| abstract |
The process according to the invention includes the combination, with a liquid phase change material (PCM), of a texturing agent chosen so as to greatly reduce the thermal convection and whose viscosity is decreased reversibly under shearing. The material formed has a gelled consistency when at rest, and fluidized under shearing. The PCM comprises a mixture of chemical compounds from the alkane family: paraffins, waxes, fatty alcohols, fatty acids etc., and the texturing agent is a high mass polymer (hydrocarbonate polymers, ester or ether polymers, mixed ester-hydrocarbon polymers), an ionomer polymer or a di, tri or multi-block styrene copolymer (SBS: styrene-butadiene-styrene, SEBS: styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene). n Applications: thermal insulation of vessels or lines, and more especially, for hydrocarbon transport lines. |