What is Cryogenic Liquid Natural Gas? When LNG is returned to its gaseous state, it is used across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors for purposes as diverse as heating, cooking, generating electricity and manufacturing a wide variety of products.
It is natural gas that is cooled to -260° Fahrenheit, the temperature at which natural gas becomes a liquid. The volume of the liquid is 600 times smaller than the gaseous form. The LNG is re-gasified and burned by the power plants when needed.
Cryogenic LNG Pipe Issues in Maryland
When it comes to insulating Cryogenic Pipe, tanks and vessels, insulation requirements and installation practices are unique. The sheer size and temperature conditions of these large-diameter structures introduce new challenges that simply aren’t as common with typical pipe insulation applications. To ensure that your Cryogenic Pipe, tanks and vessels are set up for success, Thermaxx has outlined energy efficiency considerations you need to keep in mind when designing, specifying, and installing insulation material for LNG Cryogenic Pipe Applications.
Risk exposure from equipment failures due to corrosion, shrinkage of current insulation and integrity of the insulation around the turning valves. Missing insulation and the effects of frost formulation on the Cryogenic pipes’, valves and pump systems.
Thermaxx Solution
Removal of the old foam insulation was labor intense. It required hours of pressure washing to fully separate the insulation from the pipe. Thus, the replacement insulation was a more efficient multi-layered material of Aspen Aerogels Cryogel underneath the new metal cladding. The turning valves were jacketed by Thermaxx Removable Jackets with the inner lining layered with Cryogel. The jackets were designed to have multi-layered Cryogel material and also have the capability to be removed. This is the first time this has been done effectively in the industry for this application. https://blog.aerogel.com/cryogenic-pipe-insulation
Conclusion
Our solution was a success, and the service provider was satisfied with the results. We solved the problems of the formation of condensation and Ice on the LNG pipes, and designed removable insulated jackets for their turning valves, for easy future inspections. Also, it gave the LNG pipe and tank system a much needed 40 plus year make-over. Thermaxx looks forward to the challenge of completing future projects for our customers like this one in Maryland and others across the country with this type of application.
Contact Thermaxx for more information about our LNG insulation solutions.
Richard Brown - Regional Sales Manager of Thermaxx
Richard joins ThermaXX with over 20 years of Sales and Project Management Experience in Construction Contracting industry. A native of Pittsburgh PA, Richard began his career after Attending Washington Adventists University in Takoma Park MD with Johnson Controls as a Sales Engineer. Then forward joining Schneider Electric Critical Systems Group where he managed a 20 million dollar a year Building HVAC Controls integration project for Amazon in Northern VA. Thereafter he joined Spirax Sarco as a Sales Engineer covering the DC metro area. Richard is an active member of ASHRE and often attends network meetings and seminars.
