Experiment 2:

1. READ BAKA MAKATULONG LANG KASO HINDI ITO UNG SAGOT:

Principle of Pipe Insulation

The energy sources used are limited in magnitude and those will be exhausted by the
end of 21st century even if the present rate of demand is continued. These energy
resources can be used for a longer time if proper conservation methods are used and
available resources are properly managed. In general energy can be conserved by
avoiding the waste. Therefore to reduce the wastage of energy in form of heat,
furnaces, and pipes carrying fluids at elevated temperature and turbines are insulated.
What is Thermal Insulation?: Insulation is defined as a material or combination of
materials, which retard the flow of heat. The materials can be adapted to any size,
shape or surface. A variety of finishes are used to protect the insulation from
mechanical and environmental damage, and to enhance appearance.

Where is Thermal Insulation Installed?: Thermal insulations are materials that

insulate the components of industrial processes. In industrial facilities, such as power
plants, refineries, and paper mills, thermal insulations are installed to control heat gain
or heat loss on process piping and equipment, steam and condensate distribution
systems, boilers, smoke stacks, bag houses and precipitators, and storage tanks.
Functions of Insulation: Insulation is used to perform one or more of the following
functions:

 Reduce heat loss or heat gain to achieve energy conservation.

 Protect the environment through the reduction of CO2, NOx and greenhouse
gases.
 Control surface temperatures for personnel and equipment protection.
 Control the temperature of industrial processes.
 Prevent or reduce condensation on surfaces.
 Increase operating efficiency of heating/ventilation/cooling, plumbing, steam,
process and power systems.
 Prevent or reduce damage to equipment from exposure to fire or corrosive
atmospheres.
 Assist systems in meeting criteria in food and pharmaceutical plants.
 Reduce noise from mechanical systems

Benefits of insulation:

 Energy savings: Substantial quantities of heat energy are wasted daily in

industrial plants nationwide because of uninsulated undermaintained or
underinsulated heated or cooled surfaces. Properly designed and installed
insulation systems will immediately reduce the need for energy. Benefits to
 industry include enormous cost savings, improved productivity and enhanced
environmental quality.
 Process Control: By reducing heat loss or gain, insulation can help maintain
process temperature to a predetermined value or within a predetermined range.
The insulation thickness must be sufficient to limit the heat transfer in a
dynamic system or limit the temperature change, with time, in a static system.
The need to provide time for owners to take remedial action in emergency
situations in the event of loss of electrical power, or heat sources is a major
reason for this action in static systems.
 Condensation Control: Specifying sufficient insulation thickness with an
effective vapor retarder system is the most effective means of providing a
system for controlling condensation on the membrane surface and within the
insulation system on cold piping, ducts, chillers and roof drains. Sufficient
insulation thickness is needed to keep the surface temperature of the membrane
above the highest possible design dew point temperature of the ambient air so
condensation does not form on the surface. The effective vapor retarder system
is needed to restrict moisture migration into the system through the facing,
joints, seams, penetrations, hangers, and supports. By controlling condensation,
the system designer may control the potential for Degrading system service life
and performance. Corrosion of pipes, valves and fittings caused by water
collected and contained within insulation system.
 Personnel Protection: Thermal insulation is one of the most effective means
of protecting workers from second and third degree burns resulting from skin
contact for more than 5 seconds with surfaces of hot piping and equipment
operating at temperatures above 55o. Insulation reduces the surface temperature
of piping or equipment to a safer level, resulting in increased worker safety and
the avoidance of worker downtime due to injury.
 Fire Protection: Used in combination with other materials, insulation helps
provide fire protection in:
o Fire stop systems designed to provide an effective barrier against the
spread of flame, smoke, and gases at penetrations of fire resistance rated
assemblies by ducts, pipes, and cable.
o Grease- and air-duct fireproofing.
o Electrical and communications conduit and cable protection.
 Sound Attenuation: Insulation materials can be used in the design of an
assembly having a high sound transmission loss to be installed between the
source and the surrounding area. Sometimes, insulations with high sound
absorption characteristics may be used on the source side of an enclosure to
help lower the exposure to people to noise in areas immediately around the
noise source by absorption and thereby contribute to the reduction of the noise
level on the other side of the enclosure.
  Aesthetics: Most insulation systems in commercial construction are not
generally visible. The common exceptions to this are found in equipment rooms
where the heating equipment, cooling equipment, and the associated piping are
visible to the personnel who work or otherwise must access these areas. It is
common practice to require a finished and neat appearance for insulation
surfaces that are visible within the building envelope. These surfaces may also
be painted or covered for a more acceptable appearance in the case of hospitals,
schools, supermarkets, restaurants and even in industrial facilities in food
processing, and computer component manufacturing where visible to the
occupants.
 Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Thermal insulation for mechanical systems
provides immediate reductions in CO2, NOx and greenhouse gas emissions to
the outdoor environment in flue or stack emissions by reducing fuel
consumption required at the combustion sites because less heat is gained or lost
by the system.

