Patent Grant
10302253
The present disclosure relates to insulated vessels, insulation systems therefore, and methods of installing same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to insulated spherical pressure vessels (“spheres”).
As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,603, assigned to Insultherm, Inc. La Porte, Tex., in the petroleum and chemical industries, it is customary to store liquids and the like within large tank structures which are usually installed out in the open where they are exposed to the elements, both heat and cold. These storage tanks usually comprise steel or other metallic tank structures that by reason of being installed out in the open must be provided with a suitable insulating material so that the products in storage within the tanks may be kept at the desired temperatures.
Various arrangements or systems have been provided in the past for securing insulated panels to storage tanks. Representative patents in the general area of securing insulated panels to storage tanks are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,323,297, 2,501,951, 3,546,835, 4,004,394, 4,044,517, 4,338,756, and 4,347,949. These patents deal with insulating cylindrical tanks, not spherical tanks. The arrangements disclosed in these patents have not heretofore been successfully adapted for insulating spherical tanks. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 711,026; 1,757,988; 2,561,461; 2,596,738; 3,363,889; 3,519,256; 5,263,603; and 9,243,416.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,640 to Commins et al. relates to insulated tank jacketing system for cylindrical storage tanks in which cables are positioned horizontally about the tank's outer circumference. Commins et al. uses fasteners having a sleeve-shaped portion that is positioned around the cable, and a bulbous rivet-like element at one end thereof positioned between the adjoining panel sections. The panel sections include opposed beaded sections which are then crimped over the bulbous rivet-like element to secure them to the cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,490, assigned to Insultherm, Inc., La Porte, Tex., relates to an improved system for insulating storage tanks that utilizes cables arranged horizontally about the tank's outer circumference, and panels mounted exteriorly of the cables. A metal strap is wrapped around the cable and then is folded between adjoining flanges of panel sections. The system of above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,603, also assigned to Insultherm, Inc., includes vertical straps and horizontal cables positioned at spaced intervals along the outside of the tank structure. The straps and cables form a web, which is extensible and flexible during expansion and/or contraction of the tank. Insulating material may be applied directly against the tank interiorly of the straps and cables. Another layer of padding or insulating material may be applied exteriorly of the straps and cables. Then the panels are fastened to the web. The panels are preferably trapezoid-shaped. Metal fasteners interposed around each cable hold the panels thereto in such a manner that there is no restriction of the cable from expansion or contraction. Each panel has a channel-shaped section with substantially upstanding and opposed side flanges. The panels can vary in length and width such that the top end of each panel mates with an adjoining panel near the top of the tank, and the bottom end of each panel mates with an adjoining panel at or near the bottom of the tank.
It is undesirable and unsafe to employ welding methods to affix insulating panels directly to an existing tank, which may either contain or be in the vicinity of flammable liquids, gases or solids. In the past, spherical tanks have been insulated by first spraying or otherwise applying a layer of insulating material onto the spherical tank, then applying a mastic or other coating externally of the insulation, and/or pop-riveting panels together to provide a protective cover over the insulating material. With respect to the system of above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,603, the method of fastening the panels to the web with the metal fasteners, while effective in that there is no restriction of the cable from expansion or contraction, provide a direct route for conductive heat transfer to the standing seams, which can reduce efficiency of the insulation system. Moreover, the method of fastening the cables to the vertical straps requires that a polyisocyanurate or polypropylene pad be installed before the jacketing panels, otherwise the vapor barrier property may be compromised by the web punching through the jacketing.
As may be seen, there remains a need for more robust insulation panel designs, particularly for spherical pressure vessels (spheres), allowing thermal movement while having stainless steel or other metal outer shell combined with a standing seam that provides a weather proof, durable, maintenance-free sphere insulation. The insulation systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed to these needs.
In accordance with the present disclosure, improved sphere insulation panel designs, insulated spheres, and methods of installation of insulation on spheres and similar shaped pressure vessels are provided that overcome some or all of the deficiencies of previous designs. A cable support matrix holds the insulation panels while allowing sphere and cable movement without damaging the insulation.
