Patent Application
20240060604
The present disclosure relates to a flat-bottomed triple containment tank that stores a low temperature liquefied gas.
Flat-bottomed triple containment tanks that store a low temperature liquefied gas have been proposed. For example, PTL 1 discloses a flat-bottomed triple containment tank.
According to the triple containment tank disclosed in PTL 1, an outer tank is located on a tank foundation made of concrete. A substrate made of perlite concrete and having a cold insulation effect is located on a bottom plate of the outer tank. An intermediate tank is located on this substrate. A level concrete layer is located on a bottom plate of the intermediate tank. An inner tank is located on the level concrete layer. A mounting seat slidably supporting a peripheral portion of a bottom plate of the inner tank is located between the bottom plate of the inner tank and the level concrete layer in an upper-lower direction. An outer peripheral edge portion of the mounting seat extends to the vicinity of an inner wall of an intermediate tank and can contact, from below, a locking piece located on an inner wall of the intermediate tank. One end portion of a first anchor strap (anchor member) is coupled to a side plate of the inner tank, and the other end portion thereof is coupled to the mounting seat. One end portion of a second anchor strap is coupled to a side plate of the intermediate tank, and the other end portion thereof extends into and is fixed to the tank foundation.
In the triple containment tank of PTL 1, one end portion of the first anchor strap is coupled to the side plate of the inner tank, and the other end portion thereof is coupled to the mounting seat located between the bottom plate of the inner tank and the bottom plate of the intermediate tank. The mounting seat engages with the inner tank by friction but is not fixed to the inner tank and the intermediate tank and is not fixed to the tank foundation. It is desirable that one end portion of the anchor strap be fixed to the tank foundation. However, according to a typical triple containment tank, since the intermediate tank and the outer tank exist between the inner tank and the tank foundation, it is difficult to couple the inner tank and the tank foundation by the anchor strap while maintaining airtightness inside and outside the intermediate tank.
The present disclosure was made under these circumstances, and an object of the present disclosure is to, in a triple containment tank including a tank foundation and a triple shell including an outer tank located on the tank foundation, an intermediate tank, and an inner tank, propose a structure in which the inner tank and the tank foundation are coupled to each other by an anchor strap.
A triple containment tank according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes:
The present disclosure can propose, in a triple containment tank including a tank foundation and a triple shell including an outer tank located on the tank foundation, an intermediate tank, and an inner tank, a structure in which the inner tank and the tank foundation are coupled to each other by an anchor strap.
An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
The triple containment tank 1 shown in
The inner tank 3 is a container that stores a low temperature liquefied gas. Examples of the low temperature liquefied gas include liquid helium, liquid hydrogen, liquid nitrogen, LNG, and LPG. A dike 6 made of concrete is located around the triple containment tank 1. The inner tank 3 includes: a substantially flat inner tank bottom plate 31; a cylindrical inner tank side plate 32 standing from the inner tank bottom plate 31; and a hemispherical inner tank roof 33 located at an upper portion of the inner tank side plate 32.
The intermediate tank 4 surrounds the inner tank 3. The intermediate tank 4 includes: a substantially flat intermediate tank bottom plate 41; a cylindrical intermediate tank side plate 42 standing from the intermediate tank bottom plate 41; and a hemispherical intermediate tank roof 43 located at an upper portion of the intermediate tank side plate 42. A level concrete layer 35 and an inner bottom insulation layer 36 are interposed between the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 and the inner tank bottom plate 31 in an upper-lower direction. The intermediate tank roof 43 may support the inner tank roof 33.
The outer tank 5 surrounds the intermediate tank 4. The outer tank 5 includes: a substantially flat outer tank bottom plate 51 located on the tank foundation 7; a cylindrical outer tank side plate 52 standing from the outer tank bottom plate 51; and a hemispherical (dome-shaped) outer tank roof 53 located at an upper portion of the outer tank side plate 52. A level concrete layer 45 and an outer bottom insulation layer 46 are interposed between the outer tank bottom plate 51 and the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 in the upper-lower direction. The outer tank side plate 52 is coupled to the tank foundation 7 by anchor bolts 56. Or, the outer tank bottom plate 51 may be fixed to an anchor plate driven in the tank foundation 7.
