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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is mechanical insulation?
2. I have a question about insulation in my home...
3. I have a question about a specific insulation product (non-residential).
4. How do you choose the right insulation for the
job?
5. What is an Insulation Energy Appraisal?
6. Where can I get information on specification requirements?
7. What is meant by K-Factor, R-Value, and C-Factor?
8. What is the difference between Mean Temperature
and Ambient Temperature?
9. How do I find Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)?
10. What are the insulation selection criteria for
high temperature systems?
11. What kind of things should you consider when insulating
cold process systems?
12. How does insulation help control
condensation?
13. How and why is insulation used to control sound?
14. What are firestops?
15. What is the difference between HSPP and CHSPP?
16. How do you determine which is the right protective
covering and finish?
1. What is mechanical insulation?
Mechanical insulation is used to cover pipes, ducts, tanks, and equipment in commercial or industrial environments and is typically relied upon to control temperature for a much broader range of temperature variances that that of a typical home. Home or residential insulation is typically found in the exterior walls and attics and is used to keep the home environment a consistent, comfortable living temperature. The temperature differential in a home insulation environment is in most cases far less than that of a typical commercial or industrial application. As an example, a typical home application may be to maintain an interior air temperature of 76°F against an exterior temperature of 10°F in the winter and 100°F in the summer. Thus the temperature differential could range between 24°F to 66°F. In many commercial and industrial applications, temperature differentials range from 20°F to 600°F or more.
Mechanical insulation is primarily used to limit heat gain or loss from surfaces operating at temperatures above or below ambient temperature. The opportunities to limit that gain or loss are far greater in the commercial and industrial sectors versus the residential sector.
2. I have a question about insulation in my home...
The National Insulation Association represents
the mechanical and industrial insulation industry and does not deal with
residential insulation needs. Please visit our residential insulation associations page and contact one of the organizations listed there.
3. I have a question about a specific insulation product (non-residential).
As a matter of policy, the National Insulation Association is unable to recommend one product over another. However, technical references for insulation products are available in our searchable MTL Product Catalog. For questions, please contact the manufacturers directly. Search the membership directory to find contact information for these companies.
4. How do you choose the right insulation
for the job?
Finding the 'right' insulation begins with asking some basic questions
such as:
1. What is the operating or line temperature of
the system your customer needs to insulate?
In general, systems needing insulation can be divided into three temperature
ranges:
Low Temperature Range (-100°F to 60°F) Refrigeration,
cold/chilled water and commercial heating and cooling systems.
Medium Temperature Range (61°F to 600°F) Hot
water and steam, power/process piping, ovens and stacks.
High Temperature Range (601°F to 1500°F) Power
generation, turbines, kilns, smelters, exhaust systems and power
piping.
2. Is the system outdoors or indoors - or a combination of
both?
This will help you determine whether or not the system and the insulation
needs protection from weather, corrosive atmospheres, water or chemical
washdowns, abuse or other conditions.
3. Is the ambient temperature constant...or will it fluctuate?
The answer to this question will guide you in the selection of the
appropriate thickness to protect against condensation, heat loss
or gain or other temperature control problems.
5. What is an Insulation Energy Appraisal?
An insulation energy appraisal puts actual dollar savings to Btu
losses and calculates greenhouse gas emissions such as CO2, NOx and
CE (Carbon Equivalent). An appraisal is based on data supplied by
a plant/energy manager and gathered during a facility walk-through.
This data is fed to a computer which calculates the energy used and
the savings on any operating period or annual basis. This data is
invaluable for companies that want to make sound decisions about a
technology that offers tremendous payback over the life of their facilities.
NIA has developed a comprehensive program to train certified appraisers
who will have the required expertise to conduct an insulation energy
appraisal and make specific recommendations to plant management.
6. Where can I get information on specification requirements?
Understanding specifications is an important part of the job. NIA
provides members with a guide booklet entitled: Guide to Insulation
Product Specifications.
