JPH07505435A - thermoplastic syntactic foam insulation - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Thermoplastic Syntactic Foam Insulation Field of Invention TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates generally to syntactic foam insulation materials, and more particularly to syntactic foam insulation. Fluidizes a thermoplastic resin with a melt index to produce a melt stream the mixture by metering the spherical filler into the melt stream under low shear conditions; and forming said mixture into a final form. This invention relates to a pipe insulation material of syntactic form.

Law.

Background of the invention Offshore oil production is the process by which oil or gas is concentrated on surface platforms or at sea. Requires the use of undersea pipes or conduits for transportation back to shore. certain reserves In the field, oil or gas is passed through a pipe when the temperature of the oil or gas is Contains paraffin which precipitates as it degrades due to heat transfer from the contents to the cold ocean. have This can significantly reduce flow or cause production line blockages. , increasing production costs.

If a blockage occurs, costly mechanical or chemical means to remove the blockage Requires. The added expense is the cost of production outage, and the pipe contents A potential loss of field occurs during removal of the occlusion.

Several techniques are known to alleviate this problem: 1) paraffin precipitation; 2) adding chemicals to the oil to prevent sludge; 2) heating the production line; 3) Insulation of pipes. However, the addition of chemicals to oil or gas and the effort and money experienced in adding and The chemical substances must later be purified out of the oil. Pipeline heating is not energy efficient, and many kilometers of the pipeline It requires heating equipment that must be installed and monitored for proper operation. There will be a strike. On the other hand, insulation of the production line is carried out before laying the pipeline. Insulation can be installed on pipelines and requires continuous monitoring. Since there is no such thing, it is cost effective.

Submarine pools or gas production pipelines must also be physically protected. No. Steel pipes are the most commonly used in the construction of offshore pipelines; and as such requires protection from corrosive seawater.

Typically neorene or epoxy coatings are used for this purpose . However, such coatings are not susceptible to wear caused by installation. and requires an additional overcoating, e.g. that of polyethylene. Essential.

Suitable syntactic foam insulation can insulate pipes and Provides corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance and resistance to hydrostatic pressure.

The synthetic material consists of hollow spherical fillers embedded within a polymer matrix. It is something that Fillers, most often glass or plastic in the micron size range Plastic microspheres provide thermal insulation properties to synthetic materials. When the degree of a of the microspheres in the matrix increases for a thickness of Fever increases.

Additional physical attributes, e.g. increased resilience, reduced thermal conductivity, lower creep flexibility or elasticity can be imparted to synthetic materials through the selection of various matrices. can be done. For example, for pipe installation, the pipe must be can be formed directly on the profile or with a sleeve or adhesive around it. Flexible syntactic 7 ohm insulation that can be wrapped as adhesive tape Manufacturing wood has been around for a long time. This "preliminary coating" is One of the tasks of a sailor laying pipe is to coat the pipe section. This is desirable as it means reducing the must not. Additionally, pipe profiles are flexible because they bend or curve during installation. is necessary. For example, in the commonly used "single curve" pipe installation method, , while the pipeline descends to the ocean floor, typically at an angle of about 60-80″ from the horizontal. The pipe sections are welded together on a horizontally moving laying barge while entering seawater at a Ru. A long pipeline curves when it reaches the ocean floor, forming an rJJ shape. . Common syntactic foams made from thermosetting resins are suitable for such applications. It's not enough for that. Thus, it is flexible enough for such applications. Syntactic forms, e.g. of polymers for some thermoplastics It is advantageous to choose the base.

However, the disadvantages of using existing syntactic foam insulation as, for example, the coating of long profiles of pipes, and also the desired quality It is relatively difficult to easily and rapidly produce insulation materials in large quantities. I'm here now. Currently available syntactic foams are thermosetting resins such as Mi-1 Polymer. Manufactured using urethanes: These resins are more difficult to process than thermoplastics It is. This is because they are used at temperatures lower than the B stage of the resin, i.e. when the resin cross-links. This is because processing is possible only at temperatures at which the temperature starts to decrease. Additionally, a form like this does not have the desired flexibility to bend with the pipe during installation, and also Often absorbs water and requires another coating to make the pipe water impermeable. do.

