INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATION WITH A BEARING STRUCTURE

Abstract

 The invention relates to an industrial installation (10), comprising : a structure (12), said structure comprising a plurality of first horizontal decks (24, 26) ; at least a first container (14, 16), comprising a first casing wall (32, 34) and a first inner compartment (40, 42) delimited by said first casing wall, the first casing wall extending parallel to a vertical axis (46) ; and first industrial equipment devices (20, 22), supported by the first horizontal decks.
Each first horizontal deck of the structure is attached to and supported by the first casing wall (32), the first horizontal decks being distributed along the vertical axis.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an industrial installation, comprising : a structure, said structure comprising a plurality of first horizontal decks ; at least a first container, comprising a first casing wall and a first inner compartment delimited by said first casing wall, the first casing wall extending parallel to a vertical axis ; and first industrial equipment devices, supported by the first horizontal decks.

[0002] The invention particularly relates to off-shore modules or to other installations with size and/or weight constraints.

[0003] An off-shore modules usually comprises a structural steel frame with several decks and industrial equipment supported on the decks / structural steel. The structural frame is used as the main bearing component for transport, lifting and in-place operation conditions.

[0004] Besides, industrial installations such as carbon capture installations are requested to include one or more containers of large dimensions, especially vertically elongated containers such as columns.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide an industrial installation with a bearing structure and at least one container of large dimensions, while optimizing the bulk and weight of said installation.

[0006] For this purpose, the invention relates to an industrial installation of the aforementioned type, wherein each first horizontal deck of the structure is attached to and supported by the first casing wall, the first horizontal decks being distributed along the vertical axis.

[0007] According to preferred embodiments, the industrial installation may include one or more of the following features, considered alone or in any technically possible combination:

• the first inner compartment has a square or rectangular horizontal section ;
• at least one of the first horizontal decks is cantilevered from the first casing wall ;
• the installation also comprises a second container, comprising a second casing wall and a second inner compartment delimited by said second casing wall, the second casing wall extending parallel to the vertical axis, the structure comprising a plurality of second horizontal decks, each second horizontal deck being attached to the second casing wall, the second horizontal decks being distributed along the vertical axis ;
• the installation also comprises second industrial equipment devices, supported by the second horizontal decks ;
• the first and second casing walls have a first common portion ;
• the installation also comprises a third container, comprising a third casing wall and a third inner compartment delimited by said third casing wall, the third casing wall extending parallel to the vertical axis, the second and third casing walls having a second common portion ;
• the installation is designed for being part of a carbon capture system ;
• the installation is designed for being part of a floating off-shore module.

[0008] The invention will be easier to understand in view of the following description, provided solely as an example, and with reference to the appended drawings, wherein :

• Figure 1 is a schematic view of an industrial installation, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0009] Figure 1 shows an industrial installation 10 according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the industrial installation 10 is part of a floating off-shore module (not shown), such as disclosed in the European application EP22184207.3, not yet published, in the name of the Applicant. According to another embodiment, the industrial installation 10 is an on-shore installation.

[0011] The industrial installation 10 comprises : a structure 12, at least a container 14, 16, 18; and industrial equipment devices 20, 22.

[0012] The structure 12 comprises horizontal decks 24, 26. More precisely, the structure 12 comprises first 24 and second 26 horizontal decks, which will be further described below.

[0013] In the embodiment of Figure 1, the industrial installation 10 comprises a first 14, a second 16 and a third 18 containers.

[0014] More precisely, the industrial installation 10 comprises a wall assembly 30. The wall assembly comprises outer lateral walls 32, inner lateral walls 34, a floor 36, and a roof 38.

[0015] The outer 32 and inner 34 lateral walls extend vertically. The floor 36 and roof 38 are substantially horizontal and connect respectively the inferior and the superior ends of the outer 32 and inner 34 lateral walls.

[0016] The outer lateral walls 32, the floor 36 and the roof 38 define an inner, closed space of the wall assembly 30. Said inner space is partitioned by the inner lateral walls 34.

[0017] More precisely, in the embodiment of Figure 1, the wall assembly 30 comprises a first 40, a second 42 and a third 44 inner compartments. Each of said compartments is delimited by an outer lateral wall 32 and/or by an inner lateral wall 34. The first 40, second 42 and third 44 inner compartments, together with their delimiting walls 32, 34, respectively form the first 14, second 16 and third 18 containers.

[0018] In the embodiment of Figure 1, the first 14 and second 16 containers include at least an outer lateral wall 32 ; and the third inner compartment 44 is situated between the first 40 and second 42 inner compartments. In other terms, the third container 18 has a common wall 34 with each of the first 14 and second 16 containers.

[0019] In another embodiment (not shown), the first 40 and second 42 inner compartments have a common wall formed by an inner lateral wall 34.

[0020] Preferably, the outer 32 and inner 34 lateral walls are substantially planar. More preferably, each of the first 40, second 42 and third 44 inner compartments has a square or rectangular horizontal section.

