Aerogel against CUI: news from our partner Alkegen

Corrosion under insulation, CUI for short, is one of the most stubborn kinds of damage in refineries, chemical plants and power stations. BIC Magazine describes how it happens: water gets in through damaged cladding or poorly sealed joints, stays in the insulation, and thermal cycling then concentrates chlorides on the metal surface. The damage is often found only when the insulation is opened for other reasons.

Our partner Alkegen (formerly Unifrax), whose products we sell in Austria, has published an article on this in BIC Magazine. Instead of finding the damage late, the insulation should take up as little water as possible.

For this Alkegen relies on AlkeGel, a fibre-reinforced aerogel blanket with water-repellent chemistry. According to Alkegen, AlkeGel Ember limited corrosion to the directly wetted areas in a modified ASTM G189 test, and moisture did not migrate sideways. Alkegen also states that the blanket produces up to 80 % less dust than conventional aerogel blankets and installs up to 20 % faster. Alkegen itself calls the data early results.

The range has three types. Ember is meant for hot processes, Glacier for cold and LNG, Fyre for fire protection. All three come in 5 and 10 mm, says Alkegen.

We also carry aerogel insulation from Aspen, see the Aspen Aerogel product page. If you plan to insulate a line or a vessel, tell us the pipe diameter and operating temperature. We will tell you which material fits.