Cold Thermal Insulation Specification
Cold Thermal Insulation Specification
Cold Thermal Insulation Specification
This content provides you with a sample cold thermal insulation specification that is applied
in industrial plant construction.
1. GENERAL
1.1. SCOPE
This Engineering Specification covers the minimum requirement for design and material of
external cold insulation for piping and equipment, for purpose of cold heat conservation, low
temperature maintenance, for use in industrial plant.
This Engineering Specification defines the cold thermal insulation to be used for equipment,
and piping system including:
Insulation types.
Insulation materials.
Thickness to be applied.
Fastening materials.
Jacketing systems for insulation protection.
Technical application methods to be used.
Throughout this Engineering Specification the latest edition of the following codes, standards
and engineering specification are recommended:
Note: Definition of terms used in this engineering specification shall be in accordance with
ASTM C 168.
The temperature for which the piping to be insulated shall be the operating temperature
indicated on the Line List.
The temperature for which the equipment is to be insulated shall be the operating temperature
indicated on the equipment Engineering Drawings.
2.2.1 Insulation shall be provided on all equipment, piping and instruments etc., containing
fluid or vapor, for which it is necessary to:
2.2.2 The system, including the insulating material, the method of fixing, and the finishing
material, has to be capable of giving effective service during the required life period of the
installation. At all times the system shall have good resistance to vibration, mechanical
damage and thermal movement, and it should retain its physical effective mass and stability in
service.
2.4.1
2.4.2 Piping, equipment, storage tanks and vessels requiring insulation shall normally be
specified on the following project documents:
5) Line List
1) Insulation around valves and instrument shall be provided so that insulation does not
interfere its operation.
4) All equipment attachment and projections such as vessel supports, steel structures attached
to vessels, piping supports, instrumentation lines, equipment trim line and instruments
connections directly, to be cold insulated up to a distance of 4 times (minimum 300 mm) the
insulation thickness.
5) Insulation shall extend down the outside of vessel skirt for a distance 4 time (minimum 500
mm) the insulation thickness as measured from inside bottom tangent line.
6) All flanged joints, manhole covers, etc. shall be cold insulated with removable box
insulation.
2.6. LIMITATION
The following piping components & equipment parts shall not be insulated unless otherwise
specified.
(1) Visible parts such as code, inspection and nameplate, stampings, sight glass and level
gauge.
(2) Parts having moving element, such as expansion and swivel joint, and sliding valves.
3.1 GENERAL
1) All material (Insulation, Jacketing and ancillary material) shall be of high quality, new, and
good appearance.
2) The insulation material shall be resistance to degradation. This requirement can have wide
implications, from resistance to vermin and fangoid attach, to freedom from fire hazard. Also
it will include resistance to the required environmental conditions, e.g., adequate weather
resistance for outdoor service as well as resistance to accidental spillage of oil or other
chemicals. The insulating material itself should not tend to dissociate nor to disintegrate.
Rigid Cellular Polyurethane as per ASTM C-591 TYPE-2 shall be used as cold insulation
material.
Annex 1 Thickness table for heat conservation (cold) Rigid Cellular Polyurethane.
Panels, blankets, blocks, preformed shells, cut shells, slabs, etc. according to the equipment
and pipe sizes and forms.
3.5.2 Plates
Dimensions to be used:
N° 8 (1,3mm.)
They shall be suitable for the insulation materials selected and the metal jacketing used.
They are used to hold the insulation materials in position on, equipment and materials and
where it is no possible to use needles.
Dimension to be used:
Aluminum jacketing shall be used as weather protection cover, over the insulation unless
otherwise specified.
For securing Aluminum foil on stainless steel surfaces, Aluminum band 24 SWG thickness
with
Flat sheets shall generally be used, but corrugated cladding may be used on large surfaces and
storage tanks.
Blind rivets shall be used for attaching metal jackets together and screws for fixing metal
jackets to insulation supports. The material of blind rivets and screws shall be adapted to the
material nature of the metal jacketing.
The following operations shall be performed on equipment and materials prior to application
of insulation:
Supports installation
Satisfactory hydrostatic tests
Preparation of surfaces to be insulated.
If insulation work proceeds in advance of hydrostatic testing and inspection, welded joints
shall be left uninsulated until hydrostatic testing is completed.
Generally insulation supports on equipment shall be installed by the Vessel fabricators, and
on piping by the piping construction contractor. Support field welding on tested equipment or
materials, shall be prohibited unless expressly authorized by the engineering contractor.
