Application of PU soft foam amine catalyst in petrochemical pipeline insulation: an effective method to reduce energy loss

admin 3月 7th, 2025 News

The application of PU soft foam amine catalyst in petrochemical pipeline insulation: an effective method to reduce energy loss

Introduction

The petrochemical industry is an important part of the global energy supply chain, and its production process involves a large number of high-temperature and high-pressure pipeline systems. When these pipelines transport oil, natural gas and other chemical products, they can easily lead to energy losses due to temperature differences. In order to reduce this energy loss, the selection and application of insulation materials are particularly important. In recent years, polyurethane (PU) soft bubble materials have gradually become the first choice for thermal insulation of petrochemical pipelines due to their excellent thermal insulation properties and mechanical strength. As a key additive in PU material production, PU soft foam amine catalysts directly affect the insulation effect. This article will discuss in detail the application of PU soft foam amine catalyst in petrochemical pipeline insulation, analyze how it can effectively reduce energy losses, and provide relevant product parameters and practical application cases.

1. The importance of thermal insulation in petrochemical pipelines

1.1 Causes of energy loss

When petrochemical pipelines transport high-temperature fluids, due to the large temperature difference between inside and outside the pipeline, heat will be lost to the outside environment through the pipe wall. This energy loss not only increases energy consumption, but may also cause a drop in the temperature of the fluid inside the pipeline, affecting production efficiency and product quality. In addition, when the low-temperature pipeline transports low-temperature fluid, external heat will be transmitted into the inside of the pipeline through the pipe wall, causing the fluid temperature to rise, which will also cause energy loss.

1.2 Function of insulation materials

The main function of thermal insulation materials is to reduce the transfer of heat inside and outside the pipeline, thereby reducing energy loss. An ideal insulation material should have the following characteristics:

Low thermal conductivity: Reduce heat transfer.
Good mechanical strength: able to withstand mechanical stress during pipeline operation.
Corrosion resistance: Adapt to chemical corrosion in petrochemical environment.
High or low temperature resistance: adapt to the use needs under different temperature conditions.

2. Application of PU soft bubble materials in pipeline insulation

2.1 Characteristics of PU soft bubble material

Polyurethane (PU) soft bubble material is a porous polymer material with a polymer material with the following advantages:

Low Thermal Conductivity: The thermal conductivity of PU soft bubbles is usually between 0.02-0.03 W/(m·K), which is much lower than that of traditional insulation materials such as glass wool and rock wool.
Lightweight and high strength: PU soft bubbles have low density, but mechanicalHigh strength and can effectively withstand mechanical stress during pipeline operation.
Good corrosion resistance: PU materials have good corrosion resistance to most chemical substances and are suitable for use in petrochemical environments.
Easy processability: PU soft bubbles can be directly formed through the foaming process to adapt to the insulation needs of pipes of different shapes and sizes.

2.2 Application of PU soft bubbles in pipe insulation

PU soft bubble materials are usually used for pipe insulation in the form of prefabricated insulation tube shells or on-site foaming. The prefabricated insulation tube shell is a prefabricated PU soft bubble material into a tube shell that matches the outer diameter of the pipe, and is directly placed on the outer surface of the pipe when installed. On-site foaming is to spray or pour PU raw materials into the outer surface of the pipeline through special equipment to form a continuous insulation layer.

III. Function and selection of PU soft foam amine catalyst

3.1 The role of PU soft foam amine catalyst

PU soft foam amine catalyst is a key additive in the production of PU materials. Its main function is to promote the reaction between isocyanate and polyol, and control the reaction rate and foam structure during the foaming process. The choice of catalyst directly affects the cell structure, density, mechanical strength and thermal conductivity of PU soft bubbles.

