Document 0qOy0LddZ92R3o2VoaE9NxJLd

FT-40, Thermal Insulation Systems for Pipes DURBIN H. WAY, SFPE, and CARLOS J. HILADO Union Carbide Corporation Thermal insulation systems used to conserve heat and refrigeration in industrial plants should be evaluated in the same manner as construction materials insofar as fire performance is concerned. The authors report a wide range of behavior for several insulation systems examined in large-scale fire tests. i !i t THERMAL insulation systems play an important part in the efficient operation of industrial plants because of the appreciable value of energy employed in heating and refrigeration. Because their use is wide spread in manufacturing facilities, they tend to be among the first ma terials subjected to flame impingement in an accidental fire. Their per formance under fire conditions, therefore, is of significant concern from the viewpoints of fire hazard, fire protection, and fire damage. j A LOOK AT THERMAL INSULATION SYSTEMS Thermal insulation systems consist of three components: the thermal insulation material, which has the function of effectively reducing heat transfer; the protective material, which has the function of preventing re duction in the efficiency of the thermal insulation by the environment and by mechanical abuse; and the securement material, which has the function of keeping the entire system in place. At the very least, a thermal insulation system should present no sig nificant fire hazard: that is, it should not contribute significantly either as fuel for the fire or as a means of propagating the fire. It would be more desirable if it provided some measure of protection for the insulated pipes or vessels, preferably at least one hour before pipe or vessel wall temper atures reach a critical level. Ideally, it should survive the fire undamaged byr either direct flame impingement or the impact, of quv hing water. A thermal insulation system is judged as presenting jie hazard if it either increases the severity of the fire in its existing location, or propagates the fire to adjacent areas. Fire hazard can result from fuel contribution by a combustible thermal insulation material, from flame spread on the protective material, or from severe failure of the securement material. PftJCE 51-20 EACH; on Quantity 271 Cepyriatri MS NATIONAL fJKf MORC7ON ASSOCIATE 60 SATTCRYMAKH ST., &OSTO*, MASS, j* l/.S-A. r I l \ \ f i 1 UCC 011914