Benefits of styrofoam shell for pipe insulation

Is mineral wool harmful?

Environmentalists argue about the dangers of the product, demanding the cessation of production, use in construction.

Research results show that the danger of insulation is caused by toxicity, carcinogenicity of raw materials:

• in the first case, small fractions of cotton wool are unfavorable for human lungs;
• in the second, harm to health is caused by the release of carcinogens from formaldehyde-based resins used in the production of the material as a binder.

The State Department of Hygiene of the Russian Federation regulates the use of a heat insulator as follows:

• allows the use of mineral wool in individual, industrial, housing and civil construction;
• recommends laying insulation in closed structures;
• only open laying of basalt, glass, slag wool is prohibited.

Following the recommendations of experts, you can buy material, securing the operation of an apartment, cottage from these harmful effects, significantly saving the budget for construction and repair.

According to the classification of the international agency IARC, mineral wools belong to the third group, that is, they are not carcinogenic to humans along with tea and caffeine. For comparison: the second group (probable concentrates) includes vegetables in brine, exhaust gases, the first (dangerous for the human body) includes asbestos, tobacco, wood dust.

The main nuances of using heat insulators

Before buying rolled insulation for heat supply pipes, you need to make sure that its performance allows you to use this material in an attic or basement.

When the insulation is rigid and made in the shape of a semicircle, it can be used for pipe products of a certain diameter.

Between the wall and aluminum foil, you need to leave a distance of 25 millimeters.

The cost of a heat insulator is affected by the thickness of the reflective layer and the material from which its base is made. There is a significant difference between aluminum foil and aluminum sputtering. The latter option makes the functioning of the heat insulator less effective with little reflectivity.

It is not at all necessary to buy industrial foil pipe insulation. You can independently wrap the layer of thermal insulation laid on the pipe with foil if the pipeline is laid in the attic or basement. Such material is produced in rolls or in the form of hollow tubes.

The foil is placed face up. Between the foil layer and the pipeline, a gap of 10 -20 millimeters must be left.

Advantages and disadvantages of PPS insulation

The PPS shell for pipe insulation in domestic and industrial use has the following advantages:

• Low thermal conductivity for efficient heat retention.
• Long service life - the material can be used up to 50 years in a space isolated from sunlight, PPS does not rot and decomposes very slowly.
• Although conventional foam is not a strong and dense material, when extruded (compressed), its density increases significantly. The manufacturer produces several groups of foams with different parameters; in the manufacture of the shell, a technology is used that allows you to choose a material that is suitable for density. The insulator can be made from a popular variety - Penoplex, which has high strength characteristics.
• The shell structure is made in the form of prefabricated segments - this allows, if necessary, to easily dismantle the installed insulator and use it repeatedly.

Rice. 4 PS parameters

• Expanded polystyrene practically does not absorb water, therefore, after installation, they protect the pipeline from the negative effects of moisture.
• The material is resistant to ambient temperatures from -50 to +80 C. and is able to withstand temperature fluctuations over a wide range.
• Styrofoam is not affected by natural chemical elements contained in soil and water (salts of various metals), it resists mold and fungus well.
• The shell has a low weight and is distinguished by the simplicity and speed of the installation method - it is possible to insulate pipes with its help by one person.
• The shell is universal - it can be made to order of any size, used outside and inside the room.
• The material is harmless to humans, unlike outdated glass wool, when working with it, the use of special protective equipment is not required.
• Styrofoam is considered an excellent noise absorber - this gives it an additional advantage when used in residential areas.
• The shell has a high decorative effect, the pipes insulated with it do not violate the interior of the room in the open.
• Expanded polystyrene is slightly combustible and does not support combustion, after the disappearance of the source of fire, it spontaneously dies out within two seconds.

Rice. 5 Example of PPS well insulation

The disadvantages of the material include its following parameters:

• Styrofoam quickly decomposes under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, therefore, in the open air, its surface must be additionally protected.
• Many common household and construction chemicals degrade polystyrene, so it cannot be dyed or coated with most liquid synthetic materials.
• When burning, the foam emits poisonous smoke, which causes great harm to human health.

How to properly insulate pipes with polystyrene foam

The most difficult work on insulation is the insulation of large-diameter pipes; in your area, this procedure can be carried out independently using a foam shell. Work is carried out in the following order:

1. A trench is dug along the pipeline route at the average level of soil freezing (you can get the necessary data from the Internet using special maps for different areas, depending on the soil).
2. Sand is poured into the ditch with a layer thickness of 10 - 20 cm.
3. The condition of the pipes is checked - they must be dry, moisture under the insulation can lead to corrosion, and laying must be done in dry weather. The surface of metal pipes is treated with anti-corrosion material.

