Study of the Effectiveness of the Use of Aerogel Thermal Insulation to Reduce Heat Loss

Energy conservation is an important component of sustainable development and environmental safety. Saving energy helps to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful substances into the atmosphere, thereby preventing environmental problems. Energy-saving technologies and solutions contribute to improving the efficiency of energy resources and improving the quality of life. The efficiency and expediency of using aerogel thermal insulation at industrial power facilities is being investigated at a thermal power plant and compared with traditional basalt fiber thermal insulation. Calculations and simulations are also carried out using the COMSOL Multiphysics software package, the required thickness of thermal insulation required in accordance with the operating standards at the thermal power plant is estimated. The use of aerogel as an alternative to traditional thermal insulation is justified under certain conditions due to the excellent thermal insulation properties and high environmental friendliness of the material. It was possible to obtain the same temperatures on the insulation surface with a 14 times lower aerogel thickness compared to basalt insulation, when the cost of aerogel is only 1.5 times more than the cost of basalt insulation.