Essential Strategies for Condensation

Control in Chilled Water Insulation Systems

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Your Presenters

Derek Bowen
Demand Creation Manager, Armacell
Derek.J.Bowen@armacell.com

Tom Brown
Marketing Development Manager, Armacell
Thomas.Brown@armacell.com
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Chilled Water Design

Effective condensation control is often compromised
 In specification
 In bid process
 In the installation

Can lead to
 Financial consequences
 System failure
 Long-term inefficiency
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Condensation Control
 Key to preventing moisture and damage
 Impacts system efficiency
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Refrigeration Systems
Common knowledge:
 Design and install
refrigeration systems with
proper condensation
control for piping insulation
 Closed cell elastomeric is
the common choice
because of its ability to
prevent condensation
 Extremely low permeance
rating
 Does not wick moisture
 Critical to low
temperature systems
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Refrigeration vs. Chilled Water Systems

 Chilled water systems are
only a few degrees warmer
than the average
refrigeration system
 Chilled water 40°F
 Refrigeration 32°F
(top end)
 Chilled water makes up
15-25% of all piping in the
US*
 More heat transfer area
where condensation can
* Moisture Accumulation and Its Impact on the Thermal Performance of Pipe Insulation for Chilled
occur Water Pipes in High Performance Buildings : Shanshan Cai, Lorenzo Cremaschi, Afshin J. Ghajar
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Chilled Water Systems

Condensation control is just as critical in chilled water systems

Materials / installation impact:

 Efficiency
 Durability
 Long-term cost of the system
 Operation
 Effect structure of the building
 Even personal safety

http://www.corrosionpedia.com/2/1484/corrosion-101/a-look-at-different-types-of-pipe-corrosion
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Nature of Condensation
 Warm air holds more
water vapor than cold air. Ambient
Temperature
 When air cools, the dew
point drops and water
droplets begin to form.

40°
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Nature of Condensation
Relative Humidity
The amount of moisture in the air compared to
the maximum amount of water it can hold at the
current temperature

When the air can’t hold all the moisture, it

condenses and turn to liquid “condensate”

High Humidity = more water in the air

Maintaining the surface temperature above

dewpoint is key to condensation control
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Nature of Condensation
Water vapor flows from
High vapor pressure High vapor pressure –
high humidity
(high humidity-wetter)

To

Low vapor pressure

(low humidity-drier)
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Nature of Condensation
Glass
 Condensation forms on the
outside of the glass
 Will eventually be reabsorbed into
the drier low pressure around it
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Nature of Condensation
Cold Water Pipe
 Condensation forms on the
surface of the pipe
 Trapped under the insulation
 Moisture will be absorbed into
fibrous or porous materials
 Saturating the insulation
 Causing Corrosion Under the
Insulation (CUI)
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Moisture Intrusion on Cold Water Systems

 Thermal efficiency progressively
compromised
 System works harder to overcome heat gain
 Building occupants will adjust thermostats
when system can’t maintain conditions
 Condensation will form at an increased rate
 Insulation will deteriorate, may develop mold
 Pipes can corrode
 Water damage may appear in floors, walls or
ceilings
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ASHRAE funded study

“When a chilled fluid pipe is inadequately insulated, condensate occurs
and keeps accumulating in the materials to threaten insulation thermal
performance. The water condensate may also drip onto the building
surfaces, causing mold growth, while the moisture filmed around the
pipe surfaces may lead to corrosion on the pipelines, as well as
deterioration on the service life of the insulation systems.
Since cold piping is often used year-round, even with vapor retarder,
insulation jackets, vapor sealing on the joints and fittings, or the
proposed wicking action of hydrophilic fabrics (Crall, 2002; Korsgaard,
1993), it is not completely vapor tight and moisture will inevitably
accumulate in the permeable insulation.”

* Presented at the International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference at Purdue University
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Case in Point
South Florida high-rise building**
Timeline:
 Occupied in April, by June, pipe
insulation saturated with condensation
 Dripping on the occupants!
Problems caused by:
 1” Phenolic-foam insulation with standard vapor barrier and foil
 Undersized for the job and climate
 Occupied and under construction simultaneously
 Jacketing exposed to temperatures below dewpoint
 $20 Million to correct!
** http://hpac.com/piping-pumping/investigation-failure-chilled-water-pipe-insulation
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The Take Away…

Condensation prevention includes:
 Careful selection of materials
 Appropriate installation
 Vigilant quality control monitoring

Success means understanding all the

insulation products and choosing the right one.
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Polling Question (Placeholder)

What product do you currently specify for chilled water

systems:
a) Foam Glass or Cell Glass
b) Phenolic
c) Polyisocyanurate
d) Elastomeric foam
e) Fiberglass
f) Mineral Wool
g) Polyester
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Polling Answer (Placeholder)

What product do you currently specify for chilled water

systems:
a) Foam Glass or Cell Glass
b) Phenolic
c) Polyisocyanurate
d) Elastomeric foam
e) Fiberglass
f) Mineral Wool
g) Polyester
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Cellular Insulations

Composed of individual cells that are either interconnected or are

completely sealed off from each other.

