Can cellular glass insulation solve common LNG challenges?

While identifying challenges early in LNG facility design enhances safety and longevity, cellular glass insulation effectively reduces fire risks, moisture, and noise while supporting storage tanks without compromising thermal performance

DEMAND for LNG is rising as the world shifts toward lower-carbon energy systems, prompting the planning and announcement of new terminals to meet this need.

Facility designers, engineers, and contractors encounter a range of challenges related to location, layout, and operational temperatures.

This article explores several common challenges in insulating LNG facilities and demonstrates how cellular glass insulation helps engineers and facility managers address these issues while enhancing safety, minimising maintenance and labour, and improving the workplace environment.

THERMAL PERFORMANCE

LNG facilities require insulation systems to address thermal performance at extreme temperatures. Equipment throughout these sites can operate at -162 deg C and this means reliable and long-lasting insulation is needed to keep pipes and storage tanks at temperature without warping.

When insulation is subject to extreme temperatures, there can be a rate of thermal expansion or contraction.

Organic-based insulations tend to have a larger coefficient of thermal expansion than insulation types that are non-organic.

Some organic materials – like plastic foams – can have coefficients that are five to ten times larger than those presented by metal materials.

This difference can lead to open joints and allow for unwanted heat gain – reducing the overall thermal efficiency of the system. The movement also may allow entry points for moisture or water vapour.

However, using FOAMGLAS® cellular glass insulation, which can function in temperatures ranging from -265 deg C to 430 deg C, provides a minimal coefficient of thermal contraction similar to that seen with carbon or stainless steel and concrete.