Characteristics of basalt insulation
Basalt is a heavy volcanic rock, which includes about 42% silicon oxide, that is, the ancestor of glass, which is why it is so difficult for a layman to distinguish materials by name - they are all called mineral wool. Mineral, because it is made from a mineral substance, and cotton wool, because it has a porous light structure due to randomly arranged fibers.
Despite the similarity of various materials, which are called mineral wool, they can have completely different structure and purpose. The highest quality material is considered to be the one that has a balanced amount of acidic elements in the composition. This makes stone wool waterproof and therefore durable.
The second important element of basalt insulation is a binder for fibers. It can be:
- synthetic origin;
- bituminous;
- multicomponent;
- bentonite.
Thermal conductivity
Density, thermal conductivity, combustibility of basalt insulation
The thermal conductivity index of stone wool is very low, therefore, in the winter season, cold does not pass through it, and in summer the material does not let heat into the room. Such regulation occurs due to the porous-fibrous structure in which air masses are retained. While gas exchange is taking place, they have time to heat up or cool down.
Depending on the density with which the fibers are pressed into boards, the degree of thermal conductivity may change up or down. It also affects the position of the fibers - how they are located horizontally and vertically. The more intersections, the less mineral wool conducts air masses - hot or cold.
Ability to absorb moisture
In its normal state, basalt thermal insulation contains no more than 1% moisture. Even when completely immersed in water, it does not absorb more than 3% of the liquid, remaining almost dry. Thanks to new technologies for impregnating fibers, it is possible to obtain hydrophobic cotton wool. For this, oils or organic silicon compounds are used. Due to the dryness inside, fungus and other microorganisms do not start.
If we compare basalt wool and slag wool, the moisture capacity of these two materials will be different. Where there is high humidity, slag wool should not be used. Moreover, it is impossible to wrap iron structures with it, as they will quickly become covered with a layer of rust due to the hygroscopicity of slag wool.
Cotton wool from diabase or dolomite can compete with basalt in terms of resistance to moisture. These materials are as “dry” as basalt. Glass wool tends to accumulate moisture, so it is used only for interior work.
Vapor permeability
Air circulates inside the stone insulation, so water molecules do not linger in the room. The pores between the fibers are open and do not prevent moisture from evaporating.
fire resistance
In nature, basalt rocks melt at temperatures above 1000 degrees. It is impossible to achieve such a value in domestic conditions, therefore, in the worst case, the material will sinter and lose its shape, but this requires a very strong fire using chemical fuel.
Density
The density of basalt wool depends on the amount of fibers that were used in production. Different brands produce materials that, by their density, are intended for certain works - internal, external, for pouring into concrete. The higher the density, the more loads the basalt wool can withstand. For example, not every brand can be laid under a concrete floor, as it will lose its shape under the weight of the cement mortar.
The most dense material is produced in plates. Basalt slabs for insulation of external walls and floors are very hard and can withstand high compressive loads.
Soundproofing
Basalt insulation is often used as a soundproofing material. Randomly arranged fibers create a barrier to sound waves. There are separate brands that are designed exclusively for soundproofing rooms.
Where is mineral wool used?
In general, mineral wool is an ideal insulation that is used for thermal insulation of pipelines of heating mains, water pipes, industrial boilers at thermal power plants.
In recent decades, mineral wool has been increasingly used to insulate walls in housing construction. With the correct implementation of all work on heat and vapor barrier, mineral wool insulation will retain heat for as long as the walls stand. The manufacturer calls the service life of mineral wool insulation - 50 years. But in fact, with proper installation work, it will last much longer.
What factors destroy mineral wool
At industrial facilities, even during a major overhaul, cotton wool cannot be replaced, because the material itself as a whole does not deteriorate, does not collapse or decompose. Breakdowns can occur when steam under pressure forms a hole in the pipe (fistula) and, breaking out, sweeps away the insulation. During the insulation work, the old insulation is not removed.
Mineral wool insulation is able to withstand a new operational period until the next overhaul, so it is reused. New material is superimposed where, for various reasons, it has become smaller. Only those sections of the insulating layer are subject to replacement, which, once open, are clogged with dust, dirt and stone. Thus, the first enemy of mineral wool is dust and dirt.
The next enemy of this porous and breathable insulation is moisture in the absence of air. If water or condensate enters the thermal insulation layer, but does not have an exit, it violates the thermal insulation properties. Vata ceases to breathe and retain heat. Therefore, when installing thermal insulation, technological holes are provided through which air enters the thermal insulation layer and moisture is removed.
Mineral wool absorbs moisture well
Some manufacturers impregnate mineral wool with water-repellent substances, and this material is suitable for thermal insulation of the roof, exterior walls of the house.
Mechanical impact
From the above, the conclusion also suggests itself that the service life of mineral wool reduces the mechanical impact from the outside. This
- fistulas on pipelines;
- wind capable of sweeping loose casings on above-ground pipes;
- workers fixing pipe leaks;
- rodents living underground and in houses.
Industrial thermal insulation is mainly subject to mechanical destruction.
rodents
Whatever the manufacturer says, practice shows that rodents make nests in almost all types of insulation. They are not even afraid of prickly and annoying glass wool. They gnaw through passages, arrange nests, thereby destroying the insulating layer.
Thus, in order to extend the service life of the heat-insulating layer, it is necessary first of all to comply with all the requirements for thermal and steam insulation at the stage of installation work, to eliminate factors that destroy thermal insulation.
Posted by Sasha Sasha , 12 Nov. 2016
Technical characteristics of plates
The production technology and the materials used for the manufacture of the product ensured the high performance of Izorok thermal insulation:
- Thermal conductivity. The presence of air pores in the plates allows you to retain heat in the walls of the building. The thermal conductivity coefficient of Izorok thermal insulation at room temperature does not exceed 0.042 W/(m·K).
- Resistance to mechanical impact. The heat-insulating plate is sufficiently strong to break: the product withstands the necessary mechanical stresses - the tear strength of the layers is from 5 to 15 kPa. In this case, the compressibility of the material varies from 5 to 25%.
- Soundproofing.Depending on the type of thermal insulation, the density of the board is 30…170 kg/m3, due to which sound waves are well absorbed by this insulating material.
- Water absorption. Hydrophobic additives prevent the ingress of moisture into the heat-insulating fabric (water absorption of the material is less than 1%). The water resistance of the boards allows them to be installed using water-based mortars.
- Fire resistance. Non-combustible components of which the thermal insulation is made can withstand temperatures above 800 degrees Celsius without ignition.
The main technical characteristics of modifications of Isoroc thermal insulation boards are given in the tables below. The first table gives the properties of thermal insulation with a density of 33 to 90 kg/m3.
| Characteristic | Ultralight | Isolight-L | Isolight | Isolight-Lux | Isovent-SL | Isovent-L | Isovent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density, kg/m3 | 33 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 75 | 80 | 90 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient at 10°С, W/(m K) | 0,033 | 0,036 | 0,034 | 0,033 | 0,033 | 0,034 | 0,034 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient at 20°C, W/(m K) | 0,036 | 0,038 | 0,036 | 0,035 | 0,036 | 0,036 | 0,036 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient under operating conditions A, W/(m K) | — | 0,04 | 0,038 | 0,038 | 0,038 | 0,038 | 0,039 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient under operating conditions B, W/(m K) | — | 0,042 | 0,04 | 0,04 | 0,039 | 0,04 | 0,041 |
| Water absorption during short-term and partial immersion, kg/m2 | |||||||
| Content of organic substances, by weight, % | |||||||
| Compressibility, % | — | — | — | ||||
| Humidity by weight, % | — | — | — | — |
The second table shows the characteristics of heavier boards - with a density of 105 to 175 kg / m3.
