How to Use MHEC to Save On Insulation
What is MHEC? MHEC stands for Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium. Founded in 1977, by a committee to Improve Buying Procedures for State Institutions of Higher Education in Massachusetts, the MHEC is now the premier source for regionalized New England group purchasing in the United States. It allows not-for-profit companies purchase goods an services, often at a discount, from...
Wye Strainers vs Basket Strainers
What is a strainer? Simply put a strainer is a component that has a perforated or wire mesh cylinder within the body of the component that causes impurities in the fluid stream to be captured and ultimately flushed out of the system. The fluid enters the body of the strainer, flows into and through the mesh cylinder. The mesh cylinder “strains” out particles such as rust, dirt and other...
Sound Pressure Math Made Easy
Pretend for a moment you are Albert Einstein in 1905. You are working diligently on your soon-to-be five famous papers. Your ideas are about to turn the physics world on its head. In your papers you introduce the world for the first time to light quanta, later to be renamed photons. You propose a mathematical way to determine the size of atoms when their very existence was still in question....
Sabine’s Formula & The Birth of Modern Architectural Acoustics
Modern Architectural Acoustics’ Founding Father Jump to Sabine’s Formula ↓
Decibel Dropp & Noise Reduction Coefficients For Material Combinations
Material manufacturers are required by law to publish Material Safety Data Specification (MSDS) sheets for their products. The MSDS sheet consists of the chemical and physical properties of a particular material like fiberglass or mineral wool. In addition to the MSDS, companies manufacturing materials that target the sound-reduction market often publish sound-reduction coefficients for their...
The Newton-Laplace Equation & Speed of Sound
In order to determine the speed of sound in a particular medium, we need to know the medium’s elastic properties and its density. A medium’s elastic properties determine whether or not the medium will deform or lose its shape due to external forces. Sound travels faster in mediums with high elasticity and minimal deformity – like steel. Sound travels more slowly in less rigid mediums that...
The Doppler Effect Equation & Calculating Frequency Change
For a moment, close your eyes and pretend you are standing on a sidewalk and an ambulance is swiftly approaching your position. You listen as the ambulance draws near, and after it passes, the pitch, or frequency, of the siren seems to change.
Best Way to Prevent Chilled Pipe “Sweating” or Condensation
We often hear from clients facing a similar problem: condensation (or sweat) forming on their cold pipe or component. One may think it’s something that can be overlooked, but water can cause serious damage to sensitive piping or equipment if left untreated. Corrosion (the gradual destruction of materials, usually metals, by chemical and/or electrochemical reaction with their environment) can...
5 Most Common Thermal Insulation Materials
There are plenty of cheap and common insulation materials available on the market today. Many of these have been around for quite some time. Each of these insulation materials have their own ups and downs. As a result, when deciding which insulation material you should use, you should be sure to be aware of which material would work the best in your situation. We have considered differences...
WHY YOUR INSULATION JACKET DOESN’T FIT
In the business of custom mechanical insulation, the right fit is critical. Even with the use of the least conductive, most space-age synthetic fibers, insulation covers only work as well as they fit. Loose insulation blankets simply do not work as efficiently as a perfectly tight jacket. Yet, if an insulation jacket fabricator errs by constructing a jacket that is too tight, the client may...