Understanding Heat Flow/Heat Transfer: In order to understand how insulation

works, it is important to understand the concept of heat flow or heat transfer. In
general, heat always flows from warmer to cooler surfaces. This flow does not stop
until the temperature in the two surfaces is equal. Heat is 'transferred' by three
different means: conduction, convection and radiation. Insulation reduces the
transference of heat.

 Conduction: Conduction is direct heat flow through solids. It results from the
physical contact of one object with another. Heat is transmitted by molecular
motion. Molecules transmit their energy to adjoining molecules of lesser heat
content, whose motion is thereby increased. For example, when people first sit
down on cold metal chairs, they instantly feel the discomfort that comes from
the contact of a warm body with a cold chair as body heat is quickly transferred
from the skin, and through clothing, to the chair by conduction.
 Convection: Convection is the flow of heat (forced and natural) within a fluid.
A fluid is a substance that may be either a gas or a liquid. The movement of a
heat- carrying fluid occurs either by natural convection or by forced convection
as in the case of a forced-air furnace. For example, people usually detect a draft
when standing close to a single glazed window in the winter. Air within the
room tends to stratify so that the air near the ceiling is warmer because it has
become less dense when heated and so it rises. This is natural convection. That
warm air loses heat to the vertical window because heat flows from hot to cold.
This air becomes cooler and denser, so it begins to sink. This is the draft felt by
people and is another example of natural convection. Warm air entering a room
from a supply duct is an example of forced convection.
  Radiation: Radiation is a process by which heat flows from a higher
temperature body to lower temperature body by means of electromagnetic
energy transfer. The intensity of emission depends on the temperature and
nature of the body surface. The heat transfer by radiation becomes more
significant as the temperature of the object rises. Any hot body emits radiation
in form of heat, which can be received by an other solid body in the path of the
heat radiation. The earth receives all its energy from the sun by radiation.
Radiation energy transfer plays an important role in high temperature
applications such as metal melting and processing, kilns, ceramics curing and
solar heating.

How Insulation Works: The basic requirement for thermal insulation is to provide a
significant resistance path to the flow of heat through the insulation material. To
accomplish this, the insulation material must reduce the rate of heat transfer by
conduction, convection, radiation, or any combination of these mechanisms. This
provides information on three general types of insulation:

 Mass insulation with air or another gas with thermal properties similar to air
within the interstices inside the material. Many cellular insulations, and all
fibrous and granular insulations are of this type.
 Mass insulation with low conductivity gas within the interstices inside the
material. Some closed cellular insulations are of this type.
 Reflective insulation bounding one or both sides of an air space. Many
insulation facings such as FSK (foil/scrim/kraft) are of this type.

