Page 175 - CW E-Magazine (20-5-2025)

Special Report

which already decreases its perfor- Material: Different types of insula- Coating technology is evolving
mance, the material can also settle tion offer unique benefits and dis- every day, with increasingly sophis-
or become compacted, reducing the advantages. Consider which ones ticated solutions being developed to
thickness and altering performance. would work best for your application. tackle some of the most serious con-

Negative environmental impacts: Cost: Some materials for pipe insu- cerns in the industry. One exciting
Fiberglass cannot be reused or re- lation have higher initial costs but transformation in a critical segment
cycled, unlike a thermal jacket that pay for themselves over time. Others of coating applications is being driven
can be removed. are low-cost installations, which by a new solution to rectify the prob-
can be useful if you’re on a budget. lems currently experienced with epoxy
When we say “advanced pipe insu- Finding the right insulation that is phenolic coatings. The new group of
lation,” we are referring to removable the most cost-effective for your coatings, known as epoxy phenolic
thermal jackets. Thermal insulation operations and budget is the ideal alkylated amine coatings, or alkylated
jackets offer numerous benefits that solution. amine epoxy coatings, displays several
make them one of the best choices for Thickness: The thickness of your key advantages over incumbent epoxy

pipe insulation. Advantages of using pipe insulation is something else to phenolic coatings. These advantages
Thermaxx jackets include: consider. Are your insulating pipes are important to understand for appli-
Lowered energy costs: Thermaxx indoors or outdoors? Will they be cators seeking heat resistance and CUI
insulation jackets reduce the cost exposed to extreme temperatures or prevention in the most quality-forward,
of energy, allowing them to pay for weather? You need pipe insulation cost-effective way(6).
themselves in as little as a year. that is thick enough for how you
Easier maintenance and inspec- intend to use it. An epoxy phenolic coating is the
tion: You can easily remove thermal Measurement: How large are the historical choice for preventing CUI

jackets to perform routine inspec- pipes you need to insulate? This and providing heat resistance. They
tion or maintenance on your pipes. measurement will play a role in typically are made with bisphenol A,
Less waste: Unlike other materials how much you need and influences bisphenol F, and Novolac resins. They
that you must cut into and replace the thickness you need, affecting are known for the high amount of cross-
when you do inspections, you can the materials you can use and their linking they undergo during the curing
simply remove jackets whenever costs. stage. This crosslinking gives epoxy
necessary. Put them back on to phenolic coatings excellent resistance
reduce overall waste. Epoxy coating for insulation and for to corrosion and heat.
Improved equipment life: Pipes re- preventing cuI
main protected beneath insulation As a new technology, epoxy phenolic How alkylated amine epoxy coatings
jackets, reducing their exposure to alkylated amine coatings have the provide superior performance
weather, elements, and accidental potential to revolutionize coating pro- Recent studies have shown that
damage, which can prolong their cesses in applications involving high while epoxy phenolic coatings do pro-
life. temperatures or the potential for CUI. vide good protection from CUI and a
Better workplace safety: Thermal Tank farms in a chemical industry high degree of heat resistance, there are
jackets help improve workplace insulated with epoxy coating providing many production and quality-related
safety by preventing workers from thermal insulation and preventing CUI benefits to using an alkylated amine
coming in direct contact with high- is shown in Figure-7. epoxy coating. One key advantage is
temperature pipes. the production increase made possible
Increased corrosion prevention: by the faster curing properties of an
Thermal jackets are available for alkylated amine epoxy coating. Not
wet and dry applications and water only does an alkylated amine epoxy
drainage solutions, helping prevent coating become dry to the touch faster
CUI. than a phenolic coating, but it also
reaches a hard dry level sooner and has
What to consider when choosing a shorter minimum time until overcoating
your pipe insulation: Fig. 7: tank farms in a chemical industry is allowed (Table-1 and Table-2).
When choosing pipe insulation, it insulated with epoxy coating providing
is crucial to consider all the factors(5): thermal insulation & preventing cuI These time savings are crucial for

Chemical Weekly May 20, 2025 175

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