| 摘要 |
<p>A plurality of rigid spacer stubs (72, 74, 76) are secured between the vessel walls (60, 62, 64, 66) of adjacent vessels. The spacer stubs (72) are mounted on the wall of an inner vessel (60) to extend axially outwardly. A plurality of stub caps (84) are secured to the adjacent vessel wall of a next outer vessel (62), with each stub cap having a recess designed to retain one of the spacer stubs therein. Each spacer stub engages its respective stub cap and is retained within the recess thereof when the walls of the nested vessels are at substantially the same temperature to uniformly and rigidly space apart the vessel walls of the nested vessels. When the vessel walls thermally contract because of the introduction of low temperature liquified gas into the inner vessel, each of the spacer stubs is withdrawn from its respective recess a distance sufficient to disengage said spacer stub and stub cap.</p> |
