to attach the primary insulation panel.

[0066] From the above, in the present invention, the anchor device is - for attaching said temporary positioning device, or - for attaching the temporary positioning device and the primary insulation panel, or - for attaching the temporary positioning device, the sealing membrane and the primary insulation panel; It is used for.

[0067] The present invention will be better understood and other objects, details, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of several specific embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the specific embodiments described below are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0068] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an insulating panel attached to a temporary positioning device according to a method of one embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] 10A-10C are cross-sectional views illustrating the steps of placing and attaching insulation panels to two support walls in accordance with an embodiment of the method. [Figure 3] 1 shows a tank wall obtained by the method of one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective cutaway view of a support structure for supporting a sealed, insulated tank for storing liquefied gas. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0069] The terms "outside" and "inside" are used according to convention to define the relative position of one element to another with reference to the outside and inside of the tank.

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a first row 1 of first insulating panels 11, 12, 13, 14 and a second row 2 of second insulating panels 21, 22, 23, 24, which are mounted on a single temporary positioning device 3.

[0071] Each first insulating panel 11, 12, 13, 14 of the first row 1 has a sandwich construction with an outer plate 15, an inner plate 17 and a layer 16 of insulating foam between them.

[0072] Each insulating panel 21, 22, 23, 24 of the second row 2 similarly has a sandwich construction with an outer plate 25, an inner plate 27 and a layer 26 of insulating foam disposed between them.

[0073] The insulating foam layers 16, 26 are made, for example, from fiber-reinforced polyurethane.

[0074] The inner plates 17, 27 and outer plates 15, 25 are rigid and made, for example, from plywood or a fiber / resin composite.

[0075] 1, insulating elements 18, 28 are positioned to fill the spaces between the insulating panels 11, 12, 13, 14 of the first row 1 and the insulating panels 21, 22, 23, 24 of the second row 2. In this manner, insulating element 18 is positioned adjacent to the side of the first insulating panel 11, 12, 13, 14, and insulating element 28 is positioned adjacent to the side of the second insulating panel 21, 22, 23 and insulating element 18. Insulating elements 18 and 28 help ensure continuity of insulation between the first insulating panel 11, 12, 13, 14 and the second insulating panel 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0076] The insulating elements 18, 28 are made of a compressible material selected from glass wool, rock wool, polyester wadding, and synthetic foam. In one variant not shown, the insulating elements 18, 28 further comprise a PIR or PU foam core and a layer of compressible material arranged on the sides of the PU foam. For example, the insulating elements may have a PU foam core with an overall triangular shape, with a layer of compressible material such as glass wool arranged on the sides that contact the first insulating panel, the second insulating panel, and / or the adjacent insulating element.

[0077] The inner plates 17 of the insulation panels 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24 are provided with recesses 117 which receive the anchor strips 4, which are preferably made of metal. Such an anchor strip 4 / recess 117 arrangement is particularly shown in FIG. 3.

[0078] The recess 117 is, for example, located in the center of the inner plate 17. The recess 117 has an inner section with a first dimension and an outer section with a second dimension larger than the first dimension, forming a shoulder. The anchor plate 4 has a shape complementary to the shape of the recess 117.

[0079] With this configuration, the inner surface of the anchor strip 4 is aligned with the inner surface of the inner plate 17 of the insulation panel 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24 to form a flat surface for supporting the sealing membrane 7. The anchor strip 4 further has an outer section that has larger dimensions than the inner section of the anchor strip 4, so that the outer section of the anchor strip 4 abuts the shoulder of the recess. The anchor strip 4 can then be adhesively bonded to the insulation panel.

[0080] Each metal plate piece 4 has an elongated overall shape, and is provided with a first screw hole 41, and a second screw hole 42 is provided spaced apart from the first screw hole 41 (as shown in FIG. 3). The first screw hole and the second screw hole particularly serve as locking points for the temporary positioning device 3.

[0081] The temporary positioning device 3 is a metal structure having a first portion 31 and a second portion 34 .

[0082] The first portion 31 comprises a plurality of first horizontal metal tube sections 32 parallel to one another and a first longitudinal metal tube section 33 welded to first ends of the first horizontal metal tube sections 32.

[0083] The second portion 34 comprises a plurality of second horizontal metal tube sections 35 parallel to one another and a second longitudinal metal tube section 36 welded to first ends of the second horizontal metal tube sections 35.

