Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis of

flange connection insulated with ContraFlex® PFP

system, exposed to fire

Note:
This report is for illustrative purposes only and is produced within the design constraints of the software available to Advanced Insulation
and its subsidiaries. The report has been produced to assist the recipients in design decisions but should not be used as the sole point of
reference. Do not base your design decisions solely on the data presented in this report. Use this information in conjunction with
experimental data and practical experience.

Document Ref: TRL19002

Issue No: 03

Date: 06/03/2019

Prepared by: Kamil Tomaszewski

Approved by: simon.jones , 12/03/2019, 14:46:56

Advanced Insulation Systems Ltd

Quedgeley West Business Park, Bristol Road, Gloucester GL2 4PA
Tel: +44 (0)1452 880880 Fax: +44 (0)1452 880888
Email: info@aisplc.com An
www.aisplc.com Company
Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

Index

1 Summary............................................................................................................................ 3

2 Model Description .............................................................................................................. 3

3 Assumptions ...................................................................................................................... 5

4 Boundary Conditions, Interactions and Constraints ............................................................. 5

5 Mesh.................................................................................................................................. 6

6 Material Properties ............................................................................................................ 6

7 Results ............................................................................................................................... 9

8 Discussion ........................................................................................................................ 11

Ref: TRL19002
Issue No: 03 Page 2 of 11
Date: 6/03/2019
Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

1 Summary

Transient thermal Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was performed on a flanged connection between a
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe and a Carbon Steel (CS) pipe, insulated with a ContraFlame®
PFP jacket system and subjected to a hydrocarbon fire curve. The aim of the study was to design a
ContraFlame® jacket system and determine the required thickness and coatback length, to ensure
that the absolute temperature on the interface between the HDPE and CS or the HDPE and
ContraFlex® doesn’t exceed 70°C.

2 Model Description

A 3D section of the flanged connection insulated with ContraFlex® jacket system was modelled in
ABAQUS CAE. Only a thin section was created assuming cyclic symmetry around the main axis of the
model, see Figure 1. The geometry was then partitioned and sets for different parts and materials
were assigned.
The model comprised of a flanged connection between two 4” (nominal OD) and 6 mm thick (WT)
HDPE and CS pipes insulated with two ContraFlex® jackets: first 61mm thick and second 75mm thick.
An additional flange cover of 50mm thickness was modelled on top of the flanged connection with
an 85mm overlap form the centre of the flanged connection on the CS pipe side and down to the
concrete base on the HDPE pipe side. Figures 2 and 3 provide an overview of the geometry.

Figure 1. FEA model. As modelled (left) and after using repeated symmetry feature around main axis

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Issue No: 03 Page 3 of 11
Date: 6/03/2019
 Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

ContraFlex® Flange cover jacket (1)

(50 mm)
Outer ContraFlex® jacket (2)
(75 mm)
Inner ContraFlex® jacket (3A)
(61 mm)

Inner ContraFlex® jacket (3B)

(61 mm)

200 mm 580 mm

Figure 2. ContraFlex® jacket layup

The length of the HDPE pipe from the concrete base to the flange was assumed as 300mm. The
length of the insulated part of the CS pipe was 580mm, with short length of uninsulated pipe, to
simulate direct exposure to a fire. For purpose of this study it was assumed that internal cavity of the
pipes was filled with stagnant water.

Concrete ContraFlex ® Jacket (1)

50 mm – Material 1
ContraFlex ® Jacket (2)
Material 1
75mm
Water

ContraFlex ® Jacket (3A &B)

Material 2
10mm

ContraFlex ® Jacket (3A&B)

Material 1
50mm
HDPE pipe
6” OD (NOM) WT
Flanged connection between CS pipe
HDPE and CS pipes 6” schedule 40

Figure 3. Material assignment

Ref: TRL19002
Issue No: 03 Page 4 of 11
Date: 6/03/2019
Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

3 Assumptions

➢ Ambient temperature 36°C (based on Dubai environmental conditions)

➢ Initial temperature of the system 36°C
➢ Medium inside of the pipe – water
➢ Flow inside the pipe – stagnant water
➢ Hydrocarbon fire for 90min following UL1709 hydrocarbon fire temperature curve

4 Boundary Conditions, Interactions and Constraints

The model was created as one part and partitioned to create separate parts. This technique allows
full heat transfer between different parts of the model without the need of creating tie constraints
or interactions.
The predefined temperature field of 36°C was applied to the whole model to simulate the
temperature of the assembly prior to exposure to fire. This was assumed to be same as the ambient
temperature of 36°C.
The temperature boundary condition was applied to the external faces of the exposed ContraFlex®
PFP insulation and the uninsulated pipe, see Figure 4. The value of the temperature, was time
dependent and was applied according to UL1709 fire curve.

