Description FIBERGLASS INSULATOR FOR PIPE ELBOWS

Technical Field

[ 1 ] The present invention relates to a fiberglass insulator for thermal-insulation of pipe elbows, wherein a semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material is cut, in a zigzag pattern, into a plurality of thermal-insulating pieces and then, the cut thermal- insulating pieces are successively connected to one another to form an elbow shape for thermal-insulation of a pipe elbow. Background Art

[2] In general, piping of heating/cooling facilities, used in power-generation and petrochemical plants, industrial equipment, and a variety of fabrication systems and air-conditioning systems, is provided with various sizes and thermal-insulating materials of pipe-shaped insulators to impede heat-exchange between the piping and the outside. Using such an insulator around piping can achieve a reduction in energy consumption and manufacturing costs of heating/cooling facilities.

[3] Such a pipe-shaped insulator is made of various thermal-insulating materials such as fiberglass or cross-linked polyethylene foam and is normally used for thermal- insulation of straight pipes. Therefore, when it is necessary to insulate a pipe elbow having a certain bend angle, the insulator to be installed on the pipe elbow must take the form of a forcibly bent thermal-insulating cover or appropriate sizes of plural thermal-insulating pieces assembled to one another.

[4] However, the above-described installation method is problematic because forcibly bending the thermal-insulating cover is liable to damage the thermal- insulating cover, for example, by tearing the thermal-insulating cover, and requires substantial labor, resulting in considerable degradation in work efficiency. Further, with relation to the plural thermal-insulating pieces, it is difficult for unskilled persons to accurately cut a thermal-insulating material into a desired shape conforming to a pipe elbow to be insulated, and even in the case of skilled persons, the accurate cutting is time- consuming. Also, inaccurately cut faces of the thermal-insulating pieces may deteriorate thermal-insulation efficiency and cause condensation.

[5] Conventionally, when cutting an edge or end portion of a fiberglass thermal- insulating material, the cutting has been performed manually using a high-speed rotating cut-off wheel. Such a manual cutting operation using the cut-off wheel exhibits low cutting precision and thus, necessitates an additional chamfering process and results in a serious reduction of workability and productivity.

[6] Even if a standardized fiberglass thermal-insulating material is prepared by cutting,

the resulting fiberglass thermal-insulating material exhibits low cutting precision, resulting in poor thermal-insulation efficiency and defective installation. Moreover, this necessitates various sizes of cutting tools according to different shapes or sizes of fiberglass insulators.

[7] The manual cutting operation is liable to cause musculoskeletal diseases due to accumulated fatigue, and cutting chips or powder, fine dust, etc. generated during the cutting operation are scattered into a working space, having an adverse effect on the operator s health and contaminating the surrounding environment.

[8] In particular, when a cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material having a certain length is cut into semi-cylindrical sections, conventional methods have attempted to cut opposite longitudinal sides of the cylindrical fiberglass insulator and therefore, suffer from significantly deteriorated cutting efficiency and cutting precision, resulting in poor constructability and thermal insulation efficiency, etc.

[9] A recently developed method to solve the above-described problems is to precisely cut a fiberglass thermal-insulating material via high-pressure water-jet cutting. This provides a considerable improvement in workability, productivity, thermal-insulation efficiency and constructability, and substantially does not cause chips, powder, fine dust etc. during a cutting operation. Even if a minority of chips, etc. occurs, moisture of the fluid can prevent scattering of the chips and therefore, it has been found that high-pressure water-jet cutting is a very sanitary and environmentally friendly method.

[10] Meanwhile, a variety of pipes constituting pipelines have different diameters and shapes including a straight shape, a curved shape, an elbow shape or some combinations thereof. Here, straight pipes and elbow-shaped pipes used to change the flow direction of fluid are mainly used.

[11] In general, conventional fiberglass insulators are formed to have a substantial thickness required for desired thermal insulation performance, and maintain an appropriate size and weight (no more than 20 kg) suitable to achieve easy handling thereof.