Physical Properties:

 Mass Insulation: For mass insulation types, the most important physical
property is thermal conductivity. Materials with low thermal conductivity allow
less heat to be transferred per unit time, per unit temperature difference per inch
of thickness. All other items being the same, materials with lower thermal
conductivities are better insulators. Commercially available mass insulations
have thermal conductivities at 75°F mean temperature less than 0.5 Btu in/(hr,
S.F., °F).
 Reflective Insulation: For reflective insulation types, the important physical
property is low surface emittance. Surfaces with low emittance have high
reflectance. Reflective insulations have emittance values in the range of 0.04 to
0.1.

Selecting an Insulation: The owner, engineer, general contractor, insulation

contractor and insulation and accessories manufacturers must communicate with each
other from the very beginning of a project in order to minimize problems in the stages
of design, specification preparation, construction, operations, and maintenance. Open
and frank discussion between all parties is critical to helping the engineer establish the
proper design criteria, define pipe and duct dimensions, select the insulation materials
types and thickness, facings or jackets, and define the installation procedures to be
followed. Ambiguities and omissions diminish when communications is encouraged.
Such a discourse, along with knowledge of the most important insulation criteria as
detailed below, will aid the engineer in calculating the thickness required for the
intended service.

 Characteristics of Insulation: Insulations have different properties and

limitations depending upon the service, location, and required longevity of the
application. These are taken into account by engineers when considering the
insulation needs of an industrial or commercial application. The insulating
material used for steam pipes should possess the following properties. It should
have high insulating efficiency. The maximum heat loss from insulated pipe
should not exceed 1 kcal per hour per square M per oC.
 Insulating efficiency = (bare surface loss – insulated loss) / bare surface loss.
o It should have high mechanical strength so that vibrations and knocks
will not adversely affect it.
o It should not be affected by moisture.
o It should not cause corrosion of pipes if chemically decomposed.
o The material should be easily applied or removed.
o It should be able to withstand the temperature to which it will be
subjected.
o It should be stable and resist deterioration over the working life of the
pipe.
o It should be easily moulded and applied.
o It should not overload the pipe by its dead weight.
o It should not be too costly.

The materials most commonly used for steam pipe insulations are asbestos, magnesia,
cork, hair felt, wool felt, rock wool and diatomaceous earths. Most commercial
insulations are either built up from corrugated asbestos paper or laminated asbestos
paper artificially roughened to produce air spaces or are molded or felted with
asbestos.
A very common and effective insulation for temperature up to 400oC is the molded
85% magnesia (85% carbonate of magnesia and 15% binder). The insulation used for
higher temperature should have inner layer of some special high temperature
insulation as high temp. Decomposes the inner layer of magnesia. High temperature
breaks down the magnesia into asbestos fiber and magnesium oxide and, therefore
destroys cohesion between the pipe and insulation.
A layer of glass silk before giving the layer of magnesia is generally used for pipe
insulation when the temperature is above 500oC. Glass silk has an advantage of
cleanliness, is noninflammable and can withstand vibrations and rough handling
without losing its form or insulating efficiency. The packing density is varied between
100 to 150 kg per cubic meter as per requirements.
Generally steam pipes are lagged to a thickness of 8.5 cm with plastic magnesia,
which is reinforced with galvanized wire netting and covered with 1.5 cm thick hard
setting of nonconducting material. The lagging finally covered by a wrapping of
canvas and two coats of selected paints are given to the surface.
The small steam pipes should have the same insulation thickness as large ones as the
heat loss per sq. Meter on a small pipe is higher than large pipe.
The insulation manufacturers publish `insulation efficiency` data for different
thickness of their different grades of insulation. Such tables generally provide the
efficiency data against two variables as pipe size and temperature difference.
The amount of insulation to be applied is an economic problem like many other power
plant design problems. The cost of insulation must be weighed against the saving of
heat energy obtained due to insulation.
Definitions related to insulations:

 Thermal Resistance (R) (C m2 h/Cal): The quantity determined by the

temperature difference, at steady state, between two defined surfaces of a
material or construction that induces a unit heat flow rate through a unit area. A
resistance associated with a material shall be specified as a material R. A
resistance associated with a system or construction shall be specified as a
system R.
 Apparent Thermal Conductivity (ka) (Kcal m/h m2 C): A thermal
conductivity assigned to a material that exhibits thermal transmission by
several modes of heat transfer resulting in property variation with specimen
thickness or surface emittance.
 Thermal Conductivity (k) (K-cal m /h m2 C): The time rate of steady state
heat flow through a unit area of a homogenous material induced by a unit
temperature gradient in a direction perpendicular to that unit area. Materials
with lower k factors are better insulators.
 Density (lb/f3) (kg/m3): This is the weight of a specific volume of material
measured in pounds per cubic foot (kilograms per cubic meter).
 Surface Burning Characteristics: These are comparative measurements of
flame spread and smoke development with that of select red oak and inorganic
cement board. Results of this test may be used as elements of a fire-risk
assessment, which takes into, account all of the factors, which are pertinent to
an assessment of the fire hazard or fire risk of a particular end use.
 Compressive Resistance: This is a measure of the material to resist
deformation (reduction in thickness) under a compressive load. It is important
when external loads are applied to an insulation installation. Two examples are
deforming the insulation on a pipe at a Clevis type hanger due to the combined
weight of the pipe and its contents between the hangers and....Resistance of an
insulation to compress on an outdoor rectangular duct due to heavy mechanical
loads from external sources such as wind, snow, or occasional foot traffic.
 Thermal Expansion/Contraction and Dimensional Stability: Insulation
systems are installed under ambient conditions that may differ from service
conditions. When the operating conditions are imposed, metal surfaces may
expand or contract differently from the insulation and finish applied. This can
create openings and parallel heat flow and moisture flow paths that can degrade
system performance. Long term satisfactory service requires that the insulating
materials, closure materials, facings, coating, and accessories withstand the
rigors of temperature, vibration, abuse, and ambient conditions without adverse
loss of dimensions.
 Water Vapor Permeability: This is the time rate of water vapor transmission
through unit area of flat material of unit thickness induced by unit vapor
pressure difference between two specific surfaces, under specified temperature
and humidity conditions. It is important when insulation systems will be
operating with service temperatures below the ambient air. Materials and
systems with low water vapor permeability are needed in this service.
 Cleanability: Ability of a material to be washed or otherwise cleaned to
maintain its appearance.
 Temperature Resistance: Ability of a material to perform its intended
function after being subjected to high and low temperatures, which the material
might be expected to encounter during normal use.
 Weather Resistance: Ability of a material to be exposed for prolonged periods
of time to the outdoors without significant loss of mechanical properties.
 Abuse Resistance: Ability of a material to be exposed for prolonged periods of
time to normal physical abuse without significant deformation or punctures.
 Ambient Temperature: The dry bulb temperature of surrounding air when
shielded from any sources of incident radiation.
 Corrosion Resistance: Ability of a material to be exposed for prolonged
periods of time to a corrosive environment without significant onset of
corrosion and the consequential loss of mechanical properties.
 Fire Resistance/Endurance: Capability of an insulation assembly exposed for
a defined period of exposure to heat and flame (fire) with only a limited and
measurable loss of mechanical properties. Fire endurance is not a comparative
surface-burning characteristic for insulation materials.
  Fungal Growth Resistance: Ability of a material to be exposed continuously
to damp conditions without the growth of mildew or mold.

http://www.svlele.com/piping/insul_principle.htm

2. INSULATING MATERIALS

A.B.S.: Acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene combine to form this

common plastic often used to make housings or other mechanical
parts.

ACETATE: Acetates have good electrical insulating properties and is the

material used to make movie and microfilm.

ACRYLIC: Lucite and Plexiglass are trade names for acrylic which has
widespread use where toughness and transparency are required.
Solvent cement is quite effective for welding pieces together.

