LNG, Cryogenic, and Pipeline Insulation Materials
Learn more about our LNG, cryogenic, and pipeline insulation materials designed for cryogenic, high temperature, corrosive, and other demanding environments.
Our pipeline insulation materials offer mechanical strength, thermal insulation, and corrosion resistance.
Norplex-Micarta’s LNG, cryogenic, and pipeline insulation materials are suitable for pipeline gasket and pipe shoe support components of large-diameter piping transport systems. Thermoset composite materials are also used in cryogenic pipeline insulation and support, and in cryogenic storage vessels, bunkering tanks, and LNG carriers.
In oil and gas structures, Norplex-Micarta fabric-reinforced materials provide excellent impact resistance along surfaces that may experience force applications. Many of these same products have electrical insulation, thermal insulation, and thermal resistance properties, making them ideal for various applications including cryogenic and high temperature gaskets.
Thermoset Composite Sheets as Pipeline Supports
In midstream applications, Norplex-Micarta materials are used to insulate the pipeline from the support structure, both of which are typically made of steel.
These supports perform two functions. First, they prevent temperature migration between the pipeline and support structure, which allows for efficient temperature control of the material being transported. Second, they provide both mechanical and shear strength to support the weight of the pipeline and protect the support structure against movement caused by expansion or contraction of the metal.
Thermoset Composites in Cryogenic Applications
With specially formulated materials, Norplex-Micarta supports low-temperature industries with our LNG, cryogenic, and pipeline insulation materials. The most important of these is NP500CR which is preferred when the needs for superior thermal insulation and structural support converge with cryogenic temperatures. Because of its low moisture absorption, NP500CR performs at specific temperatures, and also when repeatedly cycling between low and high temperatures— properties not available with densified wood products, foam, thermoplastic or other alternatives. NP500CR is widely used in the LNG industry for pipe and storage applications (both stationary, over-the-road tanks, and shipboard bunkering) as well as insulator blocks for ladders, walkways and scaffolding where dangerous icing can occur. Furthermore, this material is used in engine rooms of LNG-powered ships.
Thermoset Composites as Gasket Material
Gaskets isolate one section of a pipeline from another, protecting them from cathodic corrosion, which is caused when two pieces of metal contact each other. For high and low-temperature applications, a disk of Norplex-Micarta composite material is placed between the two flanges of connecting pipeline sections, separating the metal when sections are bolted together. Norplex-Micarta gasket material is also used in high-temperature steam applications. Utilizing a unique processing
technique that combines glass cloth reinforcements and epoxy, the resulting thermoset composite has a tight molecular structure that functions well in acidic
and high-temperature environments. The tough, non-brittle material has a Tg of 210°C and provides excellent mechanical strength, while maintaining inherent
dielectrically insulating values. Tubing material and composite washers are also used to completely insulate flange connecting bolts.
During installation for pipeline and steam applications, gaskets, tubes and washers must withstand compressive forces as high as 5,000 psi as the sections
are sealed together. Shear force is an ongoing factor, as the metal components expand and contract with temperature changes. Gaskets fabricated from Norplex-Micarta materials can range in size from 0.25″ to 16′ in inside diameter, and 0.01″ to 0.25″ thick. Thermoset materials can also be designed to resist moisture or chemicals for long life in corrosive or wet environments or where galvanic concerns need attention.