The invention relates to the development of cryogenic equipment for transport and storage of liquefied gases where the family of cryogenic equipment for transport and storage consist of horizontal and vertical vessels and transportable-mobile equipment in ISO containers.
The invention specifically relates to a tank container for the transport and storage of cryogenic liquefied gas, comprising a framework and a cylindrical vessel connected to the framework.
The current existing technological solutions based on technologies of performance of traditional insulation, which are also applicable in other insulation applications, such as the use of vacuum insulated cryogenic vessels with applications to storage and transport containers and expanded foam, expanded glass, perlite and similar inorganic materials. The traditional insulation of cryogenic tanks is considered to still require a significant low vacuum for successful operation. Insulation based on nanostructure gels has already achieved in atmospheric pressure values of insulation, which are better than in comparable existing materials, but the available potential and properties that are not to be found in conventional materials is exploited in this application.
Cryogenic gases are stored in liquid form at extremely low temperatures. Fields of application are expanding along with increased technological possibilities in the industry and energy supply. Of the liquefied gas used most are liquefied natural gas, liquefied nitrogen, liquefied oxygen, argon and CO2. The temperature of liquefied gas goes down to −196° C. (liquid nitrogen—LIN), oxygen (LOX) and argon (LAR), natural gas (LNG) at −163° C., carbon dioxide (LCO2) is the warmest with temperatures ranging from −40° C. down to −80° C.
The introduction of the liquefied methane industry in the supply system and group of consumers in some countries of the world (Brazil, Indonesia) achieved a remarkable delivery volume. Expansion of gas pipeline network is capital intensive and is difficult in areas with low consumption population density; the supply of liquefied gas provides the introduction of gas in areas where the supply pipeline is possible only after a long period of growth in consumption. Introducing the use of liquefied natural gas in transport would significantly reduce the pressure on the market of liquid fuels. The presence of such equipment solutions on the market facilitates the development of such means of transport and facilitates the issue of pollution from particulates and pollutant gases in urban and densely populated regions, where the work force carry out hundreds of kilometers of journeys per day. The supply of natural gas as an energy provider has taken place so far exclusively through primary, secondary and tertiary networks of gas pipelines. Construction of gas pipelines is capital intensive and requires at least a basic supply of gas to enough powerful customers. This condition is unavailable in many locations in a real short time. Alternative in this regard is the introduction of LNG in smaller tanks, which would provide for such monthly consumption at the specified location (a small industry or residential area) for the supply of liquefied gas would need modified mobile containers for the transport of liquefied gas to the local reservoirs.
For storage and transport of liquefied gases have hitherto been used tanks or tank containers with superinsulation features (thermal conductivity of the insulation material below 0.020 W/mK) realized by a double-vessel design wherein the space between the two vessels is vacuumed. Production of such double container and vacuuming of the dead space is technologically very demanding and expensive. Thus, the container must be serviced annually for vacuuming dead space, which can last several weeks, while all the time necessary for restoring the insulation the tank is useless.
The underlying problem of the present invention is therefore to provide a transport or storage tank, specifically a tank container for cryogenic gases like LNG, LOX, LIN or LAR, which allows for a high transport capacity, a low tare weight, a superinsulation arrangement with low maintenance and a simple structural design suitable for a high temperature difference between the tank vessel and the framework.
This problem is solved by a tank container according to claim 1. Such a tank container for the transport and storage of cryogenic liquefied gas, comprises a framework and a cylindrical vessel connected to the framework, wherein the vessel is covered by a superinsulation arrangement based on an aerogel composition, and the vessel is connected to the framework by an insulating clamping device which is adapted to allow for a relative movement between the framework and the vessel due to thermal expansion or contraction of the vessel.
Further embodiments of the present invention are indicated in the claims 2 to 15, the following description and the drawings.
The equipment based on the invention differs from the current solutions in the technology of insulation: The insulation is improved, the storage time is prolonged, manufacturing times are shortened, reduced material in quantity and the need for vacuum as the traditional technology of insulation is eliminated.
The introduction of new technologic procedures, new materials and new composites contribute to the solution of technological difficulties, which are not satisfactorily resolved (thermal bridges on supports, losses on functional piping and valves, etc.). In the production significant time is saved due to shorter timing between manufacturing operations. The vacuum insulated vessel requires needs two shells—an outer and an inner shell capable of operation under pressure conditions. The result is double quantity of material and at least double mass of the vessel. The manufacture of two complex vessels takes at least double time (the cryo temperature set due to exquisite complexity range the highest requirements). Also the process of establishing vacuum is slow, and the problem of maintaining vacuum remains. A great portion of time dedicated in the production of vacuum insulated vessels is necessary for the vacuuming process. In addition to this the vacuum through time is lost and regular vacuuming is necessary. The established solutions require repeated vacuuming every 290 to 365 days. The process of vacuuming takes some 250 to 550 hours. The vessel insulated with the solution presented in the innovation can be manufactured in shorter time-a single pressure vessel, lighter—the mechanical protection is one tenth of the vacuum protection, less sensitive to mechanical and fire loads.