[0084] Each of the lateral metal pipes 32 and 35 has a first through hole 51 that is spaced apart from a second through hole 52 in the longitudinal direction of the metal pipes. The distance between the first through hole 51 and the second through hole 52 corresponds to the distance between the first screw hole 41 and the second screw hole 42. The lateral metal pipes 32 and 35 and the horizontal metal pipes 33 and 36 are positioned so as not to cover the shaft 70, allowing access to the shaft 70 when the first insulation panels 11, 12, 13, 14 and the second insulation panels 21, 22, 23, 24 are installed.

[0085] Each of the first transverse metal tube sections 32 has a second end that contacts a second end of the second transverse metal tube section 35 .

[0086] The first and second parts 31, 34 are attached to each other via a metal plate 37, which has a first part 38 disposed on and welded to the inner surface of the second end of each first transverse metal tube section 32. The bent metal plate 37 further has a second part 39 disposed on and welded to the inner surface of the second end of each second transverse metal tube section 35.

[0087] The metal plate 37 is bent so that a fixed angle of 135° is formed between the first portion 38 and the second portion 39. This also results in a fixed angle of 135° between the first portion 31 and the second portion 34 of the temporary positioning device 3. In another embodiment, the angle may be other than 135°, for example, 90°.

[0088] During the mounting step, the first portion 31 of the temporary positioning device 3 is positioned so as to contact the first row 1. Each horizontal metal tube portion 32 is aligned with an anchor plate 4. The first through hole 51 and the second through hole 52 are positioned so as to face one of the first screw holes 41 and the second screw holes 42, respectively. Next, to mount the first portion 31 of the temporary positioning device 3 to the first row 1, a first threaded rod 61 is inserted into each through hole 51, and a second threaded rod 62 is inserted into each through hole 52. The first threaded rod 61 has a threaded end fixed to the corresponding screw hole 41 and a screw head arranged to abut the temporary positioning device 3 in the through hole 51. The second threaded rod 62 similarly has a threaded end fixed to the corresponding screw hole 42 and a screw head arranged to abut the temporary positioning device 3 in the through hole 52. These threaded rods 61 and 62 are, for example, screw fasteners. Instead of the screw head, it is also possible to provide a nut such as a wing nut.

[0089] The same procedure is performed when attaching the temporary positioning device 3 to the second row 2. In this way, the second part 34 of the temporary positioning device 3 is positioned relative to the second row 2. Each horizontal metal tube portion 35 is aligned with an anchor plate piece 4. The first through hole 51 and the second through hole 52 are positioned to face one of the first screw holes 41 and the second screw holes 42, respectively. Next, to attach the second part 34 of the temporary positioning device 3 to the second row 2, a first threaded rod 61 is inserted into each through hole 51 and fixed to the corresponding screw hole 41, and a second threaded rod 62 is inserted into each through hole 52 and fixed to the corresponding screw hole 42.

[0090] The method includes the step of placing and adhering a bead of mastic 40 (shown in FIG. 2) against the outer surface of the outer plate 15 of the first insulation panel 11, 12, 13, 14 and the second insulation panel 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0091] This positioning step is shown in Figure 2. As can be seen, the first row 1 and the second row 2 are positioned at an angle formed by the first support wall 5 and the second support wall 6, which angle has a value of approximately 135° in the embodiment shown. The temporary positioning device 3 can be equipped with a handling anchoring or cuff (not shown) that allows the first row 1 and the second row 2, which are fixedly secured to the temporary positioning device 3, to be positioned by human or mechanized means.

[0092] The first wall 5 and the second wall 6 may for example be the double hull of a carrier vessel.

[0093] To compensate for the gap between the first and second support walls 5, 6 and the flat reference surface and to ensure a sufficiently uniform support of the first and second insulation panels 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24, the first row 1 is positioned against the first support wall 5 via a bead of mastic 40, and the second row 2 is positioned against the second support wall 6 via a bead of mastic 40. Insulation elements 18 and 28 are positioned in the corners formed by the first wall 5 and the second wall 6 to fill the spaces formed between the first insulation panels 11, 12, 13, 14 and the second insulation panels 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0094] Each insulation panel 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24 is provided with two shafts 70, as shown in Figure 1, into which are inserted fittings, only partially shown in Figures 2 and 3, for attaching the insulation panel to the corresponding support wall 5, 6. The fittings in particular comprise threaded studs 71 ​​welded to the support walls 5, 6 and support pieces through which the threaded studs 71 ​​pass, the support pieces being placed against the inner surface of the outer plates by means of bolts that screw onto the threaded studs in order to attach the insulation panel to the support wall. The shafts 70 and fittings are, for example, as shown in Figure 1 of French Patent Application No. 2 724 623.

