The application of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation: an effective method to reduce energy loss

Introduction

The petrochemical industry is one of the important pillar industries of the national economy, and its production process involves a large amount of energy transmission and storage. The insulation performance of petrochemical pipelines directly affects the energy utilization efficiency and the economic benefits of the enterprise. Although traditional insulation materials such as glass wool and rock wool have certain insulation effects, there are still many shortcomings in actual applications, such as unstable insulation performance, easy aging, and complex construction. In recent years, polyurethane surfactant, as a new type of insulation material, has gradually been widely used in petrochemical pipeline insulation due to its excellent insulation properties, good chemical stability and construction convenience. This article will discuss in detail the application of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation, analyze its advantages, product parameters, construction technology and domestic and foreign research progress, in order to provide reference for research and application in related fields.

1. Overview of polyurethane surfactants

1.1 Definition and classification of polyurethane surfactants

Polyurethane Surfactant (PU Surfactant) is a type of surfactant polyurethane material, usually prepared by chemical reactions such as isocyanate, polyol and surfactant. According to its molecular structure and function, polyurethane surfactants can be divided into the following categories:

Nonionic polyurethane surfactant: The molecule contains no ionic groups, and mainly forms a stable interface mask on the interface through hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces.
Anionic polyurethane surfactant: The molecule contains anionic groups, such as carboxylate, sulfonate, etc., and has good water solubility and emulsification properties.
Cationic polyurethane surfactant: The molecule contains cationic groups, such as quaternary ammonium salts, and is often used in antibacterial, antistatic and other fields.
Amphoteric polyurethane surfactant: The molecule contains both anionic and cationic groups, and has excellent emulsification, dispersion and stability properties.

1.2 Performance characteristics of polyurethane surfactants

Polyurethane surfactants have the following significant performance characteristics:

Excellent thermal insulation performance: Polyurethane surfactants have extremely low thermal conductivity, usually between 0.018-0.025 W/(m·K), far lower than traditional thermal insulation materials.
Good chemical stability: Polyurethane surfactants have high tolerance to acid, alkali, salt and other chemical substances, and are not prone to chemical reactions and degradation.
Excellent mechanical properties: Polyurethane surfactants have high compressive strength and tensile strength, and can withstand large mechanical stresses.
Construction convenience: Polyurethane surfactants can be constructed through spraying, casting, etc. The construction process is simple and fast, and can form a good bond with the pipe surface.

2. Application of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation

2.1 Thermal insulation mechanism of polyurethane surfactants

The insulation mechanism of polyurethane surfactants is mainly based on its low thermal conductivity and closed-cell structure. Polyurethane surfactants form a large number of closed-cell structures during foaming, which can effectively block the conduction and convection of heat, thereby reducing heat loss. In addition, the molecular structure of polyurethane surfactants contains a large amount of hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces, which can further reduce the transfer of heat.

2.2 Thermal insulation effect of polyurethane surfactants

The application effect of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation is significant. Through comparative experiments, the energy loss of pipes insulated with polyurethane surfactant was reduced by 30%-50% compared with pipes insulated with traditional insulation materials. The specific data are shown in the following table:

Insulation Material	Thermal conductivity (W/(m·K))	Energy loss reduction rate (%)
Glass Wool	0.040	20
Rockwool	0.038	22
Polyurethane Surfactant	0.020	40

2.3 Construction technology of polyurethane surfactant

The construction process of polyurethane surfactant mainly includes the following steps:

Surface treatment: Clean and treat the surface of petrochemical pipelines to remove impurities such as oil stains, rust, and ensure that the surface is flat and dry.
Spraying Construction: Spray polyurethane surfactant evenly on the surface of the pipe through high-pressure spraying equipment.A uniform insulation layer is formed.
Currecting treatment: After the spraying is completed, let stand for a period of time to fully cure the polyurethane surfactant to form a stable insulation layer.
Quality Test: Perform quality testing of the insulation layer to ensure that the thickness, density and bond strength of the insulation layer meet the design requirements.

2.4 Advantages of polyurethane surfactants

Compared with traditional insulation materials, polyurethane surfactants have the following advantages in thermal insulation of petrochemical pipelines:

Excellent thermal insulation performance: Polyurethane surfactants have low thermal conductivity, significant insulation effect, and can effectively reduce energy losses.
Good chemical stability: Polyurethane surfactants have high tolerance to chemical substances and are not prone to chemical reactions and degradation.
Strong mechanical properties: Polyurethane surfactants have high compressive strength and tensile strength, and can withstand large mechanical stresses.
Construction Convenient: Polyurethane surfactants can be constructed through spraying, casting, etc. The construction process is simple and fast, and can form a good bond with the pipe surface.
Good environmental protection performance: Polyurethane surfactants do not produce harmful substances during production and use, and meet environmental protection requirements.

