Abstract: Watertight and thermally insulating tank built into the bearing structure (1) of a ship, the said tank comprising two successive watertightness barriers, one of them a primary one (17) in contact with the product contained in the tank, and the other a secondary one (13) located between the primary watertightness barrier and the bearing structure, a thermally insulating secondary barrier (4) being located between the secondary watertightness barrier and the walls of the bearing structure, characterized in that it comprises an impact-resistant mechanical protecting shield (16) located between the two watertightness barriers, the shield being held elastically pressed against the secondary watertightness barrier by metal fastening means mechanically connected to the secondary insulating barrier, thermal insulation being afforded only by the secondary insulating barrier.

Abstract: Watertight and thermally insulating tank built into the bearing structure of a ship, the said tank comprising two successive watertightness barriers, the said bearing structure comprising walls (1) which form the internal sides of its double hull and two transverse bulkheads (2), these two watertightness barriers alternating with two thermally insulating barriers, the corner connection of the elements of the primary and secondary barriers, in the zones where the transverse bulkheads meet the internal sides, being achieved in the form of a connecting ring, the structure of which remains substantially constant right along the solid angle (3) of intersection between a transverse bulkhead and the internal sides, each connecting ring comprising a prefabricated composite girder (20) consisting of a rigid metal formwork (21) incorporated in a thermally insulating material (22), the said rigid formwork defining a central fixed anchorage zone (29) substantially at the intersection between the plane that bisects the co

Abstract: Impermeable and insulating tank built into a load-bearing structure, the tank having two successive sealing barriers alternated with two thermally insulating barriers, the secondary barriers and the primary insulating barrier consisting of a set of prefabricated panels, each panel comprising, in succession, a first rigid board, a first thermal insulation layer (104), a second thermal insulation layer (108), and a second rigid board, the junction regions between the primary insulating barrier elements of two adjacent panels being filled with insulating titles each consisting of a thermal insulation layer (115) covered with a rigid board, the continuity of the secondary sealing barrier being provided in the junction regions of two adjacent panels by flexible strips (120) which are impervious to gas and to liquid, each strip being hermetically bonded to a secondary insulating barrier element of a panel by a lateral marginal region (120a) and to a secondary insulating barrier element of the adjacent panel by an o

Abstract: A watertight, thermally insulating tank built into a bearing structure and including a primary watertight barrier contacting material within the tank and including strakes having edges turned upwardly towards an interior of the tank. A secondary watertight barrier is positioned between the primary watertight barrier and the bearing structure. The tank includes primary and secondary insulating barriers. The insulating barriers are alternately arranged with the watertight barriers. A weld support is mechanically held on the primary insulating barrier and forms an expansion joint. The strakes are butt-welded to two faces of the weld support. The secondary watertight barrier and the insulating barriers each include prefabricated panels fixed to the bearing structure. A zone at a junction between two adjacent panels is filled in at least to ensure continuity of the secondary watertight barrier. Each prefabricated panel is formed of a first rigid plate including a layer of thermal insulant.

Abstract: A machine for automatically welding parts which need to be assembled has detection means which include a locating telemeter capable of measuring a selected distance between the machine and one of the parts. A programmable control device is provided with a memory wherein are stored the coordinates of the passing points of a welding torch. The coordinates are distributed on a curvilinear section of a welding profile. The machine includes first calculation means for determining the location of the passage points and for defining, by circular extrapolation, a series of points defining the curves joining the passage points and corresponding to the curvilinear section, so that a shifting system matches the successive positions of the torch with the section. The invention is suitable for in situ welding, for example to produce membranes for fluid confinement tanks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a prefabricated structure providing fluid-tight and thermo-insulated walls for a heat-insulated confinement container such as a fluid-tight reservoir for storage and/or transport of a very low temperature fluid. Said structure (1) comprised of an internal flexible and fluid-tight barrier (2), a heat insulation system (4) and an external wall (3) forming support for the structure (1), is characterized in that distribution walls (53) integral with the external wall (3) are fixed to the latter particularly by means of screws or the like (35) arranged facing holes (435) drilled in an external insulation layer (43) at a distance from the joints (63) between plates (43a) forming said layer, a fluid-tight connector (80) being sealingly arranged in each of the holes (435) and joints (63). The invention applies to the construction of structures forming fluid-tight reservoirs, for example for tankers which transport cryogenic liquids such as methane tankers.

Abstract: A buried fluid storage tank with a single fluid-tight enclosure which comprises an external concrete enclosure buried into the ground, a rigid structure with a bottom slab and possibly a covering dome as well as a fluid-tight heat-insulating envelope which defines inside of the structure a fluid loading space, whereas the external enclosure has the shape of a thick substantially fluid-tight wall, this enclosure as well as the covering dome being made integral with each other from one single piece of material and forming together with the bottom slab the stiffening structure of the tank, the invention being applicable to a confinement tank in particular for a harbor terminal for loading a liquefied natural gas.

Abstract: A device forming a heat insulating wall structure for a fluid-tight tank and comprising an interposed joint packing including on each one of its sides at least one lateral joint consisting of a flexible and expansible heat insulating material accommodated within a corresponding recess of the packing body and connected to the latter, which joint after said packing has been mounted between two adjacent panels is in free pressed bearing engagement with the neighbouring panel.

