Inmodernindustryandurbaninfrastructureconstruction,steeljacketsteaminsulationpipesarewidelyusedinthefieldofsteamtransportationduetotheirexcellentperformance.Thechoiceofinsulationmaterialplaysakeyroleintheinsulationeffectofthepipeline,servicelife,andoverallsystemperformance.

Commoninsulationmaterialsforprefabricatedsteeljacketsteaminsulationpipesincludeglasswool,aluminiumsilicateneedle-punchedblanket,calciumsilicatetiles,polyurethane,andnanoaerogel.

Glasswoolhasgoodformability,relativelylowbulkdensity,andlowthermalconductivity,meetingtherequirementsforinsulation,safety,andstabilityinhigh-temperatureenvironments.Theoperatingtemperatureofsteampipelinesisusuallybetween150℃and350℃,andglasswoolcanbeusedforalongtimeat-120℃to400℃,noteasilysofteningordeformingathightemperatures,continuouslyblockingheatloss.Insteeljacketsteaminsulationpipes,itisoftenusedasanimportantinsulationlayermaterial,effectivelyreducingheatlossandadaptingtomorecomplexenvironmentalconditions.

Aluminiumsilicateinsulationmaterialhasoutstandinghigh-temperatureresistanceandcanwithstandhighertemperatures,makingitsuitableforhigh-temperaturesteampipelines.Itcanmaintainstableinsulationperformanceinhigh-temperatureenvironments,effectivelyreducingheattransfertotheoutside.Itisoftenusedinconjunctionwithotherinsulationmaterialstoconstructacompositeinsulationstructure,enhancingtheoverallinsulationeffect.Forexample,insteampipelinesectionswithhighertemperatures,usinganaluminiumsilicateneedle-punchedblanketasthemaininsulationmaterial,combinedwithotherauxiliarymaterials,canmeettheinsulationneedsofhigh-temperaturesteam.

Polyurethaneismostlyusedformakingcoldstorage,refrigeratedvehicles,orfresh-keepingboxes,andcanalsobeusedasaninsulationlayerforcoloursteelsandwichpanelsandpetrochemicaltankinsulationmaterials,withgoodinsulationandcoolingperformance.Insteeljacketsteaminsulationpipes,polyurethanerigidfoamisgenerallyusedasanorganicinsulationlayer,suitablefortemperatures≤140℃,andneedstobeusedinconjunctionwithinorganicinsulationmaterials.Itcaneffectivelyensurethemediumtemperature,keepingtheouterprotectivepipesurfaceatnormaltemperature.

Microporouscalciumsilicateisaninorganicthermalinsulationmaterialresistanttohightemperatures.Itsnormaltemperaturethermalconductivityis≤0.055w(m.k),density≤220kg/m³,andotherindicatorssuchasmoisturecontent,temperatureresistance,andcompressivestrengthcanmeetrelevantrequirements.Insteeljacketsteaminsulationpipes,asaninorganichardinsulationlayer,itcanwithstandhightemperatures,ensuretheinterfacetemperaturebetweentheorganicinsulationlayer,preventpolyurethanefoamfromcarbonisation,andprovideaguaranteeforthestableoperationofthepipelineinhigh-temperatureenvironments.

Nanoaerogel,asanewhigh-efficiencyinsulationmaterial,showsadvantagesthattraditionalmaterials(suchasglasswool,rockwool)cannotmatchwhenusedinsteaminsulationpipes,especiallyinextremeconditionsandhigh-performancedemandscenarios.Thecorecompetitivenessofnanoaerogelinsteaminsulationpipesliesin“extremeinsulation,ultra-lightandultra-thin,widetemperaturedurability,”makingitespeciallysuitableforhigh-temperature,high-humidity,space-constrained,orscenarioswithstrictsafetyandenvironmentalprotectionrequirements.Althoughtheinitialcostisrelativelyhigh,itslong-termenergy-savingbenefits,maintenancecostsavings,andspaceefficiencyimprovementsmakeitanidealchoiceforhigh-endindustrialinsulation.Withtechnologicaladvancementsandlarge-scaleproduction,theapplicationofaerogelwillgraduallypenetratefromhigh-value-addedfieldstoconventionalsteamsystems.