The current standards for thermal protection of pipelines require the use of special insulators made of thermal insulation materials. Work on the thermal insulation of pipes is a laborious procedure, the protective materials themselves do not differ in long service life. It was possible to solve this problem after insulating cylinders for mineral wool pipes appeared on the market of building products.
What are insulating cylinders
Heat-insulating cylinders are special structural elements used to insulate pipelines in heat supply systems and other highways. They have a cylindrical shape and are used as an outer shell of pipes to reduce heat losses. There are several types of cylindrical products, which are subject to the following requirements:
- low thermal conductivity;
- high level of sound insulation;
- resistance to climatic influences;
- chemical and frost resistance.
Basalt pipe cylinders are characterized by resistance to moisture and low susceptibility to harmful vapors.
Materials for pipe insulation
In the manufacture of protective cylindrical clips, put directly on the pipes, the following heat-insulating materials are used:
- mineral (basalt) wool;
- foam glass;
- expanded polyethylene (polyurethane) and similar insulators.
The most common cylinders in construction are mineral wool heat insulators coated with aluminum foil. The metallized shell of such a product reduces heat losses, while increasing the level of protection against destructive influences. Another useful property of laminated stone wool cylinders is the ability to protect pipe lines from freezing.
In addition to the options considered, polyurethane foam (PPU) shells, which are among the best examples of external heat insulators, are widely used.
The advantages of these products include:
- light weight and ease of installation;
- high rate of thermal insulation;
- durability - their service life is at least 30 years;
- mechanical strength;
- possibility of reuse and quick access to protected pipes;
- resistance to sudden changes in temperature.
In addition, protective shells have good waterproofing properties.
Cylinder characteristics
Mineral wool pipe cylinders have technical characteristics similar to those of stone wool itself. The main of these parameters are:
- Density - 150-200 kg / m³.
- The thermal conductivity of the material is 0.037-0.046 W / m * K.
- Flammability group - NG, G1 (with aluminum foil protection).
- The operating temperature range is from -190 to +700 degrees.
- Compressive strength up to 70 kPa.
- The vapor permeability of the heat insulator is 0.25 mg / m2 * h * Pa.
- Tensile strength for separation of individual layers - 15 kPa.
- Their tensile strength is 15 kPa.
- The elasticity of the insulation material is 85%.
It is most convenient to get acquainted with the features of the technical indicators of these products during a comparative analysis of the areas of application and after taking into account the specifics of the installation.
Comparative evaluation
Not all types of insulation materials from which protective products are made are capable of withstanding significant loads. Mineral wool heat insulating cylinders, for example, turned out to be the most vulnerable in this part. After an unacceptable amount of compression, they begin to absorb moisture and quickly deteriorate - they lose their protective properties.
In this case, preference is given to products made of foamed polyethylene, the compression resistance of which is somewhat higher. On the other hand, due to the fragility of the material, the elements made on its basis are more expedient to use for insulating pipes of small diameter, laid only indoors.
Styrofoam cylinders are more effective in thermal protection, and are also moisture resistant and durable. However, they are not protected from rodents and belong to substances that support combustion. In addition, they do not "hold" high temperatures and are not suitable for the protective insulation of FGP pipes.
The most versatile in use are products made of polyurethane foam, which have long operating periods and are distinguished by their incombustibility. They have a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and good sound absorption. "Shells" made on the basis of polyurethane foam are not subject to the threat of destruction by rodents.
Installation features
Regardless of which type of cylinder is chosen, the following rules for installing protective products will need to be observed:
- For reliable sealing of the joint area, special tape is required. It is used for internal thermal insulation of pipe routes.
- When laying pipes open, a special foil tape with an adhesive base is used.
- Work on thermal insulation and pouring of polyurethane foam of street pipes is carried out only in dry weather.
- Installation of protective cylinders on damp surfaces is not allowed, as this will impair the quality of thermal insulation.
Mineral wool cylinders are put on pipes or pipe sections only after careful surface preparation, which guarantees a reliable fit of the material and a higher level of protection. When insulating, metal pipes are pre-painted. For these purposes, it is recommended to use special primer (powder) coloring compositions.
Applications
According to current standards, cylindrical protection is allowed to be used:
- in private and collective housing construction;
- in heating mains of multi-storey buildings and other urban facilities;
- in piping systems installed at production sites;
- on main lines through which heat carriers and other easily freezing liquids are pumped.
Most of the samples of cylindrical protective products are suitable for insulating almost all of the designated structures. At the same time, cylinders based on mineral (basalt) wool and their analogues are especially versatile. They are allowed to insulate the following household and industrial facilities:
- open and underground heating routes;
- piping systems through which liquid is pumped, heated to very high temperatures (up to 600 ° C);
- water and sewerage lines to protect them from freezing.
Particularly popular are Rockwool cylinders lined with aluminum foil, as well as polyurethane foam shells. With their help, most of the pipe routes that are part of heating systems and individual water pipelines are insulated.
Popular manufacturers
The most famous firms and companies producing high quality heat-insulating cylinders are Rockwool, Knauf and ISOVER.Despite the relatively high declared price, Rockwool cylinders, for example, have been holding leading positions in the insulation materials market for many years. Most of the samples produced by these manufacturers have the following design features:
- they provide for special L-shaped locking mechanisms that guarantee the protection of pipelines from cold bridges;
- they are distinguished by their neat appearance, corresponding to the shape of the pipe to be insulated;
- the supplied kit includes a full range of accessories, including tees, intersections and elbows;
- the installation procedure for the cylinders is very simple and does not require high qualifications from the performer.
Taking these features into account, anyone can insulate a home pipeline with Rockwool cylinders on their own, using the instructions of the instructions attached to the kit.
Thermal insulation products from well-known manufacturers, as a rule, consist of 2 cylinder halves, which are fastened with a special binder during assembly. The latter is completely safe for the operator, since even with strong heating it does not emit chemical components (phenol and formaldehyde). Among the models offered by manufacturers, Rockwool 100 products stand out, which are in great demand among specialists and home craftsmen.
Rockwool pipe insulation is manufactured in the form of straightening cylinders with an internal diameter of 18 to 273 mm. The thickness of their walls takes the following values: 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 100 millimeters. If insulating blanks are required for pipelines of a larger diameter, the product line includes cylinders of the Rockwool ProRox brand (Holland). A construction organization in need of such samples will have to order them separately, indicating the required standard size. In the same way, the situation is resolved when the builders needed products of non-standard thickness. Such cases are especially common in the oil and gas industry.
Selected Rockwool cylinder samples are coated with aluminum foil. Products reinforced in this way usually bear the ROCKWOOL logo. Thanks to this, it is possible to determine their belonging and not to be confused with samples similar to the original. All products are supplied in dense synthetic packaging, in which several products are stacked.