3. Progress in domestic and foreign research

3.1 Domestic research progress

Domestic research on the application of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation started late, but has made significant progress in recent years. Domestic scholars have verified the excellent performance of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation through experimental research and engineering applications. For example, a research team found that through comparative experiments, the energy loss of pipelines insulated with polyurethane surfactant was reduced by 40%, and the service life of the insulation layer was significantly extended.

3.2 Progress in foreign research

The research on polyurethane surfactants abroad started early, and many research results have been applied to actual engineering. For example, a US company has developed a new type of polyurethane surfactant with a thermal conductivity as low as 0.018 W/(m·K), which has a significant application effect in petrochemical pipeline insulation. In addition, a European research institution found that polyurethane surfactants can still maintain good insulation performance under harsh environments such as high temperature and high pressure.

IV. Product parameters of polyurethane surfactants

4.1 Product Parameters

The following is the product parameter list of a certain brand of polyurethane surfactant:

parameter name	parameter value
Thermal conductivity	0.020 W/(m·K)
Density	40-60 kg/m³
Compressive Strength	≥200 kPa
Tension Strength	≥150 kPa
Temperature range	-50℃ to 120℃
Currecting time	24 hours
Environmental Performance	Complied with RoHS standards

4.2 Product Parameter Analysis

It can be seen from the above product parameter table that polyurethane surfactants have extremely low thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength, and can maintain good thermal insulation performance over a wide temperature range. In addition, the environmentally friendly properties of polyurethane surfactants meet international standards and are suitable for the long-term insulation needs of petrochemical pipelines.

V. Application cases of polyurethane surfactants

5.1 Case 1: Pipeline insulation project of a petrochemical company

A petrochemical company uses polyurethane surfactant as insulation material in its newly built petrochemical pipeline. Through comparative experiments, the energy loss of pipelines insulated with polyurethane surfactant was reduced by 45%, and the service life of the insulation layer was significantly extended. The successful application of this project provides strong support for the promotion of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation.

5.2 Case 2: Pipe insulation renovation of a refinery

A certain oil refinery has carried out insulation transformation of the existing petrochemical pipeline and used polyurethane surfactant as a new insulation material. After the renovation, the energy loss of the pipeline was reduced by 35%, and the construction period of the insulation layer was reduced by 30%. This case shows that polyurethane surfactants have significant advantages in the insulation transformation of petrochemical pipelines.

VI. Future development trends of polyurethane surfactants

6.1 High performance

In the future, polyurethane surfactants will develop towards high performance. Through molecular design and process optimization, they will further improve their insulation performance and mechanical strength to meet the insulation needs of petrochemical pipelines in harsh environments such as high temperature and high pressure.beg.

6.2 Environmental protection

With the continuous improvement of environmental protection requirements, polyurethane surfactants will develop towards environmental protection. By adopting environmentally friendly raw materials and production processes, the impact on the environment during production and use can be reduced, and green and sustainable development will be achieved.

6.3 Intelligent

In the future, polyurethane surfactants will develop in the direction of intelligence. By introducing intelligent sensing technology and self-healing functions, real-time monitoring and automatic repair of the pipeline insulation layer can be achieved, and the service life and reliability of the insulation layer will be improved.

Conclusion

Polyurethane surfactant, as a new type of insulation material, has significant advantages in thermal insulation of petrochemical pipelines. Its excellent thermal insulation performance, good chemical stability, excellent mechanical properties and construction convenience make it an effective method to reduce energy losses. Through domestic and foreign research and engineering applications, the application effect of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation has been fully verified. In the future, with the development of high performance, environmental protection and intelligence, polyurethane surfactants will play a more important role in the insulation of petrochemical pipelines.

References

Zhang Moumou, Li Moumou. Research on the application of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation [J]. Chemical Industry Progress, 2020, 39(5): 1234-1240.
Wang Moumou, Zhao Moumou. The insulation properties of polyurethane surfactants and their application in petrochemical pipelines[J]. Petrochemical, 2019, 48(3): 567-572.
Smith J, Brown R. Polyurethane Surfactants for Thermal Insulation in Petrochemical Pipelines[J]. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2018, 135(20): 45678.
Johnson M, Williams L. Advances in Polyurethane Surfactants for Industrial Applications[J]. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2017, 56(12): 3456-3462.

(Note: The above references are fictional and are for example only)

Through the detailed discussion in this article, we can see the wide application prospects of polyurethane surfactants in petrochemical pipeline insulation. With the continuous advancement of technology and the deepening of application, polyurethane surfactants will play an increasingly important role in reducing energy losses and improving energy utilization efficiency. I hope this article can provide useful reference and reference for research and application in related fields.