Petroleum storage tank insulation layer bis(dimethylaminoethyl) ether foaming catalyst BDMAEE corrosion-resistant composite system

admin 3月 20th, 2025 News

BDMAEE corrosion-resistant composite system of petroleum storage tank insulation layer bis(dimethylaminoethyl) ether foaming catalyst

Introduction: “Heating Jacket” of Petroleum Storage Tank

In the energy industry, oil storage tanks are like huge “thermill bottles”, taking on the important task of storing crude oil and various petrochemical products. However, unlike the thermos we use on a daily basis, these storage tanks not only need to maintain the internal temperature stability, but also resist the corrosion of the external environment and the corrosion of the internal media. It’s like putting them on a “coat” that is both warm and wind-proof. One of the core materials of this “coat” is a corrosion-resistant composite system with bis(dimethylaminoethyl) ether (BDMAEE) as the foaming catalyst.

Why do you need insulation?

The liquid in petroleum storage tanks is usually volatile substances at high or low temperatures. If the storage tank does not have good insulation performance, heat will quickly dissipate or external heat will enter, resulting in fluctuations in the storage tank, increasing energy consumption, and may even cause safety accidents. Therefore, an efficient insulation system is crucial for petroleum storage tanks.

The core of the insulation layer—BDMAEE foaming catalyst

Bis(dimethylaminoethyl)ether (BDMAEE), is a highly efficient foaming catalyst, widely used in the production of polyurethane foam. It can significantly improve the foaming speed and uniformity of the foam, thereby forming a dense and excellent thermal insulation layer. At the same time, this material also has good corrosion resistance and chemical stability, which can effectively protect the storage tank from the influence of the internal and external environment.

Next, we will explore the characteristics, applications of BDMAEE foaming catalysts and their role in corrosion-resistant composite systems in detail, and analyze their advantages through specific parameters and examples.

Basic Characteristics of BDMAEE Foaming Catalyst

BDMAEE, full name bis(dimethylaminoethyl) ether, is an organic compound. Due to its unique molecular structure and chemical properties, it plays an important role in the preparation of polyurethane foam. Let’s start from a chemical perspective and gain a deeper understanding of its basic properties.

Chemical structure and properties

The molecular formula of BDMAEE is C8H20N2O and the molecular weight is about 168.25 g/mol. Its molecule contains two dimethylaminoethyl ether groups, which imparts it extremely strong catalytic activity. Here are some of the key physical and chemical properties of BDMAEE:

parameters	value
Appearance	Colorless to light yellow transparent liquid
Density (20?)	approximately 0.94g/cm³
Boiling point	>200?
Solution	Easy soluble in water and alcohols
Stability	Stable at high temperature

Catalytic Mechanism

The main function of BDMAEE is to accelerate the reaction between isocyanate and polyol, thereby promoting the formation of polyurethane foam. Specifically, it implements this process through the following steps:

Activation: BDMAEE can reduce the activation energy required for the reaction and make the reaction more likely to occur.
Chapter Growth: During foam formation, BDMAEE helps to extend the polymer chain and form a more stable foam structure.
Pore Size Control: By adjusting the reaction rate, BDMAEE helps control the pore size of the foam, thereby optimizing its thermal insulation performance.

Application Advantages

Compared with other common foaming catalysts, such as amine and tin catalysts, BDMAEE has the following significant advantages:

Environmentality: BDMAEE does not contain heavy metals and is environmentally friendly.
Efficiency: High catalytic efficiency and low amount can achieve the ideal effect.
Compatibility: Compatible with a variety of raw materials and highly adaptable.

Design and Application of Corrosion-resistant Composite System

Petroleum storage tanks face not only insulation problems, but also corrosion threats from the internal and external environment. To address these problems, scientists have developed a corrosion-resistant composite system based on BDMAEE foaming catalyst. This system combines the advantages of a variety of materials to provide all-round protection for the storage tank.

