Concrete double-hulled tank ship

Abstract

A double-hulled tanker of not less than of not less than about 2,000 metric tons deadweight in size which is suitable for the transportation of liquid hydrocarbons and meeting the requirements for the United States Pollution Act of 1990 and similar international regulations, said tanker comprising an inner hull and an outer hull separated by a void, said inner and outer hulls being constructed of high strength, light weight, reinforced and prestressed concrete.

1 . A double-hulled tanker of not less than about 2,000 metric tons deadweight in size which is suitable for the transportation of liquid hydrocarbons and meeting the requirements for the United States Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and similar international regulations, said tanker comprising an inner hull and an outer hull separated by a void, said inner and outer hulls being constructed of high strength, light weight, reinforced and prestressed concrete.  
   
   
       2 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  wherein the inner and outer hulls are prestressed in at least two directions.  
   
   
       3 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  having bulkheads, frames and hull stiffening and strengthening members are comprised of high strength, light weight, reinforced and prestressed concrete.  
   
   
       4 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  wherein the inner and outer hulls are strengthened by longitudinal and/or transverse concrete frames (ribs) which are disposed in the void between the outer surface of the inner hull and the inner surface of the outer hull.  
   
   
       5 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 4  wherein the transverse and/or longitudinal concrete ribs are haunched.  
   
   
       6 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the two concrete hulls is reinforced with embedded steel.  
   
   
       7 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 6  wherein the embedded steel is stainless steel.  
   
   
       8 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 6  wherein the embedded steel is epoxy-coated steel.  
   
   
       9 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 6  wherein the embedded steel is MMFX steel.  
   
   
       10 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the two concrete hulls is reinforced with fiberglass.  
   
   
       11 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the two concrete hulls is reinforced with carbon fiber.  
   
   
       12 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  wherein the light weight concrete also contains pozzolans.  
   
   
       13 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 12  wherein the light weight concrete contains fly ash.  
   
   
       14 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 12  wherein the light weight concrete contains silica fume.  
   
   
       15 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 12  wherein the light weight concrete contains granulated blast furnace slag.  
   
   
       16 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the two hulls have a nominal air content between about 3 vol. % and about 10 vol. %.  
   
   
       17 . The double-hulled tanker of  claim 1  wherein parts of the concrete hull and/or structure are fabricated utilizing concrete slip form construction technology.  
   
   
       18 . The tanker of  claim 1  which is a tank ship.  
   
   
       19 . The tank ship of  claim 18  of not less than about 30,000 metric tons dead weight.