Syntactic foam insulation with a thermoplastic matrix has long been desired. However, it is difficult to manufacture. A sufficiently low shear to prevent ball fracturing during processing. Due to shear forces, it is difficult to compound glass microspheres and other hollow spherical fillers. be. The thermal conductivity of effective submarine pipe insulation is less than approximately 0.14 W/m-’K It is necessary to When more than about 5% of the spheres in the matrix are crushed, this Achieving the required level of thermal conductivity is difficult. Additionally, syntactic The structural properties of the foam are also adversely affected.

One method for this purpose is taught in European Patent Application No. 473215A1. Here, microspheres treated with chain scissors are made of short-chain polypropylene or polybutylene. Added to the flowable flow of the material to form cross-linked syntactic foam insulation do. This method is taught as being useful for producing materials with low thermal conductivity. . However, the plastic starting materials taught for use in materials are generally not optimal for subsea pipe insulation. Because short chain polypropylene Although pyrene or polybutylene provides low disruption of microspheres, this method 1. on the microspheres to crosslink the remer. l, presence of coated chain scissors This is because it requires Without this chain breaker present, the finished insulation would be Completely unacceptable for use as insulation for submarine pipes. Because it's quiet This is because it is not hydraulically resistant, abuse resistant, or creep resistant. Furthermore, the chain Cutting agents stiffen the plastic matrix and reduce the flexibility of this material. Preventing the use of the material as insulation for submarine pipes. Because laying pipes This is because it does not bend well when installed.

Floating thermoplastic syntactic cable jackets have been manufactured; Such jackets contain a large amount of material to keep the cable jacket afloat. Contains entrained air. However, 4 such materials are not suitable for deep sea pipes. Unsuitable for line insulation: air pockets in these materials The materials are collapsed in the process and the water is absorbed into the interstices of these materials. these The material is also not abrasion resistant or heat resistant, and efficient for pipes Desirably thin enough to bend with the pipe while providing insulation Can not.

Thus, we 1) do not crush a substantial proportion of the spherical filler during processing; 2) is not time consuming and difficult to implement on a large scale; and 3) is specialized. thermoplastic spherical fillers without the use of standard or highly modified equipment. advantageously thin, flexible syntactic No truly satisfactory method of producing foam pipe insulation has been found.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a sufficient body for large scale, e.g. pipe applications. with superior thermal and structural properties that can be implemented with currently available equipment. To provide a method for manufacturing a syntactic foam insulation material having a product 'LJ'. : It is.

Another object of the invention is to cut the flexible non-tactic foam on the outer surface of the pipe. Ready to use for subsea oil or gas conduit assembly consisting of a layer of thermal material. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing an integral pipe unit that can be used for various purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a subsea oil or gas conduit manufactured by the method described above. Offers an integrated insulated vibrator unit ready for use for assembly. It is to provide.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an adhesive flexible sinter produced by the method of the invention. An object of the present invention is to provide a decorative foam insulation tape and sleeve.

Another object of the present invention is to provide syntactic foams produced by the method of the present invention. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thermal insulation material and to provide a syntactile material made by the method of the present invention. The object of the present invention is to provide a method for insulating pipes using a cladding foam.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from reading this specification, claims and drawings. It is clear that

Summary of the invention The present invention is a thermoplastic resin having a melt index of 3 to 30 g/10 minutes. to produce a melt stream: spherical fillers are inserted into the melt stream with low shear. metering into conditions to form a mixture and forming the mixture into a final form; The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a syntactic foam insulation material consisting of one culm. present invention further relates to non-tactic foam insulation produced by the above method. Ru.

Drawing description FIG. 1 depicts in simplified side view a dual stage extruder implementing the method of the present invention. do.

