designed and installed refrigerant piping system should: • Provide adequate refrigerant flow to the evaporators, using practical refrigerant line sizes that limit pressure drop • Avoid trapping excessive oil so that the compressor has It’s imperative that the installing contractor comply with all applicable codes and standards and manufactures recommended installation practices. For these reasons, suction lines should be insulated with a vapor proof insulation. All done! NPS. Check the current version of LEED. While condensation and moisture are known as culprits in mold growth, they also have a significant impact on system efficiency as moisture degrades the performance of the insulating material. The insulated tape enables simple attachment of PVC pipe insulation on many plumbing systems. Refrigerant Piping Insulation - Armacell Class 1 AccoFlex ® W Accoflex ® W. It is a closed-cell thermal insulation material with enhanced fire property. Installing insulation on existing refrigeration piping: the snap-on method The snap-onmethod of installing insulation is used when the pipe or copper tubing to be is insulated has already been installed and connected. For more details, please read our. Most of us know that these thicknesses aren’t getting installed, as I’ve seen installations where the contractor just buys the standard pre-insulated line-set similar to these by Mueller. Crimping the insulation along its refrigerant tubing pathway creates points of less and possibly inadequate insulation. This document describes what is the purpose of Refrigerant Piping Insulation? refrigerant piping). Air conditioning insulation material. This is not to be considered legal advice, but is for the purposes of bringing to light the need to discuss with your contractor or city officials the proper application of the code covering insulation. Controlling condensation and moisture on refrigeration cold-water lines is essential for long-term thermal performance. Thank you for subscribing to updates from APC by Schneider Electric. You should review your model energy code or building codes for the requirements in your jurisdiction to see how they compare with this discussion. 1/4" - 3/8" Insulated Copper Coil Line Set - Seamless Pipe Tube for HVAC, Refrigerant - 1/2" White Insulation EZ Twin Set - 50' Long 4.4 out of 5 stars 23 URBEST Pipe Insulation Tubing 1/4" x 3/8" Heat Preservation Insulated 6ft Length Handle Grips (6x9mm) obviously the owner or management company didn’t keep up with the continuous application of protective coating from the UV rays or the weather. We are excited that you have joined the group. What could possibly be such a big deal with plain old boring refrigerant piping insulation? Prevent piping system corrosion; Prevent mold growth from occurring on construction materials. Heat Loss and Insulation - Heat loss from pipes, tubes and tanks - with and without insulation - foam, fiberglass, rockwool and more; Insulation - Heat transfer and heat loss from buildings and technical applications - heat transfer coefficients and insulation methods and to reduce energy consumption; Related Documents . OK, so what’s the big deal with VRF Insulation? Whether you’re an owner or manager of a building or the installing contractor, you need to know how to protect yourself from litigation and costly mistakes due to the improper application of the code covering your project. It’s important that you check the VRF manufactures literature for the required temperature rating of the insulation, as each manufacture differs. If we look at table 120.3-A above we see that the thickness requirement changes when we get over 200 F. Some of the VRF/VRV manufactures have stated temperatures above 200 F, which would require insulation that is 2-1/2” thick. I have found that from city to city or from one jurisdiction to another there is no consistency in enforcement. 20111031.doc. 22 RED FLAG #1 • Copper Pipe-Blue Stripe. One just has to look at the unprotected insulation that has been installed for several years to see the signs of degradation. Here we describe defects in refrigerant piping insulation, problems caused by defective refrigerant piping insulation, recommended installation practices for refrigerant tubing insulation in building walls or cavities as well as outdoors where exposed to the weather, and interior leaks on & in wall below a split system air conditioner wall-mounted unit traced to missing insulation. Many of the VRF/VRV manufactures have listed temperatures well above the operating temperatures of your normal VRF system. // Field refrigerant piping and associated drain and condenser water piping for mortuary refrigerators, including required pipe insulation. Don’t clamp directly onto piping. Important note: these temperatures also dictate the thicknesses needed on insulated coils (line-sets) going to the fan coils. With the constant changing energy requirements that are being pushed to meet energy goals established by legislation or local authorities, and the updating of codes every three years, there is a need to remain vigilant. Refrigerant Piping Insulation rev. Location of Insulation In Cooling System. Aeroflex is capable of meeting all these demands and conditions. Which VRF manufactures system that you are using. No companies have listed products specifically related to