4.2.1. General
1) The application methods, given in this engineering specification are general in nature. The
construction contractor is responsible for applying an insulating system that to give a
satisfactory operational performance and the requirements given herein shall be regarded as
the acceptable minimum. The construction contractor shall carryout the work in accordance
with the best practices of insulation application with the minimum of waste and debris and the
final job shall have a neat, efficient and workmanlike appearance.
2) Insulation supports shall be provided at least 3700 mm intervals on vertical lines or lines
inclined more than 45° from horizontal supports shall be installed above all flanges in vertical
lines and located to allow removal of flange bolts.
4) Before applying weatherproofing, insulation shall be inspected for open joints, voids,
cracks and defacing. Open joints, voids, and cracks shall be adequately filled with insulation
and defacing made good to the satisfaction of the inspector.
5) Special consideration shall be given to application of insulation near pipe supports. The
insulation and weatherproofing shall be applied in a manner, which does not restrict thermal
expansion or contraction of the piping at its support points.
8) Butt and expansion joints shall be staggered for single layer insulation and in both
directions all multiple layers of insulation.
9) Hydrostatic tests on pipe, vessels and equipment, if possible shall be completed before
insulation is installed. If insulation is applied before testing, all weld and thread joints shall be
exposed until completion of testing.
10) Care shall be taken to avoid contact between dissimilar material, which might causes
galvanic corrosion.
11) Insulation, which needs to be removed for maintenance purpose, shall be fabricated in
such a manner, that it is easily removable and can be remounted with a minimum of work.
Quick opening boxes and similar construction shall be used in this case.
12) Single thickness sectional pipe insulation shall be applied with longitudinal joints
staggered and shall be secured with wire ties on 230 mm centers. Double thickness sectional
pipe insulation shall be applied with all joints staggered and shall have inner layer secured by
at least two wires per section with the outer layer secured by wire ties on 230 mm centers.
13) External stiffing rings on vessel and piping shall be insulated with the same thickness as
required for vessel or piping.
Only sound and dry materials having the correct dimensions, and the required quality
shall be installed.
Cut outs in insulation shall be clean cut.
When more than one layer is provided, the components of each layer shall be
staggered and joints of the second layer shall be off set from those of the first layer.
Blanket (metal-mesh covered) shall be secured by twisting together the wire mesh or
by means of a hook or by tying them together with 0.8 mm diameter wire.
Any beveled or rounded edges of insulating component shall be carefully square off
before application.
Each layer of insulating blanket shall be applied on circular equipment and secured by
steel wire or adapted straps with an adequate spacing to hold components in place.
(Maximum spacing: 250 mm from center to center).
On any sharp angles, a small alloy aluminum angle piece shall be installed to prevent
the metal strap cutting into the insulating materials.
All insulation components shall be carefully cut and adjusted to follow the exact shape
of surfaces, nozzles, manholes, rings, supports, gussets, etc.
Stiffeners shall be thoroughly insulated to the required thickness.
4.2.3.1 The entire outer surface of the insulation shall be covered a tack coat of vapour barrier
mastic, 1.5 liters per 1.0 m2 with a minimum thickness of 1 mm unless otherwise specified.
And nylon fabric embedded into the surface while still wet, avoiding all wrinkles pockets, etc.
and overlapping the nylon fabric a minimum of 50 mm. A finish coat of vapour barrier mastic
shall then be applied to the whole surface 3.0 liters per sq.m., with a minimum finished and
dried thickness of 3 mm unless otherwise specified, care shall be taken to ensure that all nylon
fabric and bands are completely covered. The surface shall be then be smoothed off with a
suitable solvent if metal cladding is not to be applied.
4.2.3.2 The vapour barrier mastic and nylon fabric shall extend at least 150 mm beyond the
insulation at all metal projections to ensure a good seal. Heavy fillets of mastic shall be
applied to all corners and crevices where water is likely to collect. Vapour barrier mastic shall
also be used as flashing at all possible sources of moisture penetration such as intersections of
insulation, nozzles, building, walls, valve bonnets tees and other protrusions through the
surface coating.
4.2.4.1 The entire outer surface of the insulation shall be covered a take coat of vapour barrier
mastic, 1.5 liters per 1.0 m2 with a minimum thickness of 1 mm unless otherwise specified.
And nylon fabric embedded into the surface while still wet, avoiding all wrinkles pockets, etc.
and overlapping the nylon fabric a minimum of 50 mm. A finish coat of vapour barrier mastic
shall then be applied to the whole surface, 3.0 liters per sq.m. With a minimum finished and
dried thickness of 3 mm unless otherwise specified. Care shall be taken to ensure that all
nylon fabric and bands are completely covered. The surface shall then be smoothed off with a
suitable solvent if metal cladding is not to be applied.
