Fabricating Cryogenic Pipe Supports

Precision is key when fabricating cold shoes because if the components do not fit tightly together then moisture and heat could enter the system and alter the conditions of the pipe and its contents

Cold Shoes

Cryogenic Pipe Supports Homepage

The Complete Guide to Cryogenic Pipe Supports

Designing Cryogenic Pipe Supports

Foam, Shielding and Clamps

Standard Polyurethane Pipe Supports

Guided, Clamped etc.

Special Cryogenic Pipe Supports

Where to Buy Cryogenic Pipe Supports

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Fabrication of Cryogenic Pipe Supports

A typical cold shoe consists of two 180deg high density polyurethane foam cradles, a moisture vapor barrier and a carbon steel clamp or ‘shoe’.

Fabrication usually proceeds on two different fronts: The making of the foam and the foam and the making of the steel

Quite a few manufacturers in the world rely predominantly on pouring their foam. By that it is meant that a two-part mixture of isocyanate and a polyol are combined in different ratios to achieve the required foam density. The mixture is then poured into steel molds who’s combined outer diameter of the male mold component and the inner diameter of the female mold component produces a 180deg HD PUF cradle that has the required thickness and inner diameters

Other cold shoe manufacturers use CNC wire saws to carve their foam cradles out of premade blocks of polyurethane. This method is usually less laborious and produces a more exact product. It requires no curing time or heavy lifting.

CNC Wire Foam Saw

CNC Wire Foam Saw cuts HD PUF cradles out of premade polyurethane blocks of the required density

Finishing the Foam Cradles

Once the HD PUF cradles are cut they need to be finished. THis typically involves the application of mastic to waterproof and seal the foam.

After that is dry, a suitable cryogenic adhesive is painted over the outside surface of the cradle and a thin metal foil is applied as the vapor barrier

Cold Shoe 180deg Foam Cradles

Applying Vapor Barrier Foil to Cryogenic Foam Cradle

Finished Cold Shoe Foam Cradles

Fabricating Steel Cold Shoe Clamps

Fabrication of the clamp part of the cold shoe requires the shaping, bending and welding of various of structural steel plate and flat bar. As one can see from the images below, there is an infinite amount of structural design that clients around the globe desire for their projects.

However, a typical cryogenic pipe support clamp is fashioned in the following way. Plate steel is cut to measurement and rolled and bent until two equal 180deg clamps with flanges are produced. This is then married by welding to a base of vertical support members. The two-piece apparatus is then hot dip galvanized (typically).

And, finally, the foam cradles and and clamps are assembled and palletized for shipment to customers around the world