Pipe Support for Cryogenic Service

In cryogenic piping systems, even a small misstep in support design can lead to brittle fractures, excessive heat gain, or dangerous loading on connected equipment. At Yangzhou Tianshun, we have been engineering pipe supports for LNG liquefaction trains, ethylene storage terminals, and air separation units since 2012. We understand that a support in this service is not just a piece of steel — it’s a carefully calculated assembly that must handle cold shrinkage, maintain insulation integrity, and stay structurally sound for decades.

Material Selection That Puts Safety First

All our Pipe Support for Cryogenic Service are fabricated from materials that retain toughness at the lowest operating temperatures. For the metallic load path, we typically use ASTM A320 L7 bolting, 304L or 316L stainless steel for clamp bodies, and low-temperature carbon steel (A350 LF2) where design conditions permit. Every heat of material is impact-tested at the design minimum temperature — Charpy V-notch values are provided as standard in your documentation package, not just upon request.

Engineered for Cold Shrinkage and Load Variation

When a 30-meter LNG pipe cools from ambient to -162°C, it can contract by over 50 mm. Our support assemblies are configured to allow this movement without inducing secondary stresses. We offer:

Cryogenic slide plates with PTFE or graphite-impregnated pad surfaces, bonded to a load-bearing insulation block that prevents cold transfer to the supporting steel.

Pre-set cold shoes that compensate for thermal contraction, eliminating the guesswork during installation.

Constant spring supports tuned to maintain near-zero load variation throughout the full cold movement range, preventing nozzle overloads on cryogenic pumps and compressors.

Insulation Integration That Prevents Ice and Condensation

A cracked vapor barrier or a cold spot on a support can lead to ice formation, CUI (corrosion under insulation), and energy loss. Our supports are designed to integrate with both PIR (polyisocyanurate) and cellular glass insulation systems. The load-bearing insulation section is fully encapsulated between the pipe shoe and the structural support, with a continuous vapor barrier path. We can also pre-cut the secondary insulation to match your pipework contractor's thickness and jacketing details.

Testing and Documentation for Full Traceability

We carry out in-house load testing at ambient and simulated cold conditions for critical assemblies. A standard cryogenic support order from Tianshun includes:

EN 10204 Type 3.1 material certificates with low-temperature impact records.

Dimensional verification reports for insulation thickness and shoe offset.

Weld procedure qualification records (WPAR) when any welding is involved.

Optional third-party witness testing by TÜV, BV, or SGS.

Applications

LNG receiving terminals and peak shaving plants

Ethylene, propylene, and liquid ammonia storage and handling

Industrial gas facilities (LOX, LIN, LAR)

Cryogenic pipeline galleries and tank secondary containment areas

Cold boxes in air separation and hydrocarbon processing

Our cryogenic supports are in service today across projects in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North America, operating reliably under some of the most demanding thermal conditions.

Why Tianshun?

We are a specialist manufacturer, not a general distributor. Our engineering team can take your piping stress isometrics, identify every cold support location, and propose an optimized assembly that reduces both material cost and installation time without compromising insulation performance. Over 70% of our business comes from repeat orders — a direct result of delivering predictable quality in every shipment.

FAQ

Q: What is the lowest temperature your cryogenic supports can handle?

A: Down to -196°C (liquid nitrogen temperature). For liquid helium service, contact our engineering team.

Q: Can you match our existing pipe shoe and insulation detail?

A: Yes. We regularly produce to client-specific drawings, including non-standard shoe heights, clamping styles, and insulation thicknesses.

Q: Do you provide the insulation material as part of the support?

A: Yes, we supply the load-bearing insulation (PIR, foam glass, or wood) fully bonded to the pipe shoe. The surrounding secondary insulation and cladding are typically site-applied, but we can provide pre-fabricated insulation kits.

Q: How do you prevent cracking of the insulation under cyclic cold loads?

A: The load-bearing block is designed with a compressive strength well above the maximum calculated bearing pressure. We also stagger joints in multi-layer insulation and use flexible adhesive systems that accommodate differential movement.

Q: What standards do your cryogenic supports comply with?

A: Our designs follow MSS SP-58, ASME B31.3 Chapter VI (for LNG), EN 13480, and the latest GIIGNL guidelines. CE marking under PED can be provided where applicable.

Q: Can you handle short delivery times for emergency spares?

A: Yes. We keep a stock of common cryogenic slide plates and bolt kits. For fully fabricated assemblies, express manufacturing in 7-10 days is possible.