Thermoplastic polymeric foam pipe insulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9845911-B2
Application number	US-201414655820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2014
Priority date	Feb 26, 2013
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

An article with at least two extruded thermoplastic polymer foam pieces that fit together to form a length of foam having a generally annular cross section, each piece having a concave surface such that the concave surfaces adjoin to form an internal edge defining a hole within the generally annular cross section; wherein each piece has a density less than 36 kilograms per cubic meter, a product of density times average cell size that is less than 17 millimeters*kilogram per cubic meter, and a thermal conductivity of 35 milliwatts per meter*Kelvin or less.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article comprising at least two thermoplastic polymer foam pieces where:
(a) each of the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces has a concave surface;
(b) the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces fit together to form a length of foam having a generally annular cross section with the concave surfaces adjoining to form an internal edge defining a hole within the generally annular cross section; and
(c) each thermoplastic polymer foam piece is an extruded thermoplastic polymer foam having a density less than 36 kilograms per cubic meter, a density and average cell size such that the product of density and average cell size is less than 17 millimeters*kilogram per cubic meter, and a thermal conductivity of 35 milliwatts per meter*Kelvin or less

wherein the article is free of coverings that go around the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces when they are assembled into a foam length having a generally annular cross section and wherein the article achieves a C L or B L rating in the EN13501-1 classification standards.

2. The article of claim 1 , further characterized by each of the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces containing less than 2.5 weight percent bromine based on thermoplastic polymer foam weight.

3. The article of claim 1 , further characterized by each of the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces being a monolithic piece of extruded thermoplastic polymer foam having equivalent densities, average cell size and thermal conductivity.

4. The article of claim 1 , further characterized by each of the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces having a thickness dimension, which is the shortest length extending radially from its concave surface as identified in claim 1 to an opposing surface, that is 25 millimeters or more.

5. The article of claim 1 , further characterized by each of the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces being free of chlorinated hydrocarbons, chlorinated fluorocarbons and chlorinated hydrofluorocarbons.

6. The article of claim 1 , further characterized by each of the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces having an average cell size of 0.5 millimeters or less.

7. The article of claim 1 , further characterized by each of the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces being an extruded thermoplastic polymer foam having a compressive balance in both the thickness to length directions and thickness to width directions in a range of 0.5 to 3.0.

8. The article of claim 1 , further characterized by the each of the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces having a density of 34 kilograms per cubic meter or less.

9. The article of claim 1 , further comprising a section of pipe positioned such that the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces are assembled around the section of pipe so as to form a length of foam have a generally annular cross section with the pipe extending through the hole of the generally annular cross section.

10. The article of claim 9 , further characterized by being free of polymeric foam that is different from that of the pieces of polymeric foam characterized in any previous claim.

11. The article of claim 1 , further characterized by the thermoplastic polymer foam pieces each being styrenic polymer foam.

12. A process comprising: (a) providing pieces of thermoplastic polymer foam as described in claim 1 ; and (b) assembling the pieces of thermoplastic polymer foam to form a length of foam having a generally annular cross section.

13. The process of claim 12 , further comprising providing a section of pipe and wherein the pieces of thermoplastic polymer foam are assembled around the section of pipe so that the pieces of the thermoplastic polymer foam form a length of foam having a generally annular cross section through with the length of pipe extends.

14. The process of claim 12 , further characterized by the step of providing pieces of thermoplastic polymer foam includes cutting pieces of thermoplastic polymer foam from a monolithic billet of extruded thermoplastic polymer foam having a density less than 36 kilograms per cubic meter, a density and average cell size such that the product of density and average cell size is less than 17 millimeters*kilogram per cubic meter, and a thermal conductivity of 35 milliwatts per meter*Kelvin or less.

Assignees

• Dow Global Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Sagnard Alain
• Massueger Lars
• Koenig Jean-Francois
• Schmidt Ralph

Classifications

• F16L59/153

  for flexible pipes · CPC title

• F16L59/15

  for underground pipes · CPC title

• F16L59/143

  Pre-insulated pipes · CPC title

• F16L59/14

  Arrangements for the insulation of pipes or pipe systems (F16L59/02 - F16L59/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• C08J9/127

  Mixtures of organic and inorganic blowing agents · CPC title