Figure 2 consists of an outer sleeve of synthetic material superimposed over the outer pipe surface. 1 depicts a ready-to-use pipe profile in partial cross-section.

FIG. 3 shows a tape of adhesive syntactic foam made in accordance with the present invention. Draw a plan view of the attached pipe section.

Summary of the invention In a preferred embodiment, the object of the present invention is to substantially achieved, where the first stage of the extruder means fluidizing the thermoplastic resin substrate and convey it to the second stage of the extruder means, where it is heated under low shear conditions. Another filler is introduced into the flowable plastic stream. This preferred embodiment odor The thermoplastic and filler are then mixed in the second stage of the extruder barrel. , and the flowable material is degassed and extruded into the desired final form. The resulting product is containing a substantially homogeneous distribution of spherical fillers within the matrix of the reamer; The rimmer mixture is heated to the finished syntactic form as previously described. important for maximizing physical and structural properties.

"Thermoplastic" as used herein refers to In extrusion or extrusion-related processes that can be heated and softened Any plastic, polymer, or or intended to mean an elastomeric substrate. Used in the present invention The thermoplastic material must have a high "melt index" and the thermoplastic material must have a high "melt index". Materials with low high viscosity, i.e. about 3.0-30 g/1 min, preferably about 15-30 g/1 0 minutes, more preferably in the range of about 20-25 g/10 minutes. Thermosetting Resins are unsuitable for use in the present invention.

Examples of thermoplastic resins are polyamide, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene ( rABSJ) resin, acetal, acrylic, cellulose, chlorinated polyether, Fluorocarbon, nylon (polyamide), polycarbonate, polyolefin and their copolymers, such as polyethylene and its copolymers, Lipropylene and its copolymers, chlorinated or fluorinated polyolefins and copolymers of polystyrene and vinyl, e.g. polyvinyl chloride; Ru. The omission of specific types of thermoplastic resins should not be construed as limitations on the invention. stomach. Note also that one or a mixture of two or more thermoplastics can be used. Should.

Particular types of resins within each of the foregoing classes that are suitable for use in the present invention are well known to those skilled in the art and need not be discussed here. but However, we have discovered that thermoplastic polyolefins (rTPO"), e.g. I FAX (Himon) and FLEXOMER (Union Carbide) , and 5URLYN (E.I. DuPont de Nemois & Ka. ionically cross-linked selected from copolymers of ethylene/methacrylic acid thermoplastic polymers, and thermoplastic elastomers (rTPEJ'I, e.g. For example, FEBAX (Atochen), that is, polyether blocked poly Mido (rPEBAJ) is particularly suitable for use in the present invention. however However, the present invention is not limited to the use of these resins. These thermoplastic trees The fat provides the necessary flexibility to the finished insulation foam, making it The flexibility also allows for non-tactic foam insulation like tapes and sleeves. Highly desirable from a manufacturing standpoint, these tapes and sleeves Their nature allows them to be flexible and/or flexible for easy installation. is necessary. Although these resins are flexible, they are also susceptible to creep, elongation, abrasion and resistant to corrosion, making it more desirable for use in pipeline applications. Yes. Furthermore, such resins can withstand high temperatures in pipelines (as high as 125°C). very resistant to These resins have been used in this field. They have a characteristic chain length that distinguishes them from other thermoplastics. For more information, These resins have longer chains and and has a lower melt index. Such resins as described here by fluidizing and adding spherical fillers under low shear conditions to achieve a high proportion of complete fines. When making syntactic foams with globules, US Pat. No. 5,158. The need to use short chain polymers with chain scissors as taught in No. 727 There is no.

