IMPLEMENTATION OF ULTRA-COMPACT, LIGHTWEIGHT, SUBMERSIBLE VISUAL MONITORING DEVICE FOR USE IN ABOVE-GROUND LNG TANKS

摘要

As reported at LNG13, Tokyo Gas and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries have collaborated in the development and implementation of ultra-compact, lightweight, submersible visual monitoring devices for use in LNG Tanks, enabling the visual inspection of the membranes inside in-ground LNG tanks. The devices developed are in use on LNG tanks operated by Tokyo Gas and other companies, being utilized for internal observations of older in-ground tanks and also for monitoring newly-built in-ground tanks at start-up. A great deal of interest has been expressed from around the world, but most of the inquiries have concerned above-ground tanks. Moreover, Tokyo Gas also expects to have an increasing need for internal inspection of its own older above-ground tanks. Consequently, it was decided to use the previously-developed visual monitoring devices as the basis for modifications that would provide the performance required to enable application to the internal inspection of above-ground tanks. The technology required to achieve this has been developed in FY 2003.