Patent ID: 7858879

Claim:
A thermally insulated tube for conducting a fluid in a high temperature environment of a gas turbine engine, the tube comprising: a conduit defining a flow path for conveying the fluid through the high temperature environment of the gas turbine engine, the conduit having an outer surface; a thermal insulation layer disposed around the conduit and having an inner surface in contact with the outer surface of the conduit, the thermal insulation layer comprising an insulating tape having an adhesive back provided on said inner surface and adhering directly to the outer surface of the conduit, the adhesive back being bonded to the outer surface of the conduit, thereby preventing separation of the thermal insulation layer from the conduit; and a removable protective layer surrounding and securely compressing the thermal insulation layer around the conduit, the protective layer comprising an expendable braided sleeve reversibly shrunk around the insulating tape, the braided sleeve being removable to provide access to the insulating tape on the conduit.