MARINE SURFACE VESSEL

Abstract

The invention relates to a marine surface vessel (1), in particular a passenger ship, extending in a longitudinal direction between a bow (2) and a stern (3), comprising least one power providing apparatus (6) operatively connected to at least one propulsion unit (7) for propulsion of the vessel, a fuel tank arrangement (8) for storing gaseous fuel in a liquid phase, connected to the power providing apparatus (6) by means of a gas supply system for running the power providing apparatus (6), and a plurality of decks (91-98) distributed vertically, one above the other, the fuel tank arrangement (8) comprising two tank sub-arrangements (81, 82), each tank sub-arrangement comprising at least one gaseous fuel tank (811, 812, 821, 822), each fuel tank extending vertically past at least two of the decks (92-95), and at least two of the decks (92-95), past which the fuel tanks (811, 812, 821, 822) extend, each presents a passageway (941) extending between the tank sub-arrangements (81, 82).

Claims

1-19. (canceled)

20. A marine surface vessel, in particular a passenger ship, extending in a longitudinal direction between a bow and a stern, comprising: least one power providing apparatus operatively connected to at least one propulsion unit for propulsion of the vessel, a fuel tank arrangement for storing gaseous fuel in a liquid phase, connected to the power providing apparatus by means of a gas supply system for running the power providing apparatus, and a plurality of decks distributed vertically, one above the other, the fuel tank arrangement comprising two tank sub-arrangements, each tank sub-arrangement comprising at least one gaseous fuel tank, each fuel tank extending vertically past at least two of the decks, and at least two of the decks, past which the fuel tanks extend, each presenting a passageway, wherein each of said passageways extends in the longitudinal direction of the vessel, from a portion of the respective deck aft of the tank sub-arrangements to a portion of the respective deck forward of the tank sub-arrangements, wherein each passageway extends between the tank sub-arrangements, there being one, two, three or more tank sub- arrangements on each side of the passageways, wherein each of said passageways is adapted so as to provide for persons and/or items to move or be moved through the respective passageway, the passageway being provided as a corridor between the tank sub-arrangements, and being of a width and height which makes it suitable for movement of passengers through the passageway.

21. The vessel according to claim 20, wherein each of said passageways extends in the longitudinal direction of the vessel, and is located centrally in a lateral and horizontal direction of the vessel.

22. The vessel according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the at least two the decks presenting a passageway extending between the tank sub-arrangements, presents a plurality of cabins distributed on both sides of the passageway, at least some of the cabins extending from the passageway to a respective side of the vessel.

23. The vessel according to claim 20, wherein each tank sub- arrangement comprises at least two fuel tanks distributed in the longitudinal direction of the vessel.

24. The vessel according to claim 20, wherein the tank sub-arrangements are at the same longitudinal position in the vessel.

25. The vessel according to claim 20, wherein each tank sub-arrangement has a vertical extension which is larger than any of its horizontal extensions.

26. The vessel according to claim 20, presenting a hull and a superstructure above the hull, wherein a lower portion of each fuel tank is located in the hull, and an upper portion of each fuel tank is located in the superstructure.

27. The vessel according to claim 20, wherein the tank sub-arrangements are located adjacent said passageways.

28. The vessel according to claim 20, wherein the tank sub-arrangements are located in respective tank compartments, each extending to a respective side of the vessel.

29. The vessel according to claim 20, wherein the distance between any of the at least one fuel tank of each tank sub-arrangement and a respective side of the vessel is at least 20% of the beam of the vessel.

30. The vessel according to claim 20, comprising two exhaust guiding arrangements provided for guiding exhaust gases from the at least one power providing apparatus to the exterior of the vessel, each exhaust guiding arrangement being located in a respective exhaust pipe casing.

31. The vessel according to claim 30, wherein the exhaust pipe casings extend vertically past at least two of the decks past which the fuel tanks extend.

32. The vessel according to claim 30, wherein the exhaust pipe casings are distributed on opposite sides of said passageways.

33. The vessel according to claim 30, wherein the exhaust pipe casings extend adjacent to said passageways.

34. The vessel according to claim 30, wherein each tank sub-arrangement is located adjacent a respective of the exhaust pipe casings.

35. The vessel according to claim 30, wherein the tank sub-arrangements are located, in the longitudinal direction of the vessel, between the exhaust pipe casings and the bow.

36. The vessel according to claim 30, wherein the exhaust pipe casings are distributed at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vessel, and the tank sub-arrangements are located, in the longitudinal direction of the vessel, between the exhaust pipe casings.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a marine surface vessel in the form of a passenger ship, more particularly a cruise ship 1. The ship 1 extends in a longitudinal direction between a bow 2 and a stern 3 of the ship 1. The ship presents a hull 4 and a superstructure 5 above the hull 4. The ship 1 has two power providing apparatuses in the form of internal combustion engines 6. The engines 6 are operatively connected to a respective propulsion unit 7 for propulsion of the ship 1. The propulsion units 7 are here provided as azipull thrusters, but they can of course be provided in any suitable form, e.g. as some other type of pod propulsion units, as propeller and rudder combinations, or as water jets.

[0045] The ship 1 comprises a fuel tank arrangement 8 for storing gaseous fuel in a liquid phase, in this example LNG (liquid natural gas). The fuel tank arrangement 8 connected to the engines 6 by means of a gas supply system for running the engine 6. The gas supply system (not shown) comprises piping and an evaporator device for evaporating the liquid fuel to gas and warming it up.

