Pipe Support Isolators for Compact Insulated Pipe Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Insulated pipes have an increased cross-sectional area due to insulation, reducing the number that can fit in a given area, necessitating a solution to decrease the overall perimeter for increased storage density.
Innovation Solution
A pipe support system comprising multiple isolators and a clamp that surrounds the pipe, with the clamp exerting differential forces on the isolators to reduce their thickness and minimize the pipe's cross-sectional area, allowing for a non-uniform configuration that fits more pipes in a space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If insulation is installed around the pipes, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but the cross-sectional area increases reducing the number of pipes that can fit in a given area
Solution Approach 1:
The isolator is divided into multiple segments (first isolator, second isolator, third isolator, fourth isolator) that can be independently positioned and adjusted around the pipe. This segmentation allows the insulation to maintain thermal performance while enabling flexible configuration that reduces the overall cross-sectional area occupied by the insulated pipe assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a traditional uniform cylindrical insulation configuration to a multi-faceted polyhedral configuration by positioning isolators at different angular positions (e.g., 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) around the pipe. This dimensional reconfiguration in angular space allows the pipe to fit more efficiently in rack configurations, effectively reducing the bounding box cross-sectional area while preserving the insulation thickness and thermal performance.
2Reliability
If the thickness of insulation is increased, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but the number of insulated pipes that can fit into a pipe rack decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the isolators into multiple independently adjustable components, the system allows for optimized spacing and positioning that minimizes the overall envelope dimensions. This enables maintaining required insulation thickness for thermal performance while reducing the effective space each pipe occupies in the rack, thereby increasing the number of pipes that can be accommodated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric positioning of isolators around the pipe circumference rather than uniform distribution. This asymmetric arrangement optimizes the packing efficiency within the pipe rack by creating a more compact overall configuration, allowing increased pipe density in the rack while maintaining adequate insulation thickness for thermal performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for supporting one or more pipes are provided. The pipe support system can include a first isolator and a second isolator at least partially disposed about a pipe such that at least a portion of the first and second isolators oppose one another. The pipe support system can also include a third isolator at least partially disposed about the pipe between a first set of ends of the first and second isolators and a fourth isolator at least partially disposed about the pipe between a second set of ends of the first and second isolators such that at least a portion of the third and fourth isolators oppose one another. An inner surface of the combination of the first, second, third, and fourth isolators can surround a perimeter of the pipe to provide an insulated pipe. The pipe system can also include at least one clamp at least partially disposed about the insulated pipe.