C2 splitter at a gas-processing plant in Illinois, USA.
Cryogel® Z replaced a heavily degraded cellular-glass system on a critical ethylene fractionator — contributing to a record level of unit production and a global best-practice recommendation.
A rigid insulation system that worked against the process.
Cellular glass on the splitter had cracked extensively after years of thermal cycling — letting water in, freezing, and degrading process control.
- Repeated rigid-foam fracture. Cellular glass could not accommodate the contraction and expansion cycles of a tall fractionator.
- Water ingress and freeze damage. Every rainfall pushed moisture behind the rigid jacket; frozen water forced the cracks wider each cycle.
- Storm-watch operations. The plant ran a storm-watch protocol because the insulation actively degraded process control during rain.
- Heat gain even in fair weather. Fracturing alone allowed heat into the cold side of the splitter, eroding fractionation yields.
Replace the incumbent system at the next turnaround.
The corporate energy team specified Cryogel® Z for the TAR — taking advantage of its flexible blanket format and integral vapor retarder.
- Specified by the corporate energy team. Energy organization drove the substitution; site engineering and procurement aligned before the TAR window.
- Wrap-and-secure application. Cryogel® Z installs as flexible rolls; crews unfamiliar with aerogel were productive on day one.
- Hydrophobic across the blanket. Integral vapor retarder eliminated the moisture-ingress pathway that caused the cellular-glass failure.
- Recovers from compression. Absorbs the column’s contraction and expansion without fracturing — sustained performance over the operating envelope.
The unit had baselined faster than ever and has gone on to achieve a record level of production.
A faster baseline and a global best-practice recommendation.
With Cryogel® Z in place, the unit returned from turnaround and reached steady-state more quickly than any prior restart — then continued past historical baselines to set a record for unit production. The corporate energy team credits Cryogel® Z as a meaningful contributing factor.
Following the restart, the corporate energy team formally recommended Cryogel® Z as a best practice for cold-service insulation across the operator’s global facility portfolio.
Have a cold-service column with the same failure mode?
Aspen engineers can review your unit and propose a Cryogel® Z specification before your next turnaround window.