Name : Hilal Ahmad

Roll No. 37
th
Semester : 6
Assignment :
Insulation Materials
 Insulation materials
Insulation materials come from different sources like minerals, vegetable fibers, animal
products, and synthetic compounds. Like in many engineering decisions, each material has
advantages and disadvantages that must be considered when selecting insulation for
buildings.
Benefits of Insulation:
1. Conserves energy by reducing Heat loss or gain.
2. Properly designed and installed insulation systems immediately reduce the need for
energy. Controls surface temperatures for personnel Protection and Comfort.
3. Insulation reduces the surface temperature of piping or equipment to a safer level,
resulting in increased worker safety.
4. Facilitates process temperature control. By reducing heat loss or gain, insulation can
help to maintain the process temperature to a pre-determined value
5. Prevents Condensation on Cold Surfaces Sufficient Insulation thickness with a good
vapor retarder is the most effective means of controlling condensation and limiting
corrosion on cold piping, ducts, chillers and roof drains.

Fiberglass:
Fiberglass is one of the most popular insulation materials, made by
weaving fine strands of glass. It is manufactured mostly from
recycled glass.
Characteristics:

 Minimizes heat transfer

 Non-flammable
 Low cost
 Environmentally friendly
 Does not absorb water
 Can be dangerous for installers, requiring special protection
equipment. The small particles of glass can damage the eyes,
lungs and skin.
 Loose-fill insulation is applied using an insulation-blowing
machine

Mineral Wool:
Mineral wool refers to two types of insulation material:

 Rock wool, made from basalt or diabase

  Slag wool, made from blast furnace slag from steel mills
Characteristics:

 Contains an average of 75% post-industrial recycled content

 Does not need additives to make it fire resistant
 Not recommended in extreme heat environments
 Non flammable
 Environmentally friendly
 Does not melt and is not combustible
 Moderate cost

Cellulose:
Cellulose is made from recycled paper products, mainly newspapers.
During the manufacturing process, paper is first broken down into
smaller pieces and then fiberized. Cellulose is one of the most eco-
friendly forms of insulation, and is available in loose-fill and blown-in
versions.
Characteristics:

 Environmentally friendly
 Most of its content is recycled (82-85%)
 Inhibits airflow
 Mineral borate is added to ensure fire and insect
resistance
  Requires no moisture barrier
 Excellent product for minimizing fire damage
 Due to its compactness, it contains almos not oxygen
within
 Can generate allergies
 Requires skilled workers for installation
 Moderate cost

Polystyrene:
Polystyrene is a colorless and transparent thermoplastic.
Polystyrene insulation is available in many versions:

 Molded expanded polystyrene (MEPS),

commonly used in foam boards and as small
foam beads.
 Expanded polystyrene (EPS), made of small
plastic beads fused together
 Extruded polystyrene (XPS), is a molten material
that is pressed into sheets, also known as
styrofoam
Characteristics:

 Low cost, but not environmentally friendly

 Flammable, needs to be coated with a
fireproof chemical
 Lightweight
 Tends to accumulate static electricity
 Can be difficult to control
 Thermal drift or ageing occurs over
time-R-value depends on density:
expensive XEP has an R-value of R-5.5,
while EPS offers R-4
 Waterproof
 Excellent sound and temperature
insulation
 Smooth surface

Polyurethane:
Polyurethane is available in closed-cell foam and open-cell
foam. Closed-cell foams possess high-density cells filled
with a gas (non-HCFC), which allows the foam to expand. Open-cell foams are not as dense
and are filled with air, producing a spongy texture when applied. However, some low-
density varieties use carbon dioxide as the foaming agent.
Characteristics:

 High cost
 Not environmentally friendly
 Fire resistant
 Great sound insulator
 New foams use non-CFCs gas as a blowing agent
 Lightweight
 R-value of R-6.3 per inch
 Contains low-conductivity gas in its cells
 Thermal drift or ageing occurs only in closed-cell
foams in the first two years after application. To
slow down thermal drift, a layer of foil and
plastic facings can be applied facing the open
aire space creating a radiant barrier.
 Sprayed foam is cheaper than foam boards and
performs better.-Sprayed foams can expand
rapidly or slowly depending on the user
demands
 Resistant to water vapor diffusion

Natural Fibers:
Many natural fibers have applications in building insulation. Some
examples are cotton, sheep’s wool, straw and hemp.
Cotton is available in batts and rolls, and it offers the following
features:

 Consists of 85% recycled cotton and 15% plastic fibers

 Treated with borate (flame retardant and insect repellent)
 Cotton insulation is available in batts and costs about 15%
to 20% more than fiberglass batt insulation.
 Minimum energy requirements for manufacturing

Sheep wool is also available and batts and rolls, and it has
the following characteristics:

 Treated with borate to resist pest, fire and mold.

  Holds water, but repeated wetting and drying reduces borate effect
Straw has been used as insulation since the 1930s. Straw
bale construction, popular 150 years ago on the Great
Plains of the United States, has received renewed
interest.

 The process of fusing straw into boards without

adhesives was developed in the 1930s. Panels are
usually 2 to 4 inches (5 to 102 mm) thick and
faced with heavyweight kraft paper on each side.
The boards also make effective sound-absorbing
panels for interior partitions. Some manufacturers
have developed structural insulated panels from
multiple-layered, compressed-straw panels.
Hemp is not a common insulation material in the US,
although it has R-values comparable to those of other
fibrous insulation types.

Polyisocyanurate:
Polyisocyanurate or polyiso is a closed cell thermoset plastic
similar to polyurethane. It contains a low-conductivity HCF-free
gas and can be foamed in place, which is cheaper and more
efficient than using foam boards.
Polyiso experiences thermal
drift or ageing in the first 2 years
after manufacturing, but foil and
plastic facings can be applied facing the open air space. This
works as a radiant barrier, stabilizing the R-value
Polyiso is available in the following forms:

 Foam board or rigid foam

 Spra yed foam and foamed-in-place
 Laminated insulation panels
 Structural insulated panels (SIPs)

Cementitious Foam Insulation Material:

Cementitious insulation material is a cement-based foam used as sprayed-foam or foamed-
in-placed insulation. One type of cementitious spray foam insulation known as air krete
contains magnesium silicate and has an initial consistency similar to shaving cream. Air krete
is pumped into closed cavities. Cementitious foam costs about as much as polyurethane
foam, is nontoxic and nonflammable, and is made from minerals (like magnesium oxide)
extracted from seawater.

Phenolic Foam Insulation Material:

Phenolic (phenol-formaldehyde) foam was somewhat popular years ago as rigid foam board
insulation. It is currently available only as a foamed-in-place insulation.
Phenolic foamed-in-place insulation uses air as the foaming agent. One major disadvantage
of phenolic foam is that it can shrink up to 2% after curing, which makes it less popular
today.

Insulation Materials That Are No Longer Used:

Some insulation materials that were used in the past are now
outlawed, unavailable or not used due to health issues. Some
examples are vermiculite, perlite and urea-formaldehyde.
Vermiculite and perlite were used to insulate attics before the
1950, but are not used anymore because they contain asbestos.
These insulation materials were mostly available as loose-fill or
pellets.

 Certified contractors in handling asbestos are required for

removal from existing buildings
 Were applied by heating rock pellets until they popped
 Allowed mixing with cement
Urea-formaldehyde is a sprayed foam that was commonly used in the 1970s and 1980s.
However, due to improper installations, many health-related court cases took place. As a
result, urea-formaldehyde was prohibited in residential buildings, but is still used for
masonry walls in commercial and industrial buildings.

 Uses compressed air as the foaming agent

 Does not expand as it cures
 Nitrogen- based UF takes longer to cure
 Water vapor can pass through
 Does not contain a fire retardant