There is a gap between an outer wall of the inner tank 3 and an inner wall of the intermediate tank 4, i.e., a first inter-tank region 61 is located therebetween. There is a gap between an outer wall of the intermediate tank 4 and an inner wall of the outer tank 5, i.e., a second inter-tank region 62 is located therebetween. The first inter-tank region 61 and the second inter-tank region 62 are filled with an insulation 63. For example, the insulation 63 may be perlite, glass wool, or the like which has been used as an insulation of a multiple-shell tank.
A BOG pipe 22 is open at a top portion of the inner tank 3. A vaporized gas generated in the inner tank 3 is sent through the BOG pipe 22 to an outside of the triple containment tank 1. A delivering pipe (not shown) is open at a lower portion of the inner tank 3. The liquefied gas of the inner tank 3 is sent through the delivering pipe to the outside. However, the delivering pipe may extend upward in the inner tank 3 and send the liquefied gas to the outside through an upper portion of the triple containment tank 1. A communication pipe 21 through which an upper portion in the inner tank 3 and the first inter-tank region 61 communicate with each other is located at the inner tank roof 33 of the inner tank 3. The vaporized gas of the liquefied gas which is generated in the inner tank 3 flows into the first inter-tank region 61 through the communication pipe 21. Thus, the first inter-tank region 61 is filled with the vaporized gas of the liquefied gas. However, a gas having a low boiling point equal to that of the vaporized gas of the liquefied gas may be introduced to the first inter-tank region 61 from an outside of the triple containment tank 1. Or, the vaporized gas of the liquefied gas may be introduced to the first inter-tank region 61 by connecting a branch pipe of the BOG pipe 22 and the first inter-tank region 61.
The first inter-tank region 61 and the second inter-tank region 62 as spaces are separated from each other by airtightness of the intermediate tank 4 that separates the first inter-tank region 61 and the second inter-tank region 62.
The second inter-tank region 62 is supplied with an inert gas from an inert gas supply source 24 through an introduction pipe 23 and filled with the inert gas. This inert gas is a gas having a higher boiling point than the liquefied gas stored in the inner tank 3. One example of such inert gas is nitrogen.
The inner tank side plate 32 and the tank foundation 7 are coupled to each other by first anchor straps 9. A large number of first anchor straps 9 are located around the inner tank side plate 32 in a circumferential direction at substantially regular intervals. The first anchor straps 9 extend through the first inter-tank region 61 and the second inter-tank region 62. The intermediate tank side plate 42 and the tank foundation 7 are coupled to each other by second anchor straps 10. A large number of second anchor straps 10 are located around the intermediate tank side plate 42 in a circumferential direction at substantially regular intervals. The second anchor straps 10 extend through the second inter-tank region 62. The first anchor straps 9 and the second anchor straps 10 are band-shaped bodies made of a material (SUS, for example) having low temperature toughness. However, the first anchor straps 9 and the second anchor straps 10 may be shaft-shaped bodies or wire-shaped bodies.
A first end portion 91 that is an upper end of the first anchor strap 9 is coupled to an outer wall of the inner tank side plate 32. The first end portion 91 of the first anchor strap 9 may be coupled to the outer wall of the inner tank side plate 32 so as to be allowed to be displaced in the upper-lower direction on the outer wall of the inner tank side plate 32. A second end portion 92 that is a lower end of the first anchor strap 9 is coupled by welding to a bottom portion of an anchor box 71 that penetrates the outer tank bottom plate 51 and is fitted in the tank foundation 7.
Structure in which Inner Tank Side Plate 32 and Tank Foundation 7 are Coupled to Each Other by First Anchor Straps 9
Each first anchor strap 9 includes the first end portion 91 coupled to the inner tank side plate 32 and the second end portion 92 coupled to the tank foundation 7, and in addition, includes: a first intermediate portion 93 located between the first end portion 91 and the second end portion 92 and coupled to an inner wall-side portion of the intermediate tank 4 which is exposed to the first inter-tank region 61; and a second intermediate portion 94 located between the first end portion 91 and the second end portion 92 and coupled to an outer wall-side portion of the intermediate tank 4 which is exposed to the second inter-tank region 62. Hereinafter, First to Sixth Examples of the structure in which the inner tank side plate 32 and the tank foundation 7 are coupled to each other by the first anchor straps 9 will be described.