The spherical filler used in the present invention is typically made of syntactic foam. It can be any type of hollow sphere used in construction. (For brevity And for convenience, the term "microspheres" is used to describe the spherical filler used in the present invention. will be used from now on. ) The microspheres are preferably made of glass, but can also be used by those skilled in the art. plastics or other materials that are well known to They are necessary for the fluidization of thermoplastics for the production of melt streams. It will depend on the particular requirements made for a form that will not melt under the conditions. one Generally, the spheres are 3-100μ, preferably about 5-80μ, more preferably about 20-8 0μ, even more preferably about 20-70μ, most preferably about 50-70μ The diameter is in the range of . Microspheres of one size or a range of sizes, e.g. Balls with diameters ranging from about 1 to 20 microns and blocks of balls ranging from about 50 to 10,011 microns in diameter. Lend can be used. Thus, in some applications, such large distribution of microspheres in the finished syntactic form. enable king. Microsphere strength is important: pure microspheres meet ASTM D Withstands pressures from 6.89X10” to 27.6X103MpA under conditions according to 3102 should be able to maintain destruction below 20% while at the same time . The density of the microspheres is preferably about 0.1-1.1 g/cc, more preferably about 0.1 g/cc. It is in the range of 20 to 0.40 g/cc.

This method is generally carried out using extrusion equipment, e.g. . Typically, a dual-type extruder, such as the one depicted in FIG. It is possible to use a twin screw unit I. This kind of extruder , resin addition and fluidization in the first stage, and spherical filling in the second stage material addition and thus perform fluidization and filler addition steps. This is advantageous because no equipment is required. However, fluidization and filler addition separation of functions is desirable or necessary and is thus within the scope of this invention. We believe that there may be cases where this is the case. Pressure that can be used in the method of the invention The extruder is well known to those skilled in the art: a conventional twin-screw extruder or a double stage Using a BIJ-iss kneader twin screw extruder A design that can be used and rotated at the same time is preferred.

Referring now to Figure 1, such a two-way extruder extrudes a thermoplastic feedstock. It consists of a feed hopper 1 for feeding. More accurate feedstock preparation If desired, use a feeder, such as an auger feeder (not shown). can be done. Feed material passes from hopper 1 through feed throat 2 to the screw -3, and this screw 3 is driven by the motor unit 6b, The gear reducer 5 is connected to the thrust gear 4 by the belt 6a. The thrust gear 4 is connected to the screw 3. first stage The design of the screw 3 in the barrel 7 allows the thermoplastic resin to be applied in the barrel 7 in the first stage. ultimately plasticized, sheared and metered into a melt stream of desired viscosity. . A person skilled in the art knows how to make such a screw.

The screw 3 rotates and the thermoplastic resin is sent into the barrel 7 of the first stage and the barrel The barrel 7 is heated by a heater 8 and monitored by a thermocouple 9. heater The heat generated by 8 and the feed material and the screw to the barrel 7 of the first stage The frictional action of -3 liquefies the thermoplastic and shapes the melt flow, which is measured It is weighed and placed in the barrel 10 of the second stage.

When the melt stream is metered into the second stage barrel 1.0, the microspheres 12 (previously placed into the microsphere pumper 11) in the second stage under low shear conditions. metered into the melt stream in the barrel 10 of the floor: a feeder, e.g. The challenge is to weigh and feed microspheres using a weight belt side feeder. Yes. The exact addition rate depends on the desired concentration of microspheres 12 in the syntactic form. , and depends on the extrusion speed.

The geometry of the compartment of the screw 3 below the microsphere hopper 12 is such that the microspheres are In order to be gently enveloped by the flow, we must choose the "Koni-like" " The design of screws with a low shear profile will be obvious to those skilled in the art and Such a screw profile is necessary for the addition of microspheres without destruction. Provides low shear conditions. Koushidama provides “low shear conditions” according to the present invention. That is, melts containing the low melt index thermoplastic resins of the present invention Uses a “low shear” design to gently envelop the spherical filler in the flow. Write down things.

