Foam’s properties suit it for LNG tank insulation
The low temperature properties of Basotect melamine resin foam suit it for use in insulation of LNG tanks.
Initial tests show that steel tanks filled with LNG at a temperature of about -160° C. can be effectively insulated with Basotect for prolonged periods, the firm says.
In laboratory tests, Basotect retains its properties even at temperatures of about -200° C. For this reason, using the foam with its combined characteristics to insulate LNG tanks has a number of advantages, the firm notes: The high degree of elasticity and the thermal insulation capacity of the foam remain unaffected by low temperatures.
Basotect’s chemical composition and specific open-cell foam structure give it a number of properties: heat resistance and flame retardancy, light weight, as well as elasticity and insulating properties.
The company says the foam is abrasive, a property that has led to its reputation as the “Magic Eraser,” a block of white Basotect with cleaning capabilities. As a thermoset, Basotect’s main properties remain unaffected in a range of ambient temperatures. Its network of thin, closely linked filaments makes this normally brittle product flexible at low temperatures.
Source: BASF AG, 67056 Lugwigshafen, Germany.
Free software helps make gasket selection easy
The new SELECT software, yours free for the asking, is a selection tool that encompasses soft gasketing materials and semimetallic gaskets including spiral wound and Camprofile.
The program is versatile and easy to use. It can operate as a basic guide but can also be used as a bolt stress calculator and can allow the user to create variables within the flange assembly.
Source: Novus Sealing Ltd., Hunsworth Lane, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire BD19 3UJ, UK.