[0095] After the heat insulating panels 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24 are attached to the corresponding support walls 5, 6, the first and second threaded rods 61, 62 are removed and the temporary positioning device 3 is withdrawn.

[0096] The shaft 70 may be filled with insulating padding, including, for example, polyurethane foam, polystyrene, or glass wool.

[0097] In one variant, shown in FIG. 3, the method further comprises an additional step.

[0098] In this variant, the insulation panels 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24 are secondary insulation panels to which a secondary sealing membrane is attached, the secondary sealing membrane comprising a metal bracket 7 welded to the inner surface of the anchor piece 4. The metal bracket 7 may further be attached to the inner plate 17, 27 by means of a screw fastener or a rivet.

[0099] The metal bracket 7 is made of, for example, stainless steel or an alloy with a low coefficient of thermal expansion, in particular an expansion coefficient of typically 1×10 -6 ~2×10 -6 K -1 Invar®, an alloy of iron and nickel with a coefficient of expansion of typically 7×10 -6 ~×10 -6 K -1 It is made from an alloy of iron and manganese.

[0100] The method further includes installing a primary insulation panel.

[0101] The primary insulation panels, like the secondary insulation panels 11,12,13,14,21,22,23,24, comprise insulating foam 83,87 sandwiched between inner plates 82,86 and outer plates 84,88.

[0102] Additionally, the outer plates 84, 88 have two holes spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the spacing between the first and second screw holes 41, 42.

[0103] A first primary insulating panel 81 is disposed on the secondary sealing membrane 7 so as to straddle the first and second secondary insulating panels 11, 12, 13, 14.

[0104] The first primary insulation panel 81 is attached to the first and second secondary insulation panels 11, 12, 13, 14 via a primary attachment, which includes two threaded studs (not shown) that are attached to threaded holes 41, 42 in the anchor plate 4, respectively. The two threaded studs pass through the metal bracket 7 of the secondary sealing membrane and the outer plate 82. The primary attachment also includes a primary support plate (not shown) through which the threaded studs pass, which is positioned against the inner surface of the outer plate 82 with bolts that thread onto the threaded studs to attach the first primary insulation panel to the secondary sealing membrane 7.

[0105] A second primary insulation panel 85 is attached to the second secondary insulation panels 21, 22, 23, 24 in a similar manner to the first primary insulation panel 81.

[0106] The inner plates 84, 88 are provided with metal inserts (not shown) to which the metal brackets 8 of the primary metal sealing membrane are welded.

[0107] The primary metal sealing membrane 8 is in contact with the liquefied gas contained in the tank and is made of, for example, stainless steel.

[0108] The primary sealing membrane is, for example, a corrugated membrane (not shown) having two rows of corrugations in two mutually perpendicular directions, details of which are described in particular in WO 2010 / 040922.

[0109] FIG. 4 shows a support structure 90 for supporting a sealed, insulated tank for storing liquefied gas. The support structure 90 is particularly made of self-supporting metal sheets, but more generally, it can be made of any type of rigid partition member with suitable mechanical properties. The support structure 90 is, for example, a double hull of a carrier ship. In FIG. 4, the overall shape of the support structure 90 is a polyhedron. The support structure 90 has two support walls, a forward support wall and an aft support wall 91. In this example, each support wall is octagonal, and only the aft support wall 91 is shown in the figure. The forward and aft walls 91 are, for example, cofferdam walls of the carrier ship, which extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the carrier ship. The support structure 90 further has an upper support wall 92, a lower support wall 93, and side support walls 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, and 99.

[0110] For example, the support walls 5 and 6 shown in Figures 2 and 3 can be two adjacent support walls selected from the above-mentioned support walls 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, and 99. In this example, each insulating panel in the first and second rows 1, 2 shown in Figures 1-3 can have the following dimensions: a first dimension of 320 mm extending in the direction of the edges formed by the two support walls; - a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension of 300 mm, and -300mm height.