BERYLLIUM OXIDE: A hard white ceramic-like material used as an

electrical insulator where high thermal conductivity is required.
Beryllium oxide is highly toxic in powder form and should never be filed
or sanded and consequently has fallen out of common use. Power
semiconductor heat sinks can still be found with beryllium oxide spacers
for electrical insulation.
CERAMIC: Ceramics are used to fabricate insulators, components, and
circuit boards. The good electrical insulating properties are
complemented by the high thermal conductivity.

DELRIN: This Dupont acetal resin is made from polymerized

formaldehyde and finds uses similar to nylon. The material is rigid and
has excellent mechanical and electrical properties making its use
common in appliances and electronics.

EPOXY/FIBERGLASS: This laminate is quite common due to its superior

strength and excellent electrical properties even in humid environment.
Most modern circuit boards are made from a grade of
epoxy/fiberglass. (Grades include G10/FR4 and G11/FR5 extended
temperature grade.)

GLASS: Glass insulation comes in a wide variety of forms including solid

glass, fiber tapes, fiberglass sheets and mats, woven tubing and cloth,
and various composites. High temperature operation is a key feature.

KAPTON: Polyimide film has exceptionally good heat resistance and

superb mechanical and electrical properties. Kapton tapes are fairly
expensive but often indispensable.

KYNAR: As is Teflon, Kynar is a floropolymer with excellent chemical and

abrasion resistance. It is readily machined and welded.

LEXAN and MERLON: These polycarbonates have excellent electrical

insulating properties. Optical grades are available and the material is
so tough that it meets U.L. requirements for burglary-resistance. Non-
transparent grades are machined to make strong insulators, rollers, and
other mechanical parts.

MELAMINE: Melamine laminated with woven glass makes a very hard

laminate with good dimensional stability and arc resistance. (Grades
G5 is the mechanical grade and G9 is the electrical grade.)

MICA: Mica sheets or "stove mica" is used for electrical insulation where
high temperatures are encountered. Thermal conductivity is high so
mica insulators are useful for heatsinking transistors or other
components with electrically conductive cases. Puncture resistance is
good but the edges of the mica should be flush against a flat surface
to prevent flaking. Mica finds uses in composite tapes and sheets which
are useful to 600 degrees centigrade with excellent corona resistance.
Sheets and rods of mica bonded with glass can tolerate extreme
temperatures, radiation, high voltage, and moisture. This rather
expensive laminate may be machined and it will not burn or outgas.

NEOPRENE: Neoprene rubber is the material used for most wet suits. This
black rubber is commonly used for gaskets, shock absorbers, grommets,
and foams.

NOMEX: Nomex is a Dupont aromatic polyamide with an operating

temperature range over 220 degrees centigrade and with superb high
voltage breakdown. It is an excellent choice for standardization since it
outperforms many other materials.

NYLON: Nylon has good resistance to abrasion, chemicals, and high

voltages and is often used to fashion electro-mechanical components.
Nylon is extruded and cast and is filled with a variety of other materials
to improve weathering, impact resistance, coefficient of friction, and
stiffness.

P.E.T.: Polyethylene terephthalate is a highly dimensionally stable

thermoplastic with good immunity to moisture. This excellent insulator
has a low coefficient of friction and is excellent for guides and other
moving parts.

P.E.T.G.: A clear, tough copolyester commonly used for durable

"bubble-packs" or food containers.

PHENOLICS: Phenolic laminated sheets are usually brown or black and

have excellent mechanical properties. Phenolics are commonly used in
the manufacture of switches and similar components because it is
easily machined and provides excellent insulation. Phenolic laminates
are widely used for terminal boards, connectors, boxes, and
components. (Grades x, xx, xxx are paper/phenolic and grades c, ce, l,
le are cotton/phenolic which is not the best choice for insulation.
Grade N-1 is nylon/phenolic and has good electrical properties even in
high humidity but exhibits some cold flow.)
POLYESTER (MYLAR): A strong material often used in film sheets and
tapes for graphic arts and electronics. Those shiny balloons and "space
blankets" are usually made from metalized Mylar. Mylar is also used as a
dielectric in capacitors.

