Page 174 - CW E-Magazine (20-5-2025)

Special Report

friendly than other insulation types. tion, which can cause it to lose its R- it is readily absorbed by the insula-
A manufacturer makes it by spinning value. On the other hand, fiberglass is tion. Furthermore, the fibrous nature
molten rock quickly while blowing known for retaining its original form of conventional insulation causes the
cool air on it. Characteristics of mineral and can last longer. moisture to spread via capillary action
wool insulation include the following: to areas beyond the point of entry in a
It is heavier and denser than fiber- Finally, cellulose is fire retardant process known as wicking. Corrosion
glass, giving it a higher R-value. like fiberglass, but it can pose other can, therefore, occur in areas where
Mineral wool can be challenging safety risks because it starts turning to the jacketing may otherwise seem
to install and often requires profes- dust over time. As a result, the chemi- unaffected.
sional assistance. cals used to make the cellulose are re-
It is more resistant to fire, mould, leased into the air and can be harmful. Additionally, when conventional in-
fungus, and moisture than some sulation becomes wet or absorbs mois-
other materials. the problem with conventional ture, its thermal insulating properties
Mineral wool can often be more insulation are drastically reduced. Because water
expensive. Storage tank insulation typically conducts heat more efficiently than air,
It is often more durable than materials consists of natural or synthetic materi- an aggressive corrosion cell is created
like fiberglass. als including organic foams, ceramic where the trapped heat accelerates the
fibre, mineral wool, expanded perlite, rate of corrosion.
Fiberglass is made by using fine calcium silicate, etc. These materials,
glass fibres from materials like soda unfortunately, form ideal conditions for Studies show that with just 20%
ash, borax, silica sand, and limestone. CUI. moisture absorption, traditional insula-
It has the following characteristics: tion can lose up to 50% of its original
It can be more flexible, making it CUI is a severe and aggressive R-value. This moisture absorption can
easier to accommodate obstrutions. form of localized corrosion that occurs also significantly reduce the service-
It is often easier to install with in various insulated metal equipment able life of the insulation material(4).
professional assistance. (usually made from carbon steel and
Fiberglass is also highly fire- low alloy steel). This form of corro- traditional vs. advanced pipe
resistant. sion occurs when water is absorbed by insulation
the insulation and allowed to penetrate Traditional steam pipe insulation is
Fiberglass and mineral wool have down to the steel substrate. Corrosion often made from fiberglass. You have to
advantages and disadvantages, making occurs as the steel reacts with oxygen use it with an all-service jacket, which
it crucial to weigh all the factors. and the moisture absorbed by the is a reinforced paper that is laminated to
insulation. Depending on the structure a layer of lightweight foil. These con-
Fiberglass vs. cellulose and the location of the insulation, CUI ventional materials offer some benefits,
Cellulose is another type of pipe can attack the jacketing, insulation such as being lightweight and low-cost.
insulation. It is made with recycled hardware or underlying piping equip- However, traditional insulation can
newspapers, cardboard, and magazines, ment. present challenges like:
will not itch during installation and Increased risk of moisture: Since
comes in several R-values. Cellulose Conventional insulation, which is you have to cut a hole in fiberglass
works as thermal insulation and has a typically wrapped around the struc- insulation, you have a greater risk
high resistance to mould and mildew. ture in question, is usually encased in a of water entering the pipe system,
Cellulose also has the benefit of being jacketing structure designed to hold and raising the risk of CUI.
fire retardant. protect the insulation material. However, Time-consuming inspections: As

these components are vulnerable to mentioned above, you will need to
Fiberglass offers improved protec- damage from several external environ- cut into the fiberglass insulation to
tion against mildew and mould com- mental sources such as wind and debris. get to the pipe and perform an in-
pared to cellulose and has an easier in- Damaged jacketing ultimately exposes spection. This process is more time-
stallation process. That said, cellulose the underlying insulation to rain and consuming than removing an insu-
has a more in-depth R-value. high moisture environments. lation jacket quickly.
Decreased performance: Aside
Cellulose may settle after installa- As water penetrates the jacket, from cutting into the fiberglass,

174 Chemical Weekly May 20, 2025

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