Featured Project – Dragon Jacket Solves for Freezing Heat Trace Line at Hanford Nuclear Site

Project Scope:

• Insulation for Complex Water Pipeline System
• >70% of Custom Parts Created Using 3D CAD Modeling
• Parts Supplied with Unique Numbers, Drawings and Assembly Layout
• Compressed Timelines
• Pipeline Located in Tight/Confined Area

Project Results:

• Completed On-Time & Within Budget
• Pipeline Protected from Freeze-Ups
• Insulation Will No Longer Be Damaged by Foot Traffic
• Insulation Provides Ease of Inspection for Underlying Pipeline
• Heat Trace Load and Energy Consumption Reduced
• Maintenance Costs Due to Frequent Insulation Replacement Reduced

Project Details

The team at the Hanford Nuclear site in Kennewick, Washington, needed an insulation solution for a complex section of outdoor waterline that kept freezing at pipe supports. The waterline was experiencing heat loss and freezing despite being equipped with a heat trace system, because the existing fiberglass and cladding insulation had degraded, been exposed to moisture, and no longer provided its stated R-value. Hanford was looking for a long-term replacement solution that would be safe and easy to install for the sub-contractor, DKB Insulation, who needed to work lean and efficient in a lite-hazardous environment.

Using app-enabled 3D scanning technology, installers for DKB were able to scan the complicated waterline system and upload the data to Dragon Jacket who used the images to quickly engineer custom insulation parts. The parts were scanned and the insulation produced on a weekly schedule that ensured a constant supply of materials to kept the project moving without delay. All parts were shipped with a unique part number and drawings with assembly layout. Due to the organization and ease of installation, the entire project moved significantly faster than what is typical with a standard insulation installation.

During the engineering phase, Dragon Jacket performed tests to address client concerns about whether the gray color of the insulation would absorb ambient heat or cold and affect pipeline content temperatures in the summer and winter. The tests demonstrated no ambient temperature-related thermal variance due to insulation color.