Thermally insulated medium pipes having hfo-containing cell gas

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermally insulated conduit pipe, comprising at least one medium pipe, at least one thermal insulation arranged around the medium pipe, and at least one outer jacket arranged around the thermal insulation, wherein the outer jacket possibly comprises a barrier made of plastic, and wherein the thermal insulation comprises a foam, the cell gas of which contains at least 10 vol % HFOs. Such conduit pipe has good insulating behavior, good environmental balance, and is easily producible.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A method for producing a thermally insulated conduit pipe ( 1 ), comprising the steps of:
 (a) foaming a plastic composition, comprising one or more polymer components and at least one hydrofluoroolefin (HFO), to form a thermal insulation ( 3 ) comprising a foam containing a cell gas; and   (b) disposing the thermal insulation around at least one medium pipe ( 4 );
 wherein the steps can be performed sequentially or concurrently. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of applying an outer jacket ( 2 ) around the thermal insulation wherein the steps can be performed sequentially or concurrently. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the HFO is a compound of formula (I) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which R 5  and R 6  are independently selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl and CF 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the HFO is selected from the group consisting of R1233zd and R1336mzz. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the foam is selected from the group consisting of the polyurethanes (PU), the polyisocyanurates (PIR), the thermoplastic polyesters (PET), and the thermoplastic polyolefins. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the cell gas comprises 40-100 vol % HFOs, 0-30 vol % (cyclo)-alkanes and 0-50 vol % CO 2  with the proviso that the ratio of HFOs to (cyclo)-alkanes is at least 2.5:1. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of forming the plastic composition by combining
 (a) a first liquid component containing a polyol and the HFO and a second component containing an isocyanate; or 
 (b) a first liquid component containing a polyol and a second component containing an isocyanate and the HFO; or 
 (c) a melted polymer component with the HFO under pressure. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the HFO is a compound of formula (I) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which R 5  and R 6  are independently selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl and CF 3 . 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the HFO is selected from the group consisting of R1233zd and R1336mzz. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the foam is selected from the group consisting of the polyurethanes (PU), the polyisocyanurates (PIR), the thermoplastic polyesters (PET), and the thermoplastic polyolefins. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the cell gas comprises 40-100 vol % HFOs, 0-30 vol % (cyclo)-alkanes and 0-50 vol % CO 2  with the proviso that the ratio of HFOs to (cyclo)-alkanes is at least 2.5:1. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the foam is selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) PU containing, as a cell gas, 50-100 vol % R1233zd and 0-50 vol % Cp and 0-50 vol % CO 2 ; 
 (b) PU containing, as a cell gas, 50-100 vol % R1336mzz and 0-50 vol % Cp and 0-50 vol % CO 2 ; 
 (c) PIR containing, as a cell gas, 50-100 vol % R1233zd and 0-50 vol % Cp and 0-50 vol % CO 2 ; 
 (d) PIR containing, as a cell gas, 50-100 vol % R1336mzz and 0-50 vol % Cp and 0-50 vol % CO 2 ; 
 (e) PU containing, as a cell gas, 50-100 vol % R1233zd and 0-45 vol % Cp and 10-40 vol % CO 2 ; 
 f) PU containing, as a cell gas, 50-100 vol % R1336mzz and 0-45 vol % Cp and 10-40 vol % CO 2 ; 
 (g) PIR containing, as a cell gas, 50-100 vol % R1233zd and 0-45 vol % Cp and 10-40 vol % CO 2 ; and 
 (h) PIR containing, as a cell gas, 50-100 vol % R1336mzz and 0-45 vol % Cp and 10-40 vol % CO 2 ;. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein
 (a) the at least one medium pipe is supplied continuously and is enveloped with a plastic film formed into a tube;   (b) the plastic composition is introduced, as the thermal insulation, into the space between medium pipe and tube;   (c) the medium pipe and the tube are introduced into a mold formed from accompanying molded parts and leave this mold at its end; and   (d) the outer jacket is extruded onto the surface of the tube.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising adding a barrier ( 9 ) to the thermal insulation ( 3 ) wherein:
 (a) the barrier is the tube, formed from the plastic film, introduced between the thermal insulation and the inner side of the outer jacket; or   (b) the barrier is applied by coextrusion together with the outer jacket; or   (c) the barrier is applied directly to the tube; or   (d) firstly, a layer of the outer jacket is applied, followed by the barrier, and followed by at least one second layer of the outer jacket,   and wherein the barrier reduces the diffusion of gases out of the thermal insulation and into the thermal insulation and enables the diffusion of water out of the thermal insulation.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the barrier ( 9 )
 (a) comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol or a copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide or a copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide and propylene, and   (b) has a layer thickness of 0.05-0.5 mm.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein
 (a) one medium pipe ( 4 ) is centered inside the outer jacket and   (b) the plastic composition is introduced as the thermal insulation into the space between the medium pipe and the outer jacket.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising adding a barrier ( 9 ) to the thermal insulation ( 3 ) wherein:
 (a) a barrier is introduced between the foamed thermal insulation and the outer side of the outer jacket in the form of a tube; or   (b) the barrier is applied on the inner side of the outer jacket; or   (c) the barrier is provided in the outer jacket; or   (d) the barrier is applied to the outer side of the outer jacket,   and wherein the barrier reduces the diffusion of gases out of the thermal insulation and into the thermal insulation and enables the diffusion of water out of the thermal insulation.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the barrier ( 9 )
 (a) comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol or a copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide or a copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide and propylene, and   (b) has a layer thickness of 0.05-0.5 mm.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 (a) the at least one medium pipe is supplied continuously and is enveloped with a plastic film formed into a tube;   (b) the plastic composition is introduced, as the thermal insulation, into the space between medium pipe and tube;   (c) the medium pipe and the tube are introduced into a mold formed from accompanying molded parts and leave this mold at its end; and   (d) the outer jacket is extruded onto the surface of the tube, further comprising adding a barrier ( 9 ) to the thermal insulation ( 3 ) wherein:   the barrier is introduced between the thermal insulation and the inner side of the outer jacket by the tube being formed from the polymer; or   the barrier is applied by coextrusion together with the outer jacket; or   the barrier is applied directly to the tube; or   firstly, a layer of the outer jacket is applied, followed by the barrier, and followed by at least one second layer of the outer jacket,   wherein the barrier comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol or a copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide or a copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide and propylene;   wherein the barrier has a layer thickness of 0.05-0.5 mm;   and wherein the barrier reduces the diffusion of gases out of the thermal insulation and into the thermal insulation and enables the diffusion of water out of the thermal insulation.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 (a) one medium pipe ( 4 ) is centered inside the outer jacket and   (b) the plastic composition is introduced as the thermal insulation into the space between the medium pipe and the outer jacket,   further comprising adding a barrier ( 9 ) to the thermal insulation ( 3 ) wherein:   a barrier is introduced between the foamed thermal insulation and the outer side of the outer jacket in the form of a tube; or   the barrier is applied on the inner side of the outer jacket; or   the barrier is provided in the outer jacket; or   the barrier is applied to the outer side of the outer jacket,   wherein the barrier comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol or a copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide or a copolymer of ethylene and carbon monoxide and propylene;   wherein the barrier has a layer thickness of 0.05-0.5 mm;   and wherein the barrier reduces the diffusion of gases out of the thermal insulation and into the thermal insulation and enables the diffusion of water out of the thermal insulation.