Vacuum Insulated Piping for Cryogenic Service

System Design and Installation

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Chart Industries

History
Worlds largest cryogenic design/manufacture of cryogenic equipment for over 40 years.

Facilities
Worldwide facilities including North America, Czech Republic, China, Germany

Products
Storage tanks, pipe, transport/delivery tanks, injectors, test chambers, controls systems, etc

Markets
Industrial gas, medical, biological, electronics, aerospace, automotive, restaurant, beverage, etc.

Vacuum Insulated Pipe Brand Names

MVE CVI Python

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Types of Cryogenic Piping

Static vacuum
Section vacuums are factory sealed Very high and stable efficiency Long life expectancy Simple field installation

Dynamic vacuum
Requires continuous operation of vacuum pump Less efficient than static vacuum pipe

Foam insulated copper

Medium/low efficiency, degrades with time Lower initial cost but higher operating cost and shorter life

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VIP Applications

Volume related applications

Nitrogen expands 700X from liquid to gas

Refrigeration related applications

LN2 temperature is 320 degrees Fahrenheit LN2 heat of vaporization is 92 BTU/#

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VIP Applications

Volume related applications

N2 Purge gas Beverage & food packaging Aerospace LNG as fuel

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VIP Applications

Refrigeration related applications

Cryo-bio storage Biological freezing Food freezing Electronics testing HALT/HASS Entertainment fog effects Super conductors Deflashing of rubber parts Cryo tempering

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VIP Design and construction

Sizes
Rigid pipe size thru 10 pipe size Flex ID flex thru 10 ID flex

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VIP Design and construction

Pressure rating
Normally 150 psig for LN2 Most LN2 applications require pressures of 20-70 psig Normally 300 psig for LCO2 Special pressures on request

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VIP Design and construction

Code
ASME B31.3 Process piping

New Prague manufacturing shop approvals

ASME U stamp Certificate #8,377 ISO-9001:2000 Quality System Certificate #GQC-246

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VIP Design and construction

Double wall vacuum insulated

Nearly 400 deg F temperature differential from inner to outer Vacuum minimizes gas conduction and convection Long thin walls minimize metal conduction Multi layer super-insulation minimizes radiation

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VIP Design and construction

Inner pipe Outer jacket pipe End closure

Support

Internal bellows

Gas trap

Super-insulation

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VIP Design and construction

Materials
Inner carrier pipe options Pipe, welded, schedule 5, type 304 SS Pipe, welded, schedule 5, Invar Convoluted flex, type 321 SS Specials on request Vacuum jacket material options Pipe, welded, schedule 5, type 304 SS Convoluted flex, type 321 SS Specials on request

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VIP Design and construction

Materials
Super-insulation Multiple layers of cryogenic grade spacer paper and aluminum foil or double aluminized Mylar

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VIP Design and construction

Low conductivity spacers

Multiple leg support of low conductivity composite materials

Low conductivity end connections

Bayonets are most common Field joint end transitions Require welding together on-site

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VIP Design and construction

When filled with LN2, SS inner pipe shrinks in relation to outer (jacket) pipe.
0.003 inch per inch of length (0.72 / 20).

Bellows placed on inner line or outer jacket to compensate.

Internal bellows Easier for on site installation Protected from damage External bellows Allows higher pressures Cleaner flow path

Invar inner pipe has extremely low shrink rate Bellows not required on lines shorter than 20

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VIP Design and construction

Vacuum
All vacuum surfaces cleaned to remove contaminates Getters installed to maintain vacuum Molecular sieve Palladium oxide Helium mass spectrometer leak testing Heating during evacuation process Vacuum retention test prior to shipment

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VIP Design and construction

Evacuation port
Annular space overpressure relief

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VIP Design and construction

Optional Testing/Quality Measures

Radiographic inspection (5% of butt welds) Pressure test (each section) Inspection by ASME Authorized Inspector Dye penetrant testing Material traceability

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VIP Design considerations

Cryogenic liquid
LN2 most applications LO2 requires special components & cleaning LHE requires special components & mfg LCO2 requires higher pressure & special components

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VIP Design considerations

Design Pressure Maximum Allowable Working Pressure (MAWP) What is the pressure required by the end use application What is requirement right at point of use? What is the pressure drop through the pipe system? What is the pressure supply capability of the liquid source? What is the pressure control capability of the liquid source? Are there multiple use points/pressure requirements within the system?