If a material has greater than 90% closed cells, it is considered a

closed cell product.

Base materials for cellular insulations include glass, plastic and

rubber, with a foaming agent added to create the cellular structure.
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Closed Cell Insulation

Foam/Cellular Glass
 Rigid foam material made of glass cells
 Near 100% sealed cells
 Sold in prefabricated pipe shells, curved
segments and sheets
 Installed one small section at a time
 Joinery procedure for these individual
segments is a multi-step process
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Closed Cell Insulation

Phenolic
 Rigid foamed insulation made from
resins of phenols condensed with
aldehydes
 Sold in prefabricated pipe shells, curved
segments and sheets
 Installation procedures are similar to
cellular glass
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Closed Cell Insulation

Polyisocyanurate
 90% closed-cell insulation
 Made of polyurethane modified
polyisocyanurate cellular plastic
 Rigid insulation is made into sheets, pipe
shells, tank and vessel coverings, and
other shapes
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Closed Cell Insulation

Elastomeric Foam
 Flexible, 100% closed-cell foam
 Rubber-based material containing
elastomers for high elasticity
 Shipped and installed in convenient
lengths
 Lightweight and durable
 Installation requires fewer joints
 Sold in sheets, rolls, and tubes
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Fibrous Insulations

Composed of small diameter fibers that finely divide the air space.

These fibers may be organic or inorganic, depending on the insulation

Normally, but not always, held together with a binder

Base materials for fibrous insulations include glass, rock wool, slag
wool, and alumina cilica.
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Fibrous Insulation

Fiberglass
 Synthetic vitreous fiber insulation made
by melting silica sand and other
inorganic materials
 May include other materials like binders,
oils, etc.
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Fibrous Insulation

Mineral Wool
 Made from molten glass, stone or slag
(industrial waste) that is spun into a fiber-
like structure
 Two types of mineral wool products –
glass wool insulation and stone wool
insulation
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Overview of Product Solutions

For Chilled and Cold Water Applications
Fibrous Insulation

Polyester
 Made from a long chain of synthetic
polymer
 Composed of at least 85% by weight of
an ester of a substituted aromatic
carboxylic acid
 Most commonly used on duct
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Elastomeric Cellular Fibrous PolyIso- Phenolic

Foam Glass cyanurate
Thermal K 0.25 0.31 0.24 0.19 0.15
(75°F Mean)
Water Vapor Permeability 0.05 0.001 75 4 0.9
(WVT)
Without Jacketing

Service Temperature (°F) -297°F to +220°F -450°F to +800°F 0°F to +1000°F -297°F to +300°F -290°F to +250°F

Density (pcf) 3-6 8 3-6 2 2.5

Closed Cell Structure Yes Yes No 90% 92%

Flexible Yes No (Fragile) No No No

Requires Jacketing No Yes Yes Yes Yes

ASTM E84 25/50 (2”) Yes Yes Yes No Yes

Flame & Smoke Rating
LapSeal Closure Option Yes No No No Yes

Fiber free Yes No No No No

Non-dusting
Non-abrasive Yes No Yes Yes Yes
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Elastomeric Cellular Fibrous PolyIso- Phenolic

Foam Glass cyanurate
Thermal K 0.25 0.31 0.24 0.19 0.15
(75°F Mean)
Water Vapor Permeability 0.05 0.001 75 4 0.9
(WVT)
Without Jacketing

Service Temperature (°F) -297°F to +220°F -450°F to +800°F 0°F to +1000°F -297°F to +300°F -290°F to +250°F

Density (pcf) 3-6

No Jacket
8 3-6 2 2.5
Required
Closed Cell Structure Yes Yes No 90% 92%

Flexible Yes No (Fragile) No No No

Requires Jacketing No Yes Yes Yes Yes

ASTM E84 25/50 (2”) Yes Yes Yes No Yes

Flame & Smoke Rating
LapSeal Closure Option Yes No No No Yes

Fiber free Yes No No No No

Non-dusting
Non-abrasive Yes No Yes Yes Yes
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Elastomeric Cellular Fibrous PolyIso- Phenolic

Foam Glass cyanurate
Thermal K 0.25 0.31 0.24 0.19 0.15
(75°F Mean)
Water Vapor Permeability 0.05 0.001 75 4 0.9
(WVT)
Without Jacketing