[12] The conventional fiberglass insulators to be installed to straight pipes have been manufactured as a cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material is cut into semi- cylindrical sections and then, the resulting semi-cylindrical thermal-insulating materials are closely attached to an outer circumferential surface of a straight pipe so as to insulate the straight pipe. Also, to insulate a pipe elbow, triangularly or rectangularly cut fiberglass thermal-insulating pieces are connected to one another so as to be closely attached to the pipe elbow.

[13] Meanwhile, it is general that the pipe elbow is wrapped with a thermal insulator for thermal insulation of fluid flowing therein after being completely installed. However, since the pipe elbow has an L-shaped form bent by an angle of approximately 90

degrees, wrapping the pipe elbow is difficult and troublesome work.

[14] Although wrapping of the thermal-insulating tape has been attempted, this results in deterioration in exterior appearance of the pipe elbow. Furthermore, appropriately cutting and wrapping the thermal- insulating tape to conform to the pipe elbow can only be performed manually, causing excessively high labor costs and working time. Consequently, such a thermal insulator for use in pipe elbows inevitably suffers from many problems of low cutting precision, substantial waste, musculoskeletal diseases, etc. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[15] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a fiberglass insulator for pipe elbows having good thermal insulation efficiency.

[16] It is another object of the present invention to provide a fiberglass insulator for pipe elbows, wherein a semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material is cut, in a zigzag pattern, into a plurality of thermal-insulating pieces and then, the cut thermal- insulating pieces are successively connected to one another to form an elbow shape for thermal-insulation of a pipe elbow.

[17] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fiberglass insulator for pipe elbows, which can be easily and simply installed without generating waste, thereby achieving low manufacturing costs and shortening installation time and costs thereof. Technical Solution

[18] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a fiberglass insulator for pipe elbows, wherein a semi-cylindrical fiberglass heat- insulating material is cut in a zigzag pattern by a predetermined cutting angle to prepare a plurality of thermal-insulating pieces, and the resulting discrete thermal-insulating pieces are successively connected to one another so as to complete an elbow-shaped fiberglass insulator.

[19] The thermal- insulting pieces may be coupled to one another by means of any one selected from plural staplers, an adhesive, or a combination thereof. The staplers, fastened to an edge region of each thermal-insulating piece exhibiting a weak structural strength, are closely spaced, providing the resulting fiberglass insulator with an entirely uniform strength.

Advantageous Effects

[20] With a fiberglass insulator for pipe elbows according to the present invention, a convenient and precise seamless installation relative to a pipe elbow can be accomplished in a sanitary and environmentally friendly manner with high heat insulation efficiency and low manufacturing and installation costs.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[21] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[22] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a semi-cylindrical fiberglass insulator according to the present invention;

[23] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating cutting of the semi-cylindrical fiberglass insulator according to the present invention;

[24] FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating several cut pieces of the semi-cylindrical fiberglass insulator according to the present invention;

[25] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of FIG. 3;

[26] FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a state wherein the several cut pieces of the fiberglass insulator according to the present invention are connected to one another to form an elbow shape;

[27] FIG. 6 is a transversal cross sectional view illustrating the fiberglass insulator installed to a pipe elbow according to the present invention;

[28] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled elbow-shaped fiberglass insulator according to the present invention;

[29] FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view illustrating a pair of symmetrical fiberglass insulators according to the present invention, which will be assembled to an elbow- shaped insulator; and

[30] FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the fiberglass insulator installed to a pipe elbow according to the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[31] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals even though they are depicted in different drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

[32] FIG. 1 illustrates a semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 for use in the manufacture of a fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows according to the present invention. The semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 is prepared by longitudinally cutting a cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material using a certain cutting tool (for example, a saw machine, high-pressure water-jet cutter suitable for high-precision cutting, or the like).

[33] Referring to FIG. 2, the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 is

cut in a zigzag pattern using a certain cutting tool, so as to obtain a plurality of thermal-insulating pieces required for the manufacture of the fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows. FIGS. 3 and 4 are a plan view and a perspective view, respectively, illustrating the cut state of the fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1.

[34] The fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows according to the present invention can be configured to have various values of a center angle. In consideration of the fact that pipe elbows E have various center angles of 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 75 degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees, 135 degrees, etc., it is preferable, in view of installation efficiency, that the center angle of the fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows be standardized to the above-mentioned center angles of the pipe elbows E.

