Aerogel Insulation Installs Faster
and Saves Costs on Large Vessel

Thinner aerogel is easier to store, handle, and install than cellular glass — with equal thermal performance

• Replace specified cellular glass insulation with Aspen Aerogels insulation on one complete vessel including heads.
• Vessel was 20 ft (6.1 m) long and 12 ft (3.7 m) wide.
• Work was executed outdoors on an elevated equipment platform within a chemical facility.
• Weather conditions were overcast with intermittent light rain.

Aerogel Solution

• A single 0.24 in (6 mm) layer of Pyrogel® 6350 was used instead of the specified 1.5 in (38 mm) thick cellular glass.
• Large sections of Pyrogel 6350 blanket were wrapped completely around the vessel, instead of small cellular glass blocks.
• The installation required only a tape measure, box cutter knife, and straight edge.

Benefits

• The vessel was insulated with Pyrogel 6350 in one third as much time as cellular glass.
• Because installing aerogel blankets doesn’t require access to the entire vessel, scaffolding costs were reduced 25%-50%.
• Installers did not need any shop equipment; all aerogel sections were cut from a roll on the vessel platform.
• Pyrogel 6350’s compact roll reduced shipping, handling, waste, and storage costs compared to boxes of cellular glass.
• Rain did not halt work, since aerogel insulation is hydrophobic and did not have to be covered.