Method for constructing low-temperature tank and low-temperature tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9664338-B2
Application number	US-201314108862-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2013
Priority date	Jun 27, 2011
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

When manufacturing a low-temperature tank ( 1 ), a plurality of unit tanks ( 10 ) that are able to be connected together by mutually different objects, and that are each capable of storing low-temperature liquefied gas are manufactured in a factory that is distant from a construction site. The unit tanks ( 10 ) are then transported to the construction site, and an inner tank ( 2 ) is then assembled at the construction site by connecting together the plurality of unit tanks ( 10 ). An outer tank ( 3 ) is then formed around the inner tank ( 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for constructing a low-temperature tank in which a low-temperature tank that stores Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is constructed on a previously determined construction site, comprising:
a unit tank manufacturing step in which a plurality of unit tanks that are able to be connected to each other and that are each capable of storing LNG are manufactured at a factory that is distant from the construction site, the plurality of unit tanks constituting one inner tank;
a transporting step in which the unit tanks are transported from the factory to the construction site;
a foundation forming step in which a foundation is formed on the construction site;
an inner tank assembly step in which the one inner tank is assembled on the foundation at the construction site by connecting together the plurality of unit tanks;
an outer tank manufacturing step in which an outer tank is manufactured on the foundation around the one inner tank; and
connecting a pumping apparatus to one unit tank from among the plurality of unit tanks, the pumping apparatus being configured to pump the LNG that has been stored in the inner tank to the outside of the inner tank and the outer tank,
wherein the unit tanks are assembled in the inner tank assembly step such that heights of centers of bottom surfaces of the unit tanks decrease in a stepped arrangement and the unit tank having the lowest height of a center of a bottom surface is connected to the pumping apparatus.

2. The method for constructing a low-temperature tank according to claim 1 , wherein wall portions of the unit tanks are provided with a metal membrane, thermal insulating material and a liner in sequence from the LNG storage area side of the unit tanks.

3. The method for constructing a low-temperature tank according to claim 2 , wherein, in the outer tank manufacturing step, the outer tank, which is formed from concrete, is manufactured by pouring concrete around the unit tank.

4. The method for constructing a low-temperature tank according to claim 1 , wherein the unit tanks are assembled in the inner tank assembly step such that a position in the one inner tank where the LNG is extracted is at the lowest position thereof.

5. The method for constructing a low-temperature tank according to claim 4 , wherein bottom surfaces of the unit tanks that make up the one inner tank are inclined, and the lowest position of these bottom surfaces is set as the low-temperature liquefied gas extraction position.

6. The method for constructing a low-temperature tank according to claim 1 , wherein, in the outer tank manufacturing step, the outer tank, which is formed from concrete, is manufactured by pouring concrete around the one inner tank.

7. The method for constructing a low-temperature tank according to claim 1 , wherein the shape of the unit tanks when seen in plan view is hexagonal.

8. The method for constructing a low-temperature tank according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of unit tanks are joined together via holes for liquid that are open in a bottom portion of each unit tank and via holes for gas that are open in a top portion of each unit tank.

Assignees

• Hata Moriki
• Yamada Juichiro
• FURIKOMA Michitaka
• Sugitani Masahiko
• Ihi Corp

Inventors

• Hata Moriki
• Yamada Juichiro
• FURIKOMA Michitaka
• Sugitani Masahiko

Classifications

• Y02E60/32

  Hydrogen storage · CPC title

• F17C3/025 Primary

  Bulk storage in barges or on ships (constructive aspects B63B25/16) · CPC title

• F17C2221/033

  Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG · CPC title

• F17C2203/0629

  Two walls · CPC title

• F17C2201/0171

  comprising a communication hole between chambers · CPC title