GB2520178A - An improved insulation - Google Patents

Abstract

Insulation 2 comprising: an elongate tube of resiliently deformable insulative material, characterised in that insulative properties of the insulative material vary around the tube circumference. The variation may be by virtue of changing variable thickness, or alternatively by regions of high density 12 and low density 14 material. An outer layer 6 which may be reflective, may also be included. Sections of insulation may be joined using castellated or pinked ends (18, figure 5) and the insulation may be marked visually or by feel to indicate the highly-insulated side.

Description

AN IMPROVED INSULATION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improved insulation, more particularly to improved insulation for pipes.

Background

Insulation of a pipe is an essential process by which the contents of the pipe are maintained within a preferential range of temperatures as a result of the insulation reducing the effects the surrounding environment and physical factors such as convections, radiation and conduction which may also be factors] particularly when heated or pressurised fluids are being transported.

Ideally pipe insulation is used to prevent loss of heat from fluids being transported in the pipe and to protect the pipe from detrimental fluctuations in temperature caused by the external environment.

In horizontal pipe work that carries heated or super-heated fluids more thermal energy is lost from the upper surface due to the effects of convection, radiation and conduction.

Standard insulation has been available for many years with the design remaining essentially unaltered, however there are occasions when its use may be limited or hindered. For example the insulation may degrade over time due to continued exposure to heat in certain areas such as the upper surface of a horizontal pipe that is carrying super-heated fluids over a prolonged period of time, meaning that the whole of the pipe insulation must be replaced.

In other instances the application of insulation may not be viable due to location of the pipe meaning that the insulation will not fit and therefore must be adapted, typically by the insulation being partially removed.

Other improvements have been made to the pipe in order to try and limit heat loss, typically by changing the thickness of part or all of the pipe, however this is typically expensive as it can require expensive machining and may be harder to work in this state, for example to weld and add connections.

PriorArt Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following: French Patent Application FR2481779 Al (Mansson) discloses a fluid transportation conduit to be buried in soil having an outer protective sleeve.

International Patent Application W08302491 Al (Pedersen) discloses a pipe insulation element for air ducts appearing as a block of expanded polystyrene.

UK Patent Application GB1238588 A (Kabel et al) discloses an arrangement of tubes thermally insulated with plastics foam for transporting heated or cooled liquid or gaseous media or for providing a superconductive conductor.

French Patent Application FR2530777 Al (Wanner) discloses a method for thermal insulation used on pipes subject to expansion.

German Patent Application DE3602866 Al (Noel) discloses insulation associated with a mounting clamp strap.

Chinese Patent Application (Tianjin) discloses irregularly shaped parts of insulation with a cartridge comprising two parts of half split open insulation.

Granted European patent EP 1 200 766 (PRESCOTT et al) discloses a thermally insulated pipeline assembly comprising an inner pipe, a jacket surrounding and spaced from the inner pipe so as to define a generally annular space between the inner pipe and the jacket, and an outer casing surrounding and spaced from the jacket, in which the generally annular space between the pipe and the jacket is substantially filled with insulating material.

Granted European patent EP 0 870 143 (BARRALL) discloses a pipe insulating system comprising at least two different insulations which include: 1) insulation A and insulation B, 2) insulation B and insulation C, or 3) insulation A and insulation C, wherein each insulation is a pipe jacket formed by two mating sections.

Granted French patent FR 2 292 862 (YAMAZAKI et al) discloses an exhaust pipe system for internal combustion engines comprising an exhaust pipe comprising first straight portions and bending portions and second straight portions positioned after the bending portions which are alternately arranged and continuously connected with each other.

In contrast the present invention provides a means of flexibly lagging a variety of pipes in a myriad of locations and situations, where space may be limited and locations particularly problematic or tight, and where horizontal pipework may promote or require unequal insulation necessities.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided improved insulation comprising: an elongate tube of resiliently deformable insulative material, characterised in that insulative properties of the insulative material are variable around the tube diameter.

In preferred embodiments and in common with standard pipe insulation the improved insulation is typically provided in an elongate flexible tube providing a central channel, lacuna or core shaped and dimensioned for accepting, gripping or surrounding a pipe, and a longitudinal opening that enables the insulation to be deformed or split and reformed when placed over a pipe.

In this way for example the improved insulation may be placed on pipework mounted on structures, such as walls, so that a thicker portion of the improved insulation may be placed on pipes that are carrying heated fluids so as to increase the insulation in uppermost regions or surfaces, consequently reducing heat loss occurring naturally due to wastage from loss of thermal energy through convection, radiation and conduction, which wastage is liable to occur predominantly on the uppermost surfaces, distal from the structure.