Important testing, codes and standards setting organizations critical
to ensuring the performance of insulation procedures and systems include:
Some of the performance specifications that you will need to become
familiar with on the job include water vapor transmission, compressive
strength, and fire hazard classifications. Example: You'll find that a 25/50 rating
for fire hazard classification is required for some codes. The 25 represents
the flame spread index and 50 represents smoke when compared to cement
as "0" and red oak as "100".
ALWAYS check the manufacturers' specification sheets for
specification compliance information and local code.
7. What is meant by K-Factor, R-Value,
and C-Factor?
K-Factor (Thermal Conductivity Factor) -
The measure of heat in Btus that pass through one square foot of a homogeneous substance, 1 inch thick, in an hour, for each degree F temperature difference. The lower the K-value, the higher the insulating value. Textbook definition: The time rate of steady heat flow through a unit area of a homogeneous material induced by a unit temperature gradient in a direction perpendicular to that unit area.
Insulation materials usually have K-Factors less than one and
are reported at what is called Mean Temperature. To determine the
mean temperature, measure the surface temperatures on both sides
of the insulation, add them together and divide by two.
When comparing the insulating value of different types of insulations,
it's important to look at K-Factor and the mean temperature. As
mean temperatures rise, so does the K-Factor.
C-Factor (Thermal Conductance Factor) - C-Factor
is the number of Btus which will pass through 1 square foot of material
with 1°F temperature difference for a specified thickness. The C-Factor
is the K-Factor divided by the thickness of the insulation. The formula
is the reciprocal of the R-Factor formula. The lower the C, the better
the insulator.
R-Value (Thermal Resistance Value) - The National
Commercial & Industrial Insulation Standards Manual defines R-Value
as a measure of the ability to retard heat flow rather than to transmit
heat. "R" is the numerical reciprocal of C, thus R=1/C. Thermal resistance
designates thermal resistance values: R-11 equals 11 resistance units.
The higher the "R", the higher (better) the insulating value.
8. What is the difference between Mean
Temperature and Ambient Temperature?
Temperature is a property unto itself. It is not a measurement of
the amount of heat present. For example, if you pour two cups of coffee,
one to the brim, and the other only halfway, the temperature will
be the same in both cups, but the partially filled cup will only contain
half the heat (Btus) of the full one.
Mean Temperature is the average of the sum of a hot surface
temperature and a cold surface temperature. Insulation conductivity
(K-Factor) is tested at a number of mean temperatures to develop conductivity
curves that simulate actual service conditions under which insulation
systems are used. All conductivity figures (K,C,R) must be qualified
by a mean temperature.
Ambient Temperature is the average temperature of the medium,
usually air, surrounding the object under consideration.
9. How do I find Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)?
Contact the manufacturer directly for Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Search our company listings or the MTL Product Catalog to find a direct link to the manufacturer you would like to contact.
10. What are the insulation selection
criteria for high temperature systems?
Examples of super hot systems include high pressure steam lines,
process lines, exhaust systems, or any systems that operate at temperatures
from 601°F to 1500°F. Reducing heat loss and protecting personnel
is the primary reason for installing insulation in hot environments.
There are insulations specially designed for high temperature systems
- and selecting the right one should be based on the unique requirements
of the system you are insulating. Be sure to examine the insulation
thermal values and other performance values carefully. In addition,
you may want to ask the following questions before providing an insulation
recommendation:
- What is the process?
- What are the process temperatures?
- What's in the process and in the exterior environment?
- Is the piping located around people?
- Is fire an issue?
11. What kind of things should you consider
when insulating cold process systems?
Low temperature systems such as those needed for refrigeration or
chilled water range from -100°F to 31°F. Supermarkets and food processing
are typical of these system environments. Cold water systems such as
those used for water supply to HVAC systems generally range from 32°F
to 60°F.
Cold water systems require special attention because one must design
for protection against condensation and consider the affect of moisture
or water vapor transmission (WVT) on the insulation system.
WVT tells you how much water will be transmitted through an insulation
system under certain conditions. Different insulation systems, vapor
retarders and installation methods will affect the WVT of the system.
