# US 10,480,714 B2 · Low temperature liquid tank > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,714 B2 - Document ID: US10480714B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/850,424 - Filed: 2015-09-10 - Published: 2015-12-31 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-29 - Assignees: IHI Corporation - Applicants: IHI Corporation - Inventors: Shinya Sugiura; Masaki Takahashi; Tomohiko Nakamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480714B2 ## CPC - F17C 3/04: by insulating layers (F17C3/08 takes precedence) - F17C 3/022: {Land-based bulk storage containers (civil engineering aspects E04H7/00)} - F17C 2201/0109: with exteriorly curved end-piece - F17C 2201/0119: with flat end-piece - F17C 2201/032: with substantially vertical main axis - F17C 2201/052: large (>1000 m3) - F17C 2203/0329: Foam - F17C 2203/0629: Two walls - F17C 2203/0639: Steels - F17C 2203/0646: Aluminium - F17C 2221/033: Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG - F17C 2221/035: Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL - F17C 2223/0153: Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL - F17C 2223/0161: cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG - F17C 2223/033: Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas - F17C 2260/011: Improving strength - F17C 2270/0136: Terminals - F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25) ## Abstract A low temperature liquid tank includes: a storage tank having a bottom portion obtained by joining a plurality of bottom plates; and a support portion supporting the bottom portion. The support portion includes: an outer support portion supporting a margin of the storage tank; and an inner support portion disposed inside the outer support portion and having a heat insulation in which creep occurs when a load is applied. An initial height of an upper surface of the inner support portion is set so that, during a service life of the low temperature liquid tank, maximum bending stress applied to the bottom plates due to a difference between a height of the upper surface of the inner support portion and a height of an upper surface of the outer support portion remains equal to or smaller than an allowable bending stress of the bottom plates. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A low temperature liquid tank comprising: a storage tank having a bottom portion obtained by joining a plurality of bottom plates; and a support portion supporting the bottom portion, wherein the support portion includes: an outer support portion supporting a margin of the storage tank including a sidewall of the storage tank; and an inner support portion disposed inside the outer support portion and having a heat insulation in which creep occurs when a load is applied to the heat insulation, an initial height of an upper surface of the inner support portion is set so that, during a service life of the low temperature liquid tank, maximum bending stress applied to the bottom plates due to a difference between a height of the upper surface of the inner support portion and a height of an upper surface of the outer support portion remains equal to or smaller than an allowable bending stress of the bottom plates, wherein the initial height of the upper surface of the inner support portion is set to be higher than that of the upper surface of the outer support portion, and wherein due to the creep when a load is applied, the upper surface of the inner support portion is lowered during the service life of the low temperature liquid tank, and wherein the initial height of the upper surface of the inner support portion is set so that the maximum bending stress applied to the bottom plates remains equal to or smaller than the allowable bending stress over the service life as the upper surface of the inner support portion is lowered. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The low temperature liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein the inner support portion has a height setting plate that prescribes the initial height of the upper surface of the inner support portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The low temperature liquid tank according to claim 2, wherein the height setting plate is a heat-resistant board disposed on the heat insulation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The low temperature liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the outer support portion which is adjacent to the inner support portion is chamfered. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The low temperature liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulation is a rigid plastic foam. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The low temperature liquid tank according to claim 4, wherein the heat insulation is a rigid plastic foam. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The low temperature liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein the outer support portion is a peripheral section of the support portion, and the inner support portion is a midsection of the support portion; and the outer support portion and the inner support portion are provided on a base plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The low temperature liquid tank according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plates include at least one plate extending between the inner support portion and the outer support portion, and wherein the initial height is set so that the bending stress applied to the at least one plate remains equal to or smaller than the maximum allowable bending stress over the service life as the upper surface of the inner portion is lowered. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The low temperature liquid tank of claim 8, wherein during the service life, the height of the upper surface of the inner support portion becomes lower than that of the upper surface of the outer support portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The low temperature liquid tank of claim 1, wherein during the service life, the height of the upper surface of the inner support portion becomes lower than that of the upper surface of the outer support portion.