Superinsulation Layer Contact Surfaces for Cryogenic Pipe Winding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing superinsulation layers in line pipes for cryogenic media transport face challenges in maintaining a defined relative position of insulating and reflective materials during winding, leading to potential compression of the insulating material and restriction of gas permeability, which affects thermal insulation efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The layers of insulating and reflective materials are connected by punctiform and/or line-shaped contact surfaces adjacent to through-openings, ensuring a defined distance and relative position, preventing compression and optimizing gas permeability, while allowing for even force distribution during winding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the superinsulation layer is wound with high tension to achieve tight layer arrangement, then the insulation effect is improved, but the insulating material gets compressed and gas permeability is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsulation effectVSAvoidcompression of insulating material
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The metal foil layer is perforated before winding to create through-openings that allow gas permeability. This preliminary action ensures that even when layers are compressed during winding, gas can still pass through the insulating material, preventing the harmful effect of restricted gas permeability while maintaining tight layer arrangement for good insulation effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the metal foil is perforated to enable gas permeability, then gas passage is facilitated, but the layers may shift relative position during winding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas permeabilityVSAvoidrelative position of layers
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The metal foil layer and insulating material layer are connected by adhesion at contact surfaces. This merging of layers ensures that even with perforations for gas permeability, the layers maintain their predetermined relative positions during winding, preventing layer shift while preserving gas passage through the perforations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Adhesion acts as an intermediary force between the metal foil layer and insulating material layer, connecting them at contact surfaces. This adhesion prevents layer displacement during winding while allowing gas to pass through the perforations in the metal foil, resolving the contradiction between gas permeability and layer position stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If the layers are connected extensively to maintain position, then manufacturing precision is improved, but gas permeability is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelative position of layersVSAvoidgas permeability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between metal foil layer and insulating material layer is localized to specific contact surfaces rather than extensive coverage. This local quality approach allows gas to pass through the non-connected areas (perforations) while maintaining layer position stability at the contact surfaces, thus preserving gas permeability while ensuring manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 configuration ensures consistent thermal insulation performance by preventing compression of the insulating material and maintaining gas permeability, even under varying winding tensions, thereby enhancing the overall insulation efficiency and ease of material handling.

Implementation Method 1

The foils are coated with aluminum on their surface, which prevents heat transfer through radiation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadiation: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

The space is evacuated, which means that convection in the space is largely prevented

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

a superinsulation layer consisting of a multi-layer composite material with at least one layer of a thermally insulating material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP3804975B1Superinsulation layer of a pipe and a pipe equipped with the same and two corrugated metal pipes
Publication Date: 2021.12.22 BRUGG ROHRSYST
  • EP3804975B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a multilayer composite material (1) of a superinsulating layer (2) for the thermal insulation of a double-walled conduit for transporting cryogenic media. For this purpose, the composite material (1) comprises at least one layer of a thermally insulating material (3), in particular a nonwoven fabric, and at least one layer of a reflective material (4) formed by a metal foil. The layers are connected by regularly arranged point-like contact surfaces (5). Furthermore, the layer formed by the reflective material (4) has perforations (6) arranged in a correspondingly offset pattern, which form gas-permeable openings (8). Due to the defined contact surfaces (5), the various layers also lie in the desired predetermined relative position on the inner tube when wound, thereby improving gas permeability and simplifying the winding process.