Innovative application of aluminum titanate in the field of industrial insulation: invisible armor for energy saving and consumption reduction

Next to the furnace at 1600 ° C in the steel plant, on the surface of the high-temperature steam pipe in the chemical plant, the invisible loss of industrial heat energy is devouring the energy efficiency indicators of enterprises. As a new generation of high temperature insulation materials, aluminum titanate (Al₂TiO₅) is reshaping the technical paradigm of industrial insulation by its near-zero expansion thermal stability and ultra-low thermal conductivity, creating an annual energy saving rate of more than 15% of economic value.

First, break through the performance limits of traditional insulation materials

Traditional industrial insulation systems generally use ceramic fiber (thermal conductivity 1.2W/m·K) or calcium silicate board (thermal conductivity 0.06W/m·K), at 800℃ above the working conditions will appear structure powder, shrinkage cracking and other problems. Aluminum titanate achieves performance jump through microstructure innovation:

‌1. Self-buffered crack network ‌

Micrometer-scale three-dimensional cracks (densities up to 200 /mm²) preconfigured inside the material create a dynamic stress release mechanism during thermal cycling. The application data of Baosteel hot blast furnace show that after 1000 thermal shock cycles at 1200℃, the crack propagation length of aluminum titanate lining is controlled within 20μm, which is only 1/8 of mullite material.

‌2. Anisotropic heat conduction ‌

The phonon scattering effect along the [010] crystal direction results in radial thermal conductivity as low as 0.6W/m·K and axial thermal conductivity as low as 2.1W/m·K. This directional selective thermal conductivity is particularly suitable for radial insulation of tubular equipment. In the steam pipeline renovation project of Sinopec, aluminum titanate insulation layer can reduce the surface heat loss by 37%.

Second. Precise adaptation scheme for industrial scenes

‌1. Thermal insulation in the whole life cycle of high temperature kiln ‌

The application of aluminum titanate composite module (aluminum titanate + silicon carbide fiber) in cement rotary kiln can reduce the outer wall temperature of the kiln from 320℃ to 180℃. The measured data of Conchs cement show that the thermal efficiency of the kiln body is increased by 12%, the fuel consumption is reduced by 8.6 tons of standard coal/day, and the service life of the module is extended to 5 years (traditional materials need to be replaced after 2 years).

2. Intelligent thermal insulation coating for pipeline system ‌

Nano-aluminum titanate suspension (45% solid content) was plasma sprayed to form a 0.3mm ultra-thin coating to achieve surface temperature gradient control on the refinery cracking pipeline. Zhenhai Refining and chemical project proved that the coating can reduce the surface temperature of 500℃ steam pipe by 120℃, and reduce the annual heat loss equivalent to 2,400 tons of standard coal.

‌3. Dynamic protection system of mobile heat source ‌

The aluminum titanate/zirconia gradient material (coefficient of thermal expansion gradually changes from 3.5×10⁻⁶/K to -1.2×10⁻⁶/K) realizes stress adaptive adjustment in response to the intermittent high temperature shock of mold in metallurgical continuous casting machine. After Anshan Steel Group applied the material, the temperature fluctuation range of the mold copper plate was reduced by 65%, and the service life was increased from 1,500 to 5,000 furnaces.

From iron and steel metallurgy to petrochemical industry, from traditional kilns to new energy equipment, aluminum titanate materials are writing a new era of industrial insulation. This set of ultra-low thermal conductivity, thermal shock resistance, long life in one of the advanced ceramics, not only for the enterprise to build a solid thermal energy protection network, but also in the "double carbon" strategy under the background of opening up a green manufacturing innovation path. With the deep intervention of material genetic engineering and digital twin technology, aluminum titanate insulation system is evolving towards the direction of "structure adaptive, intelligent operation and maintenance, and energy efficiency visualization", providing a subversive solution for industrial energy conservation.