Condensation control and process control are two major reasons for
insulating low temperature systems. When equipment or piping operates
at temperatures lower than the ambient air, moisture in the air will
condense or freeze on, or within, the insulation surface - or on the
cold pipe surface. Unless the system is protected by sufficient thickness
and by adequate vapor retarders, the insulation may become wet, causing
corrosion, and causing it to become ineffective.
12. How does insulation help control condensation?
When piping and equipment operate at temperatures lower than the
ambient air, moisture in the air will condense, or freeze, on or within
the insulation surface - or on the cold pipe surface. Unless the system
is protected by sufficient thickness and by adequate vapor retarders,
the insulation can become wet, causing corrosion, and causing it to
become ineffective.
Specifying sufficient insulation thickness with an effective vapor
retarder system is the most effective means of providing a system
for controlling condensation on the membrane surface and within the
insulation system on cold piping, ducts, chillers and roof drains.
Sufficient insulation thickness is needed to keep the surface temperature
of the membrane above the highest possible design dewpoint temperature
of the ambient air so condensation does not form on the surface.
The effective vapor retarder system is needed to restrict moisture
migration into the system through the facing, joints, seams, penetrations,
hangers, and supports. By controlling condensation, the system designer
may control the potential for:
- Degrading system service life and performance.
- Mold growth and the potential for health problems resulting from
water condensate.
- Corrosion of pipes, valves and fittings caused by water collected
and contained within insulation system.
13. How and why is insulation used to
control sound?
Sound attenuation, or the limiting of sound propagation from one
area to another, requires the application of special and standard
insulation materials to encase or enclose the noise generating source,
forming a sound barrier between the source and the surrounding area.
The purposes of applying sound attenuation materials are to:
- Reduce obnoxious noise levels emitting from machines, equipment,
pipe lines or enclosures.
- Reduce general noise level in plant areas.
- Provide for better work conditions.
- Comply with noise level standards of OSHA and EPA.
14. What are firestops?
Firestops are products specifically designed to stop smoke, toxic
fumes, super-heated gases, and fire from migrating from one room to
another, or from one floor to another. Firestops are used to restore
the entire structure, via each individually penetrated partition,
to its original fire-rated integrity.
Firestops are available in a range of products to accommodate the
multitude of different types of penetrating items passing through
the different size openings.
All firestopping should be done in strict accordance with local
building codes and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines. Material
should be installed according to manufacturers specifications by qualified
craftsmen.
15. What is the difference between HSPP
and CHSPP?
NAIMA's Health and Safety Partnership Program (HSPP) is a voluntary
worker safety program developed by the insulation industry to maximize
protection for workers who use synthetic vitreous fiber (SVF) products.
The Program commits fiber glass insulation manufacturers to use product
design, engineering controls, work practices, respiratory protection, or a combination of any or all of these measures to bring fiber
exposure to the voluntary 1 f/cc PEL.
NIA reviewed the NAIMA Program and determined that it was too broad
and restrictive for NIA's contractor members. The NIA Health and Safety
Committee, in conjunction with the NIA Board of Directors, drafted
its own Health and Safety Partnership Program for contractors, which
it designed specifically for members of NIA. The NIA program is titled
"Contractor Health & Safety Partnership Program" (CHSPP). More advisory
than it is mandatory, CHSPP commits NIA to advising its members of
the educational materials which will be produced by the members of
NAIMA and to urging NIA members to use those materials. (For more
information, see OUTLOOK, October 1999)
16. How do you determine which is the
right protective covering and finish?
The efficiency and service of insulation is directly dependent upon
its protection from moisture entry and mechanical and chemical damage.
Choices of jacketing and finish materials are based upon the mechanical,
chemical, thermal and moisture conditions of the installation, as
well as cost and appearance requirements. Protective coverings are
divided into six functional types:
- Weather Barriers
- Vapor Retarders
- Mechanical Abuse Coverings
- Corrosion and Fire Resistant Coverings
- Appearance Coverings and Finishes
- Hygienic Coverings
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