An apparatus and method of storing and transporting, in a dual-use cryogenic storage tank, a cryogenic liquid having a liquefaction temperature. A first pump empties the tank of a first portion of the cryogenic liquid, thereby leaving a second portion of the cryogenic liquid in the cryogenic storage tank. A second portion of the cryogenic liquid is focused at a location on a bottom of the cryogenic storage tank. Using a second pump located at the location, the cryogenic storage tank is emptied of the second portion of the cryogenic liquid, whereby a residual portion of the cryogenic liquid is left therein. Using a focused heating structure, heat may be delivered to the location to raise the temperature of the residual portion above the liquefaction temperature, thereby vaporizing all of the residual portion.

A tank includes a secondary insulation barrier, a secondary sealing membrane resting on the secondary insulation barrier, a primary insulation barrier resting on the secondary sealing membrane, a primary sealing membrane resting on the primary insulation barrier, and a primary reinforcing member. The primary sealing membrane includes primary corrugations and the secondary sealing membrane includes secondary corrugations projecting toward the interior of the tank. The primary and secondary corrugations are superimposed along a thickness direction. The primary insulation barrier has passages, and the secondary corrugations are accommodated in the passages. A dimension of the primary insulation barrier is less than a dimension of the secondary corrugations along the thickness direction, so the secondary corrugations extend through the passages and are partially accommodated in the primary corrugations. The primary reinforcing member is interposed along the thickness direction between superimposed primary and secondary corrugations so as to reinforce the primary corrugation.

A method for managing the filling levels of a plurality of tanks arranged in a ship, said tanks being connected in such a way as to allow liquid to be transferred between said tanks, the method comprising providing an initial state (7) of the tanks, determining a target state (8) defining respective final filling levels of said tanks, determining a liquid transfer scenario (9), the transfer scenario defining one or more flows of liquid to be transferred between the tanks during a transfer period in order to shift from the initial state to the target state of the tanks, calculating a probability of damage to the tanks (10) during the course of said transfer scenario, as a function of successive filling levels of the tanks during the transfer period, if the probability of damage to the tanks satisfies an acceptance criterion, transferring (13) the liquid between the tanks in accordance with said transfer scenario.

A bunkering marine vessel has an elongated, multi-deck accommodation structure extending along a portion of the length of one hull side and spaced apart from a centerline extending from bow to stern. Positioned within the vessel hull is at least one LNG pressure vessel filling at least 50% of the hull volume and extending from adjacent a lowermost deck to adjacent the main deck. At least one marine gasoil tank is positioned along an opposing hull side to counter the weight of the accommodation structure, The bow and stern ends of the vessel are substantially the same in shape, and each end includes a marine propulsion system.

A precast, prestressed concrete tank and method that facilitates construction of a primary inner tank within a secondary outer tank, and which permits for the construction of the primary inner tank after the secondary outer tank has been erected, but without requiring insertion through a top of the secondary outer tank, or by tunneling underneath the secondary outer tank, is disclosed. The primary inner tank has an inner wall and the secondary outer tank has an outer wall (precast, prestressed concrete) and wire windings. The primary inner tank is disposed inside of the secondary outer tank. The secondary outer tank has a plurality of first precast outer wall panels, and a temporary construction opening frame. The temporary construction opening frame defines an access doorway during construction of the tank. The temporary construction opening frame is disposed on a foundation base slab.

An installation for storing and transporting a cryogenic fluid on a ship includes: a sealed and thermally insulating tank, having a ceiling wall including, from the outside to the inside, a primary thermally insulating barrier and a primary sealing membrane intended to be in contact with the cryogenic fluid; and a sealed line penetrating through the ceiling wall of the tank, the line including a bottom portion of which a first end is situated inside the ceiling wall of the tank and a second end is situated outside the ceiling wall of the tank in a thicknesswise direction of the ceiling wall, and a top portion fixed to the second end of the bottom portion. The bottom portion includes an alloy with low thermal expansion coefficient. The primary sealing membrane is tightly fixed to the bottom portion of the line around the line.

A container for storing and transporting liquefied gas, having a first, internal reservoir that extends in a longitudinal direction (A) and is configured to store the liquefied gas, a second, external reservoir that is disposed around the first reservoir with a vacuum insulated space between the first and the second reservoir, a third, annular reservoir that is disposed around the first reservoir, between the first and the second reservoir, the third reservoir extending around at least a part of the first reservoir and containing a liquefied gas in order to form a heat shield for thermally insulating the first reservoir, and a device for holding the first and third reservoirs in the second reservoir.

An anaerobic digester is provided. The anaerobic digester includes a biogas storage container comprising a semi-permeable membrane separating the biogas storage container into a first space and a second space, such that the first space is configured to be methane enriched and the second space is configured to be CO.sub.2 enriched. The anaerobic digester further includes a cover positioned over the biogas storage container for protecting the biogas storage container against the elements.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for transferring a liquid cargo. The apparatus for transferring a liquid cargo according to an embodiment of the inventive concept may include a liquid cargo transfer line connected to a liquid cargo storage tank, a drum connected to the liquid cargo transfer line and providing a space for storing a liquid cargo, and a pressing unit for pressing the liquid cargo storage tank so that the liquid cargo stored in the liquid cargo storage tank is supplied to the drum through the liquid cargo transfer line.

Composite tank apparatus and methods of making and using same. An array of flat-sided co-dependent cells with relatively thin skins made of metallic or non-metallic materials. Each cell has at least two flat wall panel portions connected by radiused sections arranged such that all of the flat wall panel portions are either in flush contact with each other or in flush contact with flat supporting panels of an enclosing structure or thermal insulating material lining an interior thereof. The cells are sealed with each other around a perimeter of at least one pair of matching lightening through-wall holes provided in adjacent pairs of the wall panel portions of the cells to resist relative movement and prevent leakage of fluid therefrom. The composite tank apparatus may include an enclosing structure, and optionally, one or more layers of thermally insulating material lining the interior surface or the exterior surface of the enclosing structure.