The microspheres 12 are thus carried into the melt stream and are almost entirely within it. Fractures of less than 15%, which are introduced without or without any fractures, are significant. preferred In most cases, less than 3% of the microspheres in the thermoplastic are destroyed. More preferably, Virtually all of the globules are indestructible. This mixture is transported to the second stage barrel 10. The air is fed, heated by a heater 13, and then regulated by a thermocouple 14. melt entrained in the melt flow caused by the inclusion of microspheres in the melt flow A vent zone 16 is preferably provided in the second stage of the valve to allow removal of trapped air. It is installed in the room 10. Unenhanced air (i.e., microspheres) from the extrudate It is highly recommended to install a vent zone that substantially removes air (not contained within the desirable. Because of the reinforcement in the matrix of syntactic foam insulation The presence of unfilled air prevents water from absorbing and collapsing at high hydrostatic pressures. This is because it makes the insulation highly sensitive and significantly reduces the insulation efficiency of the insulation. .

The higher the microsphere content, the greater the insulation capacity of the sink foam insulation. Give. High loading of microspheres in non-tactic foam, i.e. If approximately 30-50% by volume of ohmic insulation is desired, some proportion of the spherical filler should be added to the melt. into the first point of the stream under low shear conditions and the remainder below the first point. It is advantageous to meter under low shear conditions at a second point located in the stream. It was discovered that. Generally, the ratio of the filler measured into the first point is 10~ 90%, preferably 30-80%, particularly preferably 50-70%.

Other additives if necessary, e.g. silanes, adhesion promoters, or couplings The agent can be added to the melt stream together with the spherical filler.

This mixture exits at the screw tip 15. The screw tip 15 is at this point. In some types of dies, such as flat sheet extrusion dies, profiled sheet extrusion dies , connected to a hollow mandrel die, etc. Then pull the mixture and roll it The material is cast, cast, shredded, etc. into the desired final form. Final form is sphere, pellet , tape or ribbon, etc. Also, sink form The pellets are useful as masterbatches that can be used to make other insulating articles. Something was discovered. For example, syntactic form pellets, e.g. , blended with EPDM rubber or extender resin, and extruded to make it more elastic. Insulated pipe wraps can be molded that are both durable and abuse resistant.

The resulting sinking form can be installed on the pipe in a number of ways. Ru. An integral insulated pipe form as depicted in partial section in Figure 2. The material can be made by placing the pipe section to be placed inside a cylindrical mold. Opening: The syntactic foam insulation is then inserted between the mold and the outside surface of the pipe. The outer coating is formed by extrusion into the gap. Referring to Figure 2, the resulting The physically insulated pipe section 16 is connected to the pipe 17 and the syntactic form section. It consists of a cover 18 of thermal material. After removing the mold, the integral insulated pipe profile is laid The pipe profile can then be transported to a barge, where the pipe is assembled without further adjustment. It can be inserted into the line.

Wrap insulation tape around the joint to cover the joint section of the pipe. be able to. However, when laying pipelines, time is of the essence. It is time consuming to remove the tape and wrap the tape over the joint. Therefore Preferably, the custom-molded Clallam Noel-shaped insulating enclosure is By compression molding or casting tactical foam insulation into the desired shape. You can make it. Insulated enclosures install in seconds, simplifying work on laying barges can be converted into

Alternatively, the insulation can be wrapped around pipes or joints. It can be a tape of cutic foam insulation. Flexible balls described here The shaped filler can be extruded in the form of a tape or ribbon, with adhesive on one side. Applying a release layer that is heated prior to installation of the adhesive coating and/or tape be able to. Alternatively, the tape can be left uncoated and will adhere The agent is later applied to the tape or pipe. Like this wrapped around it The insulated pipe 27 having a tape 28 of flexible insulating spherical filler is It is shown in plan view in the figure.

The spherical filler of the present invention made of thermoplastic resin, for example HI FAX type, is preferably abrasion resistant, but a protective outer coating is desirable or There may be cases where it is necessary. Outer wear resistance can be applied Coatings can be made of, for example, neorene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane. Rethane: PVC: Glass: and abrasion resistant fabrics, e.g. EVLAR aromatic nylon. Adds advantageous properties to the sink form A pond coating can also be applied if desired.