Regarding the first anchor strap 9, a portion located right above a portion inserted into the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 is the first intermediate portion 93, and a portion right under the portion inserted into the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 is the second intermediate portion 94. Then, an inner wall-side portion of the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 and the first intermediate portion 93 of the first anchor strap 9 are welded to each other, and an outer wall-side portion of the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 and the second intermediate portion 94 of the first anchor strap 9 are coupled to each other by welding. A gap between the first intermediate portion 93 and the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 and a gap between the second intermediate portion 94 and the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 are filled by welding, and the airtightness inside and outside the intermediate tank 4 is maintained.
In First to Sixth Examples, one end portion 10a of the second anchor strap 10 is coupled to an outer wall of the intermediate tank side plate 42 by welding or another method, and the other end portion 10b of the second anchor strap 10 is coupled by welding to an anchor box 72 that penetrates the outer tank bottom plate 51 and is embedded in the tank foundation 7.
The first anchor strap 9 of Second Example is divided at a position between the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 and includes: a first strap body 9a extending from the first end portion 91 coupled to the inner tank side plate 32 to the first intermediate portion 93 coupled to the first coupling portion 75; and a second strap body 9b extending from the second intermediate portion 94 coupled to the second coupling portion 76 to the second end portion 92 coupled to the tank foundation 7. The first strap body 9a and the second strap body 9b are located one a substantially straight line. The first intermediate portion 93 of the first anchor strap 9 and the first coupling portion 75 are coupled to each other by welding. Similarly, the second intermediate portion 94 of the first anchor strap 9 and the second coupling portion 76 are coupled to each other by welding.
In Second Example, unlike First Example, the first anchor strap 9 does not penetrate the intermediate tank 4. Therefore, the airtightness of the intermediate tank 4 does not deteriorate, and the leakage of the gas from the first inter-tank region 61 to the second inter-tank region 62 can be prevented more surely.
The first anchor strap 9 of Third Example is divided at a position between the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 and includes: the first strap body 9a extending from the first end portion 91 coupled to the inner tank side plate 32 to the first intermediate portion 93 coupled to the first coupling portion 77; and the second strap body 9b extending from the second intermediate portion 94 coupled to the second coupling portion 78 to the second end portion 92 coupled to the tank foundation 7. The first strap body 9a and the second strap body 9b are located on a substantially straight line. The first intermediate portion 93 of the first anchor strap 9 and the first coupling portion 77 are pin-joined to each other so as to be turnable. Specifically, the first intermediate portion 93 of the first strap body 9a and the first coupling portion 77 are pin-Joined to each other by a pin inserted into the first intermediate portion 93 of the first strap body 9a and the elongated hole of the first coupling portion 77. A coupling position of the first intermediate portion 93 is variable within a range of the elongated hole located at the first coupling portion 77. Similarly, the second intermediate portion 94 of the first anchor strap 9 and the second coupling portion 76 are pin-joined to each other so as to be turnable. Specifically, the second intermediate portion 94 of the second strap body 9b and the second coupling portion 78 are pin-joined to each other by a bolt inserted into the second intermediate portion 94 of the second strap body 9b and the elongated hole of the second coupling portion 78. A coupling position of the second intermediate portion 94 is variable within a range of the elongated hole located at the second coupling portion 78. However, both of the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 do not have to be pin-joined, and one of the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 may be pin-joined.
In Third Example (and the modified example), unlike First Example, the first anchor strap 9 does not penetrate the intermediate tank 4. Therefore, the airtightness of the intermediate tank 4 does not deteriorate, and the leakage of the gas from the first inter-tank region 61 to the second inter-tank region 62 can be prevented more surely. Moreover, in Third Example, unlike Second Example, each of the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 is displaceable within the range of the elongated hole. Therefore, stress acting on the first anchor strap 9 by thermal contraction of the inner tank 3 can be relaxed by the displacement of the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94.
