A small device pipeline supercritical foaming heat preservation and cold preservation shell and a preparation method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical fields of pipeline heat preservation, and discloses a small device pipeline supercritical foaming heat preservation and cold preservation shell and a preparation method thereof, which comprises a heat preservation main body, the heat preservation main body is wrapped outside the pipeline main body, and the heat preservation main body is matched with the pipeline main body; a shell main body, the shell main body is wrapped outside the heat preservation main body, the shell main body is matched with the heat preservation main body, the shell main body comprises a horizontal section and a bending section, and the horizontal section and the bending section are respectively arranged at the straight pipe of the pipeline main body and the bending part correspondingly. The combination design of the supercritical foaming heat preservation structure and the modular metal shell is matched with the matched precision preparation process, and the heat preservation and cold preservation performance, the space adaptability, the installation convenience and the operation reliability are all improved significantly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipeline insulation technology, and in particular to a supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] In industrial production, medical equipment, laboratory instruments, and small precision equipment, piping systems play a crucial role in fluid transport and temperature regulation. Their thermal insulation performance directly affects equipment operating efficiency, energy consumption, and product quality. For small equipment, piping systems are typically characterized by small diameters, compact layouts, and numerous bends, which places higher demands on the structural adaptability, ease of installation, and sealing reliability of the thermal insulation shell.

[0003] The existing methods for heat insulation / cold insulation of small equipment pipelines mainly use traditional insulation materials, such as rock wool, ordinary polyurethane, glass wool, and rubber and plastic, and achieve the heat insulation / cold insulation effect through traditional construction methods, such as manual wrapping, bonding, and prefabricated pipe sleeve connection.

[0004] However, in the application of small equipment pipelines, the above-mentioned solutions are problematic because traditional insulation materials have a high thermal conductivity, often requiring a large covering thickness to achieve the desired insulation and cold insulation effect, which conflicts with the compact installation space of small equipment. Furthermore, the materials have a high porosity and strong moisture absorption, which can easily lead to a decline in insulation performance and even pipeline corrosion over long-term use. In addition, the manual winding method is complicated and cumbersome, and cannot guarantee the construction effect.

[0005] To address this, a supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines and its preparation method are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a supercritical foamed thermal insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines and its preparation method, aiming to solve or improve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention provides a supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines, including... An insulation body, which covers the outside of the pipeline body, is adapted to fit the pipeline body; The outer shell body covers the outside of the insulation body and is adapted to the insulation body. The outer shell body includes a horizontal section and a bending section, which are respectively provided at the straight pipe and the bending section of the pipeline body.

[0008] Preferably, the insulation body is a supercritical physical foaming material, the insulation body is a hollow cylindrical structure, the interior of the insulation body has a cylindrical groove adapted to the pipeline body, and one side of the insulation body is cut with an opening.

[0009] Preferably, the horizontal section and the bent section of the outer shell body are both metal plates, and the thickness of the metal plates is 0.3-0.7mm; the metal plates cover the periphery of the insulation body and form a cylindrical structure that is compatible with the insulation body.

[0010] Preferably, the horizontal section of the outer shell body includes several straight cylinders, the axis of the straight cylinders is a straight line, and the edges of two adjacent straight cylinders are overlapped.

[0011] Preferably, the bent section of the outer shell body includes a first arc-shaped cylinder, and a second arc-shaped cylinder is slidably sleeved at both ends of the first arc-shaped cylinder. The axes of the first arc-shaped cylinder and the second arc-shaped cylinder are arc-shaped. The second arc-shaped cylinder is sleeved on the outside of the straight cylinder. The connection between the second arc-shaped cylinder and the straight cylinder and the connection between two adjacent straight cylinders are respectively fixedly connected by fastening screws.

[0012] Preferably, a limiting strap is installed on the periphery of the second arc-shaped cylinder near one end of the first arc-shaped cylinder.

