Steam Pipe Insulation using Silica Aerogel and Coconut Fibre Composite

Within this study, monolithic three-dimensional silica aerogel (SA) composite parts with super insulating properties are presented. A generic part based on fiber-reinforced (FR) silica aerogel for thermal insulation of the exhaust tubing system—to keep the exhaust gases as hot as possible to improve the efficiency of the catalyst system—was produced via a sol-gel-based molding process in combination with a supercritical drying using scCO2. A thermal conductivity of 16 mW m−1 K−1 was measured via a heat flow meter technique. In this manuscript, we present a full cycle of the material compound design, starting with fundamental material evaluation including aerogel optimization, opacifier influence, and casting process. The obtained generic part in shape of a half-shell for pipe insulation is characterized under real conditions.

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Analysis of thermal energy storage optimization of thermal insulation material and thermal insulation structure of steam pipe-line

Thermal Science ◽

10.2298/tsci191126116w ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (5 Part B) ◽

pp. 3249-3257

Author(s):

Yipu Wang ◽

Zhengtao Tu ◽

Linyang Yuan

Keyword(s):

Energy Storage ◽

Thermal Insulation ◽

Thermal Energy ◽

Insulation Material ◽

Thermal Insulation Material ◽

Insulation Effect ◽

Steam Pipe ◽

Storage Optimization ◽

The Stability ◽

Pipe Insulation

In order to improve the steam pipe insulation material joints, waterproof, and other shortcomings, and provide a good design scheme for the insulation structure optimization, a gel heat preservation material was prepared through hydration hardening theory. Firstly, the preparation of thermal insulation material for steam pipe and the optimal design of thermal insulation structure was introduced. Then the performance of the insulation material of the steam pipe was evaluated. Finally, the stability and energy benefit of the thermal insulation structure were evaluated. The results show that the new gel thermal insulation material prepared in this research has good thermal insulation effect and good waterproof performance. In the stability evaluation of the thermal insulation structure of the steam pipe, it can be concluded that hard thermal insulation materials should be selected in the selection of thermal insulation materials. Its insulation effect is better than soft insulation material. In the thermal energy storage optimization of the thermal insulation structure, when the inner layer of the thermal insulation structure adopts 10 mm aerogel and the outer layer adopts 50 mm gel thermal insulation material, it is the optimal thermal insulation structure. The study has a good guiding effect on the economic benefit of steam pipe insulation structure.

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Environmental microscopy of capillary stress-induced strain behavior in ambient-pressure aerogels

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100166713 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 850-851

Author(s):

Sudeep M. Rao ◽

Joshua Samuel ◽

Sai S. Prakash ◽

C. Jeffrey Brinker

Keyword(s):

Silica Aerogel ◽

Ambient Pressure ◽

Drying Shrinkage ◽

Pore Filling ◽

Silica Network ◽

Strain Behavior ◽

Partially Saturated ◽

Capillary Stress ◽

Wetting Liquid ◽

Aerogel Films

Ambient pressure silica aerogel thin films have recently been prepared by exploiting reversible drying shrinkage caused by derivatization of the internal gel surface. Aerogels have porosities of upto 99.9% and due to the small size of the pores (few nanometers), large capillary stresses are produced in gels that are partially saturated with a wetting liquid. As a result of these capillary stresses, the flexible silica network undergoes strain which has been observed using environmental microscopy. This technique allows variation of the equilibrium vapor pressure and temperature, and a simultaneous monitoring of the deformation of the unconstrained film thickness. We have observed >600% deformation during the pore-filling and pore-emptying cycles. In this presentation, we discuss the unique stress-strain behavior of these films.Ref.: Sai S. Prakash, C. Jeffrey Brinker, Alan J. Hurd & Sudeep M. Rao, "Silica aerogel films prepared at ambient pressure by using surface derivatization to induce reversible drying shrinkage", Nature. Vol. 374, 30 March, 1995, 439-443.

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