Removable Strap Assemblies for Pipe Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulation methods for pipework, such as electric heat tracing and insulated blankets, face challenges in remote locations due to the need for electrical power or complex installation, and current solutions like wire lacing pose safety hazards and are difficult to reinstall.
Innovation Solution
A strapping and insulation system featuring pairs of strap assemblies with tightening and anchoring loops, a ring to join them, and a rod with retaining washers for secure attachment to the insulation structure, allowing easy installation and removal around pipework without requiring electrical power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electric heat trace tape is used to insulate piping, then freezing prevention and temperature maintenance are improved, but the requirement for electrical power and increased installation complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the electrical power requirement from the insulation system by extracting the heating function entirely. Instead of using electric heat trace tape, the invention employs passive insulation blankets that do not require external power sources, making the system suitable for remote locations while maintaining freezing prevention capabilities through thermal insulation alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive, removable insulation blankets that can be easily installed and removed as needed. These blankets are designed as temporary, disposable-style solutions rather than permanent electrical installations, reducing both cost and complexity while providing effective insulation when required
2Ease of manufacture
If insulated blankets with wire lacing are used for piping insulation, then customization and cost-effectiveness are improved, but installation difficulty and safety hazards worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire lacing system with a strap-based fastening system. The straps can be easily adjusted, tightened, and removed without the safety hazards associated with wire lacing. This substitution maintains the ability to secure customized blanket fits to various pipe configurations while dramatically improving installation ease and operator safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic, adjustable straps that can be easily tightened and loosened as needed, replacing the static wire lacing system. The straps allow operators to quickly adjust the insulation blanket fit and enable rapid removal for maintenance activities, transforming a difficult, permanent installation into a flexible, reversible system
Data Source
AI summary
A piping strapping and insulation system provides a pair of strap assemblies which act to close a seam portion of an insulation structure around a correspondingly-shaped existing piping member such as a pipe, a valve, a pressure vessel, or the like. The straps are removably attached the insulation structure to allow disassembly and reuse of the strapping. It is envisioned that the piping insulation structures would be available in various sizes and shapes which correspond to differently shaped existing piping members.