[0013] A method for preparing a supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines includes the following steps: Step 1, Material Selection; Based on the surface temperature of the pipeline body, the requirements for thermal insulation and cold insulation, and the installation environment, select the corresponding type of supercritical physical foaming material; The types of supercritical physical foaming materials include PVDF, PE, and TPU; Step 2, CNC precision machining; construct a three-dimensional digital model of the insulation body based on the dimensional parameters of the pipeline body, fix the selected supercritical physical foaming material on the CNC machining tool, and process it according to the three-dimensional digital model to obtain the insulation body; Step 3, post-processing and assembly: Use a cutter to cut openings on the sides of the insulation body, and then install the insulation body onto the pipe body through the openings. Then, determine the number of horizontal and bent metal plates in the outer shell body according to the dimensions of the pipe body and the insulation body, and then cover the outside of the insulation body with screws.

[0014] Preferably, in step three, after the outer shell body is installed, sealant or sealing tape is applied to the joints of the outer shell body for sealing.

[0015] Preferably, in step two, after the insulation body is processed, the insulation body and the outer shell body are surface treated to remove burrs and flash, and the surface is cleaned by blowing with compressed air.

[0016] The present invention discloses the following technical effects: This invention uses supercritical physical foaming material as the main insulation material. The material has a high closed-cell rate and low thermal conductivity. Compared with traditional rock wool, ordinary polyurethane, rubber and plastic materials, it can achieve the same heat preservation and cold preservation effect with only a smaller covering thickness, which is perfectly suitable for the compact installation space of small equipment. At the same time, the material has extremely low moisture absorption, which can effectively avoid the problem of heat preservation performance degradation during long-term use. It can also isolate water vapor from contacting the pipeline, reduce the risk of pipeline corrosion, and extend the service life of the system.

[0017] The outer shell adopts a segmented structural design. The horizontal straight section can be overlapped to adapt to different straight pipe lengths. The bending section adopts a telescopic structure with the first arc-shaped cylinder and the second arc-shaped cylinder slidingly connected, which can flexibly adapt to pipes with different bending angles and curvatures, without the need for custom-made special bending shells. With the side opening design of the insulation body, the wrapping installation can be completed without disassembling the original pipes. Compared with traditional manual wrapping construction, the installation efficiency is greatly improved and the construction quality is highly consistent.

[0018] The insulation body is manufactured using CNC precision machining, ensuring high dimensional accuracy and good fit with pipelines, which can reduce heat loss caused by gaps in the fit; the 0.3-0.7mm thin metal shell is lightweight and structurally strong, protecting the insulation layer from external damage, and the joint sealing treatment further improves waterproof and dustproof performance, ensuring long-term stable insulation performance under complex working conditions.

[0019] This invention addresses the application characteristics of small equipment with small pipe diameters, compact layouts, and dense bends. Through a combination design of supercritical foam insulation structure and modular metal shell, along with matching precision manufacturing processes, it achieves significant improvements in thermal insulation performance, space adaptability, ease of installation, and operational reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the thermal insulation and cold insulation shell of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal insulation and cold insulation shell structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the outer shell structure of the pipeline body of the present invention when the main body is bent at different angles; Among them, 1. Insulation body; 2. Pipe body; 3. Outer shell body; 301. Straight cylinder; 302. First arc-shaped cylinder; 303. Second arc-shaped cylinder; 4. Limiting strap. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0024] Reference Figures 1-3 This invention provides a supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines, including... The insulation body covers the outside of the pipe body and is compatible with it. The fitting gap between the two is controlled within the range of 0.1mm-0.3mm, which ensures smooth connection during installation and avoids excessive gaps that may cause air convection and weaken the insulation effect. The inner wall of the insulation body and the outer wall of the pipe body are in surface contact, which can effectively eliminate contact thermal resistance and improve temperature control efficiency.

[0025] The outer shell, which covers the outside of the insulation body, is compatible with it. It includes horizontal and bent sections, corresponding to the straight and bent sections of the pipeline. The outer shell serves both mechanical protection and structural support. On one hand, it resists external impacts, dust, and moisture erosion of the insulation body, extending its service life. On the other hand, it constrains the shape of the insulation body, preventing creep deformation of the supercritical foam material after long-term use. The horizontal and bent sections adopt a modular design, allowing for flexible combination and splicing according to the actual pipeline route. This adapts to pipeline layouts with different bending angles and straight pipe lengths, eliminating the need for custom-made outer shells for individual pipelines and significantly reducing production and installation costs.

[0026] The design was further optimized. The insulation body is made of supercritical physical foaming material and has a hollow cylindrical structure. The interior of the insulation body has a cylindrical groove that matches the main pipe body. One side of the insulation body has an opening cut with a cutter.