POLYOLEFINS: Polyethylene is the white Teflon-like material used for

food cutting board. Different densities are available with the ultra-high
molecular weight grade at the top offering toughness outlasting steel in
some applications. Polypropylene is another widely used polyolefin.

POLYSTYRENE: A clear insulator with superb dielectric properties.

Polystyrene capacitors exhibit little dielectric adsorption and virtually no
leakage. Liquid polystyrene or Q-dope is a low-loss coil dope used to
secure windings and other components in RF circuits.

POLYURETHANE: Polyurethane is another common polymer which

features abrasion and tear resistance along with a host of desirable
characteristics. Degrading little over time or temperature, polyurethane
is popular in both commercial and consumer applications.

PVC: Polyvinylcloride or PVC is perhaps the most common insulating

material. Most wiring is insulated with PVC including house wiring.
Irradiated PVC has superior strength and resistance to heat. PVC tapes
and tubing are also quite common. Electrical and electronic housings
are commonly molded from PVC.

SILICONE/FIBERGLASS: Glass cloth impregnated with a silicone resin

binder makes an excellent laminate with good dielectric loss when dry.
(Grades include G7.)

SILICONE RUBBER: A variety of silicone foam rubbers are available for

insulating and cushioning electronic assemblies. Silicone rubbers exhibit
a wish list of characteristics including superb chemical resistance, high
temperature performance, good thermal and electrical resistance,
long-term resiliency, and easy fabrication. Liquid silicone rubbers are
available in electrical grades for conformal coating, potting, and
gluing. Silicone rubbers found in the hardware store should be avoided
in electronic assemblies because they produce acetic acid. Silicone
rubbers filled with aluminum oxide are available for applications
requiring thermal conductivity.
TFE (TEFLON): Teflon is an excellent high temperature insulation with
superb electrical properties. Teflon tubing and wire insulation comes in
a variety of colors and typically feels slippery. The insulation is
impervious to the heat and chemicals normally encountered in
electronics manufacturing but the material will "cold flow" so Teflon
insulation is avoided where sharp corners or points are encountered.
Laminated TFE circuit boards take advantage of Teflon's excellent
microwave characteristics. Teflon emits a dangerous gas when
exposed to extreme heat. White Teflon terminals are commonly used
where extremely good insulation is required. The slick surface repels
water so the insulation properties are fantastic even in high humidity.
High quality I.C. sockets are made from Teflon to reduce leakage
currents. Teflon and Teflon composite tapes with adhesive are
available. FEP is a lower temperature Teflon.

THERMOPLASTICS: Other thermoplastics include Polysulfone,

Polyetherimide, Polyamide-imide, and polyphenylene with trade
names like Noryl, Ultem, Udel, Vespel, and Torlon. These materials are
grouped here for completeness and are not particularly similar. For
example Vespel is SP polyimide with amazing properties but
commanding an equally amazing price- a 10 inch sheet could cost
thousands of dollars, whereas Polysulfone (Udel) is a rather good
engineering material with a cost for the same 10 inch sheet near thirty
dollars.

