What exactly is thermal insulation?
Thermal insulation is the technique of preventing heat from being transferred between materials in thermal contact. Thermal conductivity is used to assess thermal insulation. Thermal insulation is made from materials that are not thermally conductive. Aside from thermal conductivity, density and heat capacity are essential insulating material qualities. (thermal insulation audit)
Corrosion under insulation is common in petrochemicals and other sectors where pipelines and equipment are shielded from heat. Corrosion often develops on the insulating materials beneath pipelines or equipment. (thermal insulation audit)
What is the purpose of a thermal insulation audit?
Thermal insulation audit is the technique of preventing heat from passing from one surface to another. Thermal insulation requires specialized procedures or processes and appropriate item forms and materials.
Thermal insulation materials, often known as insulators, are used in commercial buildings to reduce the energy consumption of cooling and heating systems. They are also used in industrial systems to manage heat gain or loss on process pipes and equipment and steam and condensate distribution systems, boilers, and other process equipment.
The heat flow through the insulating material must be prevented for thermal insulation. As a result, the insulating material functioning as an insulator should prevent heat from flowing between adjacent surfaces of contacting objects via any heat transfer mechanism.
Steel corrosion in the petrochemical industry is caused by pipes and other equipment thermal insulation. It is deemed severe since it finally leads to plant failure and accidents. Decay behind thermal insulation is dangerous because it remains hidden beneath the jacket until it aggravates and shuts down the facility. (thermal insulation audit)
Three out of every ten enclosures are statistically too hot for power electronics and controllers. This, however, is easily solved by the inclusion of thermal cooling devices. The challenge is to identify your issue areas quickly and effectively, which takes us to the thermal audit. This is a safe, non-invasive means of identifying issue enclosures and selecting thermal cooling equipment that will keep temperatures at acceptable levels.
A thermal insulation audit looks at:
- Enclosed electrical equipment heat load • Temperature ratings of installed equipment (upper and lower limits)
- Temperature (normal and excessive) in the environment
- Clean air (Type 1) • Dirty or damp environment (Type 12, Type 4/4X)
- Closed- or open-loop
- Indoor or outdoor access needs; • Maintenance and frequency of access requirements
Getting Started with a Thermal Insulation Audit
There are a few things to think about when preparing for a thermal insulation audit. What is the total number of enclosures you have? Which are the most critical? Which will be harder to reach? This preparation might assist you in prioritizing your audit and planning the most effective approach.
Next, decide who will do the thermal insulation audit. It is preferable to work in two-person teams, with one person collecting measurements and the other documenting findings. The temperature will be measured at two sites, preferably, and dimensions will be taken to calculate inner volume.
Carrying out the Thermal Insulation Audit
In most circumstances, the entire audit may be carried out without requiring access to the inside of the enclosure. Exceptions include confirming accessible power sources (for cooling equipment) or inspecting a physical fault with the enclosure itself. Try to take measurements when your enclosures are electrically loaded, preferably at the upper end of their operational range.
For each enclosure, several data points must be captured, including:
- Enclosure name/ID
- Open surfaces (surfaces that are not obstructed, top/bottom/back/left/right) Your environment’s minimum and maximum ambient temperatures. Your specified minimum and maximum working temperatures within the enclosure
- The ambient temperature within 3 feet of the enclosure
- The temperature of the enclosure’s top surface.
- Material of the enclosure (i.e. steel).
Mounting choices for the cooler (top, side, and internal). The enclosure has a NEMA rating (12, 4x, etc.)
Studies are being conducted to investigate the efficiency of thermal energy generation, distribution, and utilization. Boiler efficiency tests are performed to determine the steam generation to fuel ratio. Condensates from coils, jackets, and evaporators are collected to determine standards for each operation. Exhausts from furnaces and boilers are quantified by examining them using our equipment. Fixed heating load, start-up load, and insulation losses are calculated. Based on the previous data, a thermal energy balance for a one-year reference period is established. Finally, a techno-economic analysis offers energy conservation methods based on the energy losses observed in the thermal energy balance. The following are the most commonly identified energy-saving areas:
Improvement in steam/power generation efficiency, monitoring steam traps, housekeeping measures, waste heat recovery, the optimal choice of fuel, process optimization etc. Time-bound implementation programs are drawn with the company. Stopleakloss have carried out many such audits, mainly in process industries in India.