An insulation structure of a membrane type storage tank is disclosed. The membrane type storage tank includes a secondary insulation wall comprising a plurality of secondary insulation panels; a primary insulation wall which comprises a plurality of primary insulation panels, and which is disposed at the upper part of the secondary insulation wall; and a plurality of fixing devices provided at the upper parts of the secondary insulation panels to be coupled with the primary insulation panels, wherein the plurality of fixing devices are arranged on the center line of the secondary insulation panels in a width direction so that the movement of the fixing devices in the width direction is prevented, and the plurality of fixing devices are arranged to be spaced at equal intervals with respect to the longitudinal direction of the secondary insulation panels.

A hydrostatically compensated compressed air energy storage system may include an accumulator disposed underground and a compressor/expander subsystem in fluid communication. A compensation shaft may extend between an upper and a lower end and define a shaft depth. An upper end wall can cover the upper end of the shaft. A compensation liquid reservoir can be offset above the upper end wall by a reservoir elevation that is at least about 15% of the shaft depth. A compensation liquid flow path may extend between the compensation liquid reservoir and the accumulator and can include the compensation shaft and a liquid supply conduit extending between the compensation liquid reservoir and the upper end of the compensation shaft whereby a total hydrostatic pressure at the lower end of the shaft is greater than a hydrostatic pressure at a depth that is equal to the shaft depth.

Screen-printable metallization pastes for forming thin oxide tunnel junctions on the back-side surface of solar cells are disclosed. Interdigitated metal contacts can be deposited on the oxide tunnel junctions to provide all-back metal contact to a solar cell.

A method of determining an optimum value of at least one first parameter of execution of a process for cooling an internal space of a tank, including testing a plurality of different values of the first parameter, each phase of testing one of the values of the first parameter including cooling the internal space of the tank, the cooling power P.sub.f or the setpoint final temperature T.sub.c being representative of the tested value of the first parameter. The steps include loading liquefied gas into the internal space of the tank after cooling, measuring a variable P1 representative of the pressure inside the thermal insulation barrier and comparing it to at least one particular threshold, and detecting a fault if the variable P1 crosses the at least one particular threshold, and choosing, among the plurality of values tested, the optimum value of the first parameter during the corresponding test phase.

A gas transport vessel having a hull and a tank longitudinally received in the hull and method of constructing the tank within the hull. The vessel is designed to transport fluids, such as hydrogen or other gases and liquids. The tank has a plurality of layers that are unconnected to adjacent layers. The tank contacts the vessel at a top and bottom. The top connection, for example a connection to deck structure, supports the tank for preventing sagging. The tank may be substantially the length of the ship and located between a forward and a rearward bulkhead. Two tanks may placed adjacent one another separated by a longitudinal bulkhead. Each layer has a forward and rearward end cap constructed of multiple frusto-conical sections. A space is provided on sides of the tank to permit expansion. The tank is integral with ship structure, thereby providing additional strength to the vessel.

The present disclosure relates to a vacuum heat-insulation device for a large low-temperature tank, the vacuum heat-insulation device having excellent heat insulation properties and vacuum stability by using a low-temperature heat-insulating material maintained in a vacuum at all times so as to store an ultra-low-temperature liquefied gas such as liquid nitrogen (LN.sub.2) or liquid hydrogen (LH.sub.2), and to a vacuum heat-insulation device for a low-temperature tank, the vacuum heat-insulation device having a flexible structure in which a vacuum jacket is partially contractible according to contraction of a low-temperature tank or a low-temperature heat-insulating layer.

The present invention is a pressure tank comprising a tubular part and two bottoms (5) with the bottoms (5) positioned at the ends of the tubular part. The tubular part comprises a cylindrical wall (1) and a ply of circumferential reinforcing elements (2) wound around cylindrical wall (1). The elastic modulus of the material of cylindrical wall (1) is less than the elastic modulus of the material of the first ply of circumferential reinforcing elements (2). The invention also relates to an energy storage and recovery system comprising a compressor, an expansion device, a heat storage and a compressed air tank according to the aforementioned characteristics.

A fuel delivery and storage system is provided. A further aspect employs a remote central controller and/or software instructions which receive sensor data from stationary and bulk fuel storage tanks, portable distribution tanks, and end use tanks. Another aspect of the present system senses and transmits tank or hydrogen fuel characteristics including temperature, pressure, filled volume, contaminants, refilling cycle life and environmental hazards. Still another aspect includes a group of hydrogen fuel tanks which is pre-assembled with sensor, valve, microprocessor and transmitter components, at least some of which are within an insulator.

A sealed and thermally insulating tank incorporated in a supporting structure (2), the tank including at least one inclined tank wall (1) forming an angle with a horizontal direction and fixed to a supporting wall of the supporting structure (2) is disclosed. The tank wall (1) has a multilayer structure including successively, in the direction of thickness from the outside to the inside of the tank, a thermally insulating barrier (3) held against the corresponding supporting wall and a sealed membrane (4) carried by the thermally insulating barrier (3). The tank includes sealed strips (15) in the space formed between the thermally insulating barrier (3) and the supporting wall.

Sealed and thermally insulating tank incorporated into a polyhedral bearing structure, a first bearing wall and a second bearing wall forming an edge corner, the tank having a first tank wall, a thermally insulating barrier and a sealed membrane, the tank further has an angle bracket with a first flange and a second flange in such a way that the angle bracket connects in a sealed manner. The sealed membrane of the first tank wall and the sealed membrane of the second tank wall in line with the edge corner, in which the angle bracket has a pair of first tabs and a pair of second tabs, the tank has a pair of first anchor rods coupled to a respective first tab and a pair of second anchor rods coupled to a respective second tab in such a way as to transmit a tensile load between the angle bracket.