SAMSON has joined a rather special project: the construction of a polar exploration ship, named “Le Commandant Charcot”, as a tribute to the French explorer of the 20th century. 18 valves will be located around the two tanks of this hybrid electric ship, powered by LNG. A technology that is more environmentally friendly and emits less CO2. Ponant, the owner of this vessel under construction, plans to deliver it in 2021. For this project, he has engaged the services of the French company GTT, a specialist in membrane containment systems for the transport and storage of LNG by sea.
The eighteen valves (NPS 1 to NPS 2, Class 150) are made in France. Their function? “To control nitrogen gas pressure for inerting the insulation of LNG tanks”, explains Thomas Conejero, a Procurement specialist at GTT.
Among the 16 valves Type 3241, eight of them (the cryogenic ones) are equipped with a long extension to withstand temperatures of -163 °C. The other eight are mounted with a short extension (resistance up to -40 °C).
