Refinery & Petrochemical Insulation

Industries

Industrial Insulation to Help Maintain Critical Process Conditions, Protect Assets from Corrosion Under Insulation and Maximize Process Yields in Refineries and Petrochemical Plants

For more than 20 years, the largest refineries and petrochemical facilities in the world have depended on Pyrogel® and Cryogel® aerogel insulation to help solve their toughest insulation challenges. With class-leading thermal performance, superior CUI defense, and complimentary engineering support, our aerogel insulation solutions are a top choice for helping facilities meet or exceed their production goals and extend the life of assets.

From maximizing performance in harsh environments such as delayed coking to developing passive fire protection solutions for offshore facilities, our team of engineers is ready to support your project. The combination of our innovative industrial insulation products and Technical Services support has helped facilities save thousands—in many cases millions—of dollars by reducing operation, maintenance, and labor costs.

Benefits

  • Protect Assets from CUI

    With an innovative design that repels water but allows vapor to escape, Pyrogel keeps assets drier for longer, delivering exceptional corrosion under insulation protection.

  • Decrease Downtime

    Say goodbye to schedule delays due to inclement weather — Pyrogel and Cryogel can be installed in most weather conditions. In some cases, a unit can even return online before jacketing is complete.

  • Increase Profitability

    Pyrogel and Cryogel insulation help reduce risk around labor productivity, quality assurance, and schedule — all while optimizing process conditions, protecting assets, and keeping personnel safe.

  • Reduced Maintenance Cost

    Our durable aerogel blankets are removable and reusable, allowing for easy inspections without the added expense of replacing the material.

  • Compatible with Modular Builds

    Tough, durable, and easy to install. Save time and money by pre-insulating offsite and crane lifting into place.

  • Simplified logistics

    Our flexible aerogel blanket insulation can be used to protect almost any operating unit, from small pipes to large vessels, which significantly reduces material handling and inventory management.

Discover the 6 Time-Saving Advantages of Pyrogel and Cryogel During Turnarounds

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Project Profiles

Meeting Tight Deadlines for an Isomerization Tower at a U.S. Refinery

In less than a week, a 120’ tall by 12’ wide isomerization tower needed to be pre-insulated and trucked across the country. Delaying the deadline would cost the contractor thousands of dollars in penalties but continuing with their original plan of calcium silicate would increase labor hours by 40%. Not sure what to do, the contractor called Aspen Aerogels. Pyrogel XTE was selected not only for its thermal protection and speed of installation, but it also drastically simplified logistics. The site went from hundreds of boxes of rigid material to only fifteen, 850 sq. ft. rolls of Pyrogel XTE.

The Result – In just 3 ½ days, not only was insulation completed—but the entire tower was jacketed and scaffolding demobilized, easily beating the tight deadline.

 

Gulf Coast Refinery Restarted 3 Days Early After an Unplanned Shutdown

A refinery experienced an unexpected shutdown of one of its units, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars each day it was offline. Although the team had incumbent insulation at the ready, it would take too long to install. An emergency call was placed to Aspen Aerogels and it was decided to throw out $125k worth of perlite because the cost savings of Pyrogel offset material waste. By 5PM, 90 rolls of Pyrogel were delivered and installation began immediately.

The Result – The facility opened 3 days ahead of schedule. And when the upcoming turnaround arrived, Pyrogel was removed and reused without additional insulation spend required.

 

Unplanned Work on A Desalter Unit

When severely damaged rigid insulation was removed from a desalter unit at a Midwest refinery, a bad case of CUI was found underneath. The vessel would need to be completely stripped and reinsulated according to API-521 standards—but the lead time offered by the rigid material manufacturer would have meant a delay of up to six weeks. Pyrogel XTF was on-site and ready for use within four hours after receiving the initial call.

The Result – Weeks of possible downtime transformed into only twenty-four hours. The desalter was fully insulated with Pyrogel XTF in under a day.