| abstract |
The present invention relates to a fuel tank (10) which is a system for storing and conveying pressurized liquefied natural gas (PLNG) fuel at a pressure between 1035 kPa and 7590 kPa and for transporting it to an engine (24) for combustion at a temperature between -123 ° C and -62 ° C. includes a fuel storage and transfer system and a method of using the fuel storage and transfer system. An embodiment of the fuel tank (10) according to the invention is characterized by the combination of several separate ultra-high strength steel plates with a nickel content of less than 9% by weight, a low alloy tensile strength of more than 830 MPa and a plastic / brittle transition temperature of less than -73 ° C. formed where the seams implementing the joining of the individual plates have the strength and toughness of the PLNG fuel which retain the PLNG fuel under said pressure and temperature conditions. Another embodiment of the fuel tank (10) according to the invention is formed by joining several separate, ultra-high-strength, low-alloy steel plates containing less than 2% by weight of nickel, the seams joining the individual plates being of PLNG fuel retention at said pressure and temperature conditions. and have toughness. One possible variant of the fuel storage and transfer system according to the invention is that it comprises at least one fuel tank (10) with a strength and toughness for storing PLNG fuel at a pressure of between 1035 kPa and 7590 kPa and at a temperature between -123 ° C and -62 ° C; a flow valve (13) for transporting the PLNG fuel between the fuel well and the fuel tank (10); a fluid line (8) for flowing liquid phase PLNG fuel from the fuel tank (10) to the evaporator unit (20); a vapor phase PLNG fuel (9) for flowing fuel from the fuel tank (10) to the evaporator unit (20); a fuel line (4) for flowing the vapor phase PLNG fuel from the evaporator unit (20) to the engine (24); and a fuel control unit (22) for controlling the flow of vapor phase PLNG fuel from the evaporator unit (20) to the engine (24), such that the fuel storage and transfer system 1035 for storing PLNG fuel and delivering it to the engine (24) for combustion as needed. It is designed to operate between kPa and 7590 kPa and between -123 ° C and -62 ° C. The process according to the invention comprises arranging PLNG fuel with a pressure of between 1035 kPa and 7590 kPa and a temperature of between -123 ° C and -62 ° C in at least one fuel tank (10), wherein the fuel tank |