A first aspect of the disclosure is an insulated sphere comprising (or consisting essentially of, or consisting of):
a) a sphere having a sphere wall, a sphere wall exterior surface, and a sphere radius of curvature;
b) an insulation system installed on the sphere wall exterior surface, the insulation system comprising:
A second aspect of the disclosure is a sphere insulation system or kit comprising (or consisting essentially of, or consisting of):
The systems and kits of the present disclosure may also include other features as described herein such as an equatorial flashing folded over the standing seams, and a C-channel flashing, a portion of which is inserted under the equatorial flashing, then pop riveted thereby creating a seal.
Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is a method of insulating a spherical pressure vessel having a sphere wall exterior surface (for example a spherical storage facility, spherical reactor, or other spherical pressure vessel) comprising (or consisting essentially of, or consisting of):
The equatorial support bar, rods, tabs, clips, bolting plates, straps, cables, and may be steel, in particular corrosion-resistant steel, or other corrosion-resistant metal. An important feature of the insulated spheres, insulation systems or kits, and methods disclosed herein is the thermal movement allowed, that is, the sphere or other similarly shaped pressure vessel is allowed to expand and contract without damage to the sphere or insulation.
These and other features of the insulated spheres, insulation systems or kits, and methods of the disclosure will become more apparent upon review of the brief description of the drawings, the detailed description, and the claims that follow. It should be understood that wherever the term “comprising” is used herein, whether describing an embodiment or a component or step of an embodiment, other alternative embodiments, components, and steps where the term “comprising” is substituted with “consisting essentially of” are explicitly disclosed herein. It should be further understood that wherever the term “comprising” is used herein, other alternative embodiments, components, and steps where the term “comprising” is substituted with “consisting of” are explicitly disclosed herein. Moreover, the use of negative limitations is specifically contemplated; for example, certain insulation support systems and methods may comprise a number of physical components and features, but may be devoid of certain optional hardware and/or other features. For example, certain systems of this disclosure are devoid of weldments welded to the sphere or pressure vessel being insulated. Further, a component may be devoid of passages, cavities, slots, and the like, in other words, may be a solid piece.
The manner in which the objectives of this disclosure and other desirable characteristics can be obtained is explained in the following description and attached drawings in which:
It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings of
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the disclosed insulated spheres, insulation systems and kits, and methods. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the insulated spheres, insulation systems and kits, and methods disclosed herein may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible. All U.S. patent applications and U.S. Patents referenced herein are hereby explicitly incorporated herein by reference, irrespective of the page, paragraph, or section in which they are referenced. Compositions are on weight percent basis unless otherwise specified.
A first aspect of the disclosure is an insulated sphere comprising (or consisting essentially of, or consisting of):
a) a sphere having a sphere wall, a sphere wall exterior surface, and a sphere radius of curvature;
b) an insulation system installed on the sphere wall exterior surface, the insulation system comprising:
In certain embodiments the insulation material may be selected from the group consisting of aerogel, glass fiber, mineral fiber, cellular glass foam, polyisocyanurate foam, and combinations and composites thereof. In certain embodiments the first and second ends of the arcuate laterally spaced metal bands may be attached to one of the rods at opposite sides of the sphere by welding; in other embodiments the ends of the metal bands may be secured to the rods by folding the ends of the bands around the rods and securing the ends of the rods to itself using screws or pop rivets, as illustrating and described herein.
In certain embodiments the exterior metal jacket of the insulation panel may be selected from the group consisting of aluminum sheet, stainless steel sheet, sheets of alloys of zinc and aluminum, and combinations and composites thereof.
In certain embodiments the plurality of insulation panels may be secured to the insulation support system using a plurality of strap fasteners and/or threaded members.