The developed procedures allow significant saving in material with the lighter vessel shell, faster installation of the insulation and better control over local deviations, the possibility of insulation of connecting piping all contribute to evaporation rates under 0.38% of full load per day.
The installation of cryogenic vessels in container frames enables multimodal transport within the scope of ADR (road) and RID (rail) and IMDG (sea). Such an implementation can relieve the road transportation and enable access to specific locations.
The cryogenic insulation is suitable for cryo temperatures and also demonstrates in case of flammable gases fire resistance. During the filling the liquefied gas at temperature of gas −186° C. (LIN) to 161° C. (LNG) at ambient pressure. During transport or longer storage the temperature would raise to 135° C., and the pressure in the vessel rises to 6 bars due to heat transfer from the ambient through the insulation. This is the limited pressure where the safety relief valves start to operate or we need to direct the gas to immediate consumption. The insulation is very important for the function of the tank. For the stationary storage tanks the quantity of evaporated gas in a period of time is limited with losses under 0.38% of full load. The evaporation value is determined based on trial operation.
The insulation of vessels with a modern and innovative insulating material based on nanostructure gels based on aerogel material according to the invention avoids the disadvantages of vacuum insulation. High-tech nano-insulation has extremely good insulating properties. Base material formed aerogel, which has in its structure of nano-size pores, which trap molecules of air, which eliminates nearly three modes of heat transfer—convection, —conduction and —radiation and are also flame-retardant. At the same time the material is mechanically stable at temperatures down to −200° C. These properties in the other traditional insulation materials are not common.
The development of vessels with insulation based on nanostructure gels enables the elimination of vacuum. The advantages are directly in the field of the inner and outer vessel shell, both are significantly lighter in weight that means:
The direct material saving for a CRYOTAINER 34000 LNG/40′ example is some 10.000 kg. This results in more freight with one shipment. It allows for faster production procedures for material preparation and shorter time for production.
Prefabrication of insulation material with a specialized work group can reduce the insulation time and the overall finalization of products.
The heat transfer from the ambient to the liquefied gas presents a difficulty, a portion of liquefied gas in the vessel is evaporating, and introduction of efficient insulation is essential. The introduction of innovative solutions based on nanostructure insulation materials provides also properties other than insulation alone. These required properties are resistance to low temperatures, fire resistance, light weight, water repellence, vapor permeability and adequate handling qualities.
The new technology allows for significant savings on material and time of production, and in addition offers safety. In case of mechanical damage of the outer shell in nanostructure insulation prevents in contrast to conventional vacuum continuous heat shielding and prevents immediate evaporation in case of vacuum collapse and extends by a multiplier the available time for salvage. In vacuum vessels the damage causes immediate rise of pressure in the vacuum to the level of the atmosphere. With the rising pressure the vacuum loses its insulating properties and very fast evaporation of liquefied gas takes place.
In case of direct fire exposure the new technology of insulation prevents any rise of temperature in the media for at least 120 minutes.
The family of cryogenic vessels for transport and storage of liquefied gases is composed of stationary horizontal vessels of 8600 to 27000 liters. In addition to the horizontal there is a family of vertical vessels with 8600 to 15000 liters. The family of transportable (intermodal) vessels in ISO container frames is two models with 16800 and 32600 liter volume.
The pressure vessel is composed of an inner shell and an outer coat. The intermediate space is filled with a combination of insulating materials. The insulation from inside towards outside is composed from four to seven 10 mm thick layers of cryogenic protection (in total from 80 to 140 mm) made of nanostructure insulating material (based on aerogel). Every layer is compressed with bands, so that there is no space for air in between. After four or seven layers there is a thermal shrink foil 10 of 0.038 to 0.12 mm thick. This shrink foil has the role of a vapor barrier. The next four to seven layers of insulation are installed. Every layer is compressed with bands. The next thermo shrink foil is installed. Toward the outer coat of the vessel expanded insulation foam (thickness 30 to 50 mm) has to fill out the voids resulting from the deviations between the outer shape and the piping installations. Directly under the outer coat there is 6 to 18 mm fire protection. The introduction of insulation with at least 120 minute fire resistance presents an additional contribution to fire damage risk.
Existing vacuum insulated tanks have an outer shell made of construction steel 10 mm thick and reinforced with U profiles in order to prevent the collapse due to outer pressure. In the project developed nanostructure insulated vessels have an outer coat of only 1 mm thickness of stainless steel. The intermodal unit CRYOTAINER 34000LNG/40′ is some 10.000 kg lighter than comparable tanks with vacuum insulation. The difference in environmental load in the manufacture is significant it saves 10000 kg of steel and eliminates also the emissions to the environment derived from steel production. In stabile units the difference is equal depending on the size of the vessel.