[35] The following description of the present invention focuses upon the fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows in which a center angle is 90 degrees. The fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows is manufactured in such a manner that the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal- insulating material 1 is cut into several thermal- insulating pieces using a certain cutting tool and the cut pieces are successively connected to one another to have the same shape as a desired pipe elbow.

[36] More specifically, in the case where six thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 are successively connected to one another to complete the fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows, cutting angles θl and θ2 of the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal- insulating material 1 to be cut in a zigzag pattern are 15 degrees. To connect the six thermal- insulating pieces Pl to P6 to one another as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, short-sides L6 of the respective thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 are connected successively and also, long-sides L7 of the respective thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 are connected successively, whereby the elbow-shaped fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows can be manufactured as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, upon installation, a pair of symmetrical fiberglass insulators 2 and 2a are assembled around an outer circumferential surface of the pipe elbow E, to complete a pipe-shaped insulator for the pipe elbow E. This assures convenient and precise installation and consequently, achieves a further improvement in thermal insulation efficiency.

[37] In FIGS. 3 and 4, the two thermal-insulating pieces PO and P7 at opposite ends of the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 are unnecessary waste pieces. Accordingly, minimizing sizes of the two thermal-insulating pieces PO and P7 upon cutting can minimize material waste.

[38] After connecting the above-described six discrete thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 to one another, they are coupled to one another using a certain coupler. For example, to fixedly connect the six discrete thermal- insulating pieces Pl to P6 to one another, a plurality of staplers S 1 and S2 may be fastened along junction lines BL, an adhesive may be applied to junction faces CF, or both the staplers Sl and S2 and the adhesive

may be used together.

[39] Here, to maintain a strong connection throughout the plural thermal-insulating pieces

Pl to P6, the outer junction lines BL of the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 are connected and coupled to one another by means of staplers S 1 , and the inner junction lines BL of the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 are connected and coupled to one another by means of another staplers S2.

[40] When coupling the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 using the staplers Sl and S2, edges of the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 require a high strength. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the staplers Sl and S2, fastened to the edge regions of the junction lines BL, are closely spaced, so as to provide the thermal- insulating pieces Pl to P6 with an entirely even coupling force and strength.

[41] To install the fiberglass insulator 2 according to the present invention to the pipe

Elbow E, a pair of symmetrical fiberglass insulators 2 and 2a is assembled to each other. These symmetrical fiberglass insulators 2 and 2a have the same size and shape as each other and thus, have no difference in manufacture. That is, only one of the two fiberglass insulators 2 or 2a must be reversed in use so as to be symmetrical to the other.

[42] When the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 is cut using a certain cutting tool, in the present invention, the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal- insulating material 1 is cut in a zigzag pattern as shown in FIG. 2. Such zigzag cutting prevents waste of the fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1. Further, when the zigzag cutting is performed using high-pressure water-jet suitable for high precision cutting, this provides several advantages of high thermal-insulation efficiency, mass production of precise standardized products, uniform and highly efficient CNC based cutting, and sanitary and environmentally friendly cuttings because the high-pressure water-jet cutting causes no scattering of chips, powder, dust, etc.

[43] In the implementation of the zigzag cutting according to the present invention, note that respective neighboring cutting lines CL have alternate interior angles θ3 as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the short-sides L6 of the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 have the same length as one another, and similarly, the long-sides L7 of the thermal- insulating pieces Pl to P6 have the same length as one another. With this configuration, as the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 are successively connected to one another, the elbow-shaped fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows according to the present invention can be accomplished. Also, a center angle of the resulting fiberglass insulator 2 coincides with a center angle of the pipe elbow E and therefore, a seamless reliable coupling between the fiberglass insulator 2 and the pipe elbow E can be accomplished, resulting in maximized thermal insulation efficiency.

[44] Beginning and end points of each cutting line CL are positioned at imaginary lines

CA, which are spaced apart, in opposite directions, from a center axis O of the semi- cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 by a predetermined distance Ll. The predetermined distance Ll of the imaginary lines CA is determined according to the lengths of the short- sides L6 or long- sides L7 and/or the number or cutting angles θl and θ2 of the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6.

