When laying and operating pipelines for any purpose, some rules must be followed, otherwise you can encounter all kinds of problems.
Need to use
Sewer and water pipes that are on the street or inside unheated rooms may freeze. As for heating systems, they need to prevent heat loss, as well as maintaining a certain temperature of the coolant. For protection in the described cases, heaters are used for pipes made of foamed polyethylene.
Main characteristics
The above material has a unique structure, which consists of small tight cells, its density can be equal to a figure in the range from 25 to 40 kilograms per cubic meter. Polyethylene has excellent elasticity even when exposed to low temperatures, and its properties do not change in the range from -60 to +90 degrees. This indicates that the insulation for pipes made of foamed polyethylene can be installed in all weather conditions. The coefficient of thermal insulation of foamed polyethylene is quite high, since the thermal conductivity is insignificant and varies from 0.038 to 0.039. The vapor permeability is 0.001, which allows the material to demonstrate the quality of complete vapor impermeability. All sorts of loads can affect it, and as the largest of them is an indicator of 0.3 MPa. The insulation for water pipes made of foamed polyethylene has a sound absorption of 16 decibels, so the material perfectly absorbs sounds and vibrations that may occur during operation of piping systems. It is impossible not to note the excellent hydrophobicity, thus, in direct contact with the liquid, the latter is able to absorb 1% of the total volume. The highest rate of water absorption is 3.5%. That is why laying does not imply the need for waterproofing, as the surface will not form condensate. Thermal insulation for pipes made of foamed polyethylene excellently cope with the effects of chemically active substances such as gasoline, oils, acids and alkalis.
Extra features
The described thermal insulation is made in accordance with GOST 30244-94. Foamed polyethylene can be classified as moderately combustible materials, the ignition temperature with direct exposure to a flame is 306 degrees. For spontaneous combustion, 416 degrees will be enough. However, an additional advantage is the fact that this insulation is non-toxic even when burning, in the process, it does not emit fumes harmful to the human body.
Positive characteristics
If you are interested in heaters for pipes made of foamed polyethylene, then it is worth considering all its advantages. Quite often, this material is compared with polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam, in connection with this, many advantages can be distinguished, among them an insignificant coefficient of thermal conductivity, due to which it is possible to provide effective insulation, which has a small thickness. One cannot fail to note such a quality as tensile strength, as well as the ability to excellently restore its original shape after deformation. Cement, gypsum, lime and concrete can affect polyethylene foam without compromising on quality. For the reason that the described insulation is completely harmless not only to humans, but also to the environment, it is allowed to be used in industry, in everyday life, in medical and food institutions. Polyethylene has the qualities of hydrophobicity, which creates conditions that exclude the occurrence of mold and fungus. It is impossible not to mention the convenience of installation, since the products are made in the form of hollow pipes, with which you can warm the pipeline for a short time using additional tools and equipment. The cost of the material is 2 times lower in comparison with similar solutions, which is why insulation of this type is used more and more often by consumers.
Some negative characteristics
The insulation for pipes made of foamed polyethylene, the characteristics of which are presented in the article, has some disadvantages, among them, as mentioned above, the ability to maintain combustion and flammability when exposed to a flame. For this reason, it is not possible to use the material at facilities that have high fire safety requirements. Among other things, polyethylene foam is destroyed by direct sunlight. This indicates the need to store and operate the pipe insulation in those places where UV radiation is excluded. To solve this problem, a material is selected that has a lightproof film. The existing disadvantages are easily compensated by the above advantages.
Sizes and some other features
If you decide to use insulation for pipes made of foamed polyethylene, the dimensions of which can vary from 6 to 160 millimeters, then you need to know everything about the varieties of its diameters. Thus, the wall thickness can be equal to a figure in the range of six to thirty-two millimeters. On sale you can find pipe insulation, which is equipped with a special shell having a colored polymer coating. It protects from exposure to sunlight, which allows the use of these products even in places that are constantly exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Among other things, the insulation for pipes made of foamed polyethylene, the photo of which is presented in the article, can be rolled or sheet. Sometimes, during the manufacturing process, the thermal insulation is supplemented with a foil or adhesive layer.
Shell structure
The shape of the insulation must meet certain requirements, which will allow it to grasp the surface with minimal gaps. The material should not be deformed, and the shape should have a certain diameter. Only in this way will it be possible to provide a significant indicator of thermal insulation. To ensure convenient installation along the tube, as a rule, a technological cut is located, which allows installation work to be carried out in the shortest possible time and on those systems that have already been installed.
Features of the installation
If you decide to use insulation for pipes made of foamed polyethylene for thermal insulation , the diameters must be selected as perfectly as possible. After that, it is important to follow the insulation installation technology. Pipes are prepared for the procedure, their surface is cleaned of dirt and dust. Polyethylene is worn as a stocking, which should not be associated with special difficulties. This can be done on a pipe not yet installed, while the insulation is not damaged by a knife.