An exemplary tank arrangement for storing liquefied natural gas includes a multilobe tank having at least three tank sections arranged in a row in a lateral direction, wherein each tank section is supported against a support surface with a first support allowing movement of the tank relative to the support surface in the longitudinal direction and with a second support, at least one of the second supports preventing movement of the tank relative to the support surface in the longitudinal direction. One tank section has a third support, which allows movement of the tank relative to the support surface in the longitudinal direction and prevents movement in the lateral direction. The first and second supports allow shrinkage and expansion of the tank in the lateral direction.

A tank state estimating method of estimating a state in a tank at a predetermined point in time on a sailing course of an LNG carrier is provided. The LNG carrier carrying LNG stored in the tank as a cargo. The tank state estimating method includes: a first step of acquiring information related to specification of the tank; a second step of acquiring information related to a state in the tank at a start point of a target section on the course; a third step of acquiring information on a predictive value of liquid fluctuation of the LNG in the tank during the section, the predictive value being obtained on a basis of a weather forecasting value during the section and information on the weather forecasting value; and a fourth step of calculating the state in the tank at an end point of the section by thermal transfer calculation based on thermodynamics on a basis of the information acquired in the first to third steps in assuming that a heat input to the tank during the section is used for vaporization of the LNG in the tank.

Disclosed are a fuel supply system and method for a ship engine. The fuel supply system for a ship engine of the present invention comprises: a submersible pump which is provided to an LNG storage tank of a ship for supplying LNG to the engine of the ship; a high-pressure pump which has the LNG supplied thereto from the submersible pump and pressurizes the same under high pressure; and a return flow channel which, at the upstream of the high-pressure pump, returns the LNG to the LNG storage tank, wherein the flow of the LNG returning through the return flow channel is controlled, and the temperature of the LNG is controlled at the front end of the high-pressure pump.

Disclosed is a liquefied natural gas storage apparatus. The apparatus includes a heat insulated tank and liquefied natural gas contained in the tank. The tank has heat insulation sufficient to maintain liquefied natural gas therein such that most of the liquefied natural gas stays in liquid. The contained liquefied natural gas has a vapor pressure from about 0.3 bar to about 2 bar. The apparatus further includes a safety valve configured to release a part of liquefied natural gas contained in the tank when a vapor pressure of liquefied natural gas within the tank becomes higher than a cut-off pressure. The cut-off pressure is from about 0.3 bar to about 2 bar.

A corner structure comprises: a fixed member fixed to a corner of a storage tank; a movable member supported on the fixed member so as to be linearly movable; a stop member attached to the fixed member to prevent the movable member from being detached from the fixed member; and a heat insulating member disposed between a sealing wall and a hull. The fixed member comprises a guide portion provided with a guide recessed portion, the movable member comprises a guide protruding portion inserted into the guide recessed portion, and the width and the length of the guide protruding portion are smaller than the width and the length of the guide recessed portion, so that the movable member can be supported on the fixed member to be movable in the longitudinal direction and in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

Described herein are processes for producing cold-flexible polyurethane insulation, in which (a) polyisocyanates are mixed with (b) compounds having groups which are reactive to isocyanates, (c) blowing agents, (d) catalysts, (e) plasticizers and optionally (f) further additives to give a reaction mixture and the mixture is applied to a surface and cured to form insulation. Also described herein is a polyurethane insulation obtainable by a process described herein.

Disclosed is a liquefied natural gas storage apparatus. The apparatus includes a heat insulated tank and liquefied natural gas contained in the tank. The tank has heat insulation sufficient to maintain liquefied natural gas therein such that most of the liquefied natural gas stays in liquid. The contained liquefied natural gas has a vapor pressure from about 0.3 bar to about 2 bar. The apparatus further includes a safety valve configured to release a part of liquefied natural gas contained in the tank when a vapor pressure of liquefied natural gas within the tank becomes higher than a cut-off pressure. The cut-off pressure is from about 0.3 bar to about 2 bar.

Disclosed are a corrugated plate having a smooth top surface and drawbeads, and a storage container. The corrugated plate includes a corrugated plate body, a longitudinal corrugation, a transverse corrugation, and an intersection portion. The intersection portion includes a smooth top surface and four drawbeads extending from the top surface to the corrugated plate body. The top surface transitions to the drawbeads smoothly. An overall extension direction of each of the drawbeads intersects a transverse direction, a longitudinal direction, and a height direction perpendicular to the corrugated plate body.

A large volume natural gas storage tank comprises rigid tubular walls having closed tubular cross-sections that are interconnected at opposing ends with two other rigid tubular walls such that interiors of the rigid tubular walls define an interior fluid storage chamber. The storage tank also includes bulkheads positioned in the interior fluid storage chamber across intermediate segments of the rigid tubular walls and closure plates connected between exterior surfaces of successive interconnected rigid tubular walls to define sides of the storage tank. Interior surfaces of the closure plates and exterior surfaces of the rigid tubular walls define an auxiliary fluid storage chamber. The storage tank also includes exterior support structures extending through the closure plates and between the exterior surfaces of the rigid tubular walls on some of the sides of the storage tank to reinforce the storage tank against dynamic loading from fluid in the interior fluid storage chamber.

A fuel supply apparatus of a liquefied gas carrier includes: a compressor for compressing gas fuel into a high pressure; a compressed gas storage tank being filled with the compressed high-pressure gas fuel, for storing the gas fuel; and a decompressor for decompressing the high-pressure gas fuel drawn from the compressed gas storage tank into a pressure suitable to be used in a propulsion system, to supply fuel to the propulsion system. The gas fuel is at least one of a natural boiled-off gas which is naturally evaporated in the cargo tank, a forced boiled-off gas which is artificially evaporated, and a gas additionally supplied for the use of fuel. Further, the compressor is a multistage high-pressure compressor and the decompressor is a multistage decompressor.