[0021] The wall assembly 30 is configured so as to form a bearing structure, able to support itself. Preferably, the wall assembly has an elongated shape along a vertical axis 46.

[0022] Each of the horizontal decks 24, 26 is attached to and supported by an outer lateral wall 32 of the wall assembly 30. In other terms, the wall assembly 30 is part of the structure 12.

[0023] Preferably, at least one of the horizontal decks 24, 26 is cantilevered from the corresponding outer lateral wall 32. In the embodiment of Figure 1, each of the horizontal decks 24, 26 is cantilevered from the corresponding outer lateral wall 32.

[0024] In the embodiment of Figure 1, the first horizontal decks 24 are attached to an outer lateral wall 32 forming the first container 14 ; and the second horizontal decks are attached to an outer lateral wall 32 forming the second container 16.

[0025] Preferably, the first 24 and second 26 horizontal decks are distributed vertically along the corresponding outer lateral wall 32. More preferably, two adjacent first or second horizontal decks are separated by a height 48 substantially constant.

[0026] As an example, a total height of the wall assembly 30 along the vertical axis 46 is comprised between 15 m and 30 m ; and a height 48 between two adjacent horizontal decks is comprised between 3 m and 5 m.

[0027] As an example, a horizontal dimension of the first 40 or second 42 inner compartment is comprised between 5 m and 7 m ; and a horizontal dimension of the third inner compartment 44 is comprised between 1,5 m and 3 m.

[0028] Each of the industrial equipment devices 20, 22 is supported by one of the horizontal decks 24, 26. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the first 20 and second 22 industrial equipment devices are supported respectively by the first 24 and by the second 26 horizontal decks.

[0029] According to an embodiment, the industrial installation 10 is designed for carbon capture. For example, the industrial installation 10 is part of an off-shore module intended for the injection of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into subaquatic geological reservoirs for sequestration purposes.

[0030] Preferably, the industrial installation 10 is designed for post-combustion capture. More precisely, the installation 10 is designed for separating CO₂ from exhaust gases created by burning fossil fuel.

[0031] As an example, at least one of the first 14, second 16 and third 18 containers contains a liquid solvent 50, 52, such as an aqueous amine solution, able to absorb CO₂ from a gaseous flux circulating in the corresponding inner compartment 40, 42, 44.

[0032] Preferably, the first 20 and/or second 22 industrial equipment devices comprise devices chosen among : pumps or fans, for creating one or more gaseous and/or liquid fluxes, in at least one inner compartment 40, 42, 44 and/or between at least two of said inner compartments ; heating or cooling units for heating or cooling the gaseous and/or liquid fluxes ; and distillation devices.

[0033] As the walls 32, 34 of the containers 14, 16, 18 form the bearing part of the structure 12, the industrial installation 10 does not need a steel frame structure for supporting the industrial equipment, as in the prior art. Therefore, the bulk and weight of such a steel frame is spared in the installation according to the present invention. As such, the industrial installation 10 is advantageously used as a part of an off-shore module such as a carbon dioxide sequestration module.

Claims

1. Industrial installation (10) comprising :

- a structure (12), said structure comprising a plurality of first horizontal decks (24, 26) ;

- at least a first container (14, 16), comprising a first casing wall (32, 34) and a first inner compartment (40, 42) delimited by said first casing wall, the first casing wall extending parallel to a vertical axis (46) ; and

- first industrial equipment devices (20, 22), supported by the first horizontal decks ; the industrial installation being characterized in that each first horizontal deck of the structure is attached to and supported by the first casing wall (32), the first horizontal decks being distributed along the vertical axis.

2. Industrial installation according to claim 1, wherein the first inner compartment (40, 42) has a square or rectangular horizontal section.

3. Industrial installation according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the first horizontal decks (24, 26) is cantilevered from the first casing wall (32).

4. Industrial installation according to one of the previous claims, also comprising a second container (14, 16), comprising a second casing wall and a second inner compartment delimited by said second casing wall, the second casing wall extending parallel to the vertical axis,
the structure comprising a plurality of second horizontal decks (24, 26), each second horizontal deck being attached to the second casing wall, the second horizontal decks being distributed along the vertical axis (46).

5. Industrial installation according to claim 4, also comprising second industrial equipment devices (20, 22), supported by the second horizontal decks.

6. Industrial installation according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the first and second casing walls have a first common portion (34).

7. Industrial installation according to claim 4 or 5, also comprising a third container (18), comprising a third casing wall and a third inner compartment (44) delimited by said third casing wall, the third casing wall extending parallel to the vertical axis, the second and third casing walls having a second common portion (34).

8. Industrial installation (10) according to one of the previous claims, designed for being part of a carbon capture system.

9. Industrial installation (10) according to one of the previous claims, designed for being part of a floating off-shore module.

Drawing