Mineral-Filled Foil in Corrugated Insulated Pipe Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermally insulated pipes with corrugated outer shells are prone to water penetration and damage, leading to reduced insulation effectiveness and high repair costs, and existing solutions like a second insulation layer face melting issues during production.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating mineral fillers on the foil layer facing the outer layer to prevent premature melting, allowing for a continuous production process and ensuring a circumferential weld between the foil and outer layer, enhancing water resistance and insulation integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a foil layer is used in the corrugated outer casing, then water penetration protection is improved, but the foil layer melts before corrugation can be produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of the foil layer by incorporating mineral fillers (such as calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, or aluminum hydroxide) to increase its thermal stability. This allows the foil to withstand the temperatures in the extruder head (approximately 240°C) without melting, while still enabling subsequent corrugation through the corrugator
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite foil layer by combining polymer material with mineral fillers. This composite structure provides both the water penetration protection of the foil and the thermal stability of mineral components, allowing the foil to survive the extrusion process and subsequent corrugation without melting
2Reliability
If the foil layer is welded to the outer casing in the corrugator, then longitudinal watertightness is achieved, but the production time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates mineral fillers into the foil layer before extrusion, preparing it in advance to resist melting during the extrusion process. This preliminary modification eliminates the need for extended holding time in the corrugator, allowing the foil to be welded to the outer casing quickly while achieving the required longitudinal watertightness
3Reliability
If water penetrates the insulation layer, then insulation properties deteriorate, but preventing water penetration increases production complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the foil layer's thermal parameters by adding mineral fillers, enabling it to maintain structural integrity at extrusion temperatures. This allows the foil to be effectively welded to the outer casing in the corrugator, creating a water barrier that protects the insulation layer without requiring additional complex protective structures
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 reliable production without melting and ensures longitudinal watertightness and maintains insulation properties, preventing water penetration and damage, thus reducing repair costs and maintaining thermal efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
mineral fillers on the side of the film layer facing the outer layer. This mineral component on the outer side of the film layer delays the melting of the material long enough (approximately 10 to 20 s) to allow the film layer to pass through the hot extruder head (approximately 240°C in the case of an outer layer made of polyethylene) without melting
Implementation Method 2
the foil layer is circumferentially connected to the outer layer in the region of the corrugated pipe valleys
Implementation Method 3
at least one insulation layer which at least partially fills the space between the at least one media pipe and the corrugated pipe outer casing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a thermally insulated pipe arrangement (100) for receiving, storing, or conducting a fluid, comprising a corrugated pipe outer casing (10) having a corrugated outer layer (12), the corrugated pipe peaks (121, 121') and corrugated pipe valleys (122, 122'), and a foil layer (14), wherein the foil layer is peripherally connected to the outer layer (12) in the region of the corrugated pipe valleys (122, 122'); at least one media pipe (50) received in the corrugated pipe outer casing (10); and at least one insulation layer (60) which at least partially fills the space between the at least one media pipe (50) and the corrugated pipe outer casing (10); wherein the thermally insulated pipe arrangement (100) is characterized according to the invention in that the foil layer (14) comprises mineral fillers at least on its side facing the outer layer (12).