Removable Insulation Covers with Temperature Monitoring

Watch and learn about the new Thermaxx Smart Jacket, new wireless temperature sensor technology in the insulation industry. Smart Jackets have built in technology to measure energy retention. You can finally monitor temperatures and prove energy and dollar savings with real data. You also can monitor component health remotely using Smart Jackets’ alert system.

Trancription:

Today were going to learning about an exciting technology that is coming into to steam industry called removable smart jackets. These jackets consist of a removable insulation jacket for a steam trap, gate valve, PRV, PRV valve, expansion joint any component that needs inspection or maintenance; and it’s housed with a wireless sensor that actually takes a temperature rating.

So we will start out by signing into the demo portal that we’ve set up. Hit enter. I usually like to start with the actual map.

This is a D1 Southeast school that has a district steam system. You can see this is one of their vaults. We’ve got straight pipe installation on the actual piping components and removable jackets on the ball joints expansion, joints, gate valves, PRV valves and a couple steam traps. On top of those we have a sensor that actually sits on the jacket, or is hung from the side of the jacket; that its mission in life is to basically wake up, take a temperature reading, push that reading to a gateway, that’s in a building a couple hundred feet from the steam vault, and get those temperature readings live to the internet. We do this for two reasons; to one prove and verify energy savings from the jacket and the second the end user or utility directors are able to use this data to help maintain their system.

So I’m going to go into some actual data.

The first piece we use is the ambient temperature, an again that sensor falls asleep and takes a temperature reading and sends it to the gateway and does this every hour. It’s run by 2 double A batteries and its mission in life is to take that reading and sleep.

What we have here is some ambient temperature that we can drill into, we can see during the day it starts to spike up and at night time when it cools down, that vault actually cools down with it. This is great for two reasons one is that were able to use this data, again an important component of heat loss is knowing what the actual ambient temperature is, so we can get a good average, and two so if there is a steam leak in this vault we can see this spike up.

Next sensor I’m going to show you is a steam trap. We’ve got a high pressure trap coming off the high pressure line here. We’ve got the incoming temperature at 316 degrees; we’ve got the touch temperature of the jacket at 88 degrees. We keep track of this to make sure that jacket is doing its job and keeping that vault at a good temperature and we also have the outgoing temperature at 171 degrees. So what this allows a client to do is to kind of drill into this data, and to make sure his trap is performing the way it’s supposed to. So you can see here, that if you want to go ahead and drill into these numbers, you can actually dive into every hour that these sensors are taking the readings. And then we also allow the client to set and event, or set an alert. And what these are is if the client is interested in doing steam trap monitoring and wants to know …. hey if my steam trap is plugged and my incoming starts getting cold and gets below, let’s say 200 degrees F… send my zone manager an email or text message. Same as a steam trap that’s failed to open. If that steam trap is failed open and that temperature goes let’s say above 212 degrees the exact thing, go ahead and send my zone manager an email or alert so we can get there to see what’s going on with that steam jacket.

So I want to thank you for taking the time today to learn about smart jackets. If you have any questions give us a call.

In this article, we overview some of methods used to detect corrosion in stainless steel pipes and tubes. Technological developments have produced a dizzying array of non-destructive testing (NDT) used for detecting corrosion, each with its own advantages and limitations. Accurately detecting corrosion in stainless steel in a cost effective and practical manner is an incredibly complex problem. The most appropriate method(s) for your needs depends on the particulars of the situation, and requires the assistance of experts in corrosion detection. For simplicity sake, we will focus mostly on austenitic stainless steel (or 300 series), which is susceptible to problematic forms of corrosion ad accounts for the majority of stainless steel in use.

Detection Considerations for Stainless Steel

To provide some assistance in understanding the underlying principles of corrosion detection in stainless steel, we begin by identifying three things that make inspection of stainless steel tubing different from corrosion detection in other materials.

1. Stainless Steel Magnetic Properties

First, most (but not all) stainless steel does not have the magnetic properties that ferromagnetic materials like typical carbon steel and many other iron alloys have. Austenitic stainless steel (or 300 series) makes up the majority of stainless steel production and is not ferromagnetic.  Corrosion detection methods relying upon magnetic interaction with the piping need not apply with non-ferromagnetic materials. For example, magnetic particle testing such as the Magnetic Flux Leakage Technique (MFL) will not work on non-ferromagnetic materials like austenitic stainless steel.

According to experts₁, the following detection methods have applications for stainless steel: Acoustic Emission, conventional Eddy Current Testing, Infra-red Thermography, Laser Optics, Penetrate Dye Testing, Radiographic Testing (X-ray), Visual Inspection, and Ultrasonic Testing.

2. Detecting Pitting and Cracking

Second, many corrosion detection methods do not detect pitting and stress corrosion cracking. Both of these problems are difficult to detect and could potentially cause catastrophic failure. The unfortunate Silver Bridge collapse was caused by stress corrosion cracking, for example. Thus, if there is a high cost of failure or there is likelihood of pitting or cracking, appropriate detection methods must be employed. According to experts₁, methods that will detect cracking and pitting in stainless steel include: penetrant dye testing, acoustic emission, ultrasonic testing, and eddy current testing.

3. Insulation Removal

Third, many corrosion detection methods require direct contact with the metal. This means that, if there is insulation, it must be at least partially removed. However, when pieces of insulation are removed, this often provides enable moisture an opening to get under the insulation, thereby actually increasing the likelihood for corrosion under insulation. Furthermore, we’ve seen countless times firsthand that plugs cut into the insulation are frequently not properly replaced and are one of the top contributors to energy inefficiency in piping systems.

This creates a notable dilemma, as there are few instances where you can accurately and thoroughly check for corrosion under insulation(CUI) without cutting into the insulation.

Popular Detection Methods

Having identified unique aspects of detecting corrosion in stainless steel, we will briefly overview some of the more popular detection techniques.

Visual Inspection

Visually inspecting for corrosion with your own eyes is the simplest method of all. If you have only a small amount of pipes or tubes, it may be the cost-effective approach as well. However, for the large systems home to most stainless steel tubes and pipes, visual inspection becomes the least cost-effective approach due to the enormous amount of labor required. In addition, you can’t visually inspect what your eyes can’t see, so if there is insulation, you can’t inspect anything that you do not cut off, making it extremely difficult to detect non-uniform corrosion such as cracking. Furthermore, the human eye has proved notoriously inept at detecting stress corrosion cracks, which can start out incredibly small. Relying solely on visual inspection is almost always not recommended.

X-Ray

X ray (radiography) can be used for corrosion detection without requiring insulation removal. One disadvantage is that X-rays produce radiation, and the precautions that need to be put in place when conducting X-ray testing may be impractical in many environments. Another disadvantage is that X-ray does not detect cracking and pitting; however it can be very useful for detecting other kinds of defects.

Eddy Current Technique

The Eddy Current Technique (ECT) has likely become the most frequently recommended corrosion detection method for stainless steel. This technique uses electromagnetic induction to apply alternating “Eddy” currents to the pipe or tube. As the electromagnetic field interacts with the material, the impedance of the coil in the testing probe changes; the impedance paints the picture of the defect in the tube.

Conventional Eddy Current: There are now a few variations of Eddy Current methods, but Conventional Eddy Current remains what is most commonly used on stainless steel. The advantages of conventional Eddy Current are that it is versatile, fast, and cost-effective. The main downside of conventional ECT is that the material being tested must be accessible to the probe; thus, if there is insulation on the pipe or tube, at least some must be removed.

Pulsed Eddy Current: Pulsed Eddy Current testing is a specialized Eddy Current method that has the fantastic advantage of the probe not needing to be in direct contact with the material being tested. Thus, no insulation needs removed. Pulsed Eddy Current has therefore become a popular method for detecting corrosion under insulation. However, it has the drawback of not being known as reliable in detect ultra-localized corrosion like pitting.

Conclusion:

That was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to corrosion detection methods. There truly is a tremendous variety of techniques and none of them seem to come out as a clear winner for detecting CUI in stainless steel piping in a full range of scenarios. However, techniques can be combined to better meet inspection needs.

Due to severity of problems that can be caused by CUI and the difficulty detecting CUI – especially in stainless steel pipes – it is all the more import to factor in corrosion and detection methods before piping and insulation is installed. Consider how corrosion-prone your conditions are and how costly failure would be due to corrosion; then draft a detection plan before the system is complete. Consider your insulation system based on your corrosion detection and prevention needs. For example, removable insulation can be the superior choice when frequent inspection and maintenance is required. It is also recommended to enlist in the advice of corrosion detection experts when choosing detection methods and making detection plans.

For more information on corrosion detection in stainless steel pipes and tubes, we recommend the following expert resources:

1. Khatak, et al. Corrosion of Austenitic Stainless Steel: Mechanism, Mitigation and Monitoring (2002). Alpha Science International Ltd.
2. Raj, et al. Practical Non-Destructive Testing (2001). Woodhead Publishing
3. www.ndt.net
4. www.asnt.org – The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (NDT)

Another Steam System ThermaXX‘d!

Removable Insulation Jackets are Saving WVU $8,100 per year!
Payback Period = 12 months

The Project—In January, 2012, Thermaxx entered into contract with West Virginia University (WVU) to provide removable insulation jackets and removable insulation covers in a mechanical room at their Mineral Resource Building. WVU contacted Thermaxx Jackets after discovering the company via an Internet search for information on insulating steam traps. After a site visit by the Thermaxx Representative, it was realized by both the University and Thermaxx that more than steam trap insulation was needed. The Mineral Resource Building mechanical room yielded up many needs for insulation jackets including: gate valves, steam traps, Wye Strainers, pressure reducing valves, and pumps.

The selection was made for all of these applications. Upon delivery, the Thermaxx Representative demonstrated how to install the different types of jackets supplied. The estimated length of time before positive return on investment (ROI) is realized is only 12 months. Pictured below is a “Before” and “After” of a pump station.

BEFORE

THERMAXX'D

 
The University has planned to undertake a study on approximately 900 steam traps, and Thermaxx Jackets will be on hand to deliver once again. WVU is extremely forward thinking when it comes to energy savings and has seen the value in conserving energy on a “Thermaxx” scale.

About WVU—Located in Morgantown ,WV, West Virginia University is located on 900 acres and has an enrollment of 30,000 students. Sustainability is a top priority for WVU. They have committed to decreasing the amount of energy used on campus through strong conservation efforts and an energy performance contract with Siemens Building Solutions. In addition, WVU reduces energy usage through the usage of “Green Steam” for heating and cooling. The steam is taken from a steam extraction point from the Morgantown Energy Associates (MEA) power plant, a co-generation facility located near campus. WVU also lowers energy usage through the purchase of a wide variety of Energy Star products and has installed energy-saving technologies in many buildings. These endeavors have resulted in significant drops in energy usage and substantial savings for WVU.

ThermaXX Role—ThermaXX, LLC provided removable insulation covers for a number of steam components including but not limited to: gate valves, globe valves, steam traps, condensate pumps, butterfly valves, heat exchangers, pressure reducing valves, etc…. Work was completed in March of 2012.

About Jackets—Standard insulation, installed during construction, is often removed and not replaced on piping components (pressure reducing valves, gate valves, steam traps, unions, etc…) that require routine maintenance. Removable insulation jackets are designed to insulate those components and allow maintenance personnel to quickly remove and replace the insulation to facilitate general maintenance. In addition to keeping the work place safe, insulation jackets also keep the heat where it belongs—in the pipe!

Payback Period = 5.27 months

March 15, 2012

The Project — ThermaXX entered into contract November, 2011 with Abatement Industries Group to provide removable insulation jackets and removable insulation overs in the powerhouse at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, CT. ThermaXX completed an energy survey and worked with the maintenance department to prepare a scope of work that included replacing missing pipe insulation and installing removable jackets on the components such as steam traps, gate valves, wye strainers, and pressure reducing valves (PRVs). Insulation thickness was designed based on the desired touch (outside insulation) temperature. Insulation thickness varied on the larger and hotter pipes.

Annual savings are estimated to be $23,500. The estimated length of time for cumulative savings to exceed initial cost is a mere 5.27 months.

About Sikorsky Aircraft — Sikorsky Aircraft has operations on five continents, occupying approximately 6 million square feet of building space including about 2.6 million square feet of manufacturing space. Sikorsky commercial and military helicopters are operating today in 40 nations. Worldwide, the company employs approximately 18,000 people and is growing globally.

ThermaXX Role — ThermaXX, LLC provided removable insulation covers for a number of steam components including but not limited to: gate valves, globe valves, steam traps, Condensate Pumps, Butterfly Valves, Heat Exchangers, Pressure Reducing Valves. Work was completed in the later part of 2011.

About Jackets — Standard insulation, installed during construction, is often removed and not replaced on piping components (pressure reducing valves, gate valves, steam traps, unions, etc…) that require routine maintenance. Removable insulation jackets are designed to insulate those components and allow maintenance personnel to quickly remove and replace the insulation to facilitate general maintenance. In addition to keeping the work place safe, insulation jackets also keep the heat where it belongs: in the pipe!

For more information please contact:
Brian Bannon
VP Business Development
ThermaXX LLC
16 Hamilton Street
West Haven CT 06516
203 931 2122
bbannon@thermaxxjackets.com

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) is a huge reason stainless steel pipes and tubes need to be inspected. Stainless steel contains more chromium than carbon steel, and the chromium forms an invisible, passive film of chromium oxide which creates the resistance to corrosion. Despite the fact that stainless steel is less corrosive than normal carbon steels, one must remember that stainless steel is corrosion resistant, not corrosion proof. The common shoptalk saying is “stainless steel is not stain proof – it just stains less.”

Austenitic stainless steel, AKA 300 series stainless steel, gets the most attention when it comes to CUI – due both to its popularity (approximately 70% of stainless steel produced is austenitic) and to the CUI issues associated with austenitic stainless steel piping systems. While CUI often causes uniform wall loss in carbon steel piping, CUI is generally extremely localized in stainless steel piping. Stay-in-place insulation already makes corrosion hard to detect and often stimulates corrosion; ultra-localized CUI is insidiously difficult to detect and compromising to structural integrity. CUI often manifests in stainless steel pipes and tubes as pitting corrosion or stress corrosion cracking.

Pitting Corrosion
Pitting occurs when corrosion eats small holes or cavities in the metal. Alloys like stainless steel that are resistant to corrosion due to a passivation layer are actually the most susceptible to pitting. If the passivation film is compromised and then attacked by corrosion, the corrosion will not spread on the metal’s surface but will instead penetrate inward. Pitting may cause stress cracking, and – if a pit occurs as a critical point – it can cause immense damage.

Stress Corrosion Cracking
Stress corrosion cracking is what its name implies. Stress corrosion cracking can be difficult to detect with the naked eye, and the fine, sometimes microscopic, cracks may penetrate into the steel and may spider or grow rapidly, potentially leading to catastrophic failure. Austenitic stainless steels are particularly susceptible to corrosion from chlorides, which includes chlorine, seawater (salt is sodium chloride), and many cleaning solutions.

Chloride corrosion induced stress cracking is more likely to occur in temperatures that promote evaporation (100 to 200°F) due to higher chloride deposits and moisture levels. In addition, many paints and insulating coatings contain chlorides, so be sure to choose your insulation carefully for stainless steel pipes! When a susceptible alloy like 300 series stainless steel is exposed to corroding chemicals like chlorides, the potential for cracking is much greater if the pipe is undergoing large amounts of stress.

Stress corrosion cracks can start out tiny.

Susceptible Conditions
The insidious nature of these corrosion issues makes inspection of stainless steel piping quite prudent, especially in susceptible conditions. Such conditions include:

• Temperature (the most problematic temperatures depends on specific steel grade and exposure level to corrosive chemicals, but generally range from 50 to 300°F)
• Frequent contact with chlorides
• Compromised insulation
• Points where carbon steel and stainless steel are in contact with each other, and
• High moisture levels (water is always required for corrosion).

If piping in these conditions is under significant pressure or stress, the need for inspection is even greater. Also, different grades of stainless steel have different specific vulnerabilities to corrosion; for example, type 304 is prone to pitting in sea water.

Conclusion
Stainless steel piping requires different inspection methods than other types of piping. This is due both to the difficulty detecting the ultra-localized corrosion and to the fact that the different ferromagnetic properties of various grades of stainless steel require suitable inspection techniques. Our next article will overview corrosion detection methods for stainless steel.

Due to the severity of the problems caused by CUI in stainless steel piping and the difficulty detecting it, it is imperative you be familiar with this issue if you deal extensively with stainless steel piping.

The wise plant manager will analyze the risk of CUI based on the cost of failure, material, application, and environment (temperature, stress, chlorides and other chemicals, etc…). He or she should choose a suitable inspection method and develop an inspection schedule accordingly.

Removable Insulation Jackets are Saving Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse Big Money on Energy and Maintenance Costs.

BEFORE

THERMAXX'D

March  1, 2012

The Project — ThermaXX entered into contract December 2011 with a Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse Located in Mooresville, NC to provide removable insulation for their plate and frame heat exchanger.

In October, 2011, Lowe’s Maintenance and Engineering Teams visited the Thermaxx booth at the Carolina Industrial & Facility Maintenance Show in Charlotte, NC. During conversation with the Thermaxx sales representative, the Lowe’s team realized they had a need for removable reusable insulated jackets on a large Plate and Frame Heat Exchanger. The materials previously used on this unit were of ½ inch ridged board fiberglass foil faced insulation, cut into large unmanageable sheets and held in place with weld pins. During routine maintenance these sheets had to be removed and reused as best as they could. Rigid fiberglass sheets are brittle and difficult to reuse. The weld pins would break off, the sheets would break, and reinstallation would be very time consuming. Welding the weld pins directly to the exchanger made for botched reassembly, and the entire effort to insulate was inefficient due to improper materials and fit.

During the last attempt to remove and save, the materials broke into many pieces and Thermaxx was called onto the scene. To give Lowes the best custom fit possible, our sales representative, Bill Tyree, gathered all the information Thermaxx needed through careful measuring, photo taking and Internet research. The proper materials were used to manufacture a complete system that is totally removable and reusable and very user friendly. The team at Lowe’s is proud to have the Thermaxx Jacket system on their equipment. During revisits to their facility, reports have been very satisfactory. Removing and re-installing the insulation cover takes minimum effort and time. Each section is custom made and numbered and no special knowledge is required for removal and re-installation — any maintenance personnel can do the job, and downtime is minimized.

Heat loss calculations will show a quick Return on Investment (ROI) and will confirm that Lowe’s made a wise decision not only in energy savings, but also in material costs savings and longevity that the new system from Thermaxx Jackets offers. Energy. Savings. Value. Mission accomplished.

About Lowe’s – Lowe’s has been helping our customers improve the places they call home for more than 60 years.  Founded in 1946, Lowe’s has grown from a small hardware store to the 2nd largest home improvement retailer worldwide.  Lowe’s stores stock 40,000 products in 20 product categories ranging from appliances to tools, to paint, lumber and nursery products. Lowe’s has hundreds of thousands of more products available by Special Order — offering everything customers need to build, maintain, beautify and enjoy their homes. Lowe’s operates more than 1,725 stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

ThermaXX Role — ThermaXX LLC provided a Removable Insulation Jacket for the plate and frame heat exchanger at Lowe’s. Work was completed in December of 2011

About Jackets — Standard insulation, installed during construction, is often removed and not replaced on piping components (heat exchangers, pressure reducing valves, gate valves, steam traps, unions, etc…) that require routine maintenance. Removable Insulation Jackets are designed to insulate those components and allow maintenance personnel to quickly remove and replace the insulation to facilitate general maintenance. In addition to keeping the work place safe, insulation jackets also keep the heat where it belongs: in the piping!

For more information please contact:

Brian Bannon
VP Business Development
ThermaXX LLC
16 Hamilton Street
West Haven CT 06516
203 931 2122
bbannon@thermaxxjackets.com

Source: news.thomasnet.com

Steam systems perform a significant function in many manufacturing plants. As the primary medium of transferring heat throughout the plant, the efficient and proper use of steam can have a considerable impact on a factory’s energy costs. The steam trap is a critical, yet often overlooked, component of the steam system.

Steam traps exist to get rid of condensation (and other unwanteds like dry air), without losing live steam. Steam traps commonly fail at doing their job properly when they leak steam or do not adequately pass condensation. A steam trap failure rate of over 15% is not uncommon in many plants.

Steam traps affect your energy costs in several ways:

Steam Loss

It has been estimated that, on average, 15-25% of steam traps leak steam. Leaking steam traps represent a sizable source of heat loss, and can cost your plant thousands. TLV has excellent calculators to determine costs of steam leakage. If you’re serious about improving steam system efficiency, we highly recommend crunching some numbers.

Degradation of Steam System

It is important to remember that the steam trap is a part of the larger steam system. Thus, problems with this component affect the whole system. For example, when steam traps are blocked, condensation accumulates in the system. This in itself can reduce the efficiency of the system since it takes more energy to heat liquid than steam.

Another problem condensation may cause is the “water hammer” effect. This is where pipes make audible hammering noises when condensation forms water “slugs” that remain stagnant until pressure builds up and releases them suddenly at high velocity. A more silent culprit caused by the condensation is corrosion. Condensation in steam systems typically has a high PH, and this acidic condensation compounds the rate of corrosion. Both condensation issues considerably degrade the steam system, increasing the likelihood of malfunctions such as cracked or burst pipes and reducing lifespans and system efficiency.

Radiant Heat Loss

Heat will radiate from surfaces that are hotter than the room temperature. This is the case with steam traps, and any un-insulated component of the steam system will experience significant radiant heat loss. Obviously, hard insulation does not apply here, since steam traps need to be accessible for maintenance. Removable insulation, on the other hand, may be a solution. However, it is important to note that not all steam traps can be insulated – in fact, insulating certain steam traps can be very, very bad. A typical 1” un-insulated steam trap station loses more than $ 200.00 per year in wasted energy

Steam Trap Maintenance

Not monitoring or maintaining steam traps is simply terrible from an operational standpoint. However, maintenance and monitoring costs money too. Steam traps typically have a life span of 4-5 years, so there is a sizable cost in replacing parts or entire steam traps. In addition, inspection, while critical, is often very costly.

Thus, it is important to inspect and maintain steam traps thoroughly but in a cost-effective manner. There are several methods of monitoring steam traps, including thermal monitoring. As we’ve discussed before, each method of monitoring has its own positives and negatives. You’d be prudent to acquaint yourself with your options.

Now we’d be terrible self-promoters if we didn’t mention our new Smart Jackets here, which are removable insulation jackets with remote temperature monitors. While not ideal for every steam trap, in many situations, Smart Jackets can monitor steam trap performance while cutting down on energy and labor costs.

We’ll conclude by saying this: There are many ways steam traps can affect your cost of operations and many ways you can improve those costs, but it is always prudent to take the time determine the most suitable means of reducing costs associated with steam traps.

Corrosion under insulation has been plaguing the industrial equipment since the 1970s energy crisis first prompted companies to reduce energy costs by insulating their equipment. Corrosion under insulation (or CUI) can be a major problem if left unchecked; CUI can cause massive damage that is expensive and dangerous.

CUI is caused by an accumulation of corrosive chemicals and minerals in water. Frequently, insulated equipment have certain points that are consistently hot enough to evaporate water. These are referred to as “dry out zones”. As water is exposed to these dry out zones, they evaporate and leave behind the corrosive minerals and chemicals dissolved in the water. These minerals and chemicals are absorbed into the pores of the insulation.

Dry out zones do not stay hot forever; during the normal equipment temperature fluctuations, dry out zones cool down. Water can then reach these corrosive deposits, at which point the minerals and chemicals begin to dissolve back into the water. This solution becomes very corrosive and can cause serious damage to your machinery. If this solution doesn’t vent, but instead is exposed to another dry out zone, the boiling of this solution is even more corrosive. As more water enters the insulation, more minerals and chemicals are added to the solution. The solution will become increasingly concentrated, accelerating the corrosive effects of the solution.

The elements that cause damage to your system are variable. One of the most common is salt. Salt by itself can be incredibly corrosive, especially when it reaches high concentrations. One unexpected source of corrosive elements is insulation itself. Due to the extreme circumstances insulation is exposed to, insulation is often treated with chemicals. These chemicals might help increase the heat hardiness, or make the insulation hydrophobic.

Ironically, the insulation made hydrophobic to help combat CUI can actually cause CUI. To save money, some companies rely on a hydrophobic coating on their insulation, instead of working with fully hydrophobic insulation. Hydrophobic coatings can be susceptible to cracking and the slightest crack can allow water to get inside the insulation. The hydrophobic coating, now surrounded by water, easily dissolves, putting chemicals that cause CUI into the water.

There are several ways to combat CUI. Perhaps the most obvious is to allow water to vent. In many instances, this can be as simple as providing a grommet at the lowest point of the insulation. For insulation that doesn’t have a clearly defined “low point”, such as horizontal jackets, several grommets must be used to ensure proper venting or draining.

Waterproofing insulation is another common way to combat corrosion. Unfortunately, such waterproofing can cause more harm than good. A completely waterproof system makes it extremely difficult for water to get into the insulation, but it also makes it hard for water to leave the insulation. Should any water end up inside the insulation, it goes through the evaporating cycle, depositing more and more corrosive elements at the dry out zone.

Additionally, a closed system prevents air from leaving. This basically makes the insulated machinery into a pressure cooker. An excessive amount of oxygen in boiling water further increases the corrosiveness of the boiling solution. Thus, relying on a full waterproof insulation system as your sole means of combating CUI might work for a time, but eventually will likely cost you.

For this reason, many insulation companies focus on a double approach. Having waterproof insulation not only helps prevent water from entering your insulation, the lack of pores helps water move quickly over the surface. This helps water clear dry out zones more quickly, allowing water to vent the insulation at a greater rate.

In some machinery, special care must be taken. Say you have a machine that accumulates water vertical of a dry out zone. If the machinery runs in such a way that there are few cool down times, water will just constantly run down to the dry out zone, boil away and deposit any minerals/chemicals onto the insulation. As more water runs down, these chemicals and minerals will dissolve into that water as it boils away, causing a corrosive environment. The water can never actually make it to the vent, thus CUI will still occur. In these instances, a insulation specialist can help determine the best way to vent water and thus prevent CUI.

If you suspect your machinery suffers from corrosion under insulation, the best course of action is to have a CUI inspection to determine the extent of the damage. Having Removable Pipe or Component Jacket insulation helps keep down inspection cost and time. In instances where high pressure machinery is used, CUI can cause a dangerous work environment as it weakens the integrity of your pipes. A CUI inspector will be able to determine the location and extent of CUI, which will help them determine the proper type of insulation needed to prevent further CUI complications.

When it comes to thermal mechanical insulation, there are three major types: insulation for cold equipment, insulation for hot equipment, and insulation for equipment to prevent freezing. Accurately choosing the correct insulation in all three instances can help keep your equipment working at its best and save you money.

We are often asked if there is a difference between hot insulation and cold insulation. To some degree there is. For example, heat conductive sources can provide surprising amounts of heat retention. Take, for example, a baked potato fresh out of the oven wrapped in new aluminum foil. This foil will help keep the potato hot longer. The same aluminum foil wrapped around an ice cube fresh out of the freezer, however, will not provide similar insulation.

While these differences can come into play with home improvement work (such as chimney and fireplace pieces which are often insulated with nothing but air and heat conductive layers), for industrial equipment the differences between hot and cold insulation are minimal. Our logic is simple: make the absolute best insulating jackets. If you make an insulation that effectively blocks the transfer of heat, it will work to both help retain and repel heat.

Our box-style thermal insulation jackets, both hot and cold, are made from an insulation blanket formed of silica Aerogel and is reinforced with a non-woven, glass-fiber batting. This sturdy core is the backbone of our insulation. This insulation is hydrophobic, and can handle a maximum temperature of 1200°F (650°C).

For non box type thermal insulation jackets, we may use a glass mat, type E needled fiber. This material is made from E-fiber glass that mechanically bonds to form a blanket insulation material. It can withstand extreme temperatures (1200°F or 650°C), has low shrinkage at high temperatures, and even helps with sound absorption.

For both types of insulation, we use PTFE Fiberglass Composite jacketing on both the interior and exterior sides. This jacketing can withstand high temperatures (a minimum of 550°F or 287°C), and when sewed together with special formulated high temperature thread, forms an impressive shell for our insulation.

The big difference between hot and cold insulation is in the jacket design. Cold insulation jackets need to be designed with more overlap and if possible, be more airtight. This will help with condensation and pipe sweating.

While our insulation is top notch, it sometimes can’t singlehandedly combat harsh winter weather. If you have outdoor parts that must be prevented from freezing, sometimes standard hot insulation isn’t enough. That’s why we make heated insulation that will keep your equipment frost free no matter how low the outside temperatures get. These jackets are made from our standard high quality insulation, but during production are installed with heat trace loops. These belt type loops are installed in the inner jacket to allow heat trace to be snaked through. For ease of use, these belt loop locations can be designed based on your needs.

Mostly, steam traps are automatic valves that discharge condensate and some non-condensable gasses. In a perfect world, they perform this task without consuming much live steam in the system. The most important functions a steam trap performs are the following:

1. They get rid of condensate as soon as it is formed
2. They get rid of non-condensable gasses

What Kinds of Steam Traps Are There?

There are three major types of steam traps.

1. Mechanical Traps (inverted bucket & Float and Thermostatic)
2. Thermodynamic Traps
3. Temperature Traps

Mechanical traps open and close based on the quantity of condensate trapped inside. A float rises when condensate levels increase and a mechanical linkage opens the steam trap valve so that it can drain. This is a rather straightforward process. Temperature valves require expansion and contraction due to temperature change to function. Thermodynamic steam traps open and close as the surrounding static pressure changes. A fourth trap, Venturi trap, allow condensate to fully discharge while retaining most of the steam, so steam loss is negligible.

Monitoring Steam Traps Performance and Heat Loss

Because most types of steam traps rely on temperature change to work effectively, it is very important to closely monitor heat loss and heat retention in the steam traps. If steam traps are opening too frequently because of temperature volatility, it’s likely that the extra wear and tear will necessitate frequent replacement. Conversely, if steam traps are not opening frequently enough and condensation is allowed to accumulate, this causes a whole other problem.

Most steam trap preventative maintenance programs are very labor intensive. They require field personnel to physically walk to the trap and take a temperature measurement at the inflow of the trap and at the condensate side of the trap. We all know usually what happens to preventative maintenance programs? The personnel is usually gravitating to maintenance and putting out fires instead of preventing them.

Wireless steam trap temperature monitoring equipment is one of the most cost effective ways to proactively monitor the steam traps in your plant. This can be performed using monitoring devises on the trap or monitoring the inside of a removable insulation jacket. The one benefit of having a temperature sensor inside a removable insulation blanket is you are actually measuring the BTU savings as a result of that jacket. The insulating is actually paying for the monitoring.