A brief analysis of the basic types of cryogenic storage tanks?
30 Oct,2019
Low-temperature storage tank The inner liner is made of austenitic stainless steel; the outer vessel material is selected in accordance with national regulations and varies by region, being either Q235-B, Q245R, or 345R. The annular space between the inner and outer vessels is filled with insulating materials such as perlite sand, aluminum foil, or thermal insulation cotton, and then evacuated to create a vacuum. Next, we will focus on analyzing the basic configurations of cryogenic storage tanks.
There is no universally accepted standard for the definition of cryogenic storage tanks themselves. In contrast, the United Kingdom has a relatively systematic and comprehensive set of technical specifications in this area. Its standard, “Application of Vertical Cylindrical Cryogenic Storage Tanks with Flat Bottoms,” classifies cryogenic tanks into three main configurations—single-container tanks, double-container tanks, and full-container tanks—based on differing process requirements and methods of medium storage. A single-container tank typically consists of a steel inner tank surrounded by an insulating outer shell, whereas double-container and full-container tanks comprise a steel inner tank and an outer tank made of steel or, alternatively, concrete (usually prestressed concrete), with insulation installed between the inner and outer tank walls; currently, the double-container configuration is more commonly used.
When designing cryogenic tanks, the thermal conductivity of the cryogenic medium inside the tank can readily induce frost heave in the foundation soil, causing the soil to swell and potentially leading to foundation failure. To mitigate this adverse effect, in addition to providing thermal insulation between the tank bottom slab and the foundation base slab, it is also necessary to implement frost-protection measures for the tank foundation. Typically, two approaches are employed: first, installing an electric or other heating system within the foundation base slab to create a raft foundation with a circulating heating circuit; second, elevating the foundation base slab above the ground to form an air gap that separates the slab from the underlying soil. The former is seldom used due to the high cost of the heating system. In most cryogenic tanks constructed in China, the elevated raft foundation configuration has been widely adopted. The clear height of the elevated space is generally determined not only by the layout requirements of process piping and equipment but also by performing thermal-conduction calculations based on the temperature of the stored medium inside the tank. Elevated raft foundations can be further classified into single-raft (or pad) and double-raft (or pad) configurations. Under favorable geological conditions, the double-raft foundation is usually preferred; however, given the relatively stringent settlement requirements for cryogenic storage tanks, the single-raft (or pad) pile foundation is more commonly used in most cases—particularly on soft-soil foundations with poor geotechnical properties—and in some instances, a double-raft (or pad) pile foundation is also employed.
The foregoing is the editor’s analysis of the basic configurations of cryogenic storage tanks, which we hope will be helpful to you. If you would like to learn more about cryogenic storage tanks, please continue to follow this website; the editor will also provide regular updates.
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