In certain embodiments each of the cables may be selected from T304 stainless steel, T316 stainless steel, and a solid-solution alloy having a melting point range of 2370 to 2460° F. (1300 to 1350° C.) consisting essentially of (or consisting of) from 28 to 34 (or 29 to 34, or 30 to 34, or 31 to 34, or 32 to 34, or 28 to 33, or 28 to 32, or 28 to 31, or 28 to 30) percent copper, a minimum of 63 percent nickel (or a minimum of 64, or 65, or 66, or 67, or 68, or 69, or 70, or 75 percent nickel), a maximum of 2.0 (or 1.9, or 1.8, or 1.7, or 1.6, or 1.5, or 1.4, or 1.3, or 1.2, or 1.1, or 1.0, or 0.5) percent manganese, a maximum of 2.5 (or 2.4, or 2.3, or 2.2, or 2.1, or 2.0, or 1.5, or 1.0, or 0.5) percent iron, a maximum of 0.3 (or 0.25, or 0.2, or 0.15, or 0.1) percent carbon, a maximum of 0.024 (or 0.023, or 0.022, or 0.021, or 0.020, or 0.019), or 0.018, or 0.017, or 0.016, or 0.015, or 0.010, or 0.005) percent sulfur, and a maximum of 0.5 (or 0.4, or 0.3, or 0.3, or 0.1) percent silicon.
In certain insulated sphere embodiments each of the insulation securing cables may be tensioned to at least 100 lb near the poles of the spherical pressure vessel, or at least 125, or at least 160, or at least 185, or at least 200 lb, up to a tension of about 400 lb for cables near the equator of the spherical pressure vessel or at least 450, or at least 480, or at least 490, or at least 500 lb for cables near the equator.
Certain insulated sphere embodiments may comprise an equatorial flashing folded over the standing seams, and a C-channel flashing, a portion of which is inserted under the equatorial flashing, then pop riveted thereby creating a seal. The C-channel flashing may be installed between insulation panels and further riveted thereto and to the standing seams. Between the standing seams the equatorial flashing and C-channel flashing comprise arcuate sheet metal portions having a shape similar to the arcuate shape of the sphere and the equatorial support bar.
Insulation kits are another aspect of the disclosure. As mentioned herein, one kit may comprise (or consist essentially of, or consist of)
Another aspect of the disclosure is a method of insulating a spherical pressure vessel (sphere, storage tank) comprising (or consisting essentially of, or consisting of):
In certain embodiments, step (d) may comprise passing one of the insulation securing cables through a plurality of the eyelets on a plurality of horizontal levels, and tensioning the cables to a tension of at least 100 lb near the poles of the spherical pressure vessel, or at least 125, or at least 160, or at least 185, or at least 200 lb, up to a tension of about 400 lb for cables near the equator of the spherical pressure vessel or at least 450, or at least 480, or at least 490, or at least 500 lb for cables near the equator.
The primary features of the systems, kits, combinations, and methods of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, after which some of the construction and operational details, some of which are optional, will be further explained. The same reference numerals are used throughout to denote the same items in the figures.
With reference to the drawings, and in particular
Batts of insulation material 12 may be applied directly to the tank surface 11 and affixed to the tank surface using metal straps, as explained herein. The systems and methods of the present disclosure not only protect the insulation material from the elements, but also provides a sealed vapor barrier around the tank structure. Thus, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may be useful in conjunction with various different insulation application methods for enhancing and extending the use of the insulation on tank structures.
Actually there will be a plurality of upper straps 40 for securing a first layer of insulation material 12 to the upper hemisphere, a second plurality of straps 43 for the next layer, another plurality of straps 45 for the next layer, and so on until the desired number of layers of insulation 12 are installed. Similarly, there will be a plurality of straps 40′ for securing a first layer of insulation material 12 to the lower hemisphere, a plurality of straps 43′ for the next layer, and another plurality of straps 45′ for the next layer, and so on until the desired number of layers of insulation 12 are installed. Each strap 40, 43, 45, 40′, 43′, and 45′ has first and second ends attached to one of the rods supported by an equatorial support bar at opposite sides of the sphere, as will be explained in reference to
Now referring to
Referring again to
After insulation material 12 are secured to the sphere by the plurality of upper and lower arcuate insulation support straps, a plurality of arcuate cable support matrix straps 36 are installed at intervals around the exterior of the tank, and stranded wire cables 16 are positioned horizontally at spaced intervals about the outer circumference of the tank that are tightened and held in place by turnbuckles 19 which are at the end of each cable, or other cable tensioners, such as toggle end and tensioner, fork end and tensioner, threaded stud assemblies, tension fork assemblies, and the like, such as available from Sta-Lok Terminals Ltd., Essex, United Kingdom.
