Microtherm For Pipework

MICROTHERM ®

Microprous InsulationUse, Fabrication, Installation ,

And Benefits

Matthew PassApplication Engineer

Microtherm [email protected]

Agenda

• What is Microtherm® Microporous Insulation?

• ASTM C1676 – Overview

• Benefits – Why use microporous insulation?

• Applications – Where & When should it be used?

• Fabrication – How do I work with it?

• Installation – How do I install it?

• Handling and Safety – Is it safe to work with?

• Question & Answers

What is Microporous Insulation?

• Composition:

Amorphous Silica Particles

Metal Oxide Powders

Non-Respirable Fibers

• Cold pressed to density

• Density effects rigidity &

thermal conductivity

Blanket – Panel – Board - Pipe

• Faced and fabricated

MICROTHERM ® – Key Features

• MICROTHERM® is a microporous insulation that blocks the transfer of heat even more effectively than still air.

• Very low thermal conductivity, even at high temperatures.

• Non-combustible, inorganic material.

• Fully hydrophobic grade available for outer layers.

• No respirable fibers. No known health hazards within prescribed operating temperatures.

• Environmentally friendly.

• Engineered glass cloth facing minimizes dust

• Not an Aerogel product.

In addition to this, the MICROTHERM Group provides unequalled world wide sales support, design assistance, and customer service.

ASTM C-1676 – Product Grades & Types

• ASTM “Grades” define:

1) The operating temperature limits

2) Water repellency (Hydrophobic) characteristics

Note: Water repellency (Grade 2B) will begin to vanish at temperatures above 250 °C then the product will perform as a

non-repellent grade


• Type 1 – Rigid Products

ASTM Terminology = “Board”

For Flat or Planar Surfaces

Microtherm Products

• Microtherm Standard (SG )Panel

• Microtherm Hydrophobic Panel

• Microtherm Standard (SG) Block

• Microtherm Board

Panels are encased in E-Glass fabric

Board and Block are unfaced or

shrink-wrapped for handling

Thicknesses up to 2” (up to 4” in

optional size)

ASTM “Types” define product form


• Type II – Flexible

ASTM Term = “Quilted”

Blanket type products

Flexible in 1 or 2 directions

For Cylinders or Irregular Surfaces

Microtherm Products

• Microtherm Standard Quilt

• Microtherm Hydrophobic Quilt

• Microtherm Overstitched

• Microtherm Slatted

Thicknesses

• Quilted and Overstitched – Up to ½”

• Slatted – Up to 1”


• Type III – Pipe

ASTM Term = “Molded Pipe Section”

Pre-formed Rigid Pipe Sections

Grooved longitudinal seams

minimize heat loss

NPS Pipe Sizes from ¾” to 28”

Microtherm Products

• Microtherm MPS

Thicknesses

• Always supplied at 1” (25mm) Thick

ASTM C-1676 – Additional Requirements

• Thermal Conductivity

Guarded Hot Plate (C177)

Heat Flow Meter (C518)

Pipe Apparatus (C335)

Refractory (C201)

• Linear Shrinkage (C356)

• Compressive

Resistance (C165)

• Water Vapor Sorption

(C1104)

• Surface Burning

Characteristics (E84)

Flame Spread

Smoke Developed Index

• Corrosiveness (C665)

• ASTM Standards for

workmanship,

certification, etc.

Mineral Wool Blkt

Mineral Wool Pipe

Cellular Glass Pipe

Microtherm Board

Fiberglass Pipe

Cermamic FiberBlanket

Microtherm MPS, Block

Microtherm Quilted

Microtherm FreeFlow

0.000

0.050

0.100

0.150

0.200

0.250

0.300

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

TC

(W

/m-k

)

Temp C

Thermal Conductivity Comparison

AerogelPyrogel XT

Benefits –Why use Microporous Insulation?

MICROTHE RM !

MICROTHERM has the lowest

Thermal Conductivity of any

High Temperature Insulation

Benefits –Why use Microporous Insulation?Personnel Protection Requirement – Outside Surface < 60°C

Material Mineral

Wool

Thickness

(mm)

152.4

OutsideSurface (°C)

56

Heat Loss

(W/m)

370

Weight

(Kg/m)

19.7

Diameter

(mm)

473

Material Microtherm

MPS

Thickness

(mm)

50.8


54

Heat Loss

(W/m)

222

Weight

(Kg/m)

12.2

Diameter

(mm)

270

55% Less Weight - 28% Less Energy Loss - 46% Less Volume (OD)

650°C

6” NPS

Ambient

25°C

56°C

54°C

Benefits –Why use Microporous Insulation?

Material Mineral

Wool

Thickness

(mm)

152.4


56

Heat Loss

(W/m)

370

Weight

(Kg/m)

19.7

Diameter

(mm)

473

Material Microtherm

MPS+Quilt

Thickness

(mm)

28.4


74.5

Heat Loss

(W/m)

353

Weight

(Kg/m)

5.9

Diameter

(mm)

225

70% Less Weight - 5% Less Energy Loss - 52% Less Volume (OD)

Equivalent Heat Loss Requirement

Ambient

25°C

650°C

6” NPS

370 W/m

353 W/m

Benefits –Why use Microporous Insulation?• 1000 oC (1832 oF) Continuous use temperature

• 3 to 4 X More efficient than conventional insulation resulting in:

Less Space = Less wind load

Less to ship

Closer pipe spacing

Less jacketing

Less Weight = Lower pipe loading

Easier to carry and install

Save Energy = Less process heat (Gas, Electric etc.)

Less heat loss (smaller diameters)

Fewer CO2 equivalents, GHGs

Better Control = More homogeneous temperature

Improved yields or process quality

• Excellent compressive strength minimizes insulation damage

• Friendly and easy to handle glass facing

• Ready to install and easily fabricated product shapes

INSULATIONDAMAGE

Applications – Where & When Should it be used?

BP Chemicals (Grangemouth, UK) – a high temperature expansion loop alongside

perimeter fencing – 50 mm of MICROTHERM® MPS was used instead of 200 mm of

mineral fibre.

MICROTHERM® Application – Vessel on Load Cells

• Load Cell Application

Constant Weight Monitoring

Required

1200 F Process Temperature

Yield significantly effected by

temperature variations

Compression Resistance

Weight Comparison:

• Calcium Silicate 11,500 lbs

• Microtherm 2,350 lbs

• ~80% Weight Reduction

Support

Lug

Load Cell

MICROTHERM ® Application – Super Heater Manifold

HL:

TT:

Weight:

Wind Load1:

1365 W/m

250 mm

93 kg/m

112 kg/m

1327 W/m (3% less)

135 mm (46% less)

76 kg/m (18% less)

95 kg/m (16% less)

1267 W/m (7% less)

120 mm (52% less)

64 kg/m (30% less)

92 kg/m (18% less)

Conventional Microtherm 1 Microtherm 2

1 At 65 m/s (140 mph), std atmosphere, Cd of 0.30

Pricing/LFt2: 339 $/LFt 392 $/LFt 526 $/LFt

2 Pricing data supplied by Bill Fabrizio of Shaw Group

MICROTHERM ® ApplicationsMICROTHERM® offers the best thermal insulation protection in the smallest volume.

Wherever SPACE, WEIGHT, or ENERGY are a concern:

Weight Examples - Excessive Pipe/System Loads

Reduction in Pipe Hangers

Installing Insulation on Elevated Platforms

Vessels with Load Cells

Space Examples - High Wind Loads

Congested Piping

More Pipes on a Rack

Maintenance Access

Revamps – Less Energy in Existing Space

Energy Examples- Kyoto Regulation

Reduced GHGs, NOx, CO2, CE

Reduced Fuel Consumption, Burner Use

Other reasons include –

• MICROTHERM® systems are clean and safe to handle.

• MICROTHERM® systems are much smaller in volume reducing transport and labor.

Fabrication – How do I work with it? – Tools Required

You will need………………………….

• A clean flat work surface.

• Marker pen or pencil.

• A tape measure or a template.

• A straight edge for straight cuts.

• A sharp craft knife or similar tool – select the

blade size to suit the thickness for cutting.

Also………………………….

• Microtherm® Quilt, Panel, or Slatted product.

• Sodium Silicate adhesive plus small brush.

• Either – strips of glass cloth.

- pre-cut tape.

- self adhesive glass cloth or

aluminium foil tape.

Fabrication – How do I work with it? – Straight Cut

• Clearly mark the line of the cut on the panel.

• Use a straight edge.

• Apply pressure alongside the cut by pressing

down on the straightedge.

• Cut firmly making sure that the blade penetrates the lower glass cloth covering.

• Blow off any fine dust.

• Cut edge is ready for sealing.

Fabrication – How do I work with it? – Curved Cut• For best results use a template to mark out the

curve before cutting.

• Carefully follow the line of the cut making sure

that the knife blade cuts through the lower glass

cloth layer.

• Separate the sections and blow off any slight

dust residue.

• The cut edge is now ready for sealing.

Fabrication – How do I work with it? - Straight Seal

• Apply Sodium Silicate adhesive to pre-cut strip of

glass cloth.

• Fold it neatly around the cut edge.

• Neatly cut and fold the corners in the sequence

shown in the photographs.

• For less demanding applications,

self adhesive tapes may be used.

Fabrication – How do I work with it? – Curved Seal

50 mm

CUT

50 mm

CUT

Panel

thickness

Glass cloth strip

100 mm wide + panel thickness

• Cut each edge of the glass cloth sealing strip into fringes as shown.

• Apply Sodium Silicate adhesive.

• Fold strip around cut edge and finish corners.

Installation – Prefabricated Insulation bend kit

Microtherm can be pre-fabricated for easier field installation

Installation - Insulation of large bend (ii)

Installation – On-Site Fabrication - Saudi Arabia

Expansion joint insulated with Microtherm SlattedSome sections were pre-fabricated and some were

customized in the field

Local labor was utilized with Microtherm

supplied supervision

Installation: Wired/Banded Superheated Steam Manifold

Microtherm MPS, Slatted, and Quilted

Were combined to insulate a steam

Super-heater manifold

Installation: Indoor – No Jacket - Germany

In some indoor applications Microtherm is merely banded and no

Jacketing is required

Installation: Tight Tolerances Interior Fit - Denmark

Microtherm machined

Pieces and Slatted Panel

for a Hydrogen process

vessel.

Installation: Panel System – Heat Exchanger - Belgium

Microtherm within sheet metal panels

for a heat exchanger module.

Installation: Panel System – Heat Exchanger BelgiumMicrotherm designed the panels

for protection from the environment

and for easy removal during

industry mandated inspections.

Installation: Custom Openings - Henkel Germany

Microtherm Slatted

fabricated with an

access port

Installation: Selection of references

• ABB Lummus

• Bechtel Corporation

• Bechtel Services

• BP Chemicals

• BP Oil

• CEPSA-ELF

• CTCI

• FCFC

• Haldor Topsoe

• ICI Chemicals and Polymers

• Linde

• Lindsay Oil Company

• Lurgi

• Monitor Offshore Systems

• Shaw Group (Badger/S&W)

• Shell Chemicals

• Shell Oil

• OMV

The Microtherm Group are proud to provide thermal insulation solutions

on a global scale to the leading companies in the petrochemical industry.

Handling and Safety - Is it Safe to Work With?

• Manufactured and installed

for 40+ Years

• Installed in many homes

worldwide

Night Storage Heaters

Glass Top Ranges

• Silica – Nuisance dust

Cosmetics, Medications

• Non-Respirable Fibers

• Titania Classification

IARC Study – Submicron, Synthetic

Microtherm – Much larger than 1

micron, Naturally Occurring

20K Industry Workers Studied with no

carcinogenic effects

Questions and Answers

Microtherm For Pipework

Business