this chapter's topic. Various plumbing insulation and insulation covers reduce heat loss from pipes, and they’re suitable for air conditioners because of the absorbent foam material. It does not deal with HVAC systems or applications such as chilled-water systems. Armacell recommends that you coat their exterior insulation with 2 coats of WB Finish and re-coat every 2-4 years. GREENGUARD Gold Certified. Adhere insulation directly to the pipe every 12 to 18 feet, at the beginning and ends of run. Outdoor insulation should have UV and weather protection. The insulation protector consists of resilient PVC material that is Class “A” fire/smoke rated, vapor retarder, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial. // //B.Refrigerant piping shall be sized, selected, and designed either by the equipment manufacturer or in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s published instructions. Use pipe inserts at Hangers/Attachments points to avoid insulation compression. This 248˚F may be a manual reset, high-temperature safety limit on the high-pressure vapor (hot gas) line to protect the compressor or may be some other requirement from the manufacturer. Carefully selected piping insulation is critical to the efficiency of a refrigeration system. LG in their literature on page 37 calls for a temperature rating of 227 F. You can see that knowing the VRF/VRV manufactures requirement for the temperature rating of the insulation can have an effect on the thickness of the insulation required for the same size of pipe in the system. They have one thickness for both pipes, and don’t have one thick enough for most VRF manufactures requirements according to code. Maintain system capacity & efficiency. A properl y designed and installed refrigerant piping system should: • Provide adequate refrigerant flow to the evaporators, using practical refrigerant line sizes that limit pressure drop • Avoid trapping excessive oil so that the compressor has enough oil to operate properly at all times • Avoid liquid refrigerant slugging • Be clean and dry Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. The original, elastomeric foam pipe insulation for refrigeration, HVAC and plumbing. This will probably … LEED projects require adhesives that have low to no VOC’s. Cleanliness of all refrigeration piping is of the utmost importance in the installation procedure. Water vapor permeance AMBIENT REFRIGERANT PIPING can be critical in design because water vapor can penetrate materi- Below-ambient refrigerant lines are insulated primarily to (1) min- als or systems that are unaffected by water in the liquid form. This is what dictates the need for EPDM insulation (yes, fiberglass and others can meet this, but EPDM is the only insulation that is a closed cell continuous vapor barrier). SSL II® with ASJ Max Fiberglas™ Pipe Insulation. My guess is never. All VRV/VRF manufacturers (that we’re aware of) require the insulation to withstand at least 248˚F. To determine the VRF Refrigerant insulation requirements you will need to know several things to begin. The insulation is coming apart at the seams and joints due to poor application, and the improper insulation usage for an exterior application. Prevent condensation on piping or insulation. With unslit tubular insulation, use a sharp knife to cut the insulation lengthwise on one side, as shown in Figure 12. Make sure all seams and joints are tightly sealed with contact adhesive. Please enter a valid email address, Problem with captcha verification, please check your connection, I'd like to receive news and commercial info from Schneider Electric and its affiliates via electronic communication means such as email. Insulation performs a vital role in limiting heat gains in an industrial refrigeration system, ensuring that the compressor load does not become excessive. Tundra Elbow Self-Seal system makes application easy and reduces insulation time. In addition, any heat that enters the refrigerant adds to the superheat and reduces system efficiency. Cold Line is insulated to prevent any air leakage into the insulation that can cause condensation of moisture in the pipe. Prevent condensation on piping or insulation. But somehow they never get flagged by inspectors for proper thickness or UV & weather protection compliance. This installation didn’t even attach any portion of the piping or insulation to the unistrut support. Avoid heat gains or losses. Refrigerant Piping Oil Return Insulation to reduce heat gain and condensation Supports Code Issues Cutting Brazing Purging. See Chapters 23, 25, 26, and 27 in the 2017 ASHRAE Handbook--Fundamentals for information about insulation … This is not what dictates insulation thickness. Thinner copper pipe carries liquefied refrigerant, its temperature is approximately 110°F (43.3°C) / does not require insulation but in some installations insulating liquid refrigerant line is recommended. Piping and fittings for refrigerant vapor (suction) lines shall be insulated with insulation having a thermal resistivity of at least R-3 and having external surface permeance not exceeding 0.05 perm [2.87 ng/ (s • m 2 • Pa)] when tested in accordance with ASTM E 96. There are many improper installations that get approved and signed-off on which lack the proper installation methods, including the lack of UV & Weather protