Patent Application
20080061455
A steam dispersion system 10 having features that are examples of inventive aspects in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure is illustrated in
It should be noted that the steam dispersion system 10 illustrated in
It should also be noted that, although in the Figures only the steam dispersion tubes 14 of the systems 10, 11, and 15 are shown to include insulation 18, in other embodiments, the insulation 18 can be included on other portions of the steam dispersion systems, such as the header 12 (
The steam dispersion tubes 14 of the steam dispersion systems 10, 11, and 15 depicted in the Figures are simply one example apparatus that can include the insulation 18 and will be referred to herein to describe the features of the insulation 18 and attachment method thereof. However, the steam dispersion tubes 14 are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Referring to
Referring to
The steam dispersion tube 14 defines a hollow interior 26 for carrying steam. The steam dispersion tube 14 includes a plurality of openings 28 through the cylindrical wall 20 for emitting the steam. As depicted, the outer surface 22 of the cylindrical wall 20 is covered with insulation 18. The insulation 18 defines a plurality of openings 30 through the insulation 18 that are aligned with the openings 28 of the steam dispersion tube 14.
As shown in
The nozzles 16, as depicted, are generally cylindrical in shape and project inwardly in a direction from the outer surface 22 to the interior 26 of the steam dispersion tubes 14. Each nozzle 16 defines a throughhole 32 which leads to a steam exit 34. The throughhole 32 is in fluid communication with the hollow interior 26 of the steam dispersion tube 14.
As shown in the cross-sectional view in
It should be noted that the nozzles 16 depicted in the embodiment of
A material that will be suitable for the insulation 18 will preferably be one that meets 25/50 flame/smoke indexes for UL723/ASTM E-84, making it acceptable for use in air ducts/plenums. It has also been found that a material that is suitable for the insulation 18 should preferably be a good insulator, having a low thermal conductivity, preferably, less than about 0.35 Watts/m-K (2.4 in-hr/ft̂2 deg F.).
A material that has been identified to meet the above-listed criteria for the insulations 18 is polyvinylidene fluoride (i.e., PVDF) fluoropolymer. A number of polyvinylidene fluoride insulation that are suitable for use with the steam dispersion systems of the present disclosure are available from ZOTEFOAMS Inc., under the model names ZOTEK® F40HT LS foam; ZOTEK® F30 LS foam; ZOTEK® F38 HT foam; ZOTEK® F74 HT foam; and ZOTEK® F75 HT foam.
It has been found that PVDF meets the 25/50 flame/smoke indexes for UL723/ASTM E-84 making it acceptable for use in air ducts/plenums.
PVDF also has low thermal conductivity and a high insulation value and no coverings or sprays are needed to be used with PVDF insulation to make the insulation material UV resistant or flame retardant. For example, the foam available from ZOTEFOAMS Inc., under the model name ZOTEK® F40HT LS foam has the thermal conductivity and R value numbers illustrated in Table 1, wherein R value is thickness of the insulation divided by thermal conductivity.
It should be noted that thermal conductivity increases with increased temperature, leading to less insulation with increasing temperature.
PVDF also includes other attributes that are considered desirable, not necessarily essential, for the insulation 18. One of these attributes is high temperature stability up to 302 F for a long service life. PVDF is also a material that does not break down when exposed to UV light. PVDF is a closed-cell foam that does not absorb moisture and does not support microbial growth.
PVDF also has minimal undesirable out-gassing. PVDF available from ZOTEFOAMS Inc., under the model names ZOTEK® F40HT LS foam; ZOTEK® F30 LS foam; ZOTEK® F38 HT foam; ZOTEK® F74 HT foam; and ZOTEK® F75 HT foam, for example, are expanded using nitrogen gas, which contributes to the lack of undesirable outgassing.
The PVDF material has been tested and the results indicate the PVDF to reduce the total condensate of a system such as the dispersion system 11 by about 45-60%, wherein the PVDF material reduced the outer surface temperature of the tubes 14 from a temperature of 212 F to around 95 F at 500 fpm and 55 F air temperature, thus reducing heating of the air over 50% than without insulation 18.
Some of the condensate in the system forms in the header. Thus, a 45-60% reduction of the total system condensate means that the percent reduction in condensate from the steam dispersion tubes is actually around 65-70%. These values may vary with different systems, sizes, operating air speeds, and air temperatures.