In preferred embodiments of the improved insulation the core through the tube is offset from the central axis of the tube, thereby having an eccentric core, so that when viewed in cross section the width of the material measured radially between the outer surface of the tube and the inner surface of the tube providing the central channel will be varied with respect to the circumference or outer surface of the tube.

In such embodiments the tube may have a circular external profile, and may be similar or identical to standard pipe insulation.

In other embodiments the tube may be of an ovaloid, D-shaped, rectangular or asymmetric, irregular shape.

In further embodiments standard insulation may be adapted to include an additional or alternative section of insulation, typically for example by means of an extra layer or subtraction of a section.

The alternative section may be provided by inclusion of extra material or additional layer, for example wherein said layer may comprise reflective material or coating.

Said additional layer may be crescent shaped, D-shape or other asymmetric profile, and secured to the inner or outer face of the standard insulation thus resulting in the tubular insulation becoming ovaloid, flattened or asymmetric and ensuring that the core is offset and of varying distances from the improved insulation exterior faces.

The additional crescent shaped layer may be retrofitted to existing pipes or insulation to increase longevity, or may fitted to new pipe insulation in situ to ensure it is in the optimal location.

Such improved insulation may also be advantageous in areas wherein there is restricted access to the pipe for example where it runs close to another object such as the wall of a building.

In such situations the thinner and less insulative side may be placed in the restricted area and the wider part away from this area, thus providing full insulation around the pipe with varying degrees of thickness.

Typically the restricted area may have superior insulation properties to the portion of the pipe outwardly exposed to the environment given its proximity to another object.

In yet further embodiments the improved insulation density and/or thickness may be varied at different positions about the circumference of a section around a pipe so as to enhance insulation over certain parts of the pipe. For example, the insulation tube may be composed of material(s) such that the insulation density may vary with respect to the circumference or outer surface of the tube such as having a portion with higher density where heat loss will be greatest and a portion with lower density where heat loss will be less.

For example the density of insulation may be greater on the upper surface of pipes that are transporting heated liquids or fluids where heat loss may be more.

In some preferred embodiments, in particular where the improved insulation has an external face that remains at a constant diameter, the improved insulation may include indicators on the external surface of the tube to reveal depth or density of insulation and/or where the increased or decreased insulation is, so that the user can easily identify the preferred orientation in which the insulation must be fitted for maximum benefit and ease of fitting.

In some embodiments the improved insulation may be provided in a range of sections to enable the insulation to be easily fitted about a range of different sized pipes or a network of similar or identical pipes. For example the insulation may be provided in various lengths, with varying sizes of lacuna and varying shaping, such as T-sections or elbow section to accommodate a network of pipes. In this way the improved insulation can be readily fitted to any existing pipework.

Preferably the improved insulation is provided in 1200mm sections.

In some further embodiments the insulation may be colour-coded or may have a varied outer surface so as to indicate the different densities of the improved insulation. For example the insulation may be red where the insulation is thickest or have a textured surface where insulation is thickest.

In an alternative embodiment end sections of insulation may be cut orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the insulation material. Alternatively end regions may be cut with male and female inter-connecting sections which may have castellations or pinked or be serrated or have wavy line sections cut therefrom so as to enable separate sections of insulation to be connected one to another without any bonding or separate connecting or bandage means.

Alignment means may be provided on an outer surface of the insulation material or assist in aligning and connecting the sections. Optionally the alignment means may be provided as an embossed patter or raised projection so that this may be sensed when work in dark or confined spaces when an installer may not always have sight of a workpiece and thereby is able to feel where the raised projection is and so ease adjacent sections or male and female parts into one another so as to form a snug fit.

Preferably the improved insulation is formed from a cellular structure such as foam or a fibrous structure such as fibre glass, plastic fibre or natural fibre such as wool. In some embodiments the improved insulation may be formed from a combination of materials.

In some embodiments the improved insulation is manufactured in two halves that are held together and encased within an outer layer. Advantageously this allows the improved insulation to be readily fitted to any pipework so that the portion of greater thickness and/or density is positioned about the section of pipe that will be susceptible to greatest heat lost therefore reducing energy losses and thereby improving efficiency of a heating system.

In some embodiments the outer layer may comprise a vaporised covering such as a thin layer of metal that may be pre-formed.

Advantageously the insulation is formed from two halves having the option of opening either side, preferably either the thicker side or the thinner side of the insulation, depending on the task in hand. Advantageously this allows the insulation to be positioned at the most suitable orientation so as to reduce energy loss. For example a thinner side of the insulation could be positioned against a wall and a thicker section positioned on and outward facing portion of the pipe (away from the wall) that is more susceptible to energy losses, for example due to heat loss.