Service Temperature (°F) -297°F to +220°F -450°F to +800°F 0°F to +1000°F -297°F to +300°F -290°F to +250°F

Density (pcf) 3-6 8

Low 3-6 2 2.5

Closed Cell Structure Yes Yes Permeability

No 90% 92%

Flexible Yes No (Fragile) No No No

Requires Jacketing No Yes Yes Yes Yes

ASTM E84 25/50 (2”) Yes Yes Yes No Yes

Flame & Smoke Rating
LapSeal Closure Option Yes No No No Yes

Fiber free Yes No No No No

Non-dusting
Non-abrasive Yes No Yes Yes Yes
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Fiberglass
 Cheapest solution
 Least durable
 High permeability
 Absorbs moisture
 Requires jacketing
 Tears and punctures
easily
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Fiberglass
In a test*
Fiberglass on a pipe simulating
cold water conditions

Once saturated, thermal

conductivity increased so rapidly
that the pipe could not maintain
surface temp of 40°F (4.5°C)
…and the test was terminated.

* Moisture Accumulation and Its Impact on the Thermal

Performance of Pipe Insulation for Chilled Water Pipes in High
Performance Buildings : Shanshan Cai, Lorenzo Cremaschi,
Afshin J. Ghajar
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Fiberglass
What’s happening?
 Water vapor accumulates in the
voids between fibers
 Once gaps are filled,
condensate will accumulate on
exterior surface and bottom
underside of pipe
 Thermal bridging occurs

Thermal conductivity of water is

13 times greater than insulation

When wet, thermal efficiency of fiberglass degrades at an

increasing rate
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The Facts About Mold

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Foam Glass aka Cell Glass

 Closed cell, non-fibrous
 Low water vapor permeability
 Wide operating temps
 Low thermal conductivity

Installation
 Small, fragile pieces
 Short, staggered joints
 Requires mastic
 Requires jacketing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exycx5VdU0E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCTpXlCRu5I
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Foam Glass aka Cell Glass

 Closed cell, non-fibrous
 Low water vapor permeability
 Wide operating temps
 Low thermal conductivity

Installation
 Small, fragile pieces
 Short, staggered joints
 Requires mastic
 Requires jacketing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4PlYEMcsoI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCTpXlCRu5I
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Polyisocyanurate and Phenolic

Installation
 Small, fragile pieces
 Short, staggered joints
 Requires mastic Polyisocyanurate Phenolic
 Requires jacketing
 CUI is common

http://www.dyplastproducts.com/images/Data_Sheets/Qwik-Guide-ISO-C1-0614.pdf
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Elastomeric Foam Insulation

 Closed Cell
 Will not wick moisture
 Thermal k remains stable
 Flexible
 Long life-cycle
 Fewer replacements over time
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Life Cycle Assessment

Showed that Armaflex saves 140 times more energy than is
required for its production, transport and disposal

This LCA includes:

 Extraction, processing and transport raw materials
 Energy, fuel and water consumption in production
 Transport of material to market
 Travel undertaken by Armacell employees

Based on service life of 20 years, 65 liters of oil can be saved

www.armacell.us > Sustainability

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Best Practices for Long-term Service Life

1. Select the right product for

the application
2. Size it correctly
3. Specify qualified, trained
installers
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Size matters
Our technical experts can help with thickness calculations

Calculate for
 Condensation control
 Minimize energy loss
 Heat transfer coefficient
 Heat flow
 Temperature changes

Remember to design for adequate

space for insulation, installation
and service access.
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Writing the Specification

Specify insulation with antimicrobial
protection to inhibit the growth of
Lab sample treated with Microban®
mold and mildew in the insulation antimicrobial technology
 Should be built in
 Won’t wear off
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Writing the Specification

For all applications

 Specify a qualified, trained
installer

Installer training
documents
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Writing the Specification

Outdoor Applications
 Need protection from UV,
weather, other damage
 Specify the proper adhesives,
tapes, jacketing and coatings
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Conclusion
Condensation control is critical to chilled
water mechanical design. It impacts:
 Life-cycle of the insulation and piping
 Efficiency of the entire system

Errors in design and insulation choice can

lead to:
 Remediation
 Investigation
 Litigation / liability
 Major expense!

Closed cell elastomeric foam is the best choice

for condensation control in chilled water and
cold water systems.
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Contact us for help with

 Master Specifications for any of Armacell’s Elastomeric Products
 Technical Data Sheets and White Papers
 Thickness calculation reports
 Job Stories (Real-life project case studies)
 Any other specification or application needs

Derek.J.Bowen@armacell.com
Thomas.Brown@armacell.com

Or general inquiries to: info.us@armacell.com

www.armacell.us
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Thank you!

Questions?