3.2 Types of commonly used PU soft amine catalysts

Commonly used PU soft amine catalysts mainly include the following categories:

Catalytic Type	Main Ingredients	Function characteristics
Term amine catalysts	Triethylamine, N-methylmorpholine	Promote the reaction between isocyanate and polyol and control the foaming rate
Metal Organic Compounds	Organic tin, organic lead	Improve the reaction activity and improve the mechanical properties of foam
Composite Catalyst	Mixture of tertiary amine and metal organic compounds	Excellent comprehensive performance, suitable for a variety of foaming processes

3.3 Factors influencing catalyst selection

When choosing a PU soft foam amine catalyst, the following factors need to be considered:

Reaction rate: The activity of the catalyst directly affects the foaming rate, and too fast or too slow will affect the foam quality.
cell structure: The selection of catalyst affects the size and uniformity of the cells, and thus affects the insulation performance.
Mechanical properties: The catalyst has a significant impact on the tensile strength and compression strength of PU soft bubbles.
Environmentality: With the increase of environmental protection requirements, low VOC (volatile organic compounds) catalysts have gradually become the mainstream.

IV. Application cases of PU soft foam amine catalyst in petrochemical pipeline insulation

4.1 Case 1: A petrochemical company’s high-temperature pipeline insulation project

A petrochemical company has adopted PU soft foam materials in the high-temperature pipeline insulation project and selected composite PU soft foam amine catalysts. By optimizing the catalyst ratio, a PU soft bubble insulation layer with low thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength was successfully prepared. Practical application shows that the insulation layer effectively reduces the heat loss of the pipeline and has a significant energy-saving effect.

4.2 Case 2: A low-temperature insulation project of a natural gas conveying pipeline

In the low-temperature insulation project of natural gas conveying pipelines, on-site foaming process is used, and low VOC PU soft foam amine catalyst is used. This catalyst not only ensures the uniformity of the cell of the PU soft bubbles, but also reduces environmental pollution during construction. After the project is completed, the pipeline insulation effect is good and the external heat transfer is significantly reduced.

V. Future development trends of PU soft foam amine catalysts

5.1 Research and development of environmentally friendly catalysts

As the increasingly stringent environmental protection regulations, low VOC and heavy metal-free environmentally friendly PU soft foam amine catalysts will become the focus of future research and development. This type of catalyst can not only reduce environmental pollution, but also improve the comprehensive performance of PU soft foam materials.

5.2 Development of high-performance catalysts

In order to meet the higher requirements of petrochemical pipeline insulation, the development of high-performance PU soft foam amine catalysts will become a trend. This type of catalyst can further improve the mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of PU soft bubbles while ensuring low thermal conductivity.

5.3 Application of intelligent catalysts

With the development of intelligent technology, the application of intelligent PU soft foam amine catalysts will also become possible. This type of catalyst can automatically adjust the reaction rate according to ambient temperature and humidity, thereby optimizing the cell structure and insulation performance of PU soft bubbles.

VI. Conclusion

The application of PU soft foam amine catalyst in petrochemical pipeline insulation can not only effectively reduce energy losses, but also improve the operating efficiency and safety of the pipeline. By rationally selecting the catalyst type and optimizing the ratio, PU soft bubble insulation materials with excellent performance can be prepared to meet the diversified demands of the petrochemical industry for pipeline insulation. In the future, with the development of environmentally friendly, high-performance and intelligent catalysts, PU soft bubble materials will be used in petrochemical pipes.The application prospects in road insulation will be broader.

Appendix: Commonly used PU soft amine catalyst product parameter table

Catalytic Name	Main Ingredients	Applicable temperature range	Thermal conductivity (W/(m·K))	Mechanical Strength (MPa)	Environmental
Catalyzer A	Triethylamine	-50°C to 150°C	0.022	0.8	Low VOC
Catalytic B	Organic Tin	-100°C to 200°C	0.025	1.2	No heavy metal
Catalytic C	Composite	-50°C to 180°C	0.020	1.0	Low VOC

From the above analysis, it can be seen that the application of PU soft foam amine catalyst in petrochemical pipeline insulation has significant advantages and broad development prospects. In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology, PU soft bubble materials will play a more important role in reducing energy losses and improving energy utilization efficiency.