ELECTRICAL INSULATING PAPERS

A variety of insulating papers are available specifically designed for

insulating electrical circuits. Rag and craft paper often called
Transformer Paper is often used to separate windings in transformers or
in applications where no sharp edges might poke through the relatively
weak paper. Grey and tan are common colors. Fishpaper is a curious
name referring to a grey cotton rag paper usually vulcanized and
often laminated with Mylar. The Mylar may have paper on one or both
sides and many thickness grades are available. Tear and puncture
resistance are excellent and the thinner grades are easily cut with
scissors. Other "sandwich materials" are available including 100%
polyester laminates and are usually a distinct color. The paper/Mylar
laminates resist soldering heat better since the paper doesn't melt and
the Dacron/Mylar laminates resist moisture best. Laminates with thicker
polyester centers are fashioned into insulating plates in many electro-
mechanical devices. A typical application may be observed inside
most older electrical timers where a printed and folded piece of
laminated paper keeps the user's fingers away from the high voltage
when adjusting the position of the on and off trippers. Papers made
with temperature resistant nylon and/or glass weaves have excellent
electrical properties and good temperature resistance. Thin sheets of
epoxy-fiberglass usually green in color are commonly used for insulating
PCB's and electronic assemblies with potentially sharp projections.
Puncture resistance is superb even for sheets thin enough to be quite
flexible. A simple clear polyester sheet is sometimes used for insulation
but is offers far less puncture and temperature resistance than the
laminates. The ordinary appearance may prove to be a liability also:
one computer maker uses such a sheet to insulate the motherboard
from the chassis and many novices have left this critical insulator out
when reassembling their computer with disastrous results. Die-cut
laminates look important and are easily printed.

TAPES

Tapes are made from many of the above materials. Vinyl tapes are
commonly used for wire insulation and are available in all the colors
necessary for color coding. Mylar tapes are common in electronics: film
capacitors often have a final wrap of yellow Mylar tape. Acetate tapes
are used where good conformability is desired as when covering coils
as is white cotton cloth tape. Glass cloth electrical tape with
thermosetting adhesive (adhesive that permanently sets with
temperature) is used to secure and protect heater windings or insulate
components exposed to heat. Kapton, Teflon, and other insulators from
the above list are used to make high performance specialty tapes for
harsh temperature or chemical environment.

FOAMS

Foams are available for both thermal insulation and mechanical /

acoustical insulation. Choosing a foam for vibration damping can
prove difficult. Many foams become stiff at cold temperatures and will
"take a set" at elevated temperatures. Some foams may have excellent
temperature characteristics but exhibit too much "spring" giving the
assembly an unacceptable resonance. Evaluate several materials
before choosing- foams are made from many of the insulating
materials mentioned above. Some of the more common foams are
listed below.

NEOPRENE: Neoprene foam (black) is often used for shock absorbing

and vibration damping.

POLYSTYRENE: Styrofoam is the white foam used in inexpensive ice

chests and packing peanuts. It is an excellent insulator but cannot
tolerate elevated temperatures.

POLYURETHANE: Urethane foams are available in both rigid and flexible

forms. The insulating properties are excellent and elevated
temperature tolerance is good. Machined pieces of rigid polyurethane
are often used as thermal insulators in electronic equipment. The soft
foams are good for vibration and sound attenuation and are available
with a wide variety of properties.

SILICONE: Silicone foams provide excellent vibration damping

characteristics and excellent high temperature performance and
chemical resistance.

VINYL: Vinyl foam has very little "spring" and is useful for vibration
damping.

LAMINATES: Various foams are often laminated with a heavy center

layer to create a sound and vibration barrier. Lead has been used as
the massive layer but the obvious concerns have led to different
materials such as metal oxide filled plastics. The complete list of foam
rubbers, plastics, and other foam materials could fill a bookshelf so this
partial list should not confine the imagination. The yellow pages of any
large city will yield the names of plastic companies which usually carry
the solid insulating materials mentioned. Gasket suppliers will have a
surprising assortment of sheets and foams including specialty electronic
materials. The manufacturers can often supply the name of distributors
but if they don't it doesn't mean that local suppliers aren't there. Check
thoroughly before buying some huge minimum quantity from the
factory-almost all of the materials mentioned are available from
distributors in small quantities. Industry directories will supply the name
of material suppliers if the local distributors cannot. Used bookstores
often have old copies of "E.E.M.", "Goldbook" or "Thomas Register"
which can give you a list of manufacturers. Ask for the name of the
local factory representative since he will probably know the names of
local suppliers in his territory since he probably visits them on sales calls.

http://www.techlib.com/reference/insulation.html