Thermal conductivity of syntactic foams made according to the present invention is generally about 0. It is less than 14W/m-0. Other properties of the syntactic form of the present invention are that flexibility, which means that when installing on a pipe, the pipe and the It also allows the syntactic form to bend. made in accordance with the invention The syntactic form is generally about 300 C) - 4000 psi, preferably L< IL3500-4000 ps (1) Flexural modulus.

Kanbikio An insulating non-tactic foam tape was manufactured in the following manner. Polymer used - is similar to grade CAl0Δ 111 FAX (himont) thermoplastic olefin Met. Average density of 0.28g/cc, average size of 40μ and 6.89M Glass microspheres with an average intensity of less than 20% at pA were used.

Syntactic formation using a two-stage, simultaneously rotating twin-screw extruder manufactured a thermal insulation material. Twin screws are assembled from various elements and each Achieved extrusion requirements. Set the barrel temperature to 190'C and press the twin screwdriver. ” - set the speed to 150 RPM. Deliver polymer to the supply compartment at 45 kgZhr. provided. When a homogeneous polymer melt flow is established, the microspheres are transferred to the second stage. 6 kg/hour. Using a vent zone configured within the second stage was used to effectively remove entrained air from the extrudate. Twin screw tip The extrudate passing through a die with a rectangular cross section, 25 mm wide x approximately 6 m A tape of thickness m was produced.

The manufactured tape has a thermal conductivity of 0.135 W/m-'K, which is comparable to submarine Suitable for type insulation, and was flexible, abrasion and impact resistant .

The above examples and description of preferred embodiments of the invention illustrate the invention and explain the invention. It should be noted that this does not imply a limitation. departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; It is intended that changes, variations and changes may be made without notice.

2. (One-time correction) The thermoplastic resin is a thermoplastic polyolefin; ethylene/meth Ionically crosslinked thermoplastic polymers derived from copolymers of acrylic acid; [and] polyether clocked polyamide thermoplastic elastomer; Mid; Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin: Acetal; Acrylic: Cellulose; Chlorinated polyether; Fluorocarbon; Nylon: Polycarbonate polyolefins and their copolymers; and mixtures thereof. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is selected from the group consisting of:

Copy and translation of amendment) Submission (Article 184-8 of the Patent Law) September 27, 1994

