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展示制造具有成本效益、与液化天然气兼容的纤维增强气凝胶绝缘材料的可行性，这种绝缘材料机械强度高，同时保持气凝胶独特的高度绝缘性能。珍珠岩和PUF具有许多可取的特性，使其成为有用的绝缘产品。然而，这两种绝缘产品缺乏良好的防潮性，易燃性较高，降低了绝缘的质量和性能。气凝胶材料的绝缘性是珍珠岩和PUF材料的2到3倍。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，以最大化与LNG的兼容性，并将气凝胶的导热系数降至最低。其次，将开发一种成本效益高的方法来生产这种新材料。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过改进油轮的绝缘产品来降低与运输LNG相关的成本。该绝缘材料还可应用于其他领域。日益稀缺的石油和不断上涨的成本预计将推高未来对天然气的需求。天然气比其他碳氢化合物燃烧更清洁，如果碳税生效，这将提振市场需求。地理上与生产地点隔绝的市场依赖管道和集装箱运输来满足需求。近年来，液化天然气运输技术的成本降幅超过了管道运输。液态天然气的体积大约是气相的六百倍，这使得液体的储存和运输更经济。液化还提供了储存天然气的机会，以便在需求旺盛的时期使用。目前的液化天然气油轮技术使用PUR泡沫和膨胀珍珠岩等绝缘材料来减少运输过程中的沸腾损失。用更有效的气凝胶绝缘材料取代这些材料，将在相同的热效率水平下增加存储容量，并提高液化天然气海运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.