[0046] The ship presents eight decks 91-98 distributed vertically, one above the other. The three lowest decks 91-93 are located in the hull 4 and the five decks above 94-98 are located in the superstructure 5.

[0047] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the fuel tank arrangement 8 comprises two tank sub-arrangements 81, 82. Each tank sub-arrangement 81, 82 comprises two gaseous fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822. Each fuel tank 811, 812, 821, 822 is a vertically oriented pressure vessel, with temperature insulation for storing LNG, presenting the shape of a vertical tube with a circular horizontal cross-section.

[0048] The fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822 of each tank sub-arrangement 81, 82 are distributed in the longitudinal direction of the ship 1. The tank sub-arrangements 81, 82 are at the same longitudinal position in the ship 1. Each tank sub-arrangement 81, 82 has a vertically elongated shape.

[0049] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822, (two of which are depicted in FIG. 1 with broken lines), each extend vertically past four of the decks 92-95. Thus, the lower ends of the fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822 are at the level of the bottom deck 91, and the top ends of the fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822 are at the level of the sixth deck 96. Thus, a lower portion of each fuel tank 811, 812, 821, 822 is located in the hull 4, and an upper portion of each fuel tank 811, 812, 821, 822 is located in the superstructure 5.

[0050] Reference is made to FIG. 2. Each of the four decks 92-95, past which the fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822 extend, presents a passageway extending between the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82. The passageway 941 of the fourth deck 94 is indicated in FIG. 2. The passageway 941 extends in the longitudinal direction of the ship 1, from a portion 942 of the fourth deck 94 aft of the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82 to a portion of the fourth deck 943 forward of the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82. The passageway 941 is located centrally in a lateral and horizontal direction of the ship 1, and the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82 are located adjacent the passageway 941.

[0051] The passageway 941 is provided as a corridor between the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82, and is of a width and height which makes it suitable for movement of persons, e.g. crew or passengers, and items, e.g. luggage, food, interior details, supplies or equipment, through the passageway 941.

[0052] The passageways on the second, third and fifth deck 92, 93, 95 are also arranged as described above regarding the passageway 941 on the fourth deck 94.

[0053] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82 are located in respective tank compartments 83, 84, each extending from the passageway 941 to the respective side 101, 102 of the ship.

[0054] A plurality of the decks each presents a plurality of cabins 944, 945 distributed on both sides of the passageway 941. The cabins 944, 945 each extend from the passageway 941 to a respective side 101, 102 of the ship. Three of the cabins 944, 945 shown in FIG. 2 are located adjacent to a respective tank compartment 83, 84. Two 945 of these cabins extend from the passageway 941 towards the respective side 101, 102 of the ship, and into a respective space between the respective tank sub-arrangement 83 84 and the respective side 83, 84 of the ship. Thus, the spaces between the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82 and the respective side 101, 102 of the ship are used partly for cabins.

[0055] As can be seen in FIG. 1, a venting tube 85 extends upwards from the top of the ship 1. The venting tube communicates with the tank compartments 83, 84 for ventilation of the latter.

[0056] The distance between any of the fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822 a respective side 101, 102 of the ship 1 is no less than 20% of the beam of the ship.

[0057] The ship 1 has two exhaust guiding arrangements 21, 22 for guiding exhaust gases from a respective of the engine 6 to the exterior of the ship via respective exhaust stacks 23, 24 at the top of it. The exhaust guiding arrangements 21, 22 are embodied as exhaust pipes 21, 22, indicated in FIG. 1 with broken lines. Each exhaust pipe 21, 22 is located in a respective exhaust pipe casing 25, 26. The engines 6 are located in respective engine rooms 61, and the exhaust pipe casings 25, 26 extend from the respective engine room 61 to the exhaust stacks 23, 24.

[0058] In this embodiment, the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82 are located, in the longitudinal direction of the ship 1, between exhaust pipe casings 25, 26 and the bow 2. The distance, in the longitudinal direction of the ship 1, between the tank sub-arrangements 81, 82, and the exhaust pipe casings 25, 26 is in this example about 17% of the ship's length.

[0059] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, each tank sub-arrangement 81 82 is located adjacent a respective of the exhaust pipe casings 25, 26, and each tank sub-arrangement 81 82 is longitudinally aligned with the respective exhaust pipe casing 25, 26.

[0060] The exhaust pipe casings 25, 26 extend vertically past six decks 93-98, the lower three 93-95 of which the fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822 extend past as well. The exhaust pipe casings 25, 26 are distributed on opposite sides of passageways 941 of the decks 93-98 which they extend past, and they extend adjacent to these passageways 941.

[0061] The exhaust pipe casings 25, 26 are distributed at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the ship 1. The tank sub-arrangements 81, 82 are located, in the longitudinal direction of the ship 1, between the exhaust pipe casings 25, 26. The tank sub-arrangements 81, 82 are at the same longitudinal position in the ship 1, and one of the exhaust pipe casings 25 is located forward of the respective tank sub-arrangement 81, and the other exhaust pipe casing 26 is located aft of the respective tank sub-arrangement 82.

[0062] As understood, embodiments of the invention provides for saving deck space in the ship 1, and facilitating on-board functions, while keeping gaseous fuel storage safety margins. It should be added that embodiments of the invention can also provide, by the vertical fuel tank orientation, a relatively low formation of boil-off gas in the fuel tanks 811, 812, 821, 822, and the possibility of lifting tanks upwards for replacement.