Cables 16 preferably are made up of a series of twisted steel wires and are horizontally disposed in a generally parallel, vertically spaced arrangement, as best illustrated in
Cables 16 are not fastened to vertical straps 36, but are looped through several metal “belt loops” 41 having holes 49 therethrough, the number of belt loops for each arcuate strap 36 equaling the number of cables 16. The belt loops or eyelets 41 may be formed (drilled) in plates welded to straps 36, or more preferably the straps 36 are punched (machines or formed) to form a plurality of belt loops 41. If welded, belt loops 41 may be steel or aluminum square or arcuate plate 0.25 inch (0.6 cm) in thickness and 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) in length. If belt loops 41 are punched in straps 36, the material of the belt loops 41 is the same as that os the arcuate straps 36. In contrast to prior designs, such as detailed in assignee's previous U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,603, cables 16 are not secured to vertical straps 36, but rather are dimensioned to slide through holes 49 in belt loops 41 as they expand or contract.
Arcuate straps 36 and horizontal cables 16 form a strong and flexible web around the outer surface of the storage tank, which is capable of flexing in severe weather conditions, and when the tank structure expands and contracts due to temperature changes. The web may be installed quickly and economically without the use of specialized tools and equipment.
Referring to
Now referring to
Panels 10 are affixed crosswise of cables 16 using a plurality of continuous pieces of strapping material or fastener 14. Each fastener 14 is a thin continuous piece of strapping material having a first end 30, a middle section 32 and a second end 34, as illustrated schematically in
Referring to
After the panels 10 are installed, cover strip or flashing 42 may be installed at the midpoint of the tank to cover the ends of the panels. Additionally, as illustrated schematically in
A single long slab, or a plurality of blocks of insulation material 12B (one being illustrated in
Referring again to
System and method embodiments of the present disclosure provide a panel system that seals the insulation from the elements, without piercing the vapor barrier or otherwise allowing moisture to penetrate the exterior to reach the insulation. Another advantage of systems and methods of the present disclosure is that it allows substantial flexing between adjacent panel sections. For example, cable 16 will be allowed to rotate and move in sliding fashion through the belt loop holes 49 due to expansion and contraction of the system. The vertical straps allow flexing of the cables to prevent damage due to expansion, contraction or other movement of the cables. Also, because the first flange 22 and second flange 24 are double-rolled over the fastener 14, the present invention allows for a continuous uninterrupted closure seam having no exposed joints for possible leakage and subsequent corrosion.
Support cables 16 may comprise or consist essentially of or consist of metal, for example of corrosion-resistant, flexible alloys such as T304 stainless steel (or analogs thereof, such as UNS S30400; AMS 5501, 5513, 5560, 5565; ASME SA182, SA194 (8), SA213, SA240; ASTM A167, A182, A193, A194) or T316 stainless steel (or analogs thereof, such as UNS S31600, SS316, 316SS, AISI 316, DIN 1.4401, DIN 1.4408, DIN X5CrNiMo17122, TGL 39672 X5CrNiMo1911, TGL 7143X5CrNiMo1811, ISO 2604-1 F62, ISO 2604-2 TS60, ISO 2604-2 TS61, ISO 2604-4 P60, ISO 2604-4 P61, ISO 4954 X5CrNiMo17122E, ISO 683/13 20, ISO 683/13 20a, ISO 6931 X5CrNiMo17122, JIS SUS 316 stainless steel, or the alloy known under the trade designation MONEL® nickel-copper alloy 400. The composition and some physical properties of MONEL® nickel-copper alloy 400 are summarized in Tables 2 and 3 (from Publication Number SMC-053 Copyright © Special Metals Corporation, 2005), and some commercially available cables are listed in Table 4. The composition and some physical properties of T304 and T316 stainless steels are summarized in Tables 5 and 6. MONEL® nickel-copper alloy 400 (equivalent to UNS N04400/W.Nr. 2.4360 and 2.4361) is a solid-solution alloy that can be hardened only by cold working. It has high strength and toughness over a wide temperature range and excellent resistance to many corrosive environments.