[0027] Supercritical physical foaming materials use CO2 or N2 as environmentally friendly foaming media. After uniformly penetrating the polymer matrix under supercritical conditions, uniform nucleation and growth are achieved through precise pressure and temperature control, ultimately forming a closed-cell foam structure. The foaming ratio of the material can be adjusted within the range of 5-30 times according to needs, and the closed-cell rate is not less than 95%. It can effectively isolate water vapor penetration and air convection, and the thermal conductivity is as low as 0.020W / (m·K)-0.035W / (m·K), which is more than 30% lower than that of traditional rubber and plastic insulation materials. Under the same insulation and cold preservation requirements, the coating thickness can be significantly reduced, perfectly adapting to the compact installation space of small equipment. The opening is set through the axial direction of the insulation body, with an opening width of 1mm-2mm. When cutting, a diamond cutter is used for cold cutting to avoid the foam material melting and sticking at the cut. During installation, the insulation body can be evenly spread to both sides through the opening and then fitted onto the outside of the pipe body. The foam material itself tightly wraps the pipe body with its elastic recovery force, and initial fixation can be achieved without additional bonding. The installation operation is convenient and efficient.

[0028] The design was further optimized so that the horizontal and bending sections of the outer shell are made of metal plates with a thickness of 0.3-0.7mm. The metal plates cover the periphery of the insulation body and form a cylindrical structure that is compatible with the insulation body.

[0029] The metal sheet can be selected according to the usage environment. Commonly used materials include 304 stainless steel, galvanized steel, and aluminum alloy, respectively catering to different needs such as high corrosion resistance, low cost, and lightweight design. The thickness of 0.3mm-0.7mm balances structural rigidity and forming performance, providing sufficient mechanical protection against bumps and knocks during daily installation and maintenance, while also allowing for rolling and bending by hand or simple tooling, adapting to small-batch customized production needs without the need for large stamping dies. A 0.05mm-0.1mm thick pressure-sensitive adhesive layer can be pre-coated on the inner side of the metal sheet, which can initially bond and fix it to the outer wall of the insulation body during wrapping, reducing the difficulty of subsequent screw tightening and improving assembly efficiency.

[0030] The design has been further optimized. The horizontal section of the outer shell consists of several straight cylinders with straight axes and overlapping edges between adjacent cylinders. The cylinders are made of metal sheets through a rolling process. Single cylinder sections are available in standard lengths such as 50mm, 100mm, and 200mm. During installation, the appropriate number of cylinders can be freely spliced ​​according to the actual length of the straight pipe section of the main pipeline. The overlap length between adjacent cylinders is controlled within the range of 5mm-10mm. Two to four pre-fabricated connection holes are evenly distributed circumferentially at the overlap, and the connection is secured with fastening screws. The overlapping structure effectively covers the splicing gaps, improving the sealing and protective performance of the outer shell, preventing external moisture and dust from entering the insulation body through the splicing gaps, and also offsetting some installation dimensional errors, reducing assembly precision requirements.

[0031] The design is further optimized so that the bent section of the outer shell includes a first arc-shaped cylinder, and a second arc-shaped cylinder is slidably sleeved at both ends of the first arc-shaped cylinder. The axes of the first arc-shaped cylinder and the second arc-shaped cylinder are arc-shaped. The second arc-shaped cylinder is sleeved on the outside of the straight cylinder. The connection between the second arc-shaped cylinder and the straight cylinder, as well as the connection between two adjacent straight cylinders, are fixedly connected by fastening screws.

[0032] Both the first and second arc-shaped cylinders are made of metal plates through a bending process. Their axial curvature matches the curvature of the bend in the main pipe structure. Standard bending angles cover commonly used pipe bending angles such as 90°, 120°, and 135°, meeting the pipe layout requirements of most small equipment. Through the sliding sleeve structure of the first and second arc-shaped cylinders, the overall axial length of the bend section can be infinitely adjusted within a range of ±15mm. This allows for adaptation to different straight pipe sections at both ends of the bend, eliminating machining and installation dimensional errors. It also eliminates the need to customize a specific length of bend shell for each pipe, significantly improving structural versatility.