The first anchor strap 9 according to Fourth Example is a band-shaped or wire-shaped body that is continuous from the first end portion 91 to the second end portion 92. The first anchor strap 9 according to Fourth Example is inserted into the tipper plate 82 at a position between the first end portion 91 and the second end portion 92. Regarding the first anchor strap 9, a portion located right above a portion inserted into the upper plate 82 is the first intermediate portion 93, and a portion right under the portion inserted into the upper plate 82 is the second intermediate portion 94. Then, an upper surface of the upper plate 82 and the first intermediate portion 93 of the first anchor strap 9 are coupled to each other by welding, and a lower surface of the upper plate 82 and the second intermediate portion 94 of the first anchor strap 9 are coupled to each other by welding. A gap between the upper plate 82 and the first intermediate portion 93 and a gap between the upper plate 82 and the second intermediate portion 94 are filled by welding, and therefore, the airtightness of the intermediate tank 4 is maintained.
In Fourth Example, the connection box 80 includes the expandable portion Therefore, unlike First Example, the stress acting on the intermediate tank 4 by the thermal contraction of the inner tank 3 can be relaxed by the deformation of the expandable portion.
The first anchor strap 9 according to Fifth Example is a band-shaped or wire-shaped body that is continuous from the first end portion 91 to the second end portion 92. The first anchor strap 9 according to Fifth Example is inserted into the upper plate 82 at a position between the first end portion 91 and the second end portion 92. Regarding the first anchor strap 9, a portion located right above a portion inserted into the upper plate 82 is the first intermediate portion 93, and a portion right under the portion inserted into the upper plate 82 is the second intermediate portion 94. However, the first anchor strap 9 may be divided at a position between the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 without being inserted into the upper plate 82. Then, the upper surface of the upper plate 82 and the first intermediate portion 93 of the first anchor strap 9 are coupled to each other by welding, and the lower surface of the upper plate 82 and the second intermediate portion 94 of the first anchor strap 9 are coupled to each other by welding. A gap between the upper plate 82 and the first intermediate portion 93 and a gap between the upper plate 82 and the second intermediate portion 94 are filled by welding, and therefore, the airtightness of the intermediate tank 4 is maintained.
In Fifth Example, the connection box 80 includes the expandable portion. Therefore, unlike First Example, the stress acting on the intermediate tank 4 by the thermal contraction of the inner tank 3 can be relaxed by the deformation of the expandable portion.
The first anchor strap 9 of Sixth Example is divided at a position between the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 and includes: the first strap body 9a extending from the first end portion 91 coupled to the outer wall of the inner tank side plate 32 to the first intermediate portion 93 coupled to the bracket 84; and the second strap body 9b extending from the second intermediate portion 94 coupled to the outer wall of the intermediate tank side plate 42 to the second end portion 92 coupled to the tank foundation 7. To be specific, the first strap body 9a and the second strap body 9b are coupled to each other by a rigid body including the annular plate 41b of the intermediate tank bottom plate 41, a lower portion of the intermediate tank side plate 42, and the bracket 84.
In Sixth Example, the second strap body 9b and the second anchor strap 10 are integrated with each other. Therefore, as the second anchor strap 10 of Sixth Example, it is desirable to use a band-shaped body that is wider or thicker than those of First to Fifth Examples. However, the second strap body 9b and the second anchor strap 10 may be separately located and may be lined up.
In Sixth Example, unlike First Example, the first anchor strap 9 does not penetrate the intermediate tank 4. Therefore, the airtightness of the intermediate tank 4 does not deteriorate, and the leakage of the gas from the first inter-tank region 61 to the second inter-tank region 62 can be prevented more surely.
As described above, the triple containment tank 1 according to the present embodiment includes:
Then, the first anchor strap 9 includes the first end portion 91 coupled to the inner tank side plate 32 and the second end portion 92 coupled to the tank foundation 7. The first anchor strap 9 further includes: the first intermediate portion 93 located between the first end portion 91 and the second end portion 92 and coupled to the inner wall-side portion of the intermediate tank 4 which is exposed to the first inter-tank region 61; and the second intermediate portion 94 located between the first end portion 91 and the second end portion 92 and coupled to the outer wall-side portion of the intermediate tank 4 which is exposed to the second inter-tank region 62.