The cables 16 of the insulation support system may be tensioned, the ends of cables 16 being connected in known fashion by a turnbuckle or other cable end fastener system (known in the art and therefore not illustrated). Cables 16 may be tensioned to a minimum of 100 lb near the poles of the spherical pressure vessel, or at least 125, or at least 160, or at least 185, or at least 200 lb, up to a tension of about 400 lb for cables near the equator of the spherical pressure vessel for sphere insulation. Since the cables are located outside of the inner insulation layers 12, tension may be tested before installation and after installation, and even during operation of the underlying sphere, pressure vessel or storage vessel. Suitable cable tension testers are available commercially, for example those available from Tensitron Inc., Longmont, Colo., (USA). Insulation layers 12 may be the same or different insulation material and thickness from layer to layer. The total thickness of all insulation layers depends on the type of insulation materials used, but may range from about 8 to 12 inches (about 20 to 30 cm). Insulation layer 12A is preferably polyisocyanurate foam sprayed onto the backside of 20, but could be the same as insulation materials 12 or some other insulation material.
Method embodiment 500 further comprises (Box 504) attaching one or more insulation layers to the external surface of the sphere wall by i) placing insulation material against the sphere wall exterior surface; ii) laterally spacing a plurality of arcuately shaped metal bands about the sphere, each having first and second ends, iii) attaching the first end to one of the rods, and iv) attaching the second end to a top or bottom pole collar.
Method embodiment 500 further comprises (Box 506) installing a cable support matrix over the one or more insulation layers by i) placing a plurality of arcuate laterally spaced metal straps over the one or more insulation layers, the metal straps having a plurality of spaced apart arcuate loops on external surfaces of the straps facing away from the sphere wall external surface, ii) selecting a plurality of cables comprising (consisting essentially of, or consisting of) metal selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and a solid-solution alloy having a melting point range of 2370 to 2460° F. (1300 to 1350° C.) consisting essentially of (or consisting of) from 28 to 34 percent copper, a minimum of 63 percent nickel, a maximum of 2.0 percent manganese, a maximum of 2.5 percent iron, a maximum of 0.3 percent carbon, a maximum of 0.024 percent sulfur, and a maximum of 0.5 percent silicon, iii) routing the plurality of metal cables through horizontally aligned passages in horizontally aligned arcuate loops, the number of arcuate loops on each strap corresponding in number to the plurality of cables; and iv) tensioning the cables.
Method embodiment 500 further comprises (Box 508) securing a plurality of insulation panels to the cables of the cable support matrix by use of a plurality of fasteners, each insulation panel comprising insulation material and an exterior metal jacket, each insulation panel positioned between horizontally adjacent insulation panels with standing seams.
In certain embodiments, certain insulation layers may include the provision of metal foil-enclosed insulation material, such as metal-foil enclosed mineral wool insulation and metal-foil enclosed aerogel insulation panels. The metal of the metal foil-enclosed insulation may be T-304 stainless steel foil, of thickness of about 0.002 inch, and may optionally include T-304 stainless steel hex wire for support. The mineral wool insulation may be, for example, 3.5-inch thick 8 lb. mineral wool batt. The equatorial cover flashing 42 and C-channel flashing 58 are preferably made of a corrosion-resistant metal, for example T 304 stainless steel, or other steel or more exotic alloy.