| Characteristic | Isocor | Isoflor | Isoruf-NL | Isoruf-N | Izokor-K | Isoruf | Isoruf-V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density, kg/m3 | 105 | 110 | 115 | 130 | 140 | 150 | 175 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient at 10°С, W/(m K) | 0,04 | 0,034 | 0,034 | 0,035 | 0,04 | 0,036 | 0,037 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient at 20°C, W/(m K) | 0,042 | 0,038 | 0,038 | 0,039 | 0,042 | 0,039 | 0,041 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient under operating conditions A, W/(m K) | — | 0,04 | 0,04 | 0,041 | — | 0,042 | 0,043 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient under operating conditions B, W/(m K) | — | 0,042 | 0,042 | 0,043 | — | 0,044 | 0,046 |
| Water absorption during short-term and partial immersion, kg/m2 | |||||||
| Content of organic substances, by weight, % | |||||||
| Compressibility, % | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Humidity by weight, % | — | — |
The high technical characteristics of the Izorok heat-insulating boards make it possible to use this material both for the insulation of residential buildings and for the arrangement of industrial and municipal facilities.
- Site https://stroiteltd.ru.
- Specifications TU 5762-005-53792401-2010.
- Specifications TU 5762-006-53792403-2016.
Differences of modifications
Izorok thermal insulation has various modifications: Isovent, Isofas, Isolight, Isoruf, Isoflor, Izokor and others. Each type of heat-insulating material is intended and recommended to be used to insulate a specific structural element. So, for interfloor ceilings and floor insulation, Isoflor slabs are used, since they have a high density and good strength characteristics.
And for the insulation of external walls, it is recommended to use the heat-insulating coating Izofas; for thermal insulation of the roof of a house or other building, the manufacturer recommends using Isoruf slabs.
Thus, having familiarized with the various modifications of Izorok insulation boards, the consumer will be able to choose the required type of thermal insulation.
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Intensive construction in the last 15-20 years required the mass production of modern heat and sound insulation materials. And although the production of fibrous materials was started more than half a century ago, their mass use in our country falls on the last two decades. The impetus was the intensive suburban low-rise construction. This is where these materials are most widely used.
The increased popularity of materials such as basalt wool is also due to the fact that their quality characteristics have changed significantly. In particular, basalt wool has become an environmentally friendly product. If earlier during production it was literally impregnated with phenolic resins, now their share does not exceed 5%.Moreover, the production technology ensures complete neutralization of phenol. In international classifiers, basalt wool is one of the most environmentally friendly heaters.
In addition to environmental friendliness, basalt wool has other important qualities:
Fire safety. It withstands temperatures up to 700 degrees without loss of insulating properties. This effectively protects structures from destruction during a fire and gives additional time for evacuation of people.
Low thermal conductivity. This indicator ranges from 0.02 - 0.04, which makes basalt wool in demand in many industries.
Low hydrophobicity. The ability to repel water greatly increases the life of basalt wool, but do not forget that it is an open-pored product. Therefore, it must be additionally protected from moisture.
Compressibility. Characterizes the ability to resist deformation and slipping. Basalt wool is available in various densities. The greater the density, the lower the compressibility, therefore, the greater the load the material can take.
Chemical resistance. It is not affected by alkalis and acids, and also does not affect building structures, does not rot, is not affected by fungus and rodents.
The service life of basalt wool is the main indicator of the high quality of the product, insulation from high-quality basalt wool does not deform over time, does not collapse and retains its insulating properties. It should be noted that there are no officially recognized methods for determining the durability of such materials. The only criterion is time. Today we can say with certainty that this period reaches 50 years.
How mineral wool is made, its properties
Mineral wool is formed by melting rocks and passing them through the thinnest dies. The resulting fibers are immediately cooled at the exit from the furnace and wound on coils. Electrical insulating woven materials are produced from stone fibers, but a certain part of them (usually a reject) is cut off the coils and ends up in scutching machines, where cotton wool is produced.
Then the formed cotton wool is fed under the presses, where webs are formed, rolled into rolls (low density) and slabs (mineral wool of medium and high density).
In its essence and chemical composition, fibrous cotton wool remains the same stone (mining material), which is not afraid of dampness, mold, or any other fungi. This is a chemically neutral insulation that behaves calmly when the acid-base environment changes, does not react in any way to the appearance of, for example, rust. Mineral wool is not afraid of temperature changes, it is not prone to fire, does not conduct electricity.
