There are a plethora of options for industrial insulation, many of which we offer to our clients. This variety may be overwhelming, so you may be wondering how a company like ours can know what insulation to choose. The truth is, that all of these products have their uses. We’ve compiled a brief list of the most common types of insulation and where their strengths lie.
Fiberglass
This is the cotton candy pink insulation that often pops into our head first when we think about insulation. Fiberglass is non-flammable and relatively inexpensive, making it a popular choice for industrial, commercial, and institutional buildings. However, handling this material requires proper safety equipment because it is essentially made out of tiny glass shards.
Mineral Wool
This type of insulation is used to make coverings for hot and cold piping systems. Mineral wool can handle a wide range of temperatures up to 1200°F. This is a popular choice among power plants, power stations, and petrochemical complexes. It can also be used as a blanket insulation for duct systems, flanges, and large pipes. It can come in the form of rock, glass, or slag wool. The downside of this material is that, used on its own, it is not fire resistant.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene is a thermoplastic foam. This material is exceptional in terms of both thermal and acoustical insulation. We offer two types: expanded and extruded. The two have varying costs and performance ratings. The foam itself is flammable, so it will be coated in a fireproofing chemical before installation.
Polyurethane
Polyurethane, not to be confused with polystyrene, is also a foam. However, polyurethane tends to do a slightly better job at insulating and is fire resistant without being coated in chemicals. This material can either be sprayed or poured in place.
Cellular Glass
Cellular glass is made up of millions of sealed glass cells, making it water resistant. The benefit to this is that this material will not absorb flammable liquids or vapors. It can be used in environments with temperatures from -450°F to 900°F, making it the number one choice for petrochemical complexes and above-ground steam and chilled piping systems.
Aerogels
The final type of insulation we will discuss is widely regarded as the most effective in nearly any environment. So effective, in fact, that NASA uses it for the Mars rover. Aerogels can be used in temperatures from -321°F to 1200°F. Like cellular glass, aerogel insulation is also water resistant.
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