The insulation systems disclosed of the present disclosure are the most advanced sphere insulation panel systems available today, providing long-term maintenance-free thermal control, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars by not having to replace the system due to fastener failure, water intrusion and drum damage from expansion restriction or cold spots. Each insulation system may be pre-fabricated in a controlled factory setting to meet the highest quality control standard, and may therefore be custom engineered for specific pressure vessel size and structure restrictions. The metal jacket, especially when stainless steel such as 304, 316, or other, combined with a standing seam and C-channel combination, provides a weather proof, durable, maintenance-free sphere insulation that allows thermal movement. The insulation panels may be designed and manufactured to allow ease of handling and thermal movement, for example the inclusion of spring-loaded handles such as described in assignee's U.S. application No. 62/327,830, filed Apr. 26, 2016, incorporated by reference herein. The systems are designed to take in consideration the constant thermal expansion and contraction a sphere goes through in its cycle, and may be installed on existing spheres on a turn-around basis or on a totally new sphere or other tank. Stainless steel jacketing with standing seams and C-channels allows dust to be washed off of spheres without compromising the efficiency of the insulation system. Furthermore, although the preferred insulating jacket metal for insulated spheres is stainless steel, other metals and/or metal alloys could be used. Aluminum may be preferred for its low weight, although billet aluminum may be preferred for its strength and may weigh more than cast aluminum.
The magnitude of lengths, thicknesses, heights, diameters, and other dimensions illustrated in
1dimensions outside of these ranges may be acceptable
athese values also apply to MONEL alloy R-405, the free-machining version of MONEL alloy 400.
1From Loos & Co., Inc., P.O. Box 98, Pomfret, CT 06258 (USA)
2Nominal Diameter excluding +/− tolerances
3Part numbers MC28179, MC31379, and MC37579 preferred for some spheres, especially
Insulation materials useful in systems and methods of this disclosure should be durable, fire resistant, weatherproof, and of acceptable R-value depending on the heating or cooling duty, or capable of being modified or combined with other materials into a composite insulation material to acceptable R-values. Insultherm® Inc., assignee of the present application, uses a variety of insulation materials, depending on the type of project and insulation requirements, striving for optimum performance and to keep costs to a minimum. A variety of insulation products may be used, including aerogels, fiberglass (the glass fiber itself bonded together with thermosetting resin into a low density, lofty web, not glass fiber reinforced plastic), the thermoset foamed resin known under the trade designation POLYISOFOAM, mineral wool, and the foamed glass product known under the trade designation FOAMGLAS®. These materials are discussed here briefly.
“Aerogel” is a generic word for a synthetic porous ultralight material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas. The result is a solid with extremely low density and low thermal conductivity. Aerogels may be based on alumina, chromia, tin dioxide, or carbon (such as aerographite and aerographene). The term “aerogel” does not have a designated material with set chemical formula but the term is used to group all the material with a certain geometric structure. Useful aerogels include those known under the trade designations PYROGEL® XT-E, PYROGEL® XT-F, and CRYOGEL® Z, available commercially from Aspen Aerogels °, Inc., Northborough, Mass. (U.S.A.) which manufactures flexible, durable industrial insulation products that meet the most demanding requirements and span service temperatures ranging from −460° F. (−270° C.) to 1200° F. (650° C.).
Fiberglass insulation is manufactured from inorganic glass fibers bonded together with thermosetting resin in to a lofty mat. Fiberglass insulation can be used in plain or faced form. Faced fiberglass insulation is designed for systems that operate below ambient temperatures where vapor barrier protection is required. Fiberglass is available in a variety of densities for use on systems which operate up to 450° F. (232° C.). For faced products, surface temperature should not exceed 150° F. (66° C.). It can be readily cut with an ordinary knife and secured utilizing mechanical fasteners and/or adhesives.
Mineral wool insulation is made of inorganic fibers derived from rock, such as basalt, a volcanic rock, with a thermosetting resin binder. Advanced manufacturing technology ensures consistent product quality, with high fiber density and low shot content, for excellent performance in high temperature thermal control and fire resistance applications. Mineral wool provides excellent thermal insulation performance for mechanical, power and process systems operating from sub-ambient to 1200° F. (650° C.). Good thermal conductivity values help maximize control of heat loss, contributing to reduced operating costs and greater energy savings.
The cellular glass insulation known under the trade designation FOAMGLAS®, available from Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., U.S.A., is another insulation product that may be used in insulation systems of the present disclosure. This product comprises millions of sealed glass cells, is lightweight, rigid, and manufactured in block form, then fabricated into a wide range of shapes and sizes. The material exhibits constant insulating efficiency, is noncombustible, non-absorbent, impermeable to water and water vapor, and corrosion/chemical resistant. According to the manufacturer, this product can be certified to conform to the requirements of ASTM C552 (Standard Specification for Cellular Glass Thermal Insulation (Grade 6)).