[0111] In one embodiment, when the first and second rows are positioned at approximately a 90° angle formed by one of the support walls 92, 93, 95, or 98 and the front or rear support wall 91, each insulating panel in the first and second rows can have the following dimensions: a first dimension of 320 mm extending in the direction of the edges formed by the two support walls; - a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension of 370 mm, and -300mm height.

[0112] In one embodiment, when the first and second rows are positioned at approximately a 90° angle formed by one of the support walls 94, 96, 97, 99 and the front or rear support wall 91, each insulating panel in the first and second rows can have the following dimensions: a first dimension of 460 mm extending in the direction of the edges formed by the two support walls; - a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension of 490 mm, and -300mm height.

[0113] Although the present invention has been described with reference to several specific embodiments, it is clear that the present invention is in no way limited to these embodiments, and includes all technical equivalents of the means described in this application and combinations thereof, when they fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0114] Use of the verb "comprise" or "include" and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim.

[0115] In the claims, any reference signs in parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method for assembling a corner of a sealed insulated tank, comprising: providing a first row (1) comprising a plurality of first insulating panels (11, 12, 13, 14) each having an inner plate (17) and an anchoring device (4) attached to the inner plate, and a second row (2) comprising a plurality of second insulating panels (21, 22, 23, 24) each having an inner plate (27) and an anchoring device (4) attached to the inner plate; providing a temporary positioning device (3) having a first part (31) for mounting and supporting a first insulation panel of the first row and a second part (34) for mounting and supporting a second insulation panel of the second row, wherein the first and second parts of the temporary positioning device are mounted to each other and form a predetermined fixed angle relative to each other; attaching the first portion to each of the anchoring devices of the first insulation panel and attaching the second portion to each of the anchoring devices of the second insulation panel; Thereafter, positioning the first and second rows at corners formed by a first support wall (5) and a second support wall (6); attaching the first insulation panel to the first support wall and the second insulation panel to the second support wall; removing the first and second insulating panels from the temporary positioning device; thereafter, removing the temporary positioning device; A method comprising:

2. Each anchoring device has a first screw hole (41, 42); the first part is attached to the first screw hole (41, 42) of the anchoring device of the first insulation panel via a first threaded rod (61, 62), and the second part is attached to the first screw hole (41, 42) of the anchoring device of the second insulation panel via a first threaded rod (61, 62). The method of claim 1.

3. a second screw hole (42) in each anchor device spaced from the first screw hole (41); the first portion is attached to the second threaded hole (42) of the anchoring device (4) of the first insulation panel via a second threaded rod (62), and the second portion is attached to the second threaded hole (42) of the anchoring device of the second insulation panel via a second threaded rod (62). The method of claim 1.

4. The anchoring device is centrally disposed on the medial plate.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The anchoring device is an anchor plate (4), 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The predetermined fixed angle is between 80° and 145°, and preferably the predetermined fixed angle is 90° or 135°.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The first and second insulating panels each comprise a layer (16, 26) of insulating foam sandwiched between the inner and outer plates (15, 25).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. At least one insulating element (18, 28) is disposed to fill a space between the first and second rows of the corner formed by the first and second support walls.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. the first row of the first insulating panels has n first insulating panels and the second row of the second insulating panels has n second insulating panels, where n is between 2 and 8; 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. the first portion is attached to the first insulation panel so that the spacing between adjacent first insulation panels is constant, and the second portion is attached to the second insulation panel so that the spacing between adjacent second insulation panels is constant.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. the first insulating panel and the second insulating panel are secondary insulating panels (11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24); After the step of removing the temporary positioning device, the method further comprises: providing a first primary insulation panel (81) and a second primary insulation panel (85); attaching a first primary insulation panel to the anchoring devices of a first secondary insulation panel in the first row and attaching a second primary insulation panel to the anchoring devices of a second secondary insulation panel in the second row; 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

12. the first portion comprises a plurality of parallel tube sections (32); Each of the plurality of parallel pipe portions has a hole (51, 52), each of the plurality of parallel pipe sections is attached to the anchoring device of one of the first insulation panels in the first row by threading a threaded rod through the hole in the pipe section and into the threaded hole in the anchoring device; 12. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 11.

13. the second portion comprises a plurality of parallel tubes (35); Each of the plurality of parallel pipe portions has a hole (51, 52), each of the plurality of parallel pipe sections is attached to the anchoring device of one of the second insulation panels in the second row by threading a threaded rod through the hole in the pipe section and into the threaded hole in the anchoring device; 13. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 12.

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