Hydrophilic Silica Aerogel Blanket for Ultra-High Temperature Insulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional silica aerogel blankets face challenges in high manufacturing costs and odor generation due to surface modification processes, and they suffer from moisture-induced heat insulation loss when used at ultra-high temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A production method involving the use of a basic catalyst in the aging step of silica gel formation, omitting the surface modification step, and constructing a hydrophilic aerogel blanket on ultra-high temperature piping equipment to block volatile organic compounds and maintain heat insulation performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surface modification is performed to hydrophobize the silica aerogel surface, then moisture resistance is improved, but production time is lengthened and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the surface modification step from the conventional aerogel production process. By using a basic catalyst during the aging step, the silica gel structure is strengthened intrinsically, making the separate hydrophobization step unnecessary. This eliminates both the time consumption and material costs associated with surface modification while maintaining moisture resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the surface modification function into the aging step by adding a basic catalyst. The catalyst serves dual purposes: strengthening the silica gel network structure and providing moisture resistance. This consolidation of functions eliminates the need for a separate surface modification step, reducing both time and cost.
2Reliability
If surface modification is performed to hydrophobize the silica aerogel surface, then moisture resistance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to high raw material cost of surface modifier
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the surface modification step from the conventional aerogel production process. By using a basic catalyst during the aging step, the silica gel structure is strengthened intrinsically, making the separate hydrophobization step unnecessary. This eliminates both the time consumption and material costs associated with surface modification while maintaining moisture resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive surface modifiers with a basic catalyst that is already present or easily added during the aging process. The basic catalyst (such as ammonia or alkali metal hydroxides) is significantly cheaper than specialized surface modification chemicals, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while achieving the same functional outcome of moisture resistance.
3Reliability
If hydrophobic silica aerogel blanket is directly constructed on high temperature pipe, then heat insulation performance is maintained, but bad odor is generated by volatile organic compound
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful volatile organic compounds used in surface modification into a beneficial approach by eliminating their use entirely. By using a basic catalyst during aging to intrinsically strengthen the silica gel structure, the process avoids VOC emissions that cause bad odor, while still achieving the desired moisture resistance and heat insulation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive surface modifiers with a basic catalyst that is already present or easily added during the aging process. The basic catalyst (such as ammonia or alkali metal hydroxides) is significantly cheaper than specialized surface modification chemicals, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while achieving the same functional outcome of moisture resistance.
4Reliability
If conventional aerogel production method is used, then heat insulation performance is achieved, but production process complexity increases due to multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the surface modification function into the aging step by adding a basic catalyst. The catalyst serves dual purposes: strengthening the silica gel network structure and providing moisture resistance. This consolidation of functions eliminates the need for a separate surface modification step, reducing both time and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The basic catalyst added during the aging step performs multiple functions simultaneously: it strengthens the silica gel network structure, provides moisture resistance, and eliminates the need for separate surface modification. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall production process while maintaining all necessary performance characteristics.
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
This method reduces processing time and cost, suppresses bad odor generation, and maintains heat insulation performance by strengthening the silica gel structure and preventing moisture absorption, making it suitable for ultra-high temperature applications.
Implementation Method 1
adding a basic catalyst in an aging step
Implementation Method 2
suppressing the generation of a bad odor by fundamentally blocking a volatile organic compound (VOC)
Implementation Method 3
the aerogel has a super-insulation exhibiting a thermal conductivity of 0.03 W/m·K or less
Implementation Method 4
subjecting the silica sol to a gelation reaction while being in a state of being deposited in the base material for blanket
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a hydrophilic silica aerogel blanket for ultra-high temperature insulation, a production method thereof, and a construction method thereof. More specifically, the present invention provides a production method a hydrophilic silica aerogel blanket, the method capable of strengthening the structure of a silica gel by adding a basic catalyst in an aging step, reducing processing time and cost by omitting a surface modification step, thereby reducing manufacturing cost, and suppressing the generation of a bad odor during construction by fundamentally blocking a volatile organic compound (VOC), a hydrophilic silica aerogel blanket produced thereby, and a construction method of a hydrophilic silica aerogel blanket, the method capable of suppressing the generation of a bad odor when constructing the hydrophilic aerogel blanket on an ultra-high temperature piping equipment, and at the same time, preventing the loss of heat insulation performance due to moisture in the air.