Method and Apparatus for Insulating Panels

Abstract

An insulation structure attached to a wall having a multitude of anchors projecting from the wall to support the insulation structure includes a permanent refractory layer adjacent the wall and a restorable refractory layer adjacent the permanent refractory layer. An anchor supports the refractory material and includes a first stud and a second stud. The second stud includes a cap connected to a shaft, wherein the cap defines an indentation on a side of the cap opposite the shaft. The second stud receives the first stud within the indentation within the cap. The double layer of refractory material allows for maintenance and replacement of a restorable refractory layer without disturbing or replacing the permanent refractory layer.

1 . An insulation structure attached to a wall, the insulation structure comprising:
 a multitude of anchors projecting from the wall and supporting the insulation structure;   a permanent refractory layer adjacent the wall; and   a restorable refractory layer adjacent said permanent refractory layer, wherein the anchors have respective caps about midway along the length of the anchors, and said permanent refractory layer extends to about the midsection of the caps.   
     
     
         2 . An insulation structure according to  claim 1 , wherein a side of said restorable refractory layer, opposite said permanent refractory layer, is an exposed surface. 
     
     
         3 . An insulation structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said permanent refractory layer and said restorable refractory layer comprise different compositions. 
     
     
         4 . An insulation structure according to  claim 3 , wherein said compositions are selected from the group consisting of carbon graphite, silicon carbide, mixtures of magnesium and silicon carbide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, zirconium dioxide, titanium dioxide, chromium oxide, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         5 . An insulation structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said permanent refractory layer extends from the wall to a midsection of the respective anchors, and said restorable refractory layer extends from said permanent refractory layer. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . An insulation structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said restorable refractory layer extends from said permanent refractory layer and covers the entirety of the anchors. 
     
     
         8 . An insulation structure according, to  claim 1 , wherein the wall is a removable panel of cooling tubes having a plurality of anchors extending substantially perpendicularly from the tubes, and wherein said permanent layer of refractory material covers at least a portion of the tubes. 
     
     
         9 . A method of insulating a wall exposed to corrosive conditions, the method comprising:
 applying a permanent refractory layer directly onto the wall; and applying, a restorable refractory layer directly onto said permanent refractory layer, wherein an outer surface of said restorable refractory layer is exposed to the corrosive conditions.   
     
     
         10 . A method of insulating a wall exposed to adverse conditions, the method comprising:
 attaching, a first stud to the wall;   attaching a second stud having a cap and a shaft to said first stud such that the cap of the second stud is between the first stud and the shaft of said second stud;   and after attaching said second stud to said first stud, applying a permanent refractory layer directly to the wall, said permanent refractory layer covering at least a portion of the first stud and at least a portion of the cap of the second stud; and   applying a restorable refractory layer directly to the permanent refractory layer.   
     
     
         11 . A method of insulating a wall according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of covering the entirety of the second stud with the restorable refractory layer. 
     
     
         12 . A method of insulating a wall according to  claim 11 , wherein the wall is a removable panel of cooling tubes, and the step of attaching the first stud comprises attaching at least one straight stud to at least one of the cooling tubes in a position that is substantially perpendicular to the cooling tube. 
     
     
         13 . A method of insulating a wall according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of replacing at least a portion of the restorable refractory layer upon removal of the restorable layer due to the adverse conditions. 
     
     
         14 . A method of insulating a wall according to  claim 13 , wherein the step of replacing at least a portion of the restorable refractory layer comprises reapplying the restorable refractory layer before the corrosive conditions affect the permanent refractory layer. 
     
     
         15 . A method of insulating a wall according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of replacing the second stud connected to the first stud prior to replacing at least a portion of the restorable refractory layer. 
     
     
         16 - 26 . (canceled)