Are there any insulation (cooling) materials that do not require support brackets?
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Are there any such insulation materials available on the market that allow pipes to be supported directly by the insulation material itself, without the need for pipe supports? In other words, are there rigid insulation materials that can be used to support pipes directly on the pipe rack? If not, could this serve as a new approach for developing new insulation (cooling) materials?
There are indeed some rigid insulation materials available on the market, such as rigid polyurethane foam and phenolic foam; these materials can be installed directly on pipes without the need for additional pipe supports. Such hard materials possess a certain load-bearing capacity, allowing them to support their own weight as well as additional weights attached to the pipe rack. Using this material as a basis for developing new insulation materials is a viable approach, especially when seeking more efficient and easier-to-install insulation solutions. Further development of rigid materials that can provide better load-bearing capacity and thermal insulation properties holds potential for market application. .
For things like heat-resistant insulation layers and certain cold-insulating layers, the calculated thickness of insulation required is only a few millimeters; while the standards require at least 20 or 30 millimeters. Adding pipe supports on top of that is a waste. If there is suitable insulation material, using a layer a few millimeters thick will ensure that the outer surface of the pipe does not exceed 60°C; in that case, it’s much better to simply install the pipe without using any supports.
If there is a suitable material that can serve as a thermal insulation material for support without using pipe supports, then the moisture barrier can be omitted. Design and construction are much more convenient.
In the actual operation of thermal pipelines, a large portion of the heat loss occurs through the contact between the pipe supports and the pipe racks. If the pipe supports can be omitted and the insulation layer and outer protective layer are placed directly on the pipe rack, heat loss through the pipe supports is avoided, thereby significantly reducing the thermal losses of the pipes.
Thermal pipeline supports must have pipe supports; otherwise, the fixing frames cannot be secured, and the sliding and guiding frames will wear out and get damaged quickly. The pipe supports of the vermiculite hangers are isolated from the pipes (with no contact), resulting in no heat bridges or heat loss.