Thermally insulating fluid

Abstract

A thermally insulating fluid composition comprising a glycol solvent for a viscosifier, a viscosifier, and optionally, an aqueous brine. The glycol may be selected from a propylene glycol, or under excessive heat temperatures, a butylene glycol, which can be used with or without a viscosifier. Viscosifiers can be selected from hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof. In one method of producing the thermally insulating composition, a viscosifier is added to an aqueous brine, water is then added to that solution followed by the addition of dry salt of the brine to increase density if necessary. A propylene glycol solvent is added to the resulting solution. The thermally insulating fluid composition insulates substances stored or transported in multi-walled vessels, tanks, piping and thermal units. A method of applying the insulating fluid composition of this invention comprising the steps of injecting the thermally insulating fluid into the cavity formed by two adjacent walls of the vessel or piping and then sealing off the opening.

1 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a glycol solvent for viscosifiers;    one or more viscosifiers, and    an aqueous brine.    
     
     
         2 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a glycol solvent for viscosifiers;    one or more viscosifiers, the viscosifiers selected from hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof; and    an aqueous brine.    
     
     
         3 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for a viscosifier; and    a viscosifier.    
     
     
         4 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for a viscosifier;    a viscosifier; and    an aqueous brine.    
     
     
         5 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for a viscosifier;    a viscosifier selected from a group consisting of hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl guar, xanthan or combinations thereof.    
     
     
         6 . The thermal insulating fluid of  claim 5  wherein the propylene glycol solvent the propylene glycol is selected from a group consisting of mono-propylene glycol, di-propylene glycol, tri-propylene glycol, tetra-propylene glycol and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The thermal insulating fluid of  claim 5  further comprising additional insulating materials.  
     
     
         8 . The thermal insulating fluid of  claim 7  wherein the additional insulating materials are selected from plastics, microspheres, both hollow and solid, glass beads, vacuum insulated tubing, insulation-coated tubing, foams, phase change materials, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The thermal insulating fluid of  claim 5  further comprising an aqueous brine  
     
     
         10 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for a viscosifier;    a viscosifier selected from a group consisting of hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl guar, xanthan and combinations thereof; and    one or more weighting agents.    
     
     
         11 . The thermal insulating fluid of  claim 10  wherein the weighting agents are selected from a group consisting of soluble inorganic salts, soluble organic salts, particulate minerals and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The thermal insulating fluid of  claim 11  wherein the one or more soluble inorganic salts are selected from NaCl, NaBr, KCl, KBr, CaCl 2 , CaBr 2 , ZnCl 2 , ZnBr 2 , NaNO 3 , KNO 3 , Ca(NO 3 ) 2 , Zn(NO 3 ) 2  and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The thermally insulating fluid of  claim 11  wherein the one or more soluble organic salts are selected from sodium formate, potassium formate, cesium formate, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, cesium acetate, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The thermally insulating fluid of  claim 11  wherein the one or more particulate minerals are selected from hematite, magnetite, illmenite, barite, siderite, celestite, dolomite, calcite, scheelite, apatite and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The thermally insulating fluid of  claim 10  wherein the one or more weighting agents comprise plastics, microspheres, glass beads and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         16 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for a viscosifier; and    a viscosifier comprising hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose.    
     
     
         17 . The thermally insulating fluid of  claim 16  further comprising an aqueous brine.  
     
     
         18 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers; and    viscosifiers comprising xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar.    
     
     
         19 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers;    viscosifiers comprising xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar; and    an aqueous brine.    
     
     
         20 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers, one or more viscosifiers in an amount comprising about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight, the propylene glycol in an amount comprising about 20% to 99.9% by weight, the one or more viscosifiers selected from xanthan, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         21 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers, one or more viscosifiers in an amount comprising about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight, the propylene glycol in an amount comprising about 20% to 99.8% by weight, the one or more viscosifiers selected from xanthan, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof; and    0.1% to 79.9% aqueous brine.    
     
     
         22 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a propylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers, viscosifiers in an amount comprising about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight, the propylene glycol in an amount comprising about 20% to 99.8% by weight, the viscosifiers comprising xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar.    
     
     
         23 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: a propylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers, viscosifiers in an amount comprising about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight, the propylene glycol in an amount comprising about 20% to 99.8% by weight, the viscosifiers comprising xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar 0.1% to 79.9% aqueous brine.  
     
     
         24 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a butylene glycol and an aqueous brine within a range of about 0.1% to about 79.9%.    
     
     
         25 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a butylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers; and    one or more viscosifiers.    
     
     
         26 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a butylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers;    one or more viscosifiers, and    an aqueous brine.    
     
     
         27 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a combination of a propylene glycol solvent and a butylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers, the viscosifiers in an amount comprising about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight, the combination of propylene glycol and butylene glycol in an amount comprising about 20% to 99.8% by weight, the viscosifiers selected from xanthan, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         28 . The thermally insulating fluid of  claim 27  further comprising 0.1% to 79.9% aqueous brine.  
     
     
         29 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a combination of propylene glycol solvent and a butylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers, the combination of propylene glycol and butylene glycol in an amount comprising about 20% to 99.8% by weight, one or more viscosifiers in an amount comprising about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight, the viscosifiers comprising xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar.    
     
