Insulation of pipelines with foam, its features, advantages and disadvantages, preparatory work and insulation installation technology. The shell for pipe insulation, made from a type of polystyrene foam - expanded polystyrene, is waterproof. This is its advantageous difference from mineral wool, the installation of which, when insulating the pipeline, requires a waterproofing layer.
In addition, thermal insulation of pipes with polystyrene makes it possible to reduce the cost of installation, excavation and maintenance of the highway by reducing the depth of its laying above the level of soil freezing.
The disadvantage of insulating pipes with a foam shell is the sensitivity of the material to various solvents such as acetone, gasoline and nitro paints. Under their influence, the foam is easily destroyed. Therefore, when working with it, care should be taken that the mentioned substances do not fall on the surface of the insulation.
Preparatory work
Before starting the thermal insulation of pipes, it is necessary to pay attention to the place of work. If the insulation needs to be performed in difficult conditions, for example, with high humidity or outdoors, the foam shell must initially have a protective layer of plastic, foil or galvanized steel.
To select insulation, it is important to know the diameter of the pipe on which the shell will need to be installed, as well as the thickness of the insulation layer, which is determined by calculation.
When performing it, the following factors should be taken into account:
- surface temperature of the pipe to be insulated;
- ambient temperature;
- the presence of external mechanical loads and their permissible values;
- thermal conductivity of the selected material and its resistance to deformation.
Its effectiveness depends on the thickness of the wall of the foam shell. The thicker the wall, the better. If necessary, the rules for heat engineering calculations of pipe insulation can be found in the corresponding SNiPs.
Before buying a heater, you need to measure the length of the pipeline sections that you want to insulate. After that, it is worth calculating the required number of foam shell segments. If the pipes are old, they must be cleaned of rust, dirt or unnecessary insulation.
Instructions for installing foam on pipes
Any adult can install the shell on the pipe. This process is simple and follows this order:
- First of all, it is necessary to check the integrity of the pipeline, as well as all its installed elements: taps, plugs, etc. If even minor leaks are found, you should take measures to eliminate them and find out the causes of these problems.
- Before insulation, the surface of the pipes must be treated with an anti-corrosion compound. The simplest option is painting with GF-020 primer.
- If you plan to lay the pipeline in the ground, you need to dig a trench 60 cm wide, and tamp its bottom and fill it with construction sand. Usually, the pipeline is assembled on the surface, and then it is laid in a trench.
- The foam shell should be installed on the finished pipeline, closing it with groove joints. The fit of the insulation to the pipes should be tight, it should not hang out on them. Therefore, it is very important here to choose the correct insulation diameter.
- If the pipe diameter is small, the shell for it should consist of two longitudinal halves one meter long, and their transverse joints during installation should be spaced apart with an offset of 20-50 cm. This will provide the insulation elements with reliable fixation. The excess foam can then be removed with a knife.
- Large diameter pipes should be insulated with a foam shell, which can consist of two or more parts. The installation of thermal insulation must be carried out so that there are no gaps between its elements. To increase the efficiency of the shell, it is recommended to glue the joints with foil tape.
- Foam shell installed on large diameter pipes needs additional fastening. These can be special clamps or knitting wire.
- For corners and nodes of the pipeline, you need to use shaped foam shells. They should be selected individually for each case.
How to insulate pipes with foam - watch the video:
Technologically produced thermal insulation will significantly increase the service life of pipes. The foam shell can withstand over one thousand freezing cycles without losing its original parameters. Today, this method of pipe insulation is considered the most advanced and in demand. Its high efficiency has been proven during the operation of many utility lines for various purposes.
