Reinforced Vacuum-Insulated Pipe for Flexible Heat Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulated pipes for local heat distribution lack flexibility and compactness while maintaining low thermal conductivity, and they do not have excellent ageing properties when coiled.
Innovation Solution
The development of a flexible insulated pipe with a reinforced inner pipe made of cross-linked polyolefin, surrounded by a vacuum insulation panel with a powdery inorganic oxide core and a diffusion barrier, and wrapped with a flexible outer jacket, which allows for efficient thermal insulation and mechanical protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If vacuum-insulated pipes with metallic inner pipe are used, then thermal conductivity is reduced, but flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite structure combining a plastic inner pipe with reinforcement material (such as glass fibers or steel wires), vacuum insulation layer, and protective outer layer. This composite construction achieves both low thermal conductivity through vacuum insulation and flexibility through the elastic plastic material and controlled reinforcement, resolving the contradiction between thermal performance and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a flexible plastic inner pipe instead of rigid metal, and uses thin protective outer layers that maintain vacuum insulation while allowing bending. The reinforcement material is distributed in a way that provides structural integrity without preventing flexibility, enabling the pipe to be coiled while maintaining insulation performance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the pipe is made flexible for coiling, then adaptability is improved, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe structure is segmented into distinct functional layers: flexible plastic inner pipe, reinforcement material layer, vacuum insulation layer, and protective outer layer. Each layer performs its specific function independently, allowing the overall structure to be flexible while maintaining thermal insulation performance through the vacuum barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the insulation by creating a vacuum environment, which fundamentally alters thermal conductivity parameters. The vacuum layer maintains its insulating properties even when the pipe is bent or coiled, as the vacuum state is preserved within the sealed structure.
3Strength
If reinforcement material is added to improve strength, then mechanical strength is improved, but flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement material is strategically placed in specific locations and orientations within the pipe wall, providing strength where needed (radial and circumferential directions) while maintaining flexibility in the axial direction. The localized reinforcement approach ensures structural integrity without compromising the ability to bend and coil.
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 insulated pipe with improved ageing properties, capable of maintaining low thermal conductivity and flexibility, even when coiled, and meets stringent legal requirements for thermal insulation in Europe.
Implementation Method 1
surrounded by a vacuum insulation panel with a powdery inorganic oxide core
Implementation Method 2
efficient thermal insulation
Implementation Method 3
a diffusion barrier
Implementation Method 4
The plastic is a cross-linked or non-cross linked polyolefine
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
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.