[0033] To further optimize the design, a limiting strap is installed around the periphery of the second arc-shaped cylinder near the end of the first arc-shaped cylinder. The limiting strap can be made of stainless steel or flame-retardant nylon, possessing excellent aging and corrosion resistance, suitable for various operating environments. Once the length of the bent section is adjusted to the target size, tightening the limiting strap locks the connection between the second and first arc-shaped cylinders, preventing relative slippage due to vibration or thermal expansion and contraction during operation, thus ensuring the long-term stability of the bent section structure. The tightening force of the limiting strap is controlled within the range of 5N-15N, ensuring a locking effect while avoiding excessive pressure that could deform the metal cylinder and damage the internal insulation structure.

[0034] A method for preparing a supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines includes the following steps: Step 1, Material Selection: Based on the surface temperature of the pipeline body, insulation requirements, and installation environment, select the appropriate type of supercritical physical foaming material. Types of supercritical physical foaming materials include PVDF, PE, and TPU. Among them, PVDF supercritical foam material is suitable for wide temperature range conditions of -40℃ to 150℃, possessing excellent resistance to chemical corrosion and UV aging, making it suitable for piping in small chemical equipment and outdoor installations; PE supercritical foam material is suitable for conventional conditions of -20℃ to 80℃, with low cost and excellent processing performance, making it the preferred material for piping in ordinary refrigeration and HVAC small equipment; TPU supercritical foam material is suitable for conditions of -30℃ to 100℃, possessing outstanding elasticity and impact resistance, making it suitable for piping in mobile equipment and vehicle-mounted equipment subject to frequent vibration and collisions. During the selection process, the thickness and expansion ratio of the foam material are determined based on the thermal calculation results of insulation and cold insulation to ensure that the heat loss or cold loss of the pipeline meets the design requirements.

[0035] Step 2, CNC precision machining; construct a three-dimensional digital model of the insulation body based on the dimensional parameters of the pipeline body, fix the selected supercritical physical foaming material on the CNC machining tool, and process the insulation body according to the three-dimensional digital model; during the machining process, select the tool type and control the cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut and other machining parameters according to the physicochemical properties of different materials.

[0036] Step 3, post-processing and assembly: Use a cutter to cut openings on the sides of the insulation body, and then install the insulation body onto the pipe body through the openings. Then, determine the number of horizontal and bent metal plates in the outer shell body according to the dimensions of the pipe body and the insulation body, and then cover the outside of the insulation body with screws.

[0037] Further optimizing the solution, in step three, after installing the main body of the outer shell, sealant or sealing tape is applied to the seams of the outer shell for sealing. Neutral silicone sealant or butyl rubber sealant can be used, and aluminum foil fiberglass tape can be used, selected according to the ambient temperature and corrosion resistance requirements. Before applying the sealing material, the surface of the metal plates at the seams should be wiped clean with anhydrous ethanol to remove oil and dust, ensuring a firm bond. The sealant application width should be 8mm-12mm, and the thickness 1mm-2mm, completely covering the seams, with smooth edges. When using sealing tape, the tape should be centered along the seam and compacted with a rubber roller to remove air bubbles and achieve a complete seal at the joint. This sealing treatment effectively prevents external moisture and dust from entering the outer shell, further improving the long-term stability of thermal insulation performance, while also enhancing the corrosion resistance of the metal plate seams and extending the overall service life of the outer shell.

[0038] Further optimize the solution. In step two, after the insulation body is processed, the insulation body and the outer shell body 3 are surface treated to remove burrs and flash, and the surface is cleaned by blowing with compressed air.

[0039] To further optimize the solution, in step two, a 3D model is designed using AutoCAD and SolidWorks for a 1:1 precision design, which enhances the fit with the pipeline, further reduces the thermal bridging effect, and increases the stability of the installation.

[0040] With further optimization, this invention can also be applied to the body of small equipment. That is, after three-dimensional modeling, the insulation body 1 is processed and set as a split structure, that is, the insulation body 1 can be fastened to the outside of the small equipment, and then protected and fixed with a metal plate, or a protective coating can be directly applied to the outside of the insulation body 1.

