ACME Cryogenics, part of OPW Clean Energy Solutions and Dover (NYSE: DOV), announced the addition of the XL Bore Vacuum-Jacketed Piping (VJP) to its portfolio of cryogenics-handling products. The new VJP has been designed to help maintain cryogenic liquid's extremely cold temperature, prevent leaks and transfer the full array of high-volume cryogenics, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquid hydrogen (LH2), liquid oxygen (LOX), carbon dioxide (CO2) and helium. Many of these cryogenics are used in aerospace applications for space exploration, especially for fueling.
"Handling and transporting cryogenic liquids requires plenty of care as they must be kept at extremely cold temperatures. They must not be allowed to return to their gaseous state, and they must be shipped in volumes large enough to satisfy the needs of a space-launch operation or fuel a fleet of transport trucks, ships, barges or planes," said Bennett Allred, Director of Technical Sales and Installation Services for ACME Cryogenics. "The design and operation of the XL Bore Vacuum-Jacketed Piping helps maintain the integrity of the user's cryogenics-handling processes while meeting the highest industry standards for safety, reliability and cost-effective performance."
Like foam-insulated piping, VJP consists of a "pipe within a pipe" design including an inner pipe that carries the cryogenic liquid and an outer pipe that seals the annular space between the pipes. What makes VJP unique is its inner pipe, which is wrapped with thin sheets of multi-layer insulation that is coated with a metallic material, usually aluminum, to block radiative heat transfer. This design allows VJP to operate maintenance-free for 20 or more years.
