Light weight insulation for pipelines

Abstract

A lightweight and compact super-insulation system that is also capable of supporting a high level of compressive load is described. The system utilizes spacers to provide structural support and utilize controlled buckling of a thin protective outer skin supported by spacers to form strong catenary surfaces to protect insulation material underneath. The spacers may comprise an aerogel, or an aerogel may provide insulation separate from the spacer yet contained within the thin outer skin. The system will be useful for thermal management of variety of deep underwater structures such as pipe-in-pipe apparatus, risers or subsea trees for ultra-deep water oil-and-gas exploration.

1 . An apparatus for thermally insulating a flow line comprising: 
 a flow line;    a carrier pipe that is concentrically aligned with the flow line so as to create an annular space between the flow line and carrier pipe, and an aerogel blanket within the annular space between the flow line and the carrier pipe.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said aerogel blanket is a fiber reinforced material.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the fiber reinforced material comprises microfibers, fibrous batting or lofty batting.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said aerogel blanket comprises a phase change material.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said aerogel blanket comprises aerogel particles.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the aerogel blanket comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silica aerogels, cellulose aerogels, precompressed aerogels and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductivity of aerogel is less than or equal to 50 mW/mK.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the overall heat transfer value from the carrier pipe to the flow line is at most 5 W/m 2 −° C.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is an underwater subsea pipelines filled with one or more hydrocarbons.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more blankets.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising temperature sensors positioned along said flow line or said carrier pipe to measure temperature at a plurality of locations in the apparatus.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductivity of aerogel blanket is less than 20 mW/mK.  
     
     
         13 . A method for fluid transport, the method comprising: placing the apparatus according to  claim 1  underwater.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of flowing a hydrocarbon through the flow line of said apparatus.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hydrocarbon is a natural gas or crude oil.  
     
     
         16 . A method for thermally insulating a flow line comprising: 
 providing a apparatus according to  claim 1  and flowing a fluid through the flow line.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the aerogel blanket of said apparatus comprises aerogel particles.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal conductivity of aerogel blanket is less than 20 mW/mK.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing a fiber-reinforcement within the annular space of said apparatus.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fiber reinforcement provided comprises microfibers, fibrous batting or lofty batting.