[45] For example, when the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 is cut into six pieces to provide the fiberglass insulator 2 for a pipe elbow with a center angle of 90 degrees or less, or to obtain a larger size of the fiberglass insulator 2, the predetermined distance Ll is increased and thus, the imaginary lines CA are further distant from the center axis O of the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1. On the contrary, when the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 is cut to provide the fiberglass insulator 2 for a pipe elbow with a center angle of 90 degrees or more, or to obtain a smaller size of the fiberglass insulator 2, the predetermined distance Ll is decreased and thus, the imaginary lines CA are closer to the center axis O of the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1.

[46] The inner and outer short-sides L6 and the inner and outer long-sides L7 of the semi- cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 have lengths included within the ranges of the cutting angles θl and θ2. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, an inner short-side L9 and an inner long-side LlO have lengths, respectively one sixth of a short arc length and a long arc length of the pipe elbow E.

[47] In the present invention, the inner arc length and the outer arc length of the fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows are changed according to outer and inner diameters of the pipe elbow E to be insulated. Therefore, in consideration of the outer and inner diameters and length of the pipe elbow E, the inner and outer diameters and length of the fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows according to the present invention are determined.

[48] The zigzag cutting angles θl and θ2 according to the present invention are determined according to the number of the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 and the center angle of the pipe elbow E (for example, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 75 degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees, 135 degrees, etc.). Also, the beginning and end points of the zigzag cutting lines CL and the predetermined distance Ll from the center axis O of the semi-cylindrical fiberglass thermal-insulating material 1 are determined according to the number of the thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6.

[49] Referring to FIG. 5, the six thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 are connected to one another using an assembling panel B having upwardly -protruding frames Fl and F2 orthogonal to each other, so as to complete the fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows. Butt end surfaces M of the two distal thermal- insulating pieces Pl and P6 are brought into close contact with inner surfaces of the frames Fl and F2, respectively. Also,

junction faces CF of the respective thermal-insulating pieces Pl to P6 are brought into close contact with one another. In this state, the staplers S 1 and S2 are fastened to achieve a seamless connection between the junction faces CF, achieving a remarkable improvement in thermal insulation efficiency.

[50] Upon installation, as shown in FIG. 9, a pair of symmetrical left and right fiberglass insulators 2 and 2a is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe elbow E to insulate the pipe elbow E. This assures convenient and precise installation and consequently, achieves an improvement in thermal insulation efficiency.

[51] The fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows according to the present invention has the same center angle as that of the pipe elbow E. This assures convenient and reliable thermal insulation of the pipe elbow E, achieving a further improvement in thermal insulation efficiency.

[52] In the drawings, reference characters IL and OL designate an inner surface and an outer surface of the fiberglass insulator 2 for pipe elbows, respectively. Industrial Applicability

[53] As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a fiberglass insulator for pipe elbows having the following effects.

[54] First, according to the present invention, a pair of symmetrical insulators is attached to left and right sections of an outer circumferential surface of a pipe elbow to insulate the pipe elbow. This can assure convenient and precise installation and consequently, achieve an improvement in thermal insulation efficiency.

[55] Second, the fiberglass insulator for pipe elbows according to the present invention can be easily installed and has no risk of waste of a thermal-insulating material due to manual cutting. Such an easy installation and reliable cutting can reduce the overall working time and installation costs.

[56] Third, according to the present invention, a fiberglass thermal-insulating material can be precisely cut using high-pressure water-jet, enabling mass production of precisely standardized products having excellent thermal insulation efficiency. Also, with adoption of a CNC program, uniform and precise cutting can be implemented with high cutting efficiency, and sanitary and environmentally friendly cutting is possible because it causes no scattering of chips, powder, dust, etc.

[57] Fourth, according to the present invention, a center angle of the fiberglass insulator for pipe elbows coincides with a center angle of a pipe elbow to be insulated. This provides precise seamless installation of the fiberglass insulator, achieving excellent thermal insulation and preventing condensation.

[58] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications,

additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.