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Working with incredibly high temperatures and potentially volatile materials on a daily basis means that when it comes to industrial furnaces, considerations around safety are of critical importance. …
In order to meet changing customer needs and rising demand for more choice, faster turnaround and better quality, many industries need to constantly look to innovative ways to increase efficiency. For many in manufacturing and similar industries, having effective high temperature thermal insulation for equipment and machinery is key to achieving this. A (relatively) recent innovation in high temperature insulation is microporous technology. …
In our previous blog post, we examined in detail five thermal insulation materials and their physical and thermal properties. In this post, we’re going to get into official thermal classification of insulating materials, their importance when it comes to selecting the right type of insulation and the applications of the materials in each classification.
High temperature insulation is vital in many manufacturing applications such as continuous processing, where operating temperatures should be controlled to achieve maximum efficiency and consistency, and foundry and steel, where effective thermal insulation can help to extend the life of equipment and provide additional safety measures. …
A thermal management system involves controlling temperature through technology. This technology is based on thermodynamics and heat transfer.
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Some metals dissipate heat more effectively than others, and this thermal conductivity is essential in a range of applications. Thermal conductivity is the measure of a metal’s ability to conduct heat. What this means is that that the metal acts to cool temperatures, through a process of dissipation.
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With rotary kilns, thermal management is the key to improved productivity and reduced downtime, leading to savings in both energy consumption and the cost of repairs and maintenance.
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In most manufacturing processes, after raw materials, the most costly element involved is energy, which is why thermal insulation is critical. When it comes to the bottom line, thermal insulation is a valuable investment. It helps reduce a business’s operating costs and its carbon footprint, and drive the efficiency of its processes.
Fire protection is an inherent requirement in many industries, and it is essential for the safety of buildings. For most of the twentieth century, a major solution to fire protection and safety was asbestos. Asbestos was very much seen as a wonder mineral. Unfortunately, while this material can offer heat resistance up to 800°C, it is also potentially lethal to humans. But asbestos alternatives exist.
Consequently, the same industries, and more, which were once dependent on asbestos for fire protection and fire resistance are now having to find safe asbestos alternatives.
As specialists in fire protection, Elmelin provides specialist alternatives to asbestos, using products based on mica and microporous technology.
HSE points out that asbestos kills around 5,000 workers each year in the UK. When materials containing asbestos are disturbed or damaged, they release fibres into the air. If inhaled, these fibres can cause diseases which can be fatal.
The effects are not immediate, as these diseases take time to develop. However, once they are diagnosed, it is usually too late to do anything about them.
The diseases that asbestos can cause are:
–Mesothelioma – a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and is almost always fatal
–Asbestosis – a scarring condition of the lung, which causes shortness of breath and can be life-threatening
–Asbestos-related lung cancer – the same as lung cancer caused by smoking
–Pleural thickening – the lining of the lung swells and thickens, usually occurring following heavy asbestos exposure.
The problem is that asbestos is found in a great many places, including industrial, commercial and residential properties. It has been commonly used as an insulating material, has also been included in the manufacture of ceiling tiles, textured coatings, corrugated cement sheets, floor tiles and pipework. Asbestos is also sometimes present in brake pads, gaskets, electrical wire insulation and furnaces.
Asbestos is versatile, which has contributed to its widespread use. While its raw fibres are silk-like in their softness, manufacturing processes can also produce asbestos that is rock-solid.
Anyone working with asbestos should take the necessary precaution to protect themselves, but the best precaution of all is to find a safe asbestos alternative.
Various new technologies have emerged in the wake of the growing awareness of the risks associated with asbestos. These include: polyurethane foams; flour fillers; thermoset plastic flour; cellulose fibres; and amorphous silica fabrics.
Asbestos itself had so much of a universal application that it has proved impossible to find a single substitute. However, some asbestos alternatives are more versatile than others.
One solution for high temperature insulation that, like asbestos, is mineral-based and has a wide variety of uses, is mica. Unlike asbestos, mica is safe.
Mica is a rock-forming silicate material and used with microporous technology, it provides a broad range of insulation and fire protection solutions across many different sectors and industries.
Like asbestos before it, mica can be used in various densities, from thin but durable sheets to cut shapes for tooling applications and manufactured components.
Microporous materials containing mica are effective in high temperature insulation for different industries, including foundry and steel, continuous processing and transport.
Here, there is an ongoing requirement for heat resistant materials for insulation and specialist functions such as heat shields. Mica and microporous insulation materials offer all the benefits of asbestos with none of the risks.
Fire safety in industry cuts across sectors, and requires solutions that are highly functional and adaptable.
In many instances, people will come into close contact with high temperature insulation materials as part of their daily working lives, so providing a safe but technically viable asbestos alternative is a fundamental requirement for safety in the workplace.
Traditionally, asbestos has been widely used in construction as an essential component in ensuring building have the right degree of fire protection.
This has, in effect, turned asbestos into a hidden threat, with it being used in so many different construction materials.
One aspect of fire safety in buildings is passive fire protection. This involves measures designed to contain a blaze and stop it from spreading throughout a structure.
Microporous technology now provides linings for fire doors and lift doors, to help with passive fire protection measures. These insulation boards are thin but hardwearing, and offer excellent resistance to fire and heat.
Fire safety is a continual requirement for a great many industries. These industries can no longer rely on asbestos as a solution. What they can do, however, is explore the versatility of mica, mica-based products and microporous technology as contemporary solutions to fire protection, insulation and fire safety.
Elmelin specialises in providing manufactured solutions for high temperature insulation, thermal control, heat resistance and fire protection. We provide both off-the-shelf and bespoke solutions, depending on your needs.
Please call us on +44 20 8520 2248, email sales@elmelin.com, or complete our online enquiry form. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.