TABLE OF CONTENTS Insulation is one of those ubiquitous techniques that is always around, always impinging on our work, social and domestic activities and yet for most of the time is hardly noticed. Insulation is a passive product; once installed, it works efficiently, quietly and continually, usually out of sight, enclosed within a structure or a casing or under cladding.
It comes to the fore when new design of buildings, plant, equipment or production processes is being considered. It is at this stage that the right specification must be made. Any shortfall in the thickness or error in the type and application details will prove costly to rectify at a later data.
There are many reasons why professional engineers, architects and laymen use insulation, e.g.:
To comply with mandatory legislation (i.e. Building Regulations);
To reduce heat loss/heat gain;
To reduce running costs;
To control process temperatures;
To control surface temperatures;
To reduce the risk of freezing;
To provide condensation control;
To reduce heating plant capacity;
Other reasons why insulation is used are to provide:
Acoustic/correction and noise control;
Fire protection.
This chapter will deal primarily with thermal insulation. Acoustic and fire-protection properties and applications will be treated as subsidiary to the thermal insulation aspects.
A thermal insulation material is one which frustrates the flow of heat. It will slow down the rate of heat loss from a hot surface and similarly reduce the rate of heat...