[0041] When using PVDF supercritical physical foaming material, the protective coating is a PVDF fluorocarbon coating, which has excellent compatibility with the PVDF foaming substrate and strong adhesion; it is resistant to ultraviolet rays, acid and alkali corrosion, and has outstanding weather resistance, with an outdoor service life of over 10 years; its dense surface has low surface energy, is stain-resistant and easy to clean, and can work stably in a wide temperature range of -40℃ to 150℃. When using PE or TPU supercritical physical foaming material, the protective coating is a weather-resistant modified acrylic coating, which has moderate cost, good color and gloss retention, and excellent resistance to ultraviolet aging; it has good flexibility, adapts to the deformation of the foaming material, and is easy to apply.

[0042] When applying the protective coating, thoroughly blow away the cutting dust from the surface of the insulation body with compressed air. If necessary, perform a light roughening treatment on the surface to improve the coating adhesion. The coating should be applied evenly in 2 to 3 coats to ensure complete coverage of the surface without any gaps. Openings, seams, and corners should be coated with thicker coating to ensure a good seal. The total coating thickness should be controlled according to the working conditions to avoid excessive thickness that would occupy installation space and violate the compact design principle of small equipment.

[0043] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0044] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines, characterized in that: include The insulation body (1) covers the outside of the pipeline body (2) and is adapted to the pipeline body (2); The outer shell body (3) covers the outside of the insulation body (1). The outer shell body (3) is adapted to the insulation body (1). The outer shell body (3) includes a horizontal section and a bending section. The horizontal section and the bending section are respectively set at the straight pipe and the bending point of the pipeline body (2).

2. The supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines according to claim 1, characterized in that: The insulation body (1) is a supercritical physical foaming material. The insulation body (1) is a hollow cylindrical structure. The interior of the insulation body (1) is a cylindrical groove that is compatible with the pipeline body (2). One side of the insulation body (1) is cut with a cutter.

3. The supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal section and the bent section of the outer shell body (3) are both metal plates with a thickness of 0.3-0.7mm. The metal plates cover the periphery of the insulation body (1) and form a cylindrical structure that is compatible with the insulation body (1).

4. The supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal section of the outer shell body (3) includes several straight cylinders (301), the axis of the straight cylinders (301) is a straight line, and the edges of two adjacent straight cylinders (301) are overlapped.

5. The supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bent section of the outer shell body (3) includes a first arc-shaped cylinder (302), and a second arc-shaped cylinder (303) is slidably sleeved at both ends of the first arc-shaped cylinder (302). The axes of the first arc-shaped cylinder (302) and the second arc-shaped cylinder (303) are arc-shaped. The second arc-shaped cylinder (303) is sleeved on the outside of the straight cylinder (301). The connection between the second arc-shaped cylinder (303) and the straight cylinder (301) and the connection between two adjacent straight cylinders (301) are respectively fixedly connected by fastening screws.

6. The supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines according to claim 5, characterized in that: A limit strap (4) is installed on the periphery of the second arc-shaped cylinder (303) near the end of the first arc-shaped cylinder (302).

7. A method for preparing a supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines, based on the supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: Includes the following steps Step 1, material selection; select the corresponding type of supercritical physical foaming material according to the surface temperature of the main body of the pipeline (2), the requirements for heat preservation and cold preservation and the installation environment; the types of supercritical physical foaming materials include PVDF, PE and TPU; Step 2, CNC precision machining; construct a three-dimensional digital model of the insulation body (1) based on the size parameters of the pipeline body (2), fix the selected supercritical physical foaming material on the CNC machining tool, and process it according to the three-dimensional digital model to obtain the insulation body (1). Step 3, post-processing and assembly: Use a cutter to cut an opening on the side of the insulation body (1), and then install the insulation body (1) on the pipeline body (2) through the opening. Then, determine the number of horizontal and bent metal plates in the outer shell body (3) according to the size of the pipeline body (2) and the insulation body (1), and then cover the outside of the insulation body (1) with screws.

8. The method for preparing the supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines according to claim 6, characterized in that: In step three, after installing the outer shell body (3), sealant or sealing tape is applied to the joints of the outer shell body (3) for sealing treatment.

9. The method for preparing the supercritical foam insulation and cold insulation shell for small equipment pipelines according to claim 6, characterized in that: In step two, after the insulation body (1) is processed, the insulation body (1) and the outer shell body (3) are surface treated to remove burrs and flash, and the surface is cleaned by blowing with compressed air.

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