Frontiers in Materials (Dec 2022)
Thermal system for a new flexible composite tank
Abstract
A flexible thermal insulation system is proposed in this study, which considers the application and promotion of flexible composite materials in the field of marine engineering. This system is designed to provide a cost-effective and convenient thermal insulation solution for avoiding impurity precipitation and formation of wax plugs caused by extremely low temperature during mining, transportation, and storage of oil. The thermal insulation system includes two main parts: the insulation layer and the heating source. In accordance with the laws of thermodynamics and the primary characteristics of the flexible structure, two different insulation systems were designed and model tests were performed to compare performance in heating efficiency, thermal insulation, and temperature field distribution under identical environmental conditions. Compared with the plan 1 thermal insulation system, the plan 2 system has lower requirements for heating power, more uniform temperature field distribution inside the flexible structure, and a difference of only 7.18°C between the highest and lowest temperatures.
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