Thermally Decoupled Pipe Bracket for High-Load Fixed Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe holders used in power plant and process industry applications face challenges in reducing heat transfer from hot media pipes while maintaining mechanical stability and withstanding high loads, as they often rely on insulation materials that are less rigid and torsion-resistant, limiting their use to floating bearings rather than fixed point bearings.
Innovation Solution
A pipe holder design featuring two footrests connected to a support element with a web and a foot part, incorporating a pressure-resistant insulating element between the footrests and foot part, ensuring mechanical stability and thermal insulation by optimizing the contact surface and cold compressive strength of the insulating material, allowing for higher force absorption and reduced heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If thermally insulating material is provided between the pipe and pipe support or between the pipe support and bearing surface, then heat transfer from medium to environment is reduced, but the pipe support system can only be used as floating bearings and cannot bear significant forces in the direction of the pipeline axis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining thermally insulating material with reinforcement elements (such as steel fibers, rebar, or a rigid outer shell) to create a composite insulating structure. This composite material simultaneously provides thermal insulation properties to reduce heat transfer and mechanical strength properties to bear axial forces, thereby resolving the contradiction between energy loss reduction and force bearing capacity.
2Loss of energy
If insulating materials are used between the pipe support and bearing surface, then heat transfer is reduced, but the insulating materials are less rigid and torsionally stiff resulting in lower load bearing capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials construction where thermally insulating material is combined with rigid reinforcement elements (steel fibers, rebar, or outer shell) to create a composite structure that maintains both thermal insulation performance and high load bearing capacity, overcoming the weakness of conventional insulating materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing reinforcement elements at specific locations within the insulating material structure. The reinforcement is concentrated in areas where mechanical strength is most needed (such as the bearing surface contact area and axial load paths) while maintaining thermal insulation properties in other regions, thereby achieving both thermal and mechanical performance requirements.
3Strength
If steel pipe supports attached directly to pipeline and support surface are used, then high mechanical strength and fixed point bearing capability are achieved, but heat transfer from medium to environment is large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure - a composite insulating element with reinforcement - positioned between the pipe support and the bearing surface. This intermediary structure acts as a thermal barrier to reduce heat transfer while simultaneously providing mechanical reinforcement to maintain load bearing capacity and fixed point bearing functionality, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and energy loss.
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 pipe holder can withstand high mechanical loads in axial, radial, and transverse directions, minimizing heat transfer from the pipe medium to the environment, and can function as a fixed point bearing, achieving significantly lower heat losses compared to standard holders while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
at least one pressure-resistant insulating element which is arranged between the first foot support and the foot part and between the second foot support and the foot part
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a pipe bracket for holding a pipe on a support comprising: two feet, which are arranged spaced from each other and can each be connected to the support; a carrying element with a web, a pipe holder at the upper end of the web and a foot part at the lower end of the web, wherein the foot part is arranged in the intermediate space between the feet; and at least one compression-resistant insulating element, which is arranged between the first foot and the foot part and between the second foot and the foot part of the carrying element, wherein feet, insulating elements and foot part are frictionally connected together by at least one fastening.