Fire

Figure 4. Boundary conditions

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Date: 6/03/2019
Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

5 Mesh

The model was meshed with DC3D8, 8-node linear heat transfer brick elements with global seed size
of 4. Local mesh refinement was used to ensure minimum of 4 elements through a part.

Global mesh size: 4 Elements through

the thickness: 4

Elements through
the thickness: 4

Figure 5. FE mesh

Mesh details:

Total number of nodes: 23929

Total number of elements: 11796
11592 linear hexahedral elements of type DC3D8
204 linear wedge elements of type DC3D6

6 Material Properties

Tables 1-5 provide the material properties used within the analysis

Table 1. – Material Properties – High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

Property HDPE Unit

Density 965 kg/m3

Thermal Conductivity 0.475 W/mK
Specific Heat Capacity 2250 J/kgK

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Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

Table 2. Material Properties – Carbon Steel (CS)

Property Carbon Steel Unit

Density 7800 kg/m3

20 53.3
40 52.7
100 50.7
200 47.3
Thermal conductivity Temp °C W/mK
400 40.7
600 34.0
800 27.4
1200 27.3
20 440
40 453
100 488
200 530
400 606
600 760
601 761
Specific Heat Capacity Temp °C 700 1008 J/kgK
735 5000
736 4109
800 803
850 695
900 650
901 650
1200 650

Table 3. Material Properties – Water

Property Water Unit

Density 1000 kg/m3

35 0.6
45 0.6
55 0.6
65 0.6
Thermal conductivity Temp °C W/mK
75 0.7
85 0.7
95 0.7
100 0.0
35 4183
45 4182
55 4182
65 4184
Specific Heat Capacity Temp °C J/kgK
75 4190
85 4199
95 4210
100 2042

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Issue No: 03 Page 7 of 11
Date: 6/03/2019
Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

Table 4. Material Properties – Material 1

Property Material 1 Unit

Density 128 kg/m3

20 0.039
260 0.06
Thermal conductivity Temp °C 538 0.11 W/mK
816 0.18
1000 0.25
Specific Heat Capacity 890 J/kgK

Table 5. Material Properties – Material 2

Property Material 2 Unit

Density 350 kg/m3

200 0.026
400 0.030
Thermal conductivity Temp °C W/mK
600 0.038
800 0.049
200 890
400 990
Specific Heat Capacity Temp °C J/kgK
600 1040
800 1070

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Issue No: 03 Page 8 of 11
Date: 6/03/2019
Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

7 Results

Figure 6 shows selected location on the pipes, flange and outer surface of the ContraFlex® jackets
used for further evaluation of the temperature rise during the analysis

TC-1 Fire

TC-5 CS
TC-4 HDPE
TC-2 Fire

TC-3 HDPE TC-6 CS TC-7 CS

Figure 6. Temperature measurement locations

Figure 7 shows temperature rises at the locations shown above during the analysis.
Temperature axis on the left side of the graph is used to plot temperature rise on the external
surface of the ContraFlex® jackets (TC-1 Fire and TC-2 Fire) and directly relates to the applied fire
temperature. The secondary temperature axis, on the right side of the graph is used to plot
temperature changes on the pipes and flanges under the ContraFlex® jackets.

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Issue No: 03 Page 9 of 11
Date: 6/03/2019
Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

Figure 7. Temperature rises at all locations

Figure 8 shows only temperature rises at the selected locations (TC-3 HDPE, TC-4 HDPE, TC-5 CS, TC-
6 CS, TC-7 CS) under the ContraFlex® jackets during the analysis.

Figure 8. Temperature rise under the ContraFlex® PFP Insulation

Figure 8 shows the temperature distribution plot at 90 minutes (5400 sec) of exposure to
hydrocarbon fire

Figure 9. Temperature distribution at 90 min

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Issue No: 03 Page 10 of 11
Date: 6/03/2019
Thermal heat transfer finite element analysis
of flange connection insulated with
ContraFlex® PFP system, exposed to fire.

8 Discussion

Transient heat transfer finite element analysis was carried out on a flanged connection between high density
polypropylene and carbon steel pipes, insulated with ContraFlex® jackets. The intent was to determine the
temperature rise on the surface of HDPE pipe and interface between steel and HDPE flanges, with a view to
determine the thickness and coatback length of the ContraFlex® jackets. The temperature of 70°C was sued as
the maximum allowable temperature on the surface of the HDPE pipe.

A UL1709 fire curve temperature was applied to exposed faces of the assembly, including exposed
(uninsulated) pipe filled with water, protruding from under the PFP insulation system.

The study shows, that during the 90 minutes period of exposure to hydrocarbon fire the maximum absolute
temperature, recorded on the HDPE pipe, was 63.1°C at the corner of the HDPE flange (location marked as TC-
4 HDPE).

Ref: TRL19002
Issue No: 03 Page 11 of 11
Date: 6/03/2019