Composition of composite system

This composite system is mainly composed of the following parts:

Polyurethane Foam Layer: As the main insulation material, polyurethane foam catalyzed by BDMAEE is used.
Anti-corrosion coating: used to prevent corrosion of the storage tank by the external environment.
isolation layer: plays a role of buffering and isolation, reducing the impact of mechanical stress on the storage tank.

Comparison of functions of each layer

Hydraft	Main Functions	Material Features
Polyurethane foam layer	Providing efficient insulation	Low porosity and small thermal conductivity
Anti-corrosion coating	Resistant from external chemical and physical erosion	Strong weather resistance and good adhesion
isolation layer	Buffer mechanical stress and protect the underlying material	Good flexibility and strong impact resistance

Design Principles

The design of the composite system follows the principle of “layer protection”, and each layer is optimized for specific needs. For example, the polyurethane foam layer forms a dense and uniform foam structure through the catalytic action of BDMAEE, ensuring excellent thermal insulation performance; the anti-corrosion coating uses a resin material with strong corrosion resistance to effectively resist the invasion of acid, alkali and moisture in the atmosphere.

Practical Application Cases

In a large-scale petroleum storage tank project, the above-mentioned composite system was used for insulation and corrosion prevention. After a year of operation monitoring, the results show:

The insulation effect is 30% higher: Compared with traditional insulation materials, the composite system significantly reduces the heat loss of the storage tank.
Corrosion rate decreases by 50%: The introduction of anticorrosion coatings greatly extends the service life of the storage tank.
Maintenance cost is reduced by 40%: Due to the more stable system, the need for frequent overhaul is reduced.

The current situation and development trends of domestic and foreign research

With the rapid development of the energy industry, the insulation and anti-corrosion technology of petroleum storage tanks has also been progressing. Scholars at home and abroad have conducted a lot of research on BDMAEE foaming catalyst and its composite system and have achieved many important results.

Domestic research progress

In recent years, domestic scientific research institutions have made significant breakthroughs in the application of BDMAEE. For example, a research team from a certain university found that by adjusting the addition ratio of BDMAEE, the mechanical properties and thermal stability of polyurethane foam can be further optimized. In addition, they also proposed a new anticorrosion coating formulation that introduces nanomaterials into it, significantly improving the corrosion resistance of the coating.

Foreign research trends

In foreign countries, BDMAEE’s research focuses more on environmental protection and sustainable development. Laboratories in some European and American countries are exploring how to use renewable resources to synthesize BDMAEE to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. At the same time, they are also trying to integrate smart material technology into the composite system to make it self-healing function.

Future development direction

Looking forward, the development direction of BDMAEE foaming catalyst and its composite system mainly includes the following aspects:

Intelligent: Develop composite materials with self-perception and self-healing capabilities.
Green: Promote the use of renewable raw materials and environmentally friendly additives.
Multifunctionalization: Combined with other advanced technologies, it gives the composite system more functions, such as electromagnetic shielding, fire protection, etc.

Conclusion: Technology makes storage tanks safer

The insulation and anti-corrosion technology of petroleum storage tanks is an important part of ensuring energy security. The emergence of BDMAEE foaming catalyst and its composite system has brought revolutionary changes to this field. Just like a perfect “warm jacket”, it not only keeps the storage tank warm during the cold winter, but also resists wind, rain, thunder and lightning, ensuring its long-term and stable operation.

In this challenging era, technological innovation is our powerful weapon. I believe that with the deepening of research and the advancement of technology, BDMAEE and its related composite systems will show their unique charm in more fields and contribute greater strength to the sustainable development of human society.

References

Zhang, L., & Wang, X. (2020). Study on the Application of BDMAEE in Polyurethane Foam Systems. Journal of Materials Science, 55(1), 123-135.
Smith, J., & Brown, T. (2019). Advanceds in Corrosion-Resistant Coatings for Oil Storage Tanks. Corrosion Engineering, 67(3), 215-228.
Li, Y., et al. (2021). Development of EnvironmentallyFriendly BDMAEE Catalysts. Green Chemistry, 23(4), 1456-1468.
Anderson, M., & Johnson, R. (2022). Smart Materials in Industrial Applications: A Review. Advanced Materials, 34(10), 1-25.