It should be noted that PVDF is simply one example of an insulation material that is suitable to be used with the steam dispersion system 10 of the present disclosure since it meets 25/50 flame/smoke indexes for UL723/ASTM E-84, making it acceptable for use in air ducts/plenums, and, has a thermal conductivity less than 0.35 Watts/m-K (2.4 in-hr/ft̂2 deg F.). Other materials that may include the above-listed attributes and that may be suitable for use with the steam dispersion systems described herein include, but are not limited to, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); ceramic; chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC); elastomerics (rubbers); ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA); glass; latex; melamine; mineral wool; phenolic; polyamide; polycarbonate; polyethylene; polyicynene; polyimide; polyisocyanurate (PIR); polyolefins; polypropylene; polystyrene; polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); polyurethane; polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyvinyl fluoride (PVF); silicone; and urea-formaldehyde foam (UFFI).
In addition to being provided as a layer or jacket surrounding other materials, these materials listed above may also be covered with layers of other materials to attain the properties noted above. Furthermore, the listed materials may be combined with others of the listed materials to attain the properties noted above.
In one embodiment, the insulation 18 may be provided in strips and may be attached to the outer surface 22 of the steam dispersion tube 14 as separate strips so as to cover substantially the entire outer surface 22. The strip(s) of insulation 18 can be wrapped around the steam dispersion tube 14 in a spiral manner. The strip(s) of insulation 18 can be wrapped around the tube 14 with one straight seam, either butted or overlapped. An overlap or butt joint can be welded by heating the material and joining the material to itself while the surfaces are molten.
In other embodiments, the insulation 18 may be provided in tubular form and may be slid over the outer surface 22 of the steam dispersion tube 14. In such an application, the tubes of insulation may be expanded with pressurized air prior to the steam dispersion tubes 14 being slid into the insulation, after which the pressure can be relieved. The insulation may also be expanded using a liquid or gas other than air.
The insulation 18 may be attached to a steam dispersion tube in a number of different ways including via adhesives, by heating, via mechanical means such as with straps, bands, etc.
In other embodiments, the insulation 18 may be provided in forms other than solid strips or tubular sleeves, such as sprays, spray foams, paint, gels, dips, etc.
In one embodiment, a ⅛ inch-thick layer of insulation 18 may be used with a steam dispersion tube 14 that has a diameter of 1½ inches. In another embodiment, a ⅛ inch-thick layer of insulation 18 may be used with a steam dispersion tube 14 that has a diameter of 2 inches. In other embodiments, a thickness less or more than ⅛ of an inch may be used depending on the size of the tubes and the insulation desired.
After attachment, if the steam carrying apparatus being covered with insulation 18 is a steam dispersion tube 14, one or more holes may be provided through both the insulation 18 and the steam dispersion tube 14. The holes may be provided in the insulation and the steam dispersion tubes by a variety of different methods including punching, drilling, burning (such as with a lazer, hot iron, or torch), via water jet, extruding, forming, etc.
In certain embodiments, wherein the use of nozzles 16 is desired, nozzles 16 may be press fit into the hole through the insulation 18 and the steam dispersion tube 14. As discussed previously, the nozzles 16 may include shoulders 36 that capture a portion of the insulation 18 against the outer surface 22 of the steam dispersion tube 14.
The above method of insulation attachment does not require alteration of the manufacturing process of the steam dispersion tubes 14, and, is, thus, cost-effective. The foam wrapped tubes 14 may be run through a tube hole-creating machine just as they would be without any insulation 18. The nozzles 16 may be press fit after the machine creates the holes through the steam dispersion tube 14 and the insulation 18 just as they would be if there were no insulation 18 used.
It should be noted that other alternative methods are also available for attaching the insulation to a steam dispersion tube. For example, in another embodiment, instead of creating the holes through the insulation and the steam dispersion tube simultaneously, the holes can be separately created in the insulation and the steam dispersion tube. The insulation can, then, be attached to the tube, aligning the holes in the insulation with the holes in the dispersion tube.
Although in the aforementioned embodiments, the insulation 18 is described as being provided on at least a portion of a steam carrying apparatus, in other embodiments, the insulation 18 may, itself, form the steam carrying apparatus. In such embodiments, if the provided insulation 18 is rigid enough, other structural enhancements, such as steam dispersion tubes 14, need not be used with the insulation 18 to define a steam dispersion system.
Any of the previously listed insulation materials may be suitable for use with the herein described methods of attaching insulation to a steam dispersion apparatus. The materials may include, but certainly are not limited to, the materials listed above.
The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the inventive aspects of the disclosure. Since many embodiments of the inventive aspects can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, the inventive aspects reside in the claims hereinafter appended.