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Process: a) fluidizing a thermoplastic resin to produce a melt stream, said thermoplastic resin having a having a melt index of 30 g/10 min; b) spherical fillers in the melt stream; under low shear conditions to form a mixture; and c) Insulating syntactic foam consisting of molding said mixture into its final form. A method of manufacturing wood. 2. The thermoplastic resin is a thermoplastic polyolefin; ionically crosslinked thermoplastic polymers derived from polymers; ester-blocked polyamide thermoplastic elastomer. Method for scope 1 of the request. 9. The thermoplastic polymer is polyimide; Ren resin; acetal; acrylic; cellulose; chlorinated polyether; fluoro Carbon; Nylon; Polycarbonate; Polyolefin and their copolymers and mixtures thereof. 3. Claim 1 wherein the size of said spherical filler ranges from about 3 to 100 microns in diameter. the method of. 4. 2. The spherical filler of claim 1, wherein the size of the spherical filler ranges from about 5 to 80 microns in diameter. Method. 5. Claim 1 wherein the size of said spherical filler ranges from about 20 to 70 microns in diameter. the method of. 6. Claims wherein the density of the spherical filler ranges from about 0.1 to 1.1 g/cc. Method 1. 7. 2. The spherical filler has a density in the range of about 0.2 to 0.40 g/cc. Box 1 method. 8. The spherical filler was metered into the melt stream under low shear conditions. 2. After that, unenhanced air is substantially removed from the mixture. Law. 9. The second stage of the extruder removes substantially unenhanced air from the mixture. 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising vent zone means for removing. 10. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said final form consists of pellets or spheres. 11. adding said pellets or spheres as a masterbatch to an extruder; Fluidize the master patch to produce a melt stream; and finalize the melt stream. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of shaping into a shape. 12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of blending a filler into said master patch. Range 11 method. 13. Claims wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of rubber and extender resin. 12 ways. 14. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said final form is a ribbon or tape. 15. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein a filler is used to produce the melt stream. 16. The bulking agent is passed through a twin screw extruder; a two-stage screw extruder; and a bath. -Claim 1 selected from the group consisting of Busskneader. Method 5. 17. a proportion of the final form into a first point of the melt stream under low shear conditions; and the remainder of said spherical filler located downstream of said first point. metered into the second point of the melt stream under low shear conditions. Box 1 method. 18. Claims including the additional step of applying an outer coating to said final form Method 1. 19. The outer coating is made of neoprene; polyethylene; polypropylene; Claims selected from the group consisting of urethane; glass; and aromatic nylon. 17 methods. 20. Process: a) fluidizing a thermoplastic resin to produce a melt stream, said thermoplastic resin having a having a melt index of 30 g/10 min; b) spherical fillers in the melt stream; under low shear conditions to form a mixture; and c) forming a cover from the mixture; Layer the Chicfoam Vibe insulation cover over the outside surface of the pipe. A method of manufacturing an insulated pipe unit consisting of. 21. Process: a) fluidizing a thermoplastic resin to produce a melt stream, said thermoplastic resin having a having a melt index of 30 g/10 min; b) spherical fillers in the melt stream; under low shear conditions to form a mixture; and c) forming the mixture into a final form. Chic foam insulation. 22. Claims wherein the thermal insulation material has a thermal conductivity of less than or equal to about 0.14 W/m-°K. 21 syntactic foam insulation. 23. The insulation material has a flexural modulus of at least about 3000-4000 psi. The syntactic foam insulation material of claim 21. 24. a) 3-30g/10min and polyolefin and ethylene/methane Ionically crosslinked thermoplastic polymer selected from copolymers of tacrylic acid a thermoplastic resin selected from the group consisting of; and b) 10 to 50% by volume of the insulation material. an enhanced air spherical filler present in an amount of flexural modulus of about 3000-4000 psi and about 0.14 W/m having a thermal conductivity of -°K or less; A syntactic foam insulation material made of. 25. further comprising a second filler selected from the group consisting of rubber and filler resin. The insulation material of claim 24. 26. further comprising an outer coating formed on the main surface of the insulation; The coating may be neoprene; polyethylene; polypropylene; polyurethane. polyvinyl chloride; glass; and nylon. Range 24 insulation. 27. the spherical filler is a glass microsphere, and the size of the spherical filler is 25. The syntactic foam of claim 24, wherein the syntactic foam has a diameter ranging from about 3 to 100 microns. insulation material. 28. 2. The spherical filler has a density in the range of about 0.1 to 1.1 g/cc. Box 24 syntactic foam insulation. 29. Outer cover for pipe profiles and syntactic foam vibration insulation The outer cover is made of an uncrosslinked thermoplastic resin and 10 to 50% by volume of Consisting of enhanced air insulation in the form of glass microspheres; said insulation is 0.1 Thermal conductivity less than 4 W/m-°K, modulus of elasticity between 3000 and 4000 psi , contains substantially no unenhanced air, and has less than 5% destruction or Integral insulated pipe profile with damaged globules. 30. The insulated pipe of claim 29, wherein the insulation is applied to the pipe as a tape. pipe. 31. Claims where the insulation is applied to the pipe as a fused coating 29 insulated pipes. 32. The insulation of claim 29, wherein the insulation is applied to the pipe as a sleeper. pipe. 33. Claim further comprising a filler selected from the group consisting of rubber and filler resin. range 29 insulated pipes. 34. The thermoplastic resin is a polyolefin; an ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymer selected from the group consisting of ionically crosslinked thermoplastic polymers derived from 30. The insulated pipe of claim 29.