     
         30 . A thermal insulating fluid comprising 
 a combination of a propylene glycol solvent and a butylene glycol solvent for viscosifiers, the combination of propylene glycol and butylene glycol in an amount comprising about 20% to 99.8% by weight,    one or more viscosifiers in an amount comprising about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight, the viscosifiers comprising xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar; and    0.1% to 79.9% aqueous brine.    
     
     
         31 . A method for producing a thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 a) adding a viscosifier to an aqueous brine;    b) adding water to the mixture of step (a);    c) adding a dry salt to increase density;    d) adding propylene glycol to the mixture of step (c).    
     
     
         32 . A method for producing a thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 (a) adding a first viscosifier to an aqueous brine;    (b) adding water to the mixture of step (a);    (c) adding a dry salt to increase density;    (d) in a separate vessel, adding a second viscosifier to propylene glycol;    (e) combining the mixture of step (c) to the mixture of step (d).    
     
     
         33 . A method for producing a thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 (a) adding a first viscosifier to an aqueous brine, the viscosifier selected from hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof;    (b) adding water to the mixture of step (a);    (c) adding a dry salt to increase density;    (d) in a separate vessel, adding a second viscosifier to propylene glycol, the viscosifier selected from hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof;    (e) combining the mixture of step (c) to the mixture of step (d).    
     
     
         34 . A method for producing a thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 (a) adding xanthan to an aqueous brine;    (b) adding water to the mixture of step (a);    (c) adding a dry salt to increase density;    (d) in a separate vessel, adding hydroxyl propyl guar to propylene glycol;    (e) combining the mixture of step (c) to the mixture of step (d).    
     
     
         35 . A method for producing a thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 e) adding a viscosifier to an aqueous brine;    f) adding water to the mixture of step (a);    g) adding a concentrated brine to increase density;    h) adding propylene glycol to the mixture of step (c).    
     
     
         36 . A method for producing a thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 (a) adding a first viscosifier to an aqueous brine;    (b) adding water to the mixture of step (a);    (c) adding a concentrated brine to increase density;    (d) in a separate vessel, adding a second viscosifier to propylene glycol;    (e) combining the mixture of step (c) to the mixture of step (d).    
     
     
         37 . A method for producing a thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 (a) adding a first viscosifier to an aqueous brine, the viscosifier selected from hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof;    (b) adding water to the mixture of step (a);    (c) adding a concentrated brine to increase density;    (d) in a separate vessel, adding a second viscosifier to propylene glycol, the viscosifier selected from hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, xanthan and hydroxy propyl guar and combinations thereof;    (e) combining the mixture of step (c) to the mixture of step (d).    
     
     
         38 . A method for producing a thermal insulating fluid comprising: 
 (a) adding xanthan to an aqueous brine;    (b) adding water to the mixture of step (a);    (c) adding a concentrated brine to increase density;    (d) in a separate vessel, adding hydroxyl propyl guar to propylene glycol;    (e) combining the mixture of step (c) to the mixture of step (d).    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the aqueous brine is selected from NaCl, NaBr, KCl, KBr, CaCl 2 , CaBr 2 , ZnCl 2 , ZnBr 2 , NaNO 3 , KNO 3 , Ca(NO 3 ) 2 , Zn(NO 3 ) 2 , and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising adding hydroxyl propyl guar to a combination of propylene glycol and butylene glycol in step (d).  
     
     
         41 . A method of insulating a multi-walled system comprising: 
 injecting a thermally insulating fluid having a composition selected from a group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30  into the one or more cavities defined by the walls of the multi-walled system.    
     
     
         42 . A method of insulating multi-walled pipes comprising: 
 injecting a thermally insulating fluid having a composition selected from a group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30  into one or more cavities defined by the walls of the pipe.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the multi-walled pipes are subterranean pipes.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the multi-walled pipes are sea bed pipes.  
     
     
         45 . A method of protecting permanently frozen ground comprising: 
 insulating double-walled pipes by injecting into the annulus defined by the walls, a thermally insulating fluid having a composition selected from the group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30 .    
     
     
         46 . A method of insulating a double-walled tank comprising: 
 inserting a thermally insulating fluid having a composition selected from a group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30  into an cavity defined by walls of the tank.    
     
     
         47 . A method of insulating a double-walled vessel comprising: 
 inserting a thermally insulating fluid having a composition selected from a group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30  between the adjacent walls of the vessel.    
     
     
         48 . A method of insulating a double-walled thermal unit comprising: 
 inserting a thermally insulating fluid having a composition selected from a group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30  between the adjacent walls of the thermal unit.    
     
     
         49 . A method of insulating a double-walled refrigeration unit comprising: 
 inserting a thermally insulating fluid having a composition selected from a group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30  between the adjacent walls of the refrigeration unit.    
     
     
         50 . A method of insulating a multi-walled system comprising: 
 injecting a thermally insulating fluid comprising butylene glycol into the one or more cavities defined by the walls of the multi-walled system.    
     
     
         51 . A method of insulating a double-walled heating unit comprising: 
 inserting a thermally insulating fluid having a composition selected from a group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30  into an cavity.    
     
     
         52 . A method of insulating a subsea well head and its control equipment comprising: 
 surrounding the subsea well head and its control equipment with a container containing a thermal insulating fluid having a composition selected from a group consisting of compositions defined in any of claims  1 - 30 .