In some embodiments the insulation may be formed in unequal sections, rather than two equal halves, for example being formed in two uneven pads such as one third and two thirds.

In some other embodiments the improved insulation may include joining or inter-connecting means.

Preferably an edge of the insulation, to include an end edge or an edge defined along the insulation length, may include joining means such as interlocking or inter-connecting portions so as to allow one end to be connected to another. In this way lengths of insulation can be connected along a pipe and/or opposing ends arranged about a pipe can be joined together so as to secure the insulation around the pipe.

The inter-connecting means may include castellations or pinked or serrated or toothed profile sections or mating parts to enable separate sections to be connected one to another.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a sketch of a cross section of an embodiment of the improved insulation; Figure 2 shows a cross section of a second embodiment of the improved insulation form as two halves having an outer layer; Figure 3 shows an isometric view of one half of the embodiment shown in Figure 2 arranged on a pipe; Figure 4 show a side view of Figure 3; Figure 5A shows two lengths of insulation having inter-connecting ends: and Figure SB shows an isometric view of an inter-connected end.

Detailed Description of Figures

The pictured and preferred embodiment of the improved insulation shown in Figure 1 is an elongate tube 2 of resiliently deformable insulative material.

The insulative properties of the insulative material are predefined as variable around the tube diameter. Examples of suitable insulative material are: Flexible elastomeric foam, being flexible, closed-cell, rubber foams based on rubber that exhibit high resistance to passage of water vapour such as are widely used on refrigeration and air-conditioning pipework and heating and hot-water systems.

Rigid phenolic foam insulation or polythene, being a semi-flexible plastic foamed insulation widely used to prevent freezing of domestic water supply pipes and to reduce heat loss from domestic heating pipes.

The elongate tube 2 has a circular profile. The improved insulation is an elongate flexible tube 2 with a central channel 4 shaped and dimensioned for accepting, gripping or surrounding a pipe (not shown). The central channel 4 is offset from the central axis of the tube 2 so that when viewed in cross section the width of the material measured radially between the outer surface 6 of the tube 2 and the inner surface 8 of the tube 2 providing the central channel 4 will be varied with respect to the circumference of the tube 2. The width of the material in the pictured embodiment varies from 30cm to 70cm.

The tube 2 further provides a longitudinal opening 10 that in use enables the insulation to be deformed or split and reformed when placed over a pipe (not shown).

In use, the tube 2 is deformed or split such that a pipe (not shown) can be inserted through the longitudinal opening 10 into the central channel 4. The insulation is placed on pipework mounted on structures, such as walls, so that a thicker portion of the tube 2 when measured radially between the outer surface 6 of the tube 2 and the inner surface 8 of the tube 2 is placed on pipes that are carrying heated fluids so as to increase the insulation in uppermost regions or surfaces, consequently reducing heat loss occurring naturally due to wastage from loss of thermal energy through convection, radiation and conduction, which wastage is liable to occur predominantly on the uppermost surfaces, distal from the structure.

Figure 1 shows the insulation having a high density portion 12 and a low density portion 14. The high density region 12 serves to minimise heat lost from the pipe and is located where heat loss is likely to be greatest, for example on an upper surface of a horizontal pipe.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the improved insulation arranged about a pipe 16 wherein the insulation is formed from two halves that are surrounded and encased by an outer layer so as to hold the two halves together thereby providing the desired tubular structure.

In this way the outer layer can be split on either side to gain access to the pipe within the insulation by means of the predefined break in part of the insulation.

Advantageously this can enable easy access to the pipes covered by the insulation depending upon location and/or any work that needs to be carried out on the pipe.

Figures 5A and SB show insulation 2 having inter-connecting ends so as to allow one length to be joined to another. The ends are shaped so as to allow connection of the ends wherein portions of one end of the insulation mate with corresponding portions of a second length of insulation.

The ends shown in Figures SA and 5B include projections 18 and recesses 20 that can mate with a second end so as to connect a first insulation length to a second insulation length so as to provide a continuous length of insulation having no gaps where the two lengths are joined. It is appreciated that the inter-connecting means may also be used to join longitudinal openings 10 so that the insulation is securely wrapped around a pipe.

It will be appreciated that variation may be made to the aforementioned embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention, with variation and implementation obvious and clear on the basis of either common general knowledge or of expert knowledge in the field concerned.

Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as set out in the accompanying claims.