4.2.4.2 At all metal flashing protrusions, insulation terminals, corners and cervices a sealant
shall be applied prior to the mastic and nylon fabric, which shall extend 150 mm beyond the
insulation to ensure a good seal. Heavy fillets of vapour barrier mastic shall be applied to all
corners and cervices where water is likely to collect. Vapour barrier mastic shall also be used
at all possible sources of moisture penetration, such as intersections of insulation, nozzles,
building walls and other protrusions through the surface coatings.
After equipment or piping insulation has been applied in a satisfactory manner the
insulation shall be immediately jacketed and waterproofed.
If bare insulation cannot be jacketed before the end of the working day the system
shall be protected with plastic sheets or in shed to prevent water entering.
A basic rule concerns the orientation of the metal jacket overlapping.
To prevent any ingress of water (or other liquid) under the jacket, it is essential for
horizontal joints, that the top sheet overlaps the bottom sheet (like roof tiles).
In the case of vertical joints the overlap shall be in opposite direction of the prevailing
wind.
Laps shall be swaged to increase stiffness and seal efficiency.
On equipment, ducts, piping and whenever it is possible, both horizontal and vertical
laps shall be minimum 50mm wide, otherwise, they shall be as large as possible.
Metal jackets shall be fixed together by adequate screws spaced of maximum 200mm.
From center to center.
To prevent thermal bridges, insulating fabric bands shall be provided between jacket
and support on equipments and at insulation supports.
To allow movement due to the differential expansion between equipment or piping
and jacket, special arrangement shall be provided (Example: a circumferential lap joint
located between 2 supports shall not be fixed).
On accessories such as supports, branch connections, nozzles, manholes … where
adjustment of jacket is difficult and water infiltration is most likely to happen finishing
sheet in 2 parts attached by screws, lapped and swaged shall be provided. Sealing
mastic shall also be used.
Jacket for vessel heads shall be in section except for small diameters where they may
be either flat or Chinese hat type.
The outer surface of insulation shall have a regular and smooth finish.
Insulation elements like blocks and slabs shall be applied with their length parallel to the
greatest length of surface being covered.
The base course shall be applied with alternate length blocks so that all successive end joints
are staggered.
Skirts supporting equipments shall be insulated outside as part of the equipment area.
Straight Pipes
The edges of pipe insulation segments shall be cut off square leaving a distance between the
insulation segment edge and the flange bolt extremity equal to the bolt length plus 25mm. To
ensure enough clearance for bolt dismantling.
Bends
Generally, materials shall be cut into suitable segments and joints shall be carefully staggered.
When two layers (or more) of insulation are provided, joints shall be staggered as follow:
Flanged Components
For in-line instruments, gauge and up to block valve of local instruments such as pressure
gauges, extend and specification of insulation shall be according to this engineering
specification.
For lubing impulse / analyzer line, insulation extend and specification shall be in accordant
with Engineering Specification for Control and Instrument.
Adequate number of inspection windows on all strategic locations shall be provided for
checking metal corrosion by construction contractor, which will be specified by field
engineer.
The removable window shall be of the same basic material and thickness as the rest of the
insulation and of sufficient rigidity to withstand handling.
5. INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS - Cold Thermal Insulation Specification
5.1 All materials furnished and/or used in connection with the insulation work shall be subject
to inspection and approved by Owner to assure the use of material of the type and quality,
which meet the requirements of this specification. It is the responsibility of insulation
contractor to ensure adequate percautions against damage and deterioration are taken during
the storage of insulation materials.
5.2 Installation procedure shall be subject to inspection by Owner or by his representative and
any material, which has been improperly installed or excessively damaged material shall be
removed and replace properly with undamaged material.
5.3 Inspection and approval of materials and workmanship by Owner shall not relieve
insulation contractor of any his responsibilities what so ever.
5.4 Prior to insulation work commencing on any particular section, Owner or third party
should be satisfied that all insulation supports on vessels, vertical pipelines have been
correctly installed. Additionally all refrigerant tracing lines are properly in place and all
metals surface are clean and free of foreign or spattered materials.
5.5 All insulation application shall be performed during dry weather, uncompleted and
exposed surfaces should be protected at all time against dampnest, condensation or rain. Any
exposed ends shall be temporarily protected with weather proofing insulation showing any
evidence of moisture shall be removed and replaced.
5.6 Prior to the release of any equipment and piping to the insulation applicator, all valves,
gauges, etc., shall be inspected, tested and repaired.
5.7 Care shall be taken to ensure that all moving parts (working parts) of instrument, valves,
and equipment are protected when insulation is applied.
Insulating materials shall be packed in a manner to ensure no moisture can enter during
transport, in transit, and storage at site and also during application.
ANNEX 1
COLD INSULATION
K = 0.019 W/m °C