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VIP Design considerations

Flow requirements are used to size the pipes header and drop diameter sizes: What is the end-use applications flow requirements? Do the flow requirements change over time? Change with pressure? How many use points are in the system? Will there be additional equipment added to the pipe system in the future? Consider this flow in the sizing of the main header

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VIP - LN2 flow vs pipe size

Len Eq 100 200 300 400 500

PS 4 GPM 3 GPM 2 GPM 2 GPM 1 GPM

1 PS 20 GPM 14 GPM 11 GPM 10 GPM 8 GPM

1-1/2 PS 56 GPM 40 GPM 32 GPM 28 GPM 25 GPM

2 PS 110 GPM 78 GPM 63 GPM 54 GPM 48 GPM

3 PS 325 GPM 225 GPM 185 GPM 160 GPM 140 GPM

Length equivalent is length of pipe plus fitting factors Valve = 40 feet / Elbow or tee = 20 feet / 1 foot flex = 3 feet One foot vertical rise = 0.35 psi pressure drop for nitrogen service Based on 5 psi pressure drop

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VIP Design considerations

Routing
Define carefully because changes are difficult, time consuming and costly Useful to make the initial design, then re-visit the site with the drawing to confirm the design will work Be careful of obstructions (vents, electrical, pipes, etc.) Be sure to ask about any obstructions that may not be present at the time of design, but may be installed before the VIP is installed Minimize fittings to control cost (elbows, tees, bayonets, etc.) and improve system flow performance Flex can be used to make installation easier, or work around an obstruction such as a support beam, etc. Especially useful at connection points to the tank and/or end use equipment

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VIP Design considerations

Section lengths
Longer sections generally reduce total system cost and heat leak 20 foot sections are optimal for manufacturing and shipping Consider installation issues Moving into building, lifting, walls, etc. Consider shipping May consider section breaks in places to accommodate a future addition in specific places There are some minimum dimensions for various fittings based on manufacturing requirements

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VIP Design considerations

Section connections
Bayonets Shrink fit design - MVE Close tolerance design - CVI Field joints

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VIP Design considerations

Female bayonet (sectioned) Clamp

Shrink fit nose

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Male bayonet

O-ring

VIP Design considerations

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VIP Design considerations

Vacuum jacketed valves

T-Pattern
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Y-Pattern

VIP Design considerations

Non-jacketed cryogenic valves

Although they are not vacuum insulated, they still need to have an extended stem so that the resulting ice ball does not grow to the valve packing When valve packing gets too cold, it could leak nitrogen to the environment

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VIP Design considerations

Gas traps
Used in intermittent use drops to control heat leak and frost. Allows use of non-VJ valves. Not recommended for high flow applications due to its pressure drop Not recommended for continuous use applications

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VIP Design considerations

End connections
Bayonets Most efficient Easy to install Pipe threads Will result in ice ball Readily available connections to various equipment ANSI flanges Will result in ice ball Need to use low temperature gasket material Pipe stub ends Will result in ice ball Requires welding on-site at installation

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VIP Design considerations

Relief valves & risers

Relief valves are required in any spot where liquid can be trapped (between any two valves) Consider protection at the inlet and outlet of the pipe system Does the supply/use equipment have protection? Confirm pressure rating of relief valve needed

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VIP Design considerations

Future expansion
Less expensive to add futures than to modify or replace system later Consider future expansion when sizing pipe Typically accommodated by placing a caped bayonet at location where expansion may take place.

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VIP System Measurement

Location of tank and use points Architectural structure of building Locate clearest path from tank to use points Establish elevations Design system with maximum length sections minimizing elbows & tees Establish flow rates to support pipe sizing Establish use pattern

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VIP System Measurement

Establish saturation pressure requirement at use point Combine design, sizing and flow to establish pressure drop Recommend tank operating pressure Measure and document the pipe routing Establish installation procedures and material / equipment list

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VIP System Installation

Off loading the truck

Watch for damage Notify driver and document any damage immediately before driver leaves! Consider checking section vacuums

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VIP System Installation

Reading the print and assembling the puzzle

Isometric drawing not to scale Section numbers on print match section numbers on labels VS-1, VS-2, VS-3, etc

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VIP System Installation

Supports / hangers
Support every 10 feet J-hangers or cushioned pipe clamps
Uni-strut (www.tyco-unistrut.com) Flex-strut (www.flexstrut.com)

External bellows pipe needs to be able to move along its axis

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VIP System Installation

Installation equipment & supplies

Halocarbon grease to lubricate bayonet o-rings Standard hand tools (wrenches, small hammer) Consider need for manlift, forklift, crane Field joints require welding and evacuation equipment

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VIP System Installation

Installation labor
Generally need at least two people to install any system Systems with longer sections, bigger diameters, many sections, welding, etc will require more people on-site System with bayonets require less time and skill System with field joints require welding and evacuation

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VIP System Installation

Proper bayonet assembly

Clean and inspect bayonets Lubricate and install o-ring Engage bayonets (do not twist) Install V-retainer and tighten nut Bayonets should slide together easily If it is difficult, it is likely due to not having the pipe sections aligned properly Do NOT force them together

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VIP System Installation

Proper slope
If the system contains a Cryovent to keep the pipe filled with liquid, the pipe must rise continuously towards the Cryovent. Any gas bubbles must rise to the Cryovent Any high spots will trap gas Rise ~1 per 50

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VIP System Installation

Pressure / leak test

Do not exceed MAWP of pipe If testing at more than 90% of MAWP, temporarily replace relief valves Use clean, dry gas, preferably nitrogen Leak test all joints or do pressure decay test

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VIP System Installation

Start up
Preferably isolate Cryovents Fill slowly to minimize pressure spike Open use point valves until there is a continuous stream of liquid It will be several hours before system is stable Once system is stable, open cryovents

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VIP System Installation

Maintenance
Monthly visual inspection of piping Look for sweating, frost and leaks Check relief valves (installed & set point) If there are questions or issues, call Chart Provide PN and VS number from label

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VIP System Installation

Maintenance
Before disconnecting any bayonet or component, verify that all pressure has been released for the system.

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VIP Accessories

Cryovent
Keeps the VIP system filled with LN2 during periods of no useage Provides quick response when the system needs liquid Float driven valve Installed on tee, at highest point, near use point Pipe must rise continuously towards Cryovent Gas bubbles must get to the Cryovent

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VIP Cryovent

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VIP Accessories

APPS-160 Phase separator

Allows using a single storage tank to supply a high pressure GN2 application and a low pressure LN2 application Lowers pressure of LN2 Sits next to supply tank Outlet Feeds VIP system with a vacuum insulated bayonet connection Operates up to 50 psig 15 GPM max

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Python Pipe

Python Pipe Product Good alternative to foam insulated copper pipe 1 & 2 pipe size in stock, 3 special order Straight, rigid lengths from 2 to 20 (even feet) Flex sections with 6 of flex Pre-insulated cover kits in straight, elbow & tee configurations

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Python Pipe
PYTHON
Excellent thermal performance (at least 5 times better than foam) Stainless steel outer jacket is not affected by moisture from ambient Smaller outer jacket means less space required for the installation and less cost for wall penetrations and pipe supports Will not condense moisture on outer jacket Stainless steel outer jacket for durability and aesthetics Extremely low maintenance End use system is much more efficient for customer, providing higher quality liquid and reducing losses

Foam Insulated Pipe

Poor-moderate thermal performance As moisture leaks past the plastic cover, it soaks into the foam making it even less efficient. Eventually need to replace the foam! Foam insulated pipe requires significantly larger OD for the insulation, requiring more space and higher cost of installation (wall penetrations and supports) Over time will condense moisture on outer jacket and ultimately may grow mold Plastic outer jacket and foam is easily damaged Foam insulation should be stripped off and reapplied to keep its efficiency Higher heat leak means higher cost of operation

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Standard Python Joints

Elbow joint T-joint

Straight joint
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Python pipe

Design
Inner & outer stainless steel pipe, schedule 5 Static vacuum factory evacuated and sealed Field welded, pipe stub end joints All weld joints are insulated in the field 400 psig MAWP External bellows design

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Python pipe

System design considerations

Even foot increments Minimize joints to maximize efficiency Over-all length will shorten 3-1/2 per 100 when filled with LN2 Consider this when providing installation Wall/roof penetrations Connections to equipment

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Python pipe

Installation
Hang sections Weld joints (manual TIG on schedule 5 SS pipe) Leak test joints Install joint covers

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