On March 15,2024, Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co.,LTD.(hereinafter referred to as “CIMC SOE”) successfully shipped the first set of the world’s first 3*4650 cubic large vertical ultra-high LNG binaural marine fuel tank built for Germany AC-INOX GmbH(hereinafter referred to as “AC-INOX”).The fuel tank will be installed on a 3500TEU container ship of Germany Hartmann company.
The fuel tank of this project adopts two-ear vertical design, with air chamber and manhole set on one side, and the structural height is 32 meters. It is the first ultra-high vertical binaural built by CIMC SOE, and its unique structural form brings great challenges to the project construction:
1.Limited site resources
As the highest fuel tank of CIMC SOE at present, the structural closure of this fuel tank is limited to the 900T bridge crane area, because its ultra-high structure and designated production area will affect the delivery of other liquid tank products of the company. The project team and all departments of offshore engineering have carefully prepared for production and strictly implemented the plan. At the same time, the project team actively communicated with other product project teams to plan the delivery scheme for the region and ensure the minimum impact between projects.
2.New vertical saddle design
At the beginning of the project, the team began to plan the design scheme of the hydraulic test saddle.If the conventional hydraulic test requirements and practices are followed, the total weight of the tank body and bracket will exceed 5200 tons after the liquid tank is filled with water, which will pose new challenges to the structural strength and the ground bearing of the vertical saddle. In order to ensure the safety of the test, the design staff of the project team repeatedly calculated and carefully checked the structural strength, rigidity and the ground bearing for the saddle, and ensure that the safety requirements were met.
3.water and gas combined pressure test
In order to further ensure the safety of the hydraulic test, the project team proposed the water-gas combined pressure test scheme, and fully discussed it with customer AC-INOX, the shipowner Hartmann and the classification society, listened to the suggestions of the shipowner and the surveyor, and constantly improved the water-gas combined pressure test scheme. Finally, CIMC SOE was successfully realized water and gas combined pressure test on a C-type tank for the first time.
The successful delivery of the world’s first LNG binaural vertical tank marks a major breakthrough for CIMC SOE in the business of ultra-high vertical binaural fuel tank. CIMC SOE has further accumulated experience in drawing design, production and construction, pressure test, tool making, lifting and shipping and so on, reflecting the company’s concept of “dare to challenge, actively innovate and serve customers” in liquid tank manufacturing, and further deepened the cooperation with AC-INOX and Hartmann in the field of liquid tanks.
In the future, CIMC SOE will continue to provide customers with higher technology, level and quality tank products, relying on independent research and development to achieve equipment technology innovation, and actively promote the global low-carbon clean energy equipment industry innovation.
