Solutions
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Solutions #1
Problem:
Insulation on a
-20°F ammonia liquid line failed due to long term exposure to water vapor drive. The operation (frozen bread production), runs 24 hours/day 7 days/week and cannot be shutdown long enough to thaw-out and replace the
failed pipe.
Solution: Install an Insul-Dry Dry air Injection System and inject a blanket of extremely dry air under a new vapor barrier to remove moisture from the insulation.
Results: After 29 months of operation the Insul-Dry System has stopped any visible sign of condensation and has removed ice deeply imbedded in the insulation.
Images
(click thumbnail for a closer look):
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1. Notice
immediately after the insulation was removed, there is
no frost or ice
on the pipe
surface.
With Insul-Dry, the pipe is dry.
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2. Only minutes later, frost has begun to form on the -20° F line when exposed to ambient air.
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3. After about 10 minutes of exposure, the formation of frost is more evident on the cold pipe. Note the color of the pipe as it turns white with frost formation.
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Solutions #2
Problem:
Ice has formed on the insulation OD of a -10°F Ammonia vessel and
associated piping causing added stress on the external piping and
increased inefficiency. Water dripping from the frosted areas is
falling on the pump motors and on to the floor. This Poultry
processing operation runs 7 days a week and cannot shutdown long enough to
thaw, remove and replace the existing insulation.
Solution:
Increase the room temperature and removed the ice, jacketing and vapor
retarder. Installed Insul-Dry Dry Air Injection tubing in the
Insulation, 1/4" think poly foam overly (to provide a clean dry surface
for the new vapor retarder), new vapor retarder and vents. Mounted the
desiccant dryer and started the drying process. No System
Shutdown was Required.
Results:
The system was installed and started in late April of 2004. After
the initial installation, some frost and condensate formed on the outside of
the new vapor retarder. Four months later, the vessel has no sign of
external frost and very little condensation, resulting in reduced
piping stress and a dramatic reduction in heat intrusion.
Monitoring
the progress of this insulation recovery (by sampling the moisture content
of the outlet air at the vents with a portable dew point meter)
continues. This is a non-invasive method of measuring the moisture
content of the insulation. The Insul-Dry system is working and
recovering the insulation properties.
Solution #3
Problem: Thermal expansion and contraction of the piping system at a large food warehouse has caused the vapor retarder to be pulled apart at the seams. Long piping mains on this system can expand and contract as much as 4" during a single thermal cycle. As the pipe expands and contracts the saddles that support the pipe and insulation on the roof stands do not move, putting excessive pull on the vapor retarder. In many places the vapor retarder girth seams have been separated, exposing the bare insulation and allowing moisture infiltration into the insulation system. Moisture infiltration will cause insulation failure, excessive thermal loss and corrosion on the pipe under the insulation.
Solution: Repair the vapor retarder and install Insul-Dry sliding saddles to allow for the movement of the piping system through the thermal cycle. The upper saddle will be attached to the vapor retarder with an adhesive. The lower ribbed saddle will rest on the pipe stand and the PTFE liner will allow low friction movement limiting the force on the vapor retarder girth seams.
Results: After several months of operation and many thermal cycles the Insul-Dry Sliding Saddles are working. There is no sign of any seam failure due to thermal expansion and contraction when walking the length of the 4000 foot piping system.
PDF: Click
Here
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