The stationary tanks are intended to replace the liquefied petrol gas (LPG) that is in production directly connected to the available crude oil production. This product enables direct replacement on the market in municipal areas where there are no conditions established for a pipeline connection.
Embodiments, implementation cases, features and further details of the present invention are explained in the following on the basis of the drawings in which
>>Intermodal tank<< container unit 100 CRYOTAINER 34000 LNG/40′ (
Each pressure vessel 110 is horizontally embedded in the standard ISO 40 ‘container frame 120’. The pressure vessel 110 is defined of an internal shell 12 which is covered by an external insulation coating formed by a cover sheet 7. The space between shell 12 and coating 7 is filled with an insulation arrangement 130 comprising a combination of insulating materials. (
Each layer 11 is particularly well-compressed by means of tapes 14 (see
The outer coat layer 7 is formed from thin metal sheets which form a completely sealed enclosure of the insulation arrangement 130 which serves as an additionally vapor barrier. For this purpose the sheets of the coat layer 7 are welded to each other and/or to a suitable substructure connected to the frame (120) or to the vessel 110. The fire protection layer 8 underneath serves as thermal shield during welding which protects the components of the insulation arrangement 130 underneath the fire protection layer 8.
The fire protection layer 8 may also be based on an aerogel composition. Also, the filling layer 9 may also be based on an aerogel composition, e.g. finely divided aerogel pieces or crumbs of aerogel with typical diameters below 1 cm for granules and 1 mm for powders which may be provided in suitable bags, filled blankets or flexible hoses.
The inner shell 12 of the vessel 110 is made of stainless steel. The pressure vessel 110 is equipped with installations for the loading and unloading, pressure indication, level and of the pressure control. The pressure vessel is built with two safety relief valves, which prevent excessive increase in pressure in the tank due to gasification of liquefied gas.
In the frame 120 of 40′ tank container unit two pressure vessels 110 of the same size are arranged horizontally along a tank vessel axis 121. Each of these vessels 110 can be used due to installation that is functioning independently.
Large temperature difference causes some material elongation or in this case shrinkage. Temperature elongations according to the invention of the tank supports formed as clamping devices 30 (see
A specificity of such a support 30 is the low thermal conductivity, which is achieved by a sandwich structure comprising a (first) steel plate element 34 which is welded to a saddle structure 121 of the frame 120. Plate element 34 is sandwiched between two (second) steel plate elements 33 welded to the tank vessel shell 12 via a doubler plate 35 (
The whole sandwich structure of the clamping device 30 is compressed by the joint elements 36, which penetrate corresponding openings 37 of the plate elements 32, 33, 34.
As shown in
In the present case the compressing force is exceeded by the head elements 38 of the joint element 36 formed configured as bolts and the nuts tightened on the thread of the bolt acting as a tie rod.
Details of the reduction of thermal bridge is shown in
In the arrangement shown in
The plate elements 31, 32, 33 and 34 extend in a longitudinal direction, parallel to a tank vessel axis 112. Depending of the cross sectional design of the openings 37 and the corresponding joint elements 36 a controlled sliding movement between the first plate elements 34 and the second plate elements 33 is possible at least at the supports 30 at one end of the vessel which may occur due to thermal expansion or contraction. As the plate elements 31, 32, 33 and 34 also extend in a radial direction to the vessel axis 112 they also allow for a radial displacement of the first plate element 34 relative to the second plate element 33.
Implementation Case 2
Intermodal unit CRYOTAINER 16800 LNG/20′ (
Pressure vessel 110 is horizontally embedded in the standard ISO 40 ‘container frame 120’. All further features and embodiments of the insulation arrangement 130, supports 30 and the saddle structure 121 described above in connection with implementation case 1 also apply to the tank container 100′ with a single vessel 110 according to implementation case 2 (
Implementation Case 3
The vertical stationary pressure vessel 200 CARD 8600 LNG (
Implementation Case 4
The horizontal stationary pressure vessel 300 CARD 15600 LNG (
The vessel is supported by a foundation insulated with foam glass. All further features and embodiments of the insulation 130 described above in connection with implementation cases 1 and 2 also apply to the horizontal stationary vessel 300 according to implementation case 4.
The following features are realized at least partly in the implementation cases described above and specifically in the tank container 100, 100′ according to the present invention.
The method of insulation of cryogenic devices is not based on conventional vacuum insulation but on nanostructure insulation 130.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201200040 | Feb 2012 | SI | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2013/052559 | 2/8/2013 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2013/117706 | 8/15/2013 | WO | A |
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