Aerogel

The engine room (or ER) of a large marine vessel such as a tug boat, fire boat, or mega ship houses the vessel’s prime mover, usually some variations of a heat engine – diesel engine, gas or steam turbine, or some combination of these. On a large percentage of vessels ships and boats, the engine room is located near the bottom, and at the rear or aft end of the vessel, and usually comprises few compartments. As shown in this video tour of a mega ship’s engine room, there are numerous components within the engine room including boilers, generators, fuel pumps, exhaust manifolds and more. Many of these marine engine room components benefit from the installation of insulation blankets. Read more.

Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, or NH₃.  Because of Ammonia’s vaporization properties, it is frequently used as a refrigerant. NH3 boils at −33.34 °C (−28.012 °F) at a pressure of one atmosphere, Ammonia was commonly used before Freons (chlorofluorocarbons) became popular. Read more.

Aerogels are a diverse class of porous, solid materials that exhibit an uncanny array of extreme materials properties. Most notably aerogels are known for their extreme low densities (which range from 0.0011 to ~0.5 g cm-3) and thermal insulating properties. Silica aerogel is the most common type of aerogel, most frequently seen in photographs and what people generally refer to when using the word “aerogel” without an adjective in front (although there are many other types of aerogel). Read more.

Thermaxx Jackets has worked with many clients who are trying to make their food processing plant more energy efficient, safer, and cleaner (such as Calabro Cheese). The USDA recommends insulating pipes in food processing facilities, providing a layer of protection between the piping and your product. The insulation blankets used should be food grade or food safe. “Food grade” or “food safe” means that the insulation jacket designers consider the particular needs of the food processing plant. Read more…

A question that we are commonly asked is, “How long will these insulation jackets last?” That is a good question with several answers! Materials play a huge part in the life cycle of an insulation jacket. Choosing the correct hot and cold side cover is key in getting the optimal lifespan of an insulation jacket. The first thing we need to look at is the location: is it in a chemical plant, power plant, high acidity area, or an isolated area in the middle of nowhere? Read more!

Insulating in an airtight or clean room application can be extremely difficult. Good clean room design has the mechanical insulation out of the airtight or clean room environment to avoid the possibility of fibers being introduced into the air. At the sasme time, there can be equipment in the clean room that must be used in a production situation and has an elevated temperature that can cause an employee to get severely burned. Read more.

The Insulation world is very different today than it was just a few years ago. While most commercial, independent insulation, and mechanical contractors seem to have a full understanding of their industry, it is remarkable how much technology has changed their understanding to further advance the industry. Recently, Thermaxx introduced Duke University to the world of aerogel; Pyrogel® XT in the insulation world… More