Abstract: An element in particular for a fluid-tight connecting structure between the side wall and the roof of a storage tank in particular for a molten salt, consisting of an arcuate sheet metal strip provided with at least one longitudinal projecting corrugation the crest of which is formed with spaced transverse depressions, said projecting corrugation having a cross-section in the shape of an acute angle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of building a reservoir for storing liquefied natural gas at low temperature.This method consists in fixing on the internal wall 22 of the concrete vessel 3 a first thin lining 21 forming a first fluid-tight barrier, then in completely filling the space between the tank 2 and the concrete vessel 3 by means of a heat-insulating structure comprising an assembly of stacked blocks 25 of insulating material, associated with a second thin lining 24 forming a second fluid-tight barrier, said structure being supported by the concrete vessel and simply arranged round the inner tank.The building method according to the invention applies in particular to liquefied natural gas storage reservoirs installed on solid ground.

Abstract: A storage tank for cryogenic liquefied gases comprising an outer shell, a fluid-tight inner shell defining the storage space containing the liquefied gas and an insulating structure provided in the evacuated intermediate space, the insulating structure including a wall made of juxtaposed hollow, evacuated panels, the joints between adjacent panels being tightly covered by elements adapted to take up the cold-induced wall shrinkage, the elements and the inner wall of said juxtaposed panels forming said inner shell.

Abstract: A pipe-line for conveying a fluid submerged in an ambient fluid medium has an inner conveying tube surrounded by an outer tube radially spaced from the inner tube and defining a continuous annular space therebetween. A leak conductor communicating with a leak collector and surrounding the inner conveying tube conducts leaks of conveyed fluid to the leak collector. The leak collector has a reduced cross-section and is divided into adjacent sections isolated in a fluid-tight manner relative to each other and extending throughout the length of the tube. Each of the sections has at least a single valve automatically opened by predetermined pressure of the conveyed fluid leaks for providing communication with the annular space surrounding the inner tube.

Abstract: A fluid-conveying, flexible, lagged pipe for building up in particular a liquefied natural gas carrying pipe-line connecting an off-shore platform for working submarine oil fields or like underwater pools to a tanker ship and comprising an inner tubular duct including an inner helical metal spring, an intermediate layer of yielding composite material and an outer helical metal spring like the inner spring but longitudinally offset by half a pitch of turns with respect to the latter so that the turns of said outer spring be nested between those, respectively, of said inner spring.

Abstract: A relatively thin, flexible, impervious, sheet-like laminated building material comprising at least three continuous overlying layers of yielding material adapted to withstand very severe cold conditions, bonded together and consisting of at least one first mechanically strong supporting endmost layer having a thickness of from about 0.3 to about 0.6 mm; at least one impervious film-like layer having a thickness of from 0.04 to 0.10 mm and at least one second endmost lining layer providing at least a mechanical and at least temporary protection and having a thickness from about 0.3 to 0.6 mm.

Abstract: A cryogenic tank comprising an innermost fluid-confining wall forming a primary barrier made form relatively thin, flexible, impervious, sheet-like laminated building material comprising at least three continuous overlying layers of yielding material adapted to withstand very severe cold conditions, bonded together and consisting of at least one first mechanically strong supporting outer layer, at least one impervious film-like intermediate layer and at least one second inner lining layer providing at least a mechanical and at least temporary protection.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermally insulating composite wall for any kind of tank on ships or on land. The wall comprises a self-supporting external wall, a bed of thermally insulating elements secured to said wall at least partially by means of a hardened packing material and a fluid-tight internal lining; said material may notably be a cellular material in contact with all the external surface of this bed and obtained by in situ expansion and subsequent hardening of a deformable product capable of spontaneous expansion which has been previously placed according to a discontinuous distribution.

Abstract: Method of assembling and laying at least one fluid conveying conduit between an on-shore point and an advanced off-shore point, including erecting, regularly on the bottom of the sea, partially emersed pillars, prefabricating conduit sections before or after erecting the pillars, mounting said sections between and at least partially supporting the same on the successive pillars and interconnecting these sections. Where there are at least three conduits, they may be provided in a bunch arrangement and suspended between the pillars. Where the conduits are partially immersed, they are provided with a rising branch at each end to be connected one to another above the level of the sea.

Abstract: A method of mounting a composite heat-insulating wall structure for a tank for the transportation of liquefied gases, wherein a wall of heat-insulating material is injected directly onto the secondary barrier formed by the ship's double hull, the primary barrier being secured on the insulating wall. This insulating wall is injected through the medium of moulds.

Abstract: A relatively thin, flexible, impervious, sheet-like laminated building material comprising at least three continuous overlying layers of yielding material adapted to withstand very severe cold conditions, bonded together and consisting of at least one first mechanically strong supporting endmost layer; at least one impervious film-like layer and at least one second endmost lining layer providing at least a mechanical and at least temporary protection.

Abstract: A system for loading and/or unloading at sea a transportation vessel conveying incoherent products comprising ship mooring means, an arrangement for transferring or handling incoherent goods comprising a loading and/or unloading tower supported by the bottom of the sea and partially submerged as well as a movable loading boom associated with said tower, said mooring means being separated from or independent of said cargo transfer or handling arrangement.