{"id":7236,"date":"2006-11-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2006-11-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insulation.org\/io\/articles\/types-of-insulation-for-refrigeration-applications\/"},"modified":"2017-06-09T20:21:10","modified_gmt":"2017-06-09T20:21:10","slug":"types-of-insulation-for-refrigeration-applications","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/insulation.org\/io\/articles\/types-of-insulation-for-refrigeration-applications\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Insulation for Refrigeration Applications"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Refrigeration systems cover a broad spectrum of application  temperatures and environments, many of which are discussed in the <em>2006<\/em> <em>ASHRAE  Handbook&ndash;Refrigeration<\/em>.  But they all face the same issues relating to both condensation control and  moisture. Since moisture is a good thermal conductor, its presence in an  insulation system is highly detrimental. Unlike hot systems, where marginal  insulation may result in increased energy use (and added cost), refrigeration  systems face condensation, which often leads to complete system failure. Even  with today&rsquo;s high energy costs, the design thickness in most refrigeration  applications is dictated by what is needed to prevent condensation, rather than  by economic payback.<\/p>\n<p>Refrigeration systems typically operate in the range of 20&deg;F  (for Freon systems) to as low as -50&deg;F (for ammonia systems). They can use a  variety of refrigerants and fluids in addition to Freon and ammonia, including  glycol, brine, and other specialty fluids. Copper, iron, stainless steel, or  other piping materials may be used to carry the cooling medium. Typical  applications include those in supermarkets; beverage-dispensing lines;  chillers; and food processing, freezing, and storage facilities (for example,  meat processing and dairy, vegetable, and frozen-dinner cases). Other  applications include those at ice rinks and morgues, as well as various unique  applications. All of these applications share common concerns regarding  condensation control and long-term reliability, but they also have particular  issues with installation, required thickness, and the environmental conditions  in which they operate. Guidelines for insulation selection, thickness,  installation, and maintenance are found in the <em>2006  ASHRAE Handbook&ndash;Refrigeration<\/em> in Chapter 33, &ldquo;Insulation Systems for  Refrigeration Piping.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Reliability should be the primary concern when considering  the design and installation for any application. Design must consider factors  including the application temperature, environmental considerations,  consequences if a failure occurs, and expectations of the job by the owners  (longevity of the system, aesthetics, etc.). Installation considerations  include environmental conditions during installation, time frame allotted to  complete the job, and worker training.<\/p>\n<p>Below-ambient refrigerant lines are installed primarily to  accomplish the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Minimize  heat gain to the internal fluids<\/li>\n<li>Control  surface condensation<\/li>\n<li>Prevent ice  accumulation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Operation is generally continuous, so the vapor drive is  unidirectional. Water vapor that condenses on the pipe surface or in the  insulation remains there. The vapor retarder must be continuous and effective 100 percent of the time to  limit the amount of vapor entering the system. The following are some important  features of the insulation in various refrigeration applications:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Thermal  conductivity, or k-value<\/li>\n<li>Water vapor  transmission (WVT) properties<\/li>\n<li>Water  absorption properties<\/li>\n<li>Coefficient  of thermal expansion<\/li>\n<li>Moisture  wicking<\/li>\n<li>Fire and  smoke performance to meet building codes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The ASHRAE handbook recommends the following insulation  materials for refrigeration applications: cellular glass, closed-cell phenolic,  flexible elastomeric, polyisocyurante, and polystyrene. All of these materials  have one property in common: all are closed-cell foam materials, which means  they will have good WVT and low water absorption characteristics.<\/p>\n<p>In all cases, the entire system (seams, butt joints, and  termination points) must be completely sealed with adhesives to protect against  air intrusion into the system, which would carry moisture and result in  condensation between the cold pipe and the insulation. Relying on a single, concentrated  vapor retarder is not recommended. Generally, closed-cell foam insulations are  used for these applications. Seams should be minimized. On multilayer systems,  the seams should be staggered. Taped seams are only allowed as a complimentary  closure system.<\/p>\n<p>Supermarkets are one of the biggest and most noticeable  applications for refrigeration systems. They face several issues, including  changes in refrigerant, colder line temperatures, higher temperature hot gas  defrost cycles, changing store designs, and pressures to reduce installation  time to decrease store build time. Chapter 16 in the ASHRAE handbook, titled  &ldquo;Retail Food Store Refrigeration and Equipment,&rdquo; details many of the issues  related to this market segment. Mandated changes in refrigerants are resulting  in colder line temperatures, which require increased insulation thickness to  prevent condensation.<\/p>\n<p>In typical conditions, a 1-inch thickness is the standard;  however, in some cases where humidity is high (over 80 percent), a 1&frac12;-inch  thickness may be used. (See &ldquo;Insulation Thickness Versus Design Relative  Humidity.&rdquo;) Availability of 1&frac12;-inch wall elastomeric insulation that has a  25\/50 rating when tested according to ASTM E 84 is a new development on the  market.  This eliminates the need for sleeving  materials to obtain the 1&frac12;-inch thickness.<\/p>\n<p>Hot gas defrost cycles require insulation products to  withstand spike temperatures up to 250&deg;F. Open-ceiling store designs are  mandating a change from the standard black insulation to a white product for  better paint coverage and appearance. The installation procedures used on  supermarket applications require that copper pipe (20-foot sections) be  insulated on the floor and then taken to the ceiling and hung. To expedite this  process and eliminate seams, many installers have gone to 18-foot coils of  insulation that can be easily slid onto the 20-foot copper lengths. The  reduction in seams saves time and improves the reliability of the job.<\/p>\n<p>Using preinsulated pipe hangers is a concept that is gaining  acceptance in supermarkets because it saves time and improves reliability by  reducing condensation at hanger locations. The majority of piping on a  supermarket is indoors, but for the outdoor and rooftop sections, the use of  flexible jacketing-polyvinyl chloride (PVC), AL laminates, etc., is being  evaluated, either installed at the job site or factory applied to improve the  longevity and appearance of the job. Use of protective coatings that need  periodic maintenance is becoming less specified.<\/p>\n<p>Refrigeration piping on most supermarkets is found inside,  but some stores are designed with 90 percent of the piping on the roof. Some  elastomeric insulation products are being promoted as ultraviolet (UV)  resistant and acceptable for use outdoors without the additional protection of  coatings, jackets, or cladding materials. But UV protection is not the only  issue when it comes to outdoor applications. Mechanical abuse (by birds, cats,  people, etc.) and environmental abuse (by hail, sand, dirt, wind, rain, etc.)  play a role in the reliability and longevity of the insulation system. For  optimum performance, coatings, jacketing, or cladding should be used for  outdoor applications.<\/p>\n<p>The insulation system installed on a supermarket  refrigeration system must be highly reliable, as it will operate 24 hours a day  for up to 10 years. System failure may result in a large loss of perishable  foods. Closed-cell elastomeric materials have been used in this application for  many years because they are extremely reliable and cost-effective. It is a  primary product used for supermarket refrigeration applications because of its  low WVT, allowable use temperature range, and ease of installation.<\/p>\n<p>Another rather unique, behind-the-scenes refrigeration  application is in beverage-dispensing units for large stadiums or coliseums,  where satellite food court areas are all supplied from a central unit. In this  case, multiple lines are bundled together and insulated with a single  large-inner-diameter insulation coil. This keeps all the lines together and  saves materials, space, and installation time. The coils are produced in long  lengths to reduce seams, which also saves time and improves system reliability.  Closed-cell flexible insulation materials are preferred for this application  because of their flexibility during installation.<\/p>\n<p>Chillers come in various sizes and models. All require  insulation of the piping and chiller barrels. As with other refrigeration  applications, use of new refrigerants and space constraints have caused  concerns. In addition, many manufacturers have changed manufacturing locations,  which means units are being shipped farther or stored longer prior to shipment.  This increases the units&rsquo; exposure to weather and the resulting challenges.  Plus, end users demand not only performance, but also the acceptable appearance  of the delivered unit. As a result, manufacturers are moving toward insulation  with preapplied UV weather and abuse protection, such as coatings or claddings  that offer both performance and appearance benefits. Indoor safety and health  issues at the manufacturing location may not allow the use of solvent-based  adhesives, so manufacturers are using products with preapplied adhesive on  either the sheet or tubular insulation. Facing increased labor costs, inventory  constraints, and space limitations, some find purchasing ready-to-use kits  supplied by fabricators a cost-effective option.<\/p>\n<p>Using a coating or flexible jacketing can improve the  appearance, durability, weather resistance, and longevity of the insulation on  a unit. Flexible, closed-cell elastomeric insulation is the predominate product  used in this application. A 3\/4-inch thickness is commonly used.<\/p>\n<p>Food processing, freezing, storage, and distribution  applications often use ammonia refrigeration because of its lower operating  costs. System practices for ammonia and carbon dioxide refrigerants are  outlined in Chapter 3 of the ASHRAE handbook. Processed, precooked, and  prepared foods all come under the regulations of the Food and Drug  Administration (FDA) 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and facilities using  meat products come under the regulations of the United States Department of  Agriculture (USDA).<\/p>\n<p>As ammonia systems are designed for smaller applications at  an economical up-front cost, they are getting more consideration than more  expensive operating systems. While most areas do not exceed high temperatures  above 160&deg;F, some sections may cycle from -40&deg;F to 250&deg;F. Lower temperatures  (down to -60&deg;F) mean greater insulation thickness (2 to 3 inches) is usually  required to prevent condensation. Typically, 3 inches of insulation is used to  prevent condensation, as many of these applications are in high-humidity areas.  Ammonia refrigeration applications are demanding, and performance and longevity  expectations are high. The majority of the insulation is installed outdoors, so  jacketing selection is critical. As a result of the cost and thickness  required, polystyrene and polyisocyurante with a stainless steel jacket are the  most common materials used. Of key concern is corrosion of iron pipe. Moisture  resistance and control of the insulation material is critical. Proper  insulation installation (with no open or through seams) is a major concern, and  use of secondary vapor-retarder systems is the norm. New materials that can  save on material or installation costs are always being evaluated, but  long-term reliability is of prime importance because downtime and iron-pipe  replacement is more costly than the dollars saved up front on installation.<\/p>\n<p>The refrigeration market covers a broad spectrum of  applications, each with unique requirements but all with a common goal:  prevention of moisture intrusion and condensation to maintain long-term system  reliability. Installation techniques are just as critical as material selection.  The consequences of system failure can include degraded thermal performance of  the insulation, higher system operating cost, inadequate cooling capacity, mold  and mildew, ice formation, ruined ceilings, slippery floors, equipment  downtime, and corroded pipes.<\/p>\n<p>\n  In below-ambient systems like refrigeration applications  (including chilled water and cryogenic systems), closed-cell insulation  products are preferred because of their low WVT and inherent moisture  resistance. It&rsquo;s important to select the right insulation product for the  application. Customer expectations must be matched to product performance and  cost. Refrigeration applications are demanding and require careful  consideration in material selection and installation to obtain optimum performance for the end user.<\/p>\n<div id=\"images\">\n<div class=\"figure\"><a href=\"https:\/\/insulation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/IO061104_01.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/insulation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/IO061104_01.jpg\"\/><\/a><b>Figure 1<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"figure-caption\">Insulation Thickness Versus Design Relative Humidity<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Refrigeration systems cover a broad spectrum of application temperatures and environments, many of which are discussed in the 2006 ASHRAE Handbook&ndash;Refrigeration. But they all face the same issues relating to both condensation control and moisture. Since moisture is a good thermal conductor, its presence in an insulation system is highly detrimental. Unlike hot systems, where<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":[47],"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[26],"class_list":["post-7236","articles","type-articles","status-publish","hentry","category-corrosion","author-roger-schmidt"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.0 (Yoast SEO v24.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Types of Insulation for Refrigeration Applications - Insulation Outlook Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/insulation.org\/io\/articles\/types-of-insulation-for-refrigeration-applications\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Types of Insulation for Refrigeration Applications\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Refrigeration systems cover a broad spectrum of application temperatures and environments, many of which are discussed in the 2006 ASHRAE Handbook&ndash;Refrigeration. But they all face the same issues relating to both condensation control and moisture. Since moisture is a good thermal conductor, its presence in an insulation system is highly detrimental. 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