Composite insulation materials may be used in insulation systems of the present disclosure. Composite insulation is the combination of any of the insulation products mentioned herein to create a custom insulation panel. Due to height and weight of the panel, temperature of the pressure vessel or storage vessel to be insulated, and thermal conservation, specific insulation properties are required. The edition of a single layer of polyiso material to a fiberglass or mineral wool panel adds rigidity, strength, prevents “oil canning”, and maintains non-combustible requirements.
The metal outer shell or jacket, combined with the standing seams, C-channels, and cover strip as described herein, provides a weatherproof, durable maintenance-free insulation/fire protection system. The cable support matrix described herein features horizontal cables that are easily applied circumferentially around the pressure vessel or storage vessel, eliminating external bands.
One type of insulation jacketing that may be used in the panel system is stucco embossed mill finished or polyester coated aluminum, particularly the 0.024 inch (0.06 cm) and 0.032 inch (0.08 cm) thicknesses. A variety of thickness, widths, and colors are available depending on customer specifications. Panels may range in width from 1 ft. to 3 ft., or from 1.5 ft. to 2 ft., and may be customized to fit the pressure vessel height. Panels using this jacketing material meet the requirements of ASTM B-209 3105-H14 (Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate). Another type of insulation jacketing that may be used in the panel system for pressure vessels not operating at sphere temperatures is GALVALUME®, a 55% aluminum-zinc alloy coated sheet steel product that is ideally suited for most types of insulation panels. A variety of thickness, widths, and colors are available depending on customer specifications. Panels may range in width from 1 ft. to 3 ft., or from 1.5 ft. to 2 ft., and may be customized to fit the pressure vessel height. Panels using this jacketing material meet the requirements of ASTM 792.
Stainless steel is presently the most common jacketing used in the panel system for spheres and spheres (spherical pressure vessels). It is recommended for application in which the tank or vessel will be housing a highly caustic or corrosive material. It can be stucco embossed or smooth finish, and comes in a variety of thickness and widths. Custom paint colors can be applied to meet customer specifications. Panels using this jacketing material meet the requirements of ASTM A480 (Standard Specification for General Requirements for Flat-Rolled Stainless and Heat-Resisting Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip).
From the foregoing detailed description of specific embodiments, it should be apparent that patentable apparatus, combinations, and methods have been described. Although specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described herein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes of describing various features and aspects of the apparatus, combinations, and methods, and is not intended to be limiting with respect to their scope. Systems and methods of the disclosure may be used during the storage of chemicals, oil, gas, asphalt, brewery, and food products. It is contemplated that various substitutions, alterations, and/or modifications, including but not limited to those implementation variations which may have been suggested herein, may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
The present application claims benefit of and priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/355,662, filed Jun. 28, 2016, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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| Monel(R) Alloy 400 product brochure, pp. 1-16, Special Metals Corporation, accessed and downloaded from the Internet Mar. 4, 2016. |
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| Espacenet translation of Wu et al. (CN201785346) (Year: 2011). |
| Williams et al., “Flexible Aerogel Insulation for Coker- and Sulfur-Unit Applications”, Coking.com, Sep. 2010, pp. 1-12, Available online at:https://refiningcommunity.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Flexible-Aerogel-Insulation-for-Coker-and-Sulfur-Unit-Applications-Williams-Seipp-Aspen-Aerogels-DCU-Calgary-2010.pdf. |
| McBride, “Coke Drum Insulation”, Coking.com, May 2011, Available online at: https://refiningcommunity.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Coke-Drum-Insulation-McBride-Insultherm-DCU-Galveston-2011.pdf (Year: 2011). |
| USPTO Office Action dated Dec. 26, 2018 in U.S. Appl. No. 15/491,637, pp. 1-40 (Year 2018). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180202607 A1 | Jul 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62355662 | Jun 2016 | US |
