Patent ID: 8528362
Filing Date: 2013-09-10
Classification: F16L,F25J

Abstract:
1. Cryogenic distillation apparatus comprising: at least one item of equipment to be thermally insulated, selected from the group consisting of a storage tank, a phase separator, a column, a heat exchanger, pipework, a pump, a valve, a turbine, and combinations thereof; a structure for containing the at least one item of equipment; a main insulation contained in the space between the equipment and the structure, wherein said main insulation comprises a solid perlite insulation; and a secondary insulation having a lower thermal conductivity than the main insulation, wherein said secondary insulation comprises at least one vacuum insulation panel, wherein the secondary insulation is disposed in the cryogenic distillation apparatus such that the secondary insulation is configured to reduce the thermal conductivity between the at least one item of equipment and the atmosphere, wherein the secondary insulation is disposed in the cryogenic distillation apparatus such that at least a portion of the perimeter of the at least one item of equipment comprises an absence of reduced thermal conductivity attributable to the secondary insulation; the at least one item of equipment to be thermally insulated is at a distance x from the closest point on said structure, which constitutes a first point, and a second point on said structure is separated from the closest equipment to be thermally insulated by a distance nx, n being greater than 2, and the space between the second point and the equipment comprises an absence of the secondary insulation.