High Temperature Insulation Materials & Applications

Written by Chuck Murphy | Mar 8, 2018 5:26:00 PM

This article was written by Chuck Murphy, an expert at Thermaxx Jackets.

Everyday insulating materials are not sufficient for hot applications. Traditional materials used in insulating blankets, covers and jackets (silicone/fiberglass) start to falter when approaching 600°F. Cover materials start failing, threads start degrading, and insulation starts burning!

Applications that commonly experience elevated temperatures are:

High Pressure Steam Piping,
Valves
Flanges
Expansion Joints
Heat Exchangers
Boilers
Furnaces
Ovens & Kilns
Dryers
Turbines
Chillers
Compressors
CoGeneration Plants
Incinerators
Industrial Processing Equipment
Exhaust Manifolds
Catalytic Converters
Heat Treating,
Welding

Thermaxx has successfully employed high temperature insulating materials for these hot situations and more. Temperatures can exceed 2200°F and require a special insulating material set to survive HOT environments. To give a feel for high temperatures, here are melting points of a few common materials:

Aluminum 1220°F
Brass 1823°F
Cast Iron 2000°F

*Temp*	600°F-1000°F	1001°F-1500°F	1501°F-1800°F	1801°F-2200°F
	Materials
Hot Side Cover	Fiberglass Cloth	Vermiculite Fiberglass	Silica Cloth	Inconel Wire
Cold Side Cover	Teflon Sheet	Fiberglass Cloth	Vermiculite Fiberglass	Silica Cloth
Hot Side Insulation	Fiberglass	Ceramic	Ceramic	Ceramic
Cold Side Insulation	Fiberlgass	Fiberglass	Fiberglass	Ceramic
Thread	Kevlar/Inconel	Kevlar/Inconel	Silica	Quartz or Nextel

Thermaxx utilizes a program supplied by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association called 3E+ to determine insulation type and thickness. It is a program providing standards used by insulators and utilities to determine the following:

Perform calculations for flat surfaces and various pipe sizes
Determine economic thickness of insulation based on fuel cost, installed cost, tax rates, maintenance, and other economic factors
Determine surface temperature and heat loss or gain efficiency
Calculate insulation needed for personnel protection in various design conditions
Calculate thickness of insulation for condensation control
Calculate greenhouse gas emissions and reductions

3E+ is used by utilities to determine energy savings and potential rebates for your insulation projects. Thermaxx offers temperature sensing systems to help track your equipment's temperatures and energy savings.

Read more about common insulation materials, or contact us to discuss your high temperature insulation needs.

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