Flexible Vacuum-Insulated Pipe for Low Heat Loss and Coiling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum-insulated pipes for heat distribution are inflexible and lack excellent ageing properties, making them unsuitable for compact and coiled applications while maintaining low thermal conductivity.
Innovation Solution
A flexible vacuum-insulated pipe design featuring a plastic inner pipe, reinforced with organic or inorganic materials, surrounded by a flexible vacuum insulation panel (VIP) with a diffusion barrier and an outer jacket, utilizing cross-linked polyethylene for enhanced flexibility and high-temperature resistance, and incorporating a powdery inorganic oxide core for improved flexibility and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If metallic inner pipes are used in vacuum-insulated pipes, then thermal conductivity is reduced, but flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by combining plastic inner pipes with vacuum insulation panels. The plastic material provides flexibility while the vacuum insulation layer maintains low thermal conductivity, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses flexible vacuum insulation panels with thin film structures that can be coiled and bent. These panels maintain their insulating properties while providing the necessary flexibility for various installation configurations, directly addressing the flexibility limitation of metallic pipes.
2Loss of energy
If rigid vacuum insulation panels are used, then thermal insulation is improved, but ageing properties deteriorate when coiled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the vacuum insulation panel by using a flexible core material and thin film structure. This allows the panel to be coiled without compromising its insulating properties or suffering from degradation, thereby maintaining both thermal insulation and ageing resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs cost-effective plastic materials and flexible film structures that can withstand coiling and uncoiling cycles without degradation. These materials provide durable long-term performance in flexible applications where rigid panels would fail.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pipe flexibility is enhanced for coiling, then adaptability is improved, but thermal conductivity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pipe structure into distinct functional layers: plastic inner pipe, vacuum insulation panel with flexible core, and outer protective layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function - the plastic and flexible core provide adaptability while the vacuum insulation maintains low thermal conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining flexible plastic materials with vacuum insulation technology. This composite design achieves both flexibility for coiling and low thermal conductivity, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and energy efficiency.
4Strength
If reinforcement materials are added to inner pipes, then strength is improved, but flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible vacuum insulation panels with thin film structures that inherently provide both strength and flexibility. The flexible core material and film construction allow the pipe to withstand mechanical stresses while maintaining coilability, eliminating the need for rigid reinforcement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact, flexible, and thermally efficient pipe with excellent ageing properties, capable of maintaining low thermal conductivity and flexibility, suitable for coiled applications, while meeting stringent legal requirements for heat distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible vacuum insulation panel (VIP) surrounding the one or more inner pipes
Implementation Method 2
The VIP preferably has a thickness from 5 to 40 mm, more preferably 5 to 35 mm, most preferred 8 to 30 mm. The U-value of the VIP is preferably below 0.3 W/(m2K), more preferably below 0.25 W/(m2K)
Implementation Method 3
the one or more inner pipes are multi-layer pipes, preferably comprising one or more diffusion barrier layers, such as an aluminum layer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an insulated pipe comprising one or more inner pipes comprising a plastic, a flexible vacuum insulation panel surrounding the one or more inner pipes, and an outer jacket.