UAE-based Hira Industries will be showcasing its wide range of rubber and polyethylene products, tapes, ventilation accessories and the Diamond pipe supports at The Big 5 show this month.
Visitors to its stand will also gain an insight into the importance of proper installation of Aerofoam insulation in refrigeration and air-conditioning applications.
“We will be focusing on some of the common mistakes and ways to avoid them in the installation of these materials,” says Laurentiu Pestritu, insulation product manager for Middle East, India and Africa, Hira Industries.
“Because of the high flexibility and easy-to-be-glued property, insulation materials based on synthetic rubber are particularly user-friendly. Elastomeric insulation materials are not only easy to install, but they also have very good technical properties and ensure the long-term functionality of the insulation system. Considerable efforts are required for repair once damage has occurred and this can be very serious in case of low-temperature applications.
“Proper installation is vital especially when insulating complex pipe systems. Despite any difficult site conditions, the insulation work must be carried out in such a way that there are no weak areas in the installation. In fact, the idiom ‘A chain is only as strong as its weakest link’ is particularly apt for the insulation field. Faulty installation work can be seen on various building sites today, and this can be easily avoided if some simple installation rules are followed by the insulation contractors,” he adds.
Elaborating on cold applications, he explains that condensation control and minimising heat loss are the two main objectives in such applications. “A reliable insulation system must be protected against moisture penetration; it must be thermally efficient, fire resistant and easy to install,” Pestritu adds.
The main technical requirements for these applications are:
• High resistance to water vapour transmission (m – value);
• Low thermal conductivity (λ – value);
• Fire behaviour, which conforms to the standards (Class O); and
• Ease of installation (flexible insulation).
Careful planning of a low-temperature insulation project should cover three important aspects, according to him. Pestritu explains: “Choosing a suitable insulation material is crucial as are two other essential factors, namely sizing the insulation on the basis of all the calculation parameters – line temperature, ambient temperature, relative humidity and pipe diameter – and professional installation work on the pipe. It is crucial that the insulation work is done professionally when it comes to refrigeration and air-conditioning applications.”
He points out that when installing elastomeric insulation materials, mistakes are often made in measuring fittings, cutting material to size and gluing the parts. Other areas where errors can also be made are when using mounting devices or functional substructures and when gluing joints between different materials (in the vicinity of pipe brackets, for example), he adds.
“Incorrect installation can lead to costly repair, especially in the sensitive area of the pipe bracket,” Pestritu concludes.
Hira Industries can be visited at Stand 3A118 at The Big 5 show.
