Sealed Insulating Tank Modular Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealed and thermally insulated tanks for liquefied gases, particularly liquefied natural gas with high methane content, face challenges in providing a cost-effective and efficient insulation solution that can withstand hydrostatic pressure while minimizing assembly time and using readily available, inexpensive materials.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer tank structure comprising a thermal insulation barrier with juxtaposed heat-insulating elements, a metal sealing membrane, and an anchoring system that decouples tensile stress from the load-bearing and insulation elements, allowing for the use of flexible insulation materials like glass wool and standard materials, and a modular design for reduced assembly time and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rigid insulation materials and integrated anchoring systems are used, then structural strength and sealing are improved, but assembly time increases and material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tank wall is divided into modular heat-insulating elements that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each element includes pre-attached cover panels and load-bearing elements, allowing rapid assembly without complex integration steps while maintaining structural integrity through standardized connection interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchoring system is pre-assembled with the heat-insulating elements before installation. The retaining rods and crosspieces are positioned and secured to the load-bearing wall in advance, and the heat-insulating elements are then snapped or bolted into place, eliminating time-consuming on-site anchoring operations.
2Temperature
If high-performance insulation materials are used, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat-insulating element uses a composite structure combining rigid foam core material with fabric or mesh reinforcement layers. This composite design provides adequate thermal insulation performance while using lower-cost materials compared to high-performance rigid insulation boards, and the fabric reinforcement adds structural stability at minimal cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation system applies different material properties to different zones: the core uses cost-effective rigid foam for thermal insulation, while the cover panels and load-bearing elements use structurally adequate but simpler materials. This localized material selection optimizes the balance between insulation performance and material cost.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the anchoring system is integrated with insulation elements, then structural stability is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring system is segmented into discrete retaining rods and crosspieces that are independently positionable. Each heat-insulating element has dedicated attachment points that align with these segmented anchoring components, allowing stable structural integration through simple, repeatable connection operations rather than complex integrated assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
The crosspieces serve multiple functions: they connect adjacent heat-insulating elements laterally, provide attachment points for the metal sealing membrane, and work with retaining rods to secure elements to the load-bearing wall. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying assembly while maintaining structural stability.
4Temperature
If custom-designed insulation elements are used, then thermal insulation efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat-insulating elements are designed as standardized modular units with uniform dimensions and standardized connection interfaces. This segmentation allows mass production using conventional manufacturing processes, reducing custom design and fabrication costs while maintaining effective thermal insulation performance through optimized modular geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows for parameter standardization (dimensions, thickness, connection hole patterns) that enables production on standard manufacturing equipment. By optimizing these parameters for conventional production methods rather than custom fabrication, manufacturing cost is reduced while thermal insulation efficiency is maintained through properly sized standard modules.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a tight and insulating tank wall structure that effectively manages hydrostatic pressure, reduces assembly time, and utilizes inexpensive, widely available materials, ensuring efficient thermal insulation and sealing without transferring tensile stress to the insulation elements.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal insulation barrier (4) arranged between the sealing barrier (5) and the inner surface (7) of the load-bearing structure (1), the thermal insulation barrier (4) comprising juxtaposed heat-insulating elements (10)
Implementation Method 2
a sealing barrier (5) arranged between the thermal insulation barrier (4) and the load-bearing structure (1)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A wall of a sealed and thermally insulated tank comprises: a multilayer structure comprising a sealing barrier (5) and a thermal insulation barrier (4), retaining rods (22) attached to the bearing wall (7) between the insulating elements and extending through the thickness of the multilayer structure to hold the multilayer structure on the bearing wall, in which crossmembers (30) are attached to the retaining rods (22) so that a crossmember in each instance extends between two retaining rods at the interface between two insulating elements, the cover panels (11) of the insulating elements being connected to the crossmembers (30) so as to be held against the bearing wall by the crossmembers, and the sealing barrier (5) being connected to the crossmembers (30) to be held against the insulating element cover panels by the crossmembers.