In the triple containment tank 1 configured as above, the inner tank side plate 32 and the tank foundation 7 can be coupled to each other by the first anchor strap 9 with the intermediate tank 4 interposed therebetween.
In the above embodiment, the first inter-tank region 61 and the inside of the inner tank 3 communicate with each other. The first inter-tank region 61 is filled with the vaporized gas of the liquefied gas. The second inter-tank region 62 is filled with the gas having a higher boiling point than the liquefied gas.
The first intermediate portion 93 of the first anchor strap 9 is coupled to the inner wall-side portion of the intermediate tank 4, and the second intermediate portion 94 of the first anchor strap 9 is coupled to the outer wall-side portion of the intermediate tank 4. Therefore, the first anchor strap 9 can be included while maintaining the airtightness inside and outside the intermediate tank 4. Thus, even when the gas filled in the first inter-tank region 61 and the gas filled in the second inter-tank region 62 are different from each other as described above, the leakage of these gases and the mixture of these gases are prevented. Moreover, when the first inter-tank region 61 and the inside of the inner tank 3 communicate with each other, and the first inter-tank region 61 is filled with the vaporized gas, the pressure difference between the inner and outer tanks can be reduced, and the stress acting on the first anchor strap 9 can be reduced.
As shown in First Example, the first anchor strap 9 may be a band-shaped or wire-shaped body that is continuous from the first end portion 91 to the second end portion 92. The first anchor strap 9 may be inserted into the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 at a position between the first end portion 91 and the second end portion 92. The first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 may be coupled to the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 by welding.
As shown in Second and Third Examples, the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 may include: the first coupling portion 75 or 77 located at the inner wall-side portion; and the second coupling portion 76 or 78 located at the outer wall-side portion. The first anchor strap 9 may include: the first strap body 9a extending from the first end portion 91 coupled to the inner tank side plate 32 to the first intermediate portion 93 coupled to the first coupling portion 75 or 77; and the second strap body 9b extending from the second intermediate portion 94 coupled to the second coupling portion 76 or 78 to the second end portion 92 coupled to the tank foundation 7. Herein, the first strap body 9a and the second strap body 9b may be located on a substantially straight line.
As shown in Third Example, at least one of the first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 may be pin-joined.
As shown in Fourth and Fifth Examples, the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 may include the connection box 80 including the side plate 81 and the upper plate 82. The first intermediate portion 93 and the second intermediate portion 94 may be coupled to the upper plate 82 by welding. Herein, it is desirable that at least one of the side plate 81 and the upper plate 82 include the expandable portion. Moreover, the first anchor strap 9 may be a band-shaped or wire-shaped body that is continuous from the first end portion 91 to the second end portion 92.
As shown in Sixth Example, the intermediate tank bottom plate 41 may include: the annular plate 41b located at the peripheral portion of the intermediate tank bottom plate 41; and the bracket 84 fixed to the annular plate 41b and the intermediate tank side plate 42 at the inner wall-side portion of the intermediate tank 4. The first anchor strap 9 may include: the first strap body 9a extending from the first end portion 91 coupled to the inner tank side plate 32 to the first intermediate portion 93 coupled to the bracket 84; and the second strap body 9b extending from the second intermediate portion 94 coupled to the outer wall-side portion of the intermediate tank side plate 42 to the second end portion 92 coupled to the tank foundation 7. The second anchor strap 10 may be integrated with the second strap body 9b or may be lined up with the second strap body 9b.
The foregoing has described a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. Modifications of specific structures and/or functional details of the above embodiment may be included in the present disclosure as long as they are within the scope of the present disclosure. The above configuration may be changed as below, for example.
For example, in the above embodiment, the inner tank 3, the intermediate tank 4, and the outer tank 5 are cylindrical flat-bottomed tanks. However, the shape of the tank is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and the tank may be a flat-bottomed tank having a substantially polygonal tubular shape.
For example, in the above embodiment, the dike 6 is located around the triple containment tank 1. However, the dike 6 may be omitted.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-218833 | Dec 2020 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/047383 | 12/21/2021 | WO |
