Insulation is more than just adding layers to heat source
Insulation is more than just adding layers to heat source
Do you have any knowledge about the materials used in your insulation blanket? GIS Insulation’s team has extensive knowledge of insulation materials. We can match your equipment with custom insulation covers or liners made from the best materials for your specific application. We offer a variety of insulation materials for customers. This will ensure that you get the right insulation solution for your equipment and facility.
Factors to Consider
It is important to choose the right material for insulation covers. Not all materials are suitable for every application. These are five factors that could impact material selection.
1. Maximum Temperature Range
The temperature range is perhaps the most important aspect of insulation materials. Insulation materials must meet or exceed your high operating temperatures. They should also account for high-temperature extremes. Insufficient insulation can lead to dangerous and costly consequences.
2. Protection against the Elements
You should assess the equipment's exposure levels to water, chemicals, and ultraviolet radiation. These environmental factors can cause insulation covers to fail. Some insulation materials may have protective elements, but others can cause stiffness or impact on ease of use. Each material has its own unique set of properties. However, some materials are more adept at extreme environments than others. One type of material might be more suitable for insulation than another depending on the equipment's exposure.
3. Safety and regulatory requirements
It is important to verify the certifications of equipment manufacturers, particularly where they are related to safety. Some industries have stricter safety standards and UL requirements than others. Some guarantees insulation covers made from high-quality materials. These companies are ISO 9001 certified. All safety and regulatory requirements are met by their engineers and technicians. Certain safety requirements, such as fire retardancy, will have an impact on which materials they use for insulation. This is based on material properties.
4. Space
You can limit the amount and type of insulation that you can add to any given system by limiting how much space is available. For tighter system configurations or controls, you will want to use thinner and more flexible materials. However, there are fewer restrictions in larger areas.
5. Touch Temperature
The maximum temperature factor describes how much heat insulation covers can handle. However, the "touch temperature factor" details the temperature at which the cover is handled. Certain insulation materials can only be used in areas that require lower temperatures, but not too hot to touch. In applications where the covers are touched all day, other insulation materials can dampen heat.
Although smaller or more restricted environments might require thinner materials and/or higher temperatures, safe contact ratings are still important to our manufacturing team. Fabric is more resistant to high temperatures than metal when you are considering the exterior temperature of your insulation material. Fabric is not as heat-conductive as metal so it must be above 203°F (95°C) before it becomes unsafe to touch.