Rice. 7 Thermal insulation with shells - method of installation on pipelines

1. The assembled pipeline system is laid on the bottom of the pit in such a way that there is a gap in the lower part for the thickness of the shell.
2. The shell purchased in advance, corresponding to the diameter of the pipe, is installed in such a way that the parts of one half are tightly connected to the others. When installing, it is better to work together - one person will tightly compress the segments, and the other will fix them with tape. During installation, you can use glue, but the process will take much longer, it will be economically unprofitable, and the connection itself cannot be disassembled later.
3. Corner joints are best cut at the installation site using a conventional hacksaw for wood.
4. After the shell is installed, its surface is covered with a special protective coating, which is supplied in the kit. In its absence, the shell can be covered with a film of polyethylene.
5. After installation, the trench is covered with sand 10 - 20 cm above the level of the pipeline, then the surface is leveled with earth.

Rice. 8 An example of the use of expanded polystyrene shells for pipe insulation

Varieties of insulation

Mineral wool is produced in accordance with ISO 9229, GOST 31913 of 2007, 2011, respectively.The raw material for the heat insulator can be blast-furnace slag, molten rocks, glass.

Basalt wool is the highest quality product, however, it has a high cost due to the high cost of electricity to heat the furnaces in which the rock is melted.

During manufacture, different technological structures of the fibers of the material are set:

• spatial,
• corrugated,
• vertically or horizontally layered.

Therefore, the characteristics and properties of mineral wool differ depending on the raw materials, manufacturing technology. However, high sound and heat insulation parameters, inertness to aggressive environments, chemicals, extreme temperatures are present in all products, without exception.

Expanded polystyrene and its types

Rice. 2 Foam sheet - structure

Shells for insulation and insulation of pipes are made of polystyrene foam, which is expanded polystyrene foam with an air content of more than 90%. Cylindrical segments of insulation pipes are cut from foam sheets of various thicknesses and grades.

Depending on the manufacturing technology, three types of foam plastics (PPS) are distinguished: non-pressed (PSB), pressed (PS) and extruded (EPS).

PSB is produced by foaming a polystyrene foam suspension at high temperatures, it has an industrial marking, which includes, in addition to the letter designation, a digital indication of its density and the symbol C - self-extinguishing. It is a common cheap material widely used in construction. for outdoor insulation surfaces of buildings and interiors for various purposes.

PS is made after mixing and pressing polystyrene and blowing agent, after which the pressed blanks are foamed in an environment of water vapor. Well-known brands - PS-1 and PS-4 have a higher density and better physical characteristics than conventional PSB.

XPS - extruded polystyrene foam is produced by adding catalyst gases to the polystyrene, leading to its foaming, after which the material is squeezed out of a special installation (extruder). In the construction industry, extruded polystyrene foam under the Penoplex trademark is widely used, which has the highest strength characteristics of all types of foam plastics.

Rice. 3 Technical characteristics of expanded polystyrene PSB

The need to insulate heating pipes

Due to the high cost of energy carriers, thermal energy must be used rationally, which means that only rooms that need it should be heated. If uninsulated pipes pass through a non-residential area, such as an attic or basement, then the heat is not being used for its intended purpose. This circumstance leads to a decrease in the performance of the heating system and an increase in the cost of purchasing fuel.

Insulation of the outer section of the heating main leads to a decrease in the likelihood of the coolant freezing in the event of a sharp drop in temperature outside. True, freezing of the heat supply structure is unlikely, but traffic jams may appear.

For this reason, the insulation of the pipeline laid outside the building is a prerequisite for the operation of both internal and external sections of the heating system. Properly selected insulation thickness can protect the elements of the heating system from various kinds of damage, serious breakdowns and corrosive processes.

Advantages of a heat insulator

Specifications of mineral wool glass are as follows:

• structure - the thickness of the fibers is within 17 microns, the length is twice as long as that of stone counterparts;
• heat resistance - maximum 450˚С;
• thermal conductivity - 0.052 - 0.03 units;
• vapor permeability - 0.55 units;
• density - 12 - 18 kg / m3;
• sound absorption - 0.7 units.

Slag wool practically does not differ in properties from its glass counterpart, however, it is already sintered at +250˚С.Stone wool has improved characteristics compared to previous modifications.

For instance:

• BSTV basalt heat insulator has the highest vibration resistance - loss of 0.35% of the fibers during a three-hour vibration;
• for BTV models, it is slightly lower - 2% under the same conditions;
• slag wool, glass wool - materials lose 90% of the mass in the first half hour of vibration loads on the insulation material

The characteristics of URSA mineral wool are slightly improved compared to other analogues of glass wool, which the material is. There are three modifications of the material in the manufacturer's line:

• Geo - the raw material is dolomite, soda, quartz sand, modifiers;
• Pure One - CFC-free, not prickly when working with it, anti-static;
• Terra is a novelty of professional quality with improved moisture resistance, it is not afraid of contact with open fire.

