SBIR Phase I: LNG Compatible Aerogels for use in LNG Tanker Insulation Systems

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将证明制造具有成本效益的、与LNG兼容的纤维增强气凝胶绝缘材料的可行性，这种材料具有机械强度，同时保留了气凝胶独特的高绝缘性能。珍珠岩和PUF具有许多理想的特性，使它们可用作绝缘产品。然而，这两种绝缘产品缺乏良好的防潮性，并且具有高可燃性，降低了绝缘的质量和性能。气凝胶材料是比珍珠岩和PUF材料好2到3倍的绝缘体。这项研究将涉及两个重点领域。首先，将深入研究新型气凝胶的结构和物理性质，以最大限度地提高LNG相容性并最大限度地降低气凝胶的热导率。其次，将开发一种成本效益高的方法，以生产这种新型材料的生产规模。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过改进油轮的隔热产品来降低与运输LNG相关的成本。这种绝缘材料也可以应用于其他领域。石油日益稀缺和成本上升预计将推高未来对天然气的需求。天然气燃烧比其他碳氢化合物更清洁，如果征收碳税，这将提振市场需求。与生产地点地理上分离的市场依赖管道和集装箱运输来满足需求。近年来，LNG运输技术的成本降低速度超过了管道输送。液化天然气的体积比气相小约600倍，使液体的储存和运输更经济。液化还提供了储存天然气以在高需求时期使用的机会。目前的LNG油轮技术使用PUR泡沫和膨胀的隔热材料来减少运输过程中的蒸发损失。用更有效的气凝胶基隔热材料取代这些材料将在相同的热效率水平下增加储存容量，并提高LNG海上运输的可靠性和成本效益。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating cost-effective, LNG-compatible, fiber-reinforced aerogel insulation that is mechanically strong while retaining the unique highly insulating properties of aerogels . Perlite and PUF have a number of desirable characteristics that make them useful as insulation products. However, these two insulation products lack good moisture resistance and have high flammability, decreasing the quality and performance of the insulation. Aerogel materials are 2 to 3 times better insulators than Perlite and PUF materials. This research will involve two areas of focus. First, the structure and physical properties of the novel aerogel will be intensively investigated to maximize the LNG compatibility and minimize the thermal conductivity of the aerogel. Second, a cost effective method to manufacture this novel material to a production scale will be developed.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to reduce the costs associated with transporting LNG by improving the insulation products for tankers. The insulation may have applications in other fields as well. The growing scarcity and increasing cost of oil is expected to drive up demand for natural gas in the future. Natural gas burns more cleanly than other hydrocarbons which will bolster market demand if carbon taxes are enacted. Markets that are geographically separated from production sites rely on pipeline and container shipping delivery to meet demand. In recent years, cost reductions in LNG transportation technology have outpaced those of pipeline delivery. Liquid natural gas has a volume approximately 600 times less than the gas phase, making the liquid more economical to store and transport. Liquefaction also provides the opportunity to store natural gas for use during high demand periods. Current LNG tanker technology uses insulations such as PUR foam and expanded perlite to reduce boil off losses in transit. Replacing these materials with a more effective aerogel-based insulation material would increase storage capacity at the same level of thermal efficiency and enhance the reliability and cost effectiveness of LNG sea transportation.