Removable Thermal Insulation Blocks With Lock-Latch Gap Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing thermal insulation systems for pipelines and cylindrical vessels suffer from inefficient use of stainless steel, leading to excessive weight and potential gaps that compromise insulation effectiveness due to the use of thick-walled steel boxes and numerous tension locks, resulting in increased steel usage and temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A reinforced removable thermal insulation system utilizing a strong reinforcing frame grating combined with a thin-walled stainless steel facing sheet, featuring a lock-latch mechanism with annular springs for secure contact between blocks, reducing the need for tension locks and minimizing gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If thick-walled steel boxes with numerous tension locks are used, then structural strength is improved, but steel weight and material usage increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The steel box structure is segmented into a spatial frame grid consisting of separate bars connected at nodes, replacing the monolithic thick-walled box. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain strength while using less material, as the frame grid provides structural integrity through its geometric configuration rather than relying on wall thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the spatial frame grid with thermal insulation material filled inside the frame cells. This composite structure utilizes the frame for mechanical strength and the insulation material for thermal protection, eliminating the need for thick steel walls that would otherwise be required to provide both functions.
2Reliability
If numerous tension locks are installed on block surfaces, then connection reliability is improved, but the complexity of the structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection function is merged into the corner nodes of the spatial frame grid, where external and internal grounds are joined. The lock-latch mechanism is integrated at these nodes to connect adjacent blocks, eliminating the need for numerous distributed tension locks on block surfaces. This consolidation maintains connection reliability while significantly reducing structural complexity.
3Reliability
If thick-walled steel boxes are used, then gap prevention is improved, but thermal insulation efficiency deteriorates due to increased steel content
Solution Approach 1:
The spatial frame grid segments the insulation space into discrete cells, allowing precise control of insulation material placement and ensuring complete coverage without gaps. The grid structure provides rigid support that maintains block positioning and prevents gap formation, while the segmented approach allows optimal use of insulation material without excess steel content.
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 design significantly reduces the weight of stainless steel used, enhances insulation reliability by ensuring tight contact between blocks, and decreases the number of tension locks required, thereby improving thermal insulation performance and reducing material costs.
Implementation Method 1
the lock-latch can be made in the form of curved flexible and elastic plates of the gripper with the possibility of compression
Implementation Method 2
Mats made of glass or basalt staple fiber are used as thermal insulation material
Data Source
AI summary
The reinforced removable thermal insulation (PARTS) contains the heat-insulating blocks joined among themselves placed on an external surface of the heat-isolated equipment. The Asti block is filled with heat-insulating material and consists of a reinforcing frame lattice sheathed on all sides with facing stainless sheets. For mutual detachable connection of heat-insulating blocks between themselves the lock latch is used. When using the proposed lock-latch, a guaranteed tightness is provided, the disclosure of thermal gaps between the side faces of thermal insulation blocks from the inaccessible internal bases of thermal insulation at temperature fluctuations is excluded, fitting works and welding of tension locks on the surface of their blocks in place during installation and Assembly work on the equipment are excluded. Asti blocks are able to save the weight of stainless steel, increase the strength of thermal insulation blocks by 2.56 times, significantly reduce the cost of their manufacture.