Manufacturer Knauf produces a line of professional materials Insulation, two modifications for individual developers Heat Knauf.

Characteristics of Knauf mineral wool of the second category are as follows:

• format - plates with dimensions of 1.2 x 0.6 m, rolls of 6.15 x 1.2 m in size, 50 mm thick (Cottage modification) or twice as thick (CottagePlus model);
• fire safety - category NG;
• sound insulation - index 45 units;
• thermal conductivity - 0.037 units.

In addition, the manufacturer's line includes household heaters Dom, Dom+, Dacha, industrial Thermoplates, Thermorolls. The main difference between professional heaters is a higher thermal conductivity - 0.32 - 0.37 units, increased cost of materials.

Izover glass wool has a vapor permeability index of 0.55 units, which is rarely used in practice. From the inside, it is covered with vapor barrier membranes that protect against swelling.

More useful when choosing a material are thermal conductivity (0.36 units), fire resistance (category G1 or NG), density (16 kg / m3). The heat insulator is easily placed in the frames of structures without gaps between plates, rolls, preventing the occurrence of cold bridges and displacement of the thermal contour of the building.

Rockwool basalt wool is superior to glass counterparts in terms of practicality:

• five times longer resource due to vibration resistance;
• the possibility of insulating hot structures (fireplaces, stoves, heating mains);
• a wide range of products (cylinders, plates, mats, foil versions, models with an aluminum backing, based on kraft paper).

The manufacturer's line includes rolled material stitched with wire with one or two-sided aluminum foil coating for the nuclear and petrochemical industries.

Thermal insulation for stoves with stone wool

Stone wool is one of the ways to carry out thermal insulation for the furnace.

According to the specified technical characteristics, thermal insulation for furnaces can withstand temperatures of 700 degrees, and with a short-term increase, it may not melt even at 900 degrees.

The main advantages of mineral wool slabs are that they do not shrink after their installation, and most importantly, they are completely protected from possible exposure to moisture. Also, mineral plates are not sensitive to the effects of alkalis and acids; in general, this material has excellent performance characteristics.

It should be noted that the use of mineral wool for thermal insulation not only increases the resistance of equipment to high temperatures, but also significantly reduces heat loss during the operation of the furnace, which means that the amount of fuel consumed can be significantly reduced.

Varieties of PPU shells

For the production of shells, liquid freon-free polyurethane foams are used, which acquire rigidity and strength after polymerization. The main difference between the types of shells lies in the material of manufacture of their shells, the main types of manufactured PPU shells are:

1. Without cover.Budget option, suitable for outdoor installation underground and on the surface, indoors without penetration of ultraviolet radiation. Uncoated shells are often used to insulate outdoor heating pipelines by placing them in casings made of galvanized steel sheet. If the shell cannot be hidden from sunlight, it is painted or covered with a dense material that does not transmit ultraviolet light.
2. With parchment. Kraft paper or glassine, in addition to protecting the surface layer from ultraviolet radiation, gives the shell an aesthetic appearance and prevents the absorption of the upper layer of mud deposits, the reproduction of colonies of bacteria and microorganisms in the pores. The paper-coated pipeline gives the surface additional rigidity, it is easier to clean and clean the outer walls from dirt.
3. With galvanized metal insulation. Many manufacturers sell their products complete with casings made of tin coated with zinc anti-corrosion spraying. Casings are usually produced the size of the outer diameter of the shells with a longitudinal locking connection; to protect against vandals on unprotected surface pipelines, steel cylinders are often interconnected using screws screwed in with a screwdriver. Additional galvanized polyurethane foam insulation is used on open pipelines of large diameter in external highways of a city or district scale.

Rice. 7 shell polyurethane foam without shell, in kraft paper, foil-pergamine and armofol

Fiberglass.

The main advantage of fiberglass in comparison with galvanized steel protection is the high speed of pipe shelling. If the thermal insulation is damaged, it is much easier to cut out the defective area and glue a new one in its place than to dismantle and replace the metal casing. Insulation for pipes shell in a fiberglass shell is better than other types for underground channel and channelless laying on the shell of pipelines.

b). Foilopergamin. A large amount of heat loss in any type of pipeline is associated with infrared (IR) radiation; foil is used to reflect it in many heat insulators.

A thin foil layer of foil-pergamine on the shell of the PPU shell protects it from ultraviolet radiation, slightly increases strength, gives the product an aesthetic appearance, makes the surface smooth and dense, and reflects thermal infrared radiation.

The shell with foil-pergamine coating is used for internal and underground channel laying of long pipelines, where it is not subjected to mechanical stress. Due to the reflection of infrared radiation on large volumes of long pipelines, its use allows you to get a tangible economic effect.

v). Armofol. Reinforced aluminum foil coating is used to reduce heat losses in pipes, protect them from precipitation, mechanical damage and reflect infrared radiation. The foil shell can be used for outdoor and indoor laying on long pipelines, where the reflection of infrared radiation will save significant financial resources on heating the coolant.

Rice. 8 PPU shells in fiberglass and shells made of sheet steel

Scope of PPS shell

The scope of polystyrene foam (EPS) insulation affects all sectors of industrial and municipal services, the technique is the most promising and can be used for insulation in the following cases:

• When insulating and protecting from the effects of negative temperatures of main pipelines passing underground and on its surface.
• For protection and thermal insulation of water, heating and sewer pipes in municipal and private households.
• When insulating air ducts of ventilation and air conditioning systems.
• To protect pipes supplying cold water from freezing when organizing individual water supply in country houses.
• When warming wells and casing well pipes.

Selection of materials

There is a wide range of insulating materials for heat supply lines on sale. To make the right purchase, it is necessary to take into account the features of the room, its parameters and the technical conditions for operating the heating system.

The main factors influencing the choice of insulation:

• the location of the pipeline to be isolated;
• temperature of the coolant moving through the pipes;
• characteristics of the heating main;
• basic properties of materials intended for pipeline insulation.

When choosing, first of all, the following performance characteristics of heaters are taken into account:

• heat resistance;
• thermal conductivity;
• fire safety;
• moisture resistance;
• thickness;
• resistance to decay and exposure to microorganisms;
• installation cost.

When purchasing materials for pipe insulation, you need to remember that the lower their thermal conductivity, the higher the thermal insulation performance. The degree of moisture resistance is reflected in the quality of protection of metal pipelines from corrosive processes and the formation of condensate.

The fire resistance of heat insulators must comply with fire safety requirements for heated rooms. To calculate the thickness of the material used, special formulas are used.

The use of foil thermal insulation for pipes

According to experts, the easiest way to insulate pipelines in the basement is the use of mineral wool, which is covered with a layer of foil, while the thickness of the wool reaches 50 millimeters, and the reflective layer is 10-30 microns.

Before proceeding with the insulation of pipes in the attic or basement, you need to study the operating conditions of the materials. For example, foil with foamed polyethylene is brittle and subject to deformation under external influences. Strength indicators can be improved if thermal insulation with pipe foil and foam is preferred.

In turn, basalt insulation has many characteristics in common with mineral wool, but it is heavier because it has a higher density.

It is convenient to install self-adhesive insulation. If the foil is damaged, use aluminum tape. Mylar film with foil and polyethylene foam do not reflect infrared radiation, so such material must have a significant thickness of the foil layer.

Independent installation of thermal insulation

Work on the insulation of heating pipes using heat-insulating polystyrene foam shell is performed as follows:

1. Halves of the material are put on the pipe and their displacement relative to each other is ensured - it is required for an overlap of 10–20 centimeters in size.
2. Semi-cylinders should be fastened in advance with adhesive tape. If you need to apply a surface protective layer, it is attached at the very end.
3. In order for the shell to more reliably adjoin the pipeline, the joints must be glued with adhesive tape.
4. When it is necessary to isolate heating pipes at the turns of the main, shaped types of shells are used.

In many ways, the choice of materials for insulating the elements of the heating system depends on the operating conditions of the heating main and its structural device. The work on thermal insulation is simple and, if desired, any home master can perform it.

So, when the stove is built and a chimney is laid for it, this does not mean at all that all the work on its construction has come to an end.

Insulation for pipes made of expanded polystyrene features of manufacture and use

The foam shell is made on special machines by cutting out a segment from foam plates using a heated string. The insulating shell produced by the industry has the following operational parameters:

• Insulation is produced in the form of a prefabricated cylinder of various lengths and thicknesses, a standard pipe shell has two or four segments, for wells their number can reach up to 8.
• Standard materials for the manufacture of the shell are PSB-S foams of various densities; for open pipelines, a material with a more durable structure is used.
• The temperature of the pipes on which the casing is installed should not exceed 80 C. With special additional gaskets, the insulation can be operated at temperatures up to 110 C.
• The standard size shell has a length of 1 meter, the minimum diameter of the inner circle is 17 mm, the maximum size of the inscribed circle is 1220 mm. wall thickness may vary.

Rice. 6 How to get a heat-insulating shell

• All halves of the shell have protrusions that provide a connection between the spike and the groove; glue or adhesive tape is additionally used to fix them. The assembled shell can always be disassembled without damage or deformation.
• For outdoor work, a polystyrene shell is used, covered with a material that protects its surface from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
• Machines with program control make it possible to manufacture sheaths of the required thickness and diameter on order, some modifications have a groove for laying a heating cable.