Liquefied gas storage facility

Abstract

A sealed membrane comprises a radial junction corrugation (24) arranged between two sectorial portions (22), each of the two sectorial portions having an angular offset (E) between the radial direction (A) of the sectorial portion and a longitudinal direction (B) of the radial junction corrugation (24), wherein each of the two sectorial portions further comprises a truncated-corner plate (40) having a radial corrugation portion extending in the radial direction of the sectorial portion at a distance from the first sides and joining the second sides of the truncated-corner plate, the truncated-corner plate having an inclined side extending from a first truncated side to a second truncated side, the inclined side having the angular offset (E) with the first truncated side and being arranged at the edge of the sectorial portion parallel to the longitudinal direction (B).

Description

Liquefied gas storage facility

[0001] The invention relates to a membrane-sealed tank and a liquefied gas storage installation comprising a sealed and thermally insulated tank. In particular, the invention relates to the field of land-based installations for the storage of a liquid or liquefied gas at low temperature, such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (also called LPG) with a temperature between -50°C and 0°C, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at approximately -162°C at atmospheric pressure, or liquefied ammonia, which is at approximately -33°C at atmospheric pressure. Technological background

[0002] It is known, for example from document US-A-3511003, of a sealed tank intended to be installed in the internal space of a supporting structure having a bottom load-bearing wall and a cylindrical load-bearing wall, the tank having a flat wall intended to be disposed on an internal surface of the bottom load-bearing wall, the flat wall having a sealed membrane intended to be in contact with a liquefied gas contained in the tank, the sealed membrane having a plurality of sectoral portions each oriented in a respective radial direction and juxtaposed in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical load-bearing wall, each sectoral portion having parallel undulations extending in the radial direction of the sectoral portion and an end piece closing said undulation at an edge of the sectoral portion,the sectoral portion comprising a plurality of rectangular sector plates assembled in a sealed manner, each rectangular sector plate having first sides parallel to the radial direction of the sectoral portion, second sides perpendicular to the radial direction of the sectoral portion, and a radial corrugation portion extending in the radial direction of the sectoral portion at a distance from the first sides and joining the second sides of the rectangular sector plate, the rectangular sector plates being arranged so that the radial corrugation portions form said parallel corrugations, the sealed membrane comprising a radial junction corrugation disposed between two of said sectoral portions, each of the two sectoral portions having an angular deviation between the radial direction of the sectoral portion and a longitudinal direction of the radial junction corrugation.

[0003] The radial junction corrugations were usually manufactured as joining plates with an axis of symmetry on the radial junction corrugation and two symmetrical trapezoidal contours on either side of the radial junction corrugation. Consequently, it was necessary to interrupt the corrugations located at the edge of a sectoral portion at a relatively large distance from the radial junction corrugation. Furthermore, such joining plates are relatively difficult and expensive to manufacture.

[0004] One idea behind the invention is to resolve at least some of the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0005] According to one embodiment, the invention provides a sealed tank of the aforementioned type, in which each of the two sectoral portions further comprises a truncated wedge plate having first sides parallel to the radial direction of the sectoral portion, second sides perpendicular to the radial direction of the sectoral portion, a radial corrugation portion extending in the radial direction of the sectoral portion at a distance from the first sides and joining the second sides of the truncated wedge plate, said radial corrugation portion belonging to one of the parallel corrugations of the sectoral portion, and an inclined side extending from a first truncated side selected from among the first sides to a second truncated side selected from among the second sides of the truncated wedge plate,said inclined side presenting said angular deviation with said first truncated side and being arranged at said edge of the sectoral portion parallel to the longitudinal direction of the radial junction undulation.

[0006] Thanks to these features, it is possible to extend one or more corrugations of the sector portion to a close proximity to the radial junction corrugation, thus improving the flexibility of the waterproof membrane. Furthermore, the truncated corner plate can be manufactured in the same way as rectangular sector plates, with only minor additional cutting operations, thereby improving the standardization of the waterproof membrane components and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0007] Depending on the embodiment, such a watertight tank may include one or more of the following characteristics.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the waterproof membrane comprises a plurality of rectangular joining plates, each rectangular joining plate having first sides parallel to the longitudinal direction of the radial joining corrugation, second sides perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the radial joining corrugation, and a portion of joining corrugation extending in the longitudinal direction of the radial joining corrugation away from the first sides and joining the second sides of the rectangular joining plate, the rectangular joining plates being aligned in the longitudinal direction of the radial joining corrugation such that the portions of joining corrugation form said radial joining corrugation.

[0009] Preferably, one or each rectangular joining plate has a cross-section that is invariant in the longitudinal direction of the radial corrugation.

[0010] Thus, a rectangular connecting plate can easily be cut lengthwise, making it easier to adapt the rectangular connecting plate to the actual dimensions of a tank, for example, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and assembly clearances. The consistent cross-section eliminates the need to change the assembly methods between the rectangular connecting plate and adjacent parts.

[0011] In one embodiment, the parallel undulations of a sector portion are first parallel undulations, each sector portion further comprising one or more second undulations extending in an orthoradial direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the sector portion. Where applicable, the second undulations are parallel and mutually spaced in the radial direction of the sector portion. The second undulations of the sector portions are connected to each other so as to form a closed polygonal contour or several concentric closed polygonal contours.

[0012] Such an arrangement of the corrugations increases the flexibility of the waterproof membrane.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the junction corrugation portion is a first junction corrugation portion, a said or each rectangular junction plate comprising a first portion of length having said invariant cross section and a second portion of length extending said first portion of length in the longitudinal direction of the radial corrugation, the second portion of length having a second junction corrugation portion intersecting the first junction corrugation portion, the second junction corrugation portion connecting the second corrugations of said two sectoral portions.

[0014] Since the rectangular connecting plates are aligned in the longitudinal direction, the interface between two successive rectangular connecting plates is at the second side of the rectangular connecting plates. Preferably, the two rectangular connecting plates overlap at their interface.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the second portion of the junction corrugation extends at a distance from the second sides of the rectangular junction plate.

[0016] Thus, the interfaces between the rectangular joining plates are spaced from the second portions of the joining corrugation, which facilitates the assembly of the rectangular joining plates.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the second junction corrugation portion extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the radial corrugation, and each of the two sectoral portions includes a deflection piece connecting the second junction corrugation portion to the second corrugation of the sectoral portion, the deflection piece having two longitudinal portions forming between them a deflection equal to said angular deviation.

[0018] Such an arrangement allows for the standardization of the manufacture of rectangular joining plates regardless of the angular gap.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the truncated corner plate or plates have an ortho-radial corrugation portion extending in the ortho-radial direction of the sectoral portion at a distance from the second sides of the truncated corner plate and cutting the radial corrugation portion, said ortho-radial corrugation portion belonging to the second corrugation or one of the second corrugations of the sectoral portion.

[0020] ] According to one embodiment, the ortho-radial undulation portion is connected to the second junction undulation portion by the deviation piece or by one of the deviation pieces of the sectoral portion.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the truncated corner plate is a first truncated corner plate and each of the two sectorial portions further comprises a second truncated corner plate and a closing plate, the closing plate having a first side parallel to the longitudinal direction of the radial junction undulation and running along one of the first sides of one of the rectangular junction plates, a second side perpendicular to the radial direction of the sectorial portion and running along the second truncated side of the first truncated corner plate and a third side parallel to the radial direction of the sectorial portion and running along one of the first sides of one of the rectangular sector plates of the sectorial portion and the first truncated side of the second truncated corner plate of the sectorial portion.

[0022] In one embodiment, the end piece is arranged on the closing plate in line with the radial corrugation portion of the first truncated corner plate. The end piece may be a closing cap.

[0023] Such a closure plate can be essentially flat and provides a simple way to complete the waterproof membrane in the area between the second truncated side of the truncated corner plate(s) and the radial joining corrugation. Such a closure plate can be made in one or more pieces.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the ortho-radial corrugation portion of the first truncated corner plate, or of each truncated corner plate of the sectorial portion, is a first ortho-radial corrugation portion cutting the inclined side of the first truncated corner plate, and the deflection piece is a first deflection piece connecting the first ortho-radial corrugation portion to the second junction corrugation portion of a first of the rectangular junction plates, the first or each truncated corner plate having a second ortho-radial corrugation portion extending in the ortho-radial direction of the sectorial portion at a distance from the second sides of the first truncated corner plate and joining the first sides of the first truncated corner plate by cutting the radial corrugation portion,the first and second ortho-radial corrugation portions of the first truncated corner plate belonging to two second corrugations of the sectoral portion, the second ortho-radial corrugation portion being connected to the second junction corrugation portion of a second rectangular junction plate by a second deflection piece, the second deflection piece having two longitudinal portions forming between them a deflection equal to said angular deviation.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the closing plate is a first closing plate, each of the two sectoral portions further comprising a second closing plate, in which the edge of each of the two sectoral portions is formed by a pattern repeated in the longitudinal direction of the radial junction undulation, the repeated pattern comprising successively the first side of the first closing plate, the inclined side of the first truncated corner plate, a first side of the second closing plate and the second deflection piece, the first closing plate having a general trapezoidal shape and comprising a fourth side parallel to the second side of the first closing plate, the fourth side of the first closing plate being arranged along said second deflection piece, namely along the second deflection piece of a subsequent occurrence of the repeated pattern.

[0026] Thanks to the use of a repeating pattern, the manufacturing of the edge of the sector portion can be simplified by limiting the inventory of the constituent elements of the waterproof membrane.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the second closing plate has a general triangular shape and includes the first side extending in the longitudinal direction of the radial junction undulation, a second side running along the second deflection piece opposite the fourth side of said first closing plate, namely the fourth side of the first closing plate of a subsequent occurrence of the repeated pattern, and a third side running along the first truncated side of the first truncated corner plate.

[0028] The two closing plates can be essentially flat and provide a simple way to complete the waterproof membrane at an area between the second truncated side of the or each truncated corner plate and the radial joining corrugation, while arranging one of the second corrugations in that area.

[0029] In one embodiment, the tank wall further comprises an insulating barrier intended to be placed between the waterproof membrane and the bottom load-bearing wall. In another embodiment, the waterproof membrane is a primary waterproof membrane, the tank wall further comprising a secondary waterproof membrane intended to be placed between the insulating barrier and the bottom load-bearing wall.

[0030] According to one embodiment, a liquefied gas storage installation comprises the supporting structure and the aforementioned sealed tank installed in the internal space of the supporting structure.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the load-bearing structure is made of concrete. Brief description of the figures

[0032] The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] This is a schematic perspective view of a liquefied gas storage facility, omitting the ceiling wall.

[0034] [This is a top view of a waterproof membrane that can be used in the bottom wall of the installation.]

[0035] This is an enlarged view of zone III of the waterproof membrane.

[0036] This is an enlarged view of zone IV of the waterproof membrane.

[0037] This is a perspective view of a radial plate that can be used to form the waterproof membrane of the.

[0038] This is a perspective view of a closure cap that can be used to form the waterproof membrane of the.

[0039] This is a perspective view of a first flat closure plate that can be used to form the waterproof membrane of the.

[0040] This is a perspective view of a second flat closure plate that can be used to form the waterproof membrane of the.

[0041] This is a perspective view of a deflection piece that can be used to form the watertight membrane of the.

[0042] We will describe a liquefied gas storage facility suitable for storing a liquefied gas, in particular ammonia, at a temperature of approximately -33°C and atmospheric pressure, or other liquefied gases. The facility mainly comprises a supporting structure and a sealed, thermally insulated tank installed within the internal space of the supporting structure.

[0043] With reference to the, we first describe the load-bearing structure 10. The load-bearing structure 10 includes a bottom load-bearing wall 11 and a vertical load-bearing wall 12, which is a cylindrical load-bearing wall.

[0044] The installation may be designed to be located on land. The load-bearing base wall 11 is then typically horizontal, that is, situated in a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravitational acceleration, within dimensional tolerances. However, it should be noted that the following description applies to any orientation of the load-bearing base wall 11 relative to the direction of gravitational acceleration.

[0045] The load-bearing wall 11 can be located at ground level or possibly below ground level. The load-bearing structure 10 is, for example, made of concrete.

[0046] In addition to the bottom load-bearing wall 11, the load-bearing structure 10 includes a vertical load-bearing wall 12. As can be seen more clearly in the figure, this vertical load-bearing wall 12 forms an internal cylindrical surface 13 whose generatrix is ​​vertical and whose direction curve is here circular, but which could be different, for example polygonal. The vertical load-bearing wall 12 extends in a vertical direction, that is to say, in a direction perpendicular to the bottom load-bearing wall 11, within dimensional tolerances.

[0047] Not shown in the drawings, at the end of the vertical load-bearing wall 12 opposite the bottom load-bearing wall 11, the load-bearing structure 10 includes a ceiling load-bearing wall closing the internal space delimited by the bottom load-bearing wall 11 and the vertical load-bearing wall 12. This ceiling load-bearing wall can support various equipment usable for conveying liquefied gas to or from this internal space.

[0048] The diameter of the supporting structure 10 can be, for example, between 10m and 100m.

[0049] A sealed and thermally insulated tank, not shown, is installed in the internal space 2 of the supporting structure 10. The tank has a bottom wall disposed on the bottom supporting wall 11 and a cylindrical tank wall disposed on the cylindrical internal surface of the vertical supporting wall 12.

[0050] The cylindrical tank wall and the bottom wall comprise, going from the supporting structure 10 towards the interior space of the tank, a secondary sealing membrane, a thermally insulating barrier and a primary sealing membrane intended to be in contact with the liquefied gas contained in the tank.

[0051] The secondary waterproof membrane is optional and can be a waterproof sheet fixed, for example by gluing or other means, to the cylindrical internal surface 13 of the vertical load-bearing wall 12 and to the bottom load-bearing wall 11. The waterproof sheet is made, for example, of metal sheets or composite material.

[0052] The thermally insulating barrier can be achieved using modular insulating elements. Optionally, a secondary insulating barrier can be inserted between the secondary waterproof membrane and the load-bearing structure to improve thermal insulation. These modular insulating elements can have various structures. In an embodiment compatible with ammonia storage, a modular insulating element comprises a rigid base plate, for example, made of polymer resin, and a polymer foam block, for example, made of polystyrene foam, attached to the base plate. If thermal insulation is not required, the thermally insulating barrier can be omitted.

[0053] The primary waterproof membrane is a corrugated metal membrane, for example, made of stainless steel. Preferably, it is formed of metal elements joined by lap welding. The width of the overlap areas can be designed according to the manufacturing tolerances of the supporting structure to provide a sufficient adjustment range to accommodate all foreseeable deviations of the supporting structure and the metal elements.

[0054] According to a preferred embodiment, the primary waterproof membrane is anchored to the insulating barrier. For this purpose, some of the metal elements can be welded to metal anchoring strips carried by the internal surface of the insulating barrier.

[0055] We now describe an embodiment of the primary waterproof membrane 20 of the bottom wall with reference to 9.

[0056] As shown in the figure, the primary waterproof membrane 20 of the bottom wall is mainly composed of a central portion 21 and several sectorial portions 22, preferably identical, which are juxtaposed in the circumferential direction all around the central portion 21. Ten sectorial portions are shown in the figure, each covering an angular sector of 36°. However, the number of sectorial portions may be higher, in which case a sectorial portion covers a smaller angular sector, or lower, in which case a sectorial portion covers a larger angular sector.

[0057] An outer periphery 23 of the primary sealing membrane 20 corresponds to the direction curve of the cylindrical tank wall. The junction between the primary sealing membrane 20 and the sealing membrane of the cylindrical tank wall can be made using a known technique.

[0058] The sectorial portions 22 are separated by radial junction undulations 24, shown in bold on the figure. Except in the vicinity of the radial junction undulations 24 and in an outer zone 25 close to the outer periphery 23, a sectorial portion 22 is essentially composed of identical rectangular sector plates, not shown on the figure, which have first sides 27 parallel to the radial direction of the bisector of the sectorial portion 22, which can be called the radial direction of the sectorial portion for simplicity, and second sides 28 perpendicular to this direction. The rectangular sector plates of a sectorial portion 22 are arranged in the form of a regular periodic grid with rectangular cells.

[0059] As outlined on the, each sectoral portion 22 has first parallel undulations extending in the radial direction of the sectoral portion 22, preferably with a uniform spacing between them, and second parallel undulations extending in the ortho-radial direction of the sectoral portion 22, and joined from sectoral portion 22 to sectoral portion 22 to form closed polygonal contours 58, preferably with a uniform spacing between them.

[0060] As can be more clearly seen in the figure, a rectangular sector plate 26 has the first sides 27, the second sides 28, a radial corrugation portion 29, and two orthoradial corrugation portions 30 and 31. The radial corrugation portions 29 form the first corrugations of the sector portion 22. The orthoradial corrugation portions 30 and 31 form the second corrugations of the sector portion 22. Thus, apart from the dimensions of the overlaps, the dimension of the first sides 27 is twice the spacing of the second corrugations, and the dimension of the second sides 28 is equal to the spacing of the first corrugations. Other dimensions could also be used for the rectangular sector plates 26.

[0061] Due to the dimensions of the rectangular sector plates 26 and the angular deviation E between the radial direction A of the sector portion 22 and the longitudinal direction B of the radial junction undulation 24 adjacent to the sector portion 22, the regular mesh of the rectangular sector plates 26 is interrupted along a broken line L () at a certain distance from the radial junction undulation 24. The angular deviation E is 18° in the example shown, namely half the angular opening of a sector portion 22.

[0062] The broken line L delimits an edge area of ​​the sectoral portion 22 along the radial junction undulation 24, in which the rectangular sector plates 26 cannot be used, and which will now be described with reference to figures 4 to 9. Since the sectoral portions 22 are symmetrical with respect to the radial junction undulation 24, it will suffice to describe one of them.

[0063] As can be seen on set 4, the first undulations of the sectoral portion 22 whose trajectory intersects the radial junction undulation 24 are terminated by means of a truncated wedge plate 40 and a closing cap 80.

[0064] More specifically, the contour of the truncated corner plate 40 is formed by a first side 41 parallel to the radial direction of the sectorial portion and which runs along a first side 27 of a rectangular sector plate 26, a second side 42 perpendicular to the radial direction of the sectorial portion and which runs along a second side 28 of another rectangular sector plate 26, a first truncated side 43 parallel to the first side 41 and which runs along a first flat closing plate 60 and a second flat closing plate 70, an inclined side 44 which deviates by the angular deviation E with respect to the first truncated side 43 and which runs along two rectangular joining plates 50b and 50a, and finally a second truncated side 45 parallel to the second side 42.

[0065] The truncated corner plate 40 has a first corrugation 46 parallel to the first truncated side 43 and the first side 41, located midway between them, and joining the second side 42 to the second truncated side 45. The first corrugation 46 forms the last portion of one of the first corrugations of the sectorial portion 22. The first corrugation 46 intersects the second truncated side 45 very close to the corner formed by the inclined side 44 and the second truncated side 45. This allows the first corrugations of the sectorial portion 22 to terminate very close to the radial joining corrugation 24.

[0066] The truncated corner plate 40 also includes a second corrugation 47 and a second truncated corrugation 48 parallel to the second truncated side 45 and second side 42 and located respectively at a distance from the second side 42 equal to approximately one-quarter of the length of the first side 41, and at a distance from the second truncated side 45 equal to approximately one-quarter of the length of the first side 41. The second corrugation 47 joins the first side 41 to the first truncated side 43. The second truncated corrugation 48 joins the first side 41 to the inclined side 44.

[0067] The radial junction corrugation 24 is formed by a repeating pattern in the longitudinal direction B. The pattern is formed by the two rectangular junction plates 50a and 50b assembled in alignment with each other. The rectangular junction plates 50a and 50b are identical or may have different lengths. They are shown more precisely in Figure 1.

[0068] The contour of each of the rectangular joining plates 50a and 50b has two first sides 51 parallel to the longitudinal direction B, second sides 52 and 53 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction B, and a first corrugation portion 54 extending in the longitudinal direction B midway between the first sides 51 and joining the second sides 52 and 53, and a second corrugation portion 55 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction B and joining the first two sides 51 midway between the second sides 52 and 53.

[0069] A portion of the rectangular joining plate 50a, 50b, located between the second (inclusive) side 52 and the second (excluded) corrugation portion 55, has an invariant cross-section in the longitudinal direction B, so that it can easily be cut to adjust its length. Conversely, the second side 53 has a lip to overlap the second side 52 of another rectangular joining plate 50a, 50b.

[0070] As can be seen in the figure, when following the radial junction corrugation 24 away from the center of the bottom wall, an interface 56 between the rectangular junction plate 50a and the rectangular junction plate 50b is located opposite the inclined side 44 of a truncated corner plate 40, between the second corrugation 47 and the second truncated corrugation 48. An interface 57 between the rectangular junction plate 50b and the next rectangular junction plate 50a is located opposite the first flat closing plate 60. Thus, the interfaces 56 and 57 are located away from the ends of the inclined side 44, which facilitates assembly. Preferably, the successive rectangular junction plates 50b and 50a have overlaps at the interfaces 56 and 57.

[0071] The first flat closing plate 60 shown more precisely at the east is symmetrical to that shown at the. It has a first side 61 parallel to the longitudinal direction B and running along the rectangular junction plates 50a and 50b, covering their first sides 51, a second side 62 perpendicular to the radial direction of the sectorial portion 22 and running along the second truncated side 45 of a truncated corner plate 40, a third side 63 parallel to the radial direction of the sectorial portion 22 and running along a first side 27 of a rectangular sector plate 26 and the first truncated side 43 of another truncated corner plate 40, and a fourth side 64 substantially parallel to the second side 62.

[0072] A notch 66 is formed along the third side 63 to make an anchor point on an anchor strip underlying the junction between the third side 63, the rectangular sector plate 26 and the other truncated corner plate 40.

[0073] The closing cap 80, shown more precisely at the east, is arranged on the first flat closing plate 60 at the right of a notch 65 located in the extension of the first undulation 46 of the first truncated corner plate 40. The closing cap 80 comprises a flat base 83 fixed flat on the first flat closing plate 60, a rim 82 covering the second truncated edge 45 of the truncated corner plate 40 and a bell 81 closing the end of the first undulation 46 up to the flat base 83.

[0074] The second flat closing plate 70, shown more precisely in the figure, is symmetrical to that shown in the figure. It has a first side 71 parallel to the longitudinal direction B and running alongside the rectangular junction plate 50b, covering its first side 51, a second side 72 parallel to the fourth side 64 of the first flat closing plate 60, and a third side 73 parallel to the radial direction of the sectorial portion 22 and running alongside the same first truncated side 43 as the first flat closing plate 60 up to the junction between the first truncated side 43 and the inclined side 44 of the truncated corner plate 40.

[0075] To ensure the continuity of the second undulations of the sectoral portions 22 through the radial junction undulation 24, a first deviation piece 95 is arranged between the second undulation portion 55 of the rectangular junction plate 50a and the second truncated undulation 48 of the truncated corner plate 40 and a second deviation piece 90 is arranged between the second undulation portion 55 of the rectangular junction plate 50b and the second undulation 47 of the truncated corner plate 40.

[0076] The second deviation piece 90 shown more precisely at the east is symmetrical to the one shown at the. It is arranged between the second side 72 of the second flat closing plate 70 and the fourth side 64 of the first flat closing plate 60. It has a corrugated portion 92 aligned with and joined to the second corrugated portion 55 of the rectangular connecting plate 50b and a corrugated portion 91 aligned with and joined to the second corrugation 47 of the truncated corner plate 40. A flat base 93 covers the second side 72 of the second flat closing plate 70 and a flat base 94 covers the fourth side 64 of the first flat closing plate 60. The first deflection piece 95 is identical, except for the shorter length of the corrugated portion 91 to join the second truncated corrugation 48 of the truncated corner plate 40.

[0077] The edge of the sectoral portion 22 along the radial junction undulation 24 is also formed by a pattern repeated in the longitudinal direction B. When following the radial junction undulation 24 away from the center of the bottom wall, the pattern is formed successively by the first side 61 of the first flat closing plate 60, the inclined side 44 of the truncated corner plate 40, which is locally spanned by the first deflection piece 95, the first side 71 of the second flat closing plate 70 and the second deflection piece 90. It can therefore be seen that the edge area of ​​the sectoral portion 22 can be manufactured with a reduced number of parts and simple geometric shapes.

[0078] This arrangement is particularly advantageous for manufacturing a very large diameter watertight membrane, but also for easily adapting the watertight membrane to tanks of different diameters.

[0079] The preceding description applies to identical sectoral portions. However, one or more sectoral portions may differ from the others, for example in their angle or the structure of the waterproof membrane.

[0080] Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is clearly evident that it is by no means limited to them and that it includes all technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

[0081] The use of the verb "comporter", "comprendre" or "include" and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those stated in a claim.

[0082] In claims, any reference sign in parentheses should not be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims

A sealed tank intended to be installed in the internal space of a supporting structure (10) having a bottom load-bearing wall (11) and a cylindrical load-bearing wall (12), the tank comprising a flat wall intended to be disposed on an internal surface of the bottom load-bearing wall, the flat wall comprising a sealed membrane (20) intended to be in contact with a liquefied gas contained in the tank, the sealed membrane (20) comprising a plurality of sectorial portions (22) each oriented along a respective radial direction and juxtaposed along a circumferential direction of the cylindrical load-bearing wall (12), each sectorial portion (22) comprising parallel undulations extending in the radial direction (A) of the sectorial portion and an end piece (80) closing said undulation at an edge of the sectorial portion, the sectorial portion comprising a plurality of rectangular sector plates (26) assembled in a sealed manner,each rectangular sector plate having first sides (27) parallel to the radial direction of the sector portion, second sides (28) perpendicular to the radial direction of the sector portion, and a radial corrugation portion (29) extending in the radial direction of the sector portion at a distance from the first sides (27) and joining the second sides (28) of the rectangular sector plate, the rectangular sector plates being arranged so that the radial corrugation portions (29) form said parallel corrugations, the waterproof membrane comprising a radial junction corrugation (24) disposed between two of said sector portions (22), each of the two sector portions having an angular distance (E) between the radial direction (A) of the sector portion and a longitudinal direction (B) of the radial junction corrugation (24),in which each of the two sectoral portions further comprises a truncated corner plate (40) having first sides (41, 43) parallel to the radial direction of the sectoral portion, second sides (42, 45) perpendicular to the radial direction of the sectoral portion, a radial corrugation portion (46) extending in the radial direction of the sectoral portion at a distance from the first sides (41, 43) and joining the second sides (42, 45) of the truncated corner plate, said radial corrugation portion belonging to one of the parallel corrugations of the sectoral portion, said truncated corner plate having an inclined side (44) extending from a first truncated side (43) selected from among the first sides to a second truncated side (45) selected from among the second sides of the truncated corner plate,said inclined side having said angular deviation (E) with said first truncated side (43) and being disposed at said edge of the sectoral portion parallel to the longitudinal direction (B) of the radial junction undulation. A watertight tank according to claim 1, in which the watertight membrane comprises a plurality of rectangular junction plates (50a, 50b), each rectangular junction plate having first sides (51) parallel to the longitudinal direction of the radial junction corrugation, second sides (52, 53) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the radial junction corrugation, and a portion of junction corrugation (54) extending in the longitudinal direction of the radial junction corrugation at a distance from the first sides (51) and joining the second sides (52, 53) of the rectangular junction plate, the rectangular junction plates (50a, 50b) being aligned in the longitudinal direction of the radial junction corrugation such that the portions of junction corrugation form said radial junction corrugation (24). Watertight tank according to claim 2, in which one or each of the rectangular joining plates (50a, 50b) has a cross-section invariant in the longitudinal direction (B) of the radial corrugation. A watertight tank according to claim 3, wherein said parallel undulations of a sectoral portion (22) are first parallel undulations, each sectoral portion further comprising a second undulation extending in an ortho-radial direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the sectoral portion, the second undulations of the sectoral portions being connected to each other so as to draw a closed polygonal contour, wherein the junction undulation portion is a first junction undulation portion (54), one or each of a rectangular junction plate (50a, 50b) comprising a first portion of length having said invariant cross-section and a second portion of length extending said first portion of length in the longitudinal direction of the radial undulation,the second length portion having a second junction undulation portion (55) intersecting the first junction undulation portion (54), the second junction undulation portion connecting the second undulations of said two sectoral portions. Watertight tank according to claim 4, in which the second portion of junction corrugation (55) extends at a distance from the second sides (52, 53) of the rectangular junction plate. A sealed tank according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the second junction corrugation portion (55) extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction (B) of the radial corrugation, wherein each of the two sectoral portions comprises a deflection piece (90, 95) connecting the second junction corrugation portion (55) to the second corrugation of the sectoral portion, the deflection piece having two longitudinal portions (91, 92) forming between them a deflection equal to said angular deviation (E). A sealed tank according to any one of claims 4 to 6, in which the or each truncated corner plate (40) has an ortho-radial corrugation portion (47, 48) extending in the ortho-radial direction of the sectoral portion at a distance from the second sides (45, 42) of the truncated corner plate and cutting the radial corrugation portion (46), said ortho-radial corrugation portion (47, 48) belonging to the second corrugation of the sectoral portion, said ortho-radial corrugation portion (47, 48) being connected to the second junction corrugation portion by the deflection piece (90, 95). A watertight tank according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the truncated corner plate is a first truncated corner plate and wherein each of the two sectorial portions further comprises a second truncated corner plate (40) and a closing plate (60), the closing plate (60) having a first side (61) parallel to the longitudinal direction (B) of the radial junction corrugation and running along one of the first sides (51) of one of the rectangular junction plates (50a, 50b), a second side (62) perpendicular to the radial direction of the sectorial portion and running along the second truncated side (45) of the first truncated corner plate (40), and a third side (63) parallel to the radial direction of the sectorial portion and running along one of the first sides (27) of one of the rectangular sector plates (26) of the sectorial portion and the first truncated side (43) of the second plate. truncated corner (40) of the sector portion,in which the end piece (80) is arranged on the closing plate (60) in line with the radial corrugation portion (46) of the first truncated corner plate. A watertight tank according to claim 8 taken in combination with claim 7, wherein the ortho-radial corrugated portion of the first truncated corner plate is a first ortho-radial corrugated portion (48) cutting the inclined side (44) of the first truncated corner plate, and the deflection piece (95) is a first deflection piece connecting the first ortho-radial corrugated portion (48) to the second junction corrugated portion (55) of a first of the rectangular junction plates (50a), the first truncated corner plate having a second ortho-radial corrugated portion (47) extending in the ortho-radial direction of the sectorial portion at a distance from the second sides of the first truncated corner plate and joining the first sides (41, 43) of the first truncated corner plate by cutting the radial corrugated portion (46),the first and second ortho-radial undulation portions of the first truncated corner plate belonging to two second undulations of the sectoral portion, the second ortho-radial undulation portion (47) being connected to the second junction undulation portion (55) of a second of the rectangular junction plates (50b) by a second deflection piece (90), the second deflection piece having two longitudinal portions (91, 92) forming between them a deflection equal to said angular deviation (E). A sealed tank according to claim 9, wherein the closing plate is a first closing plate (60), each of the two sectoral portions further comprising a second closing plate (70), wherein the edge of each of the two sectoral portions is formed by a pattern repeated in the longitudinal direction of the radial junction undulation, the repeated pattern comprising successively the first side (61) of the first closing plate (60), the inclined side (44) of the first truncated corner plate (40), a first side (71) of the second closing plate (70) and the second deflection piece (90), the first closing plate (60) having a general trapezoidal shape and comprising a fourth side (64) parallel to the second side (62) of the first closing plate, the fourth side (64) of the first closing plate being arranged along said second deflection piece. A sealed tank according to claim 10, in which the second closing plate (70) has a generally triangular shape and comprises the first side (71) which extends in the longitudinal direction (B) of the radial junction corrugation, a second side (72) running along the second deflection piece (90) opposite the fourth side of said first closing plate (60) and a third side (73) running along the first truncated side (43) of the first truncated corner plate (40). Watertight tank according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising an insulating barrier intended to be disposed between the watertight membrane (20) and the bottom load-bearing wall (11). Watertight tank according to claim 12, wherein the watertight membrane (20) is a primary watertight membrane, the tank wall further comprising a secondary watertight membrane intended to be disposed between the insulating barrier and the bottom load-bearing wall (11). Liquefied gas storage installation comprising a supporting structure (10) and a sealed tank according to any one of claims 1 to 13 installed in an internal space of the supporting structure. Liquefied gas storage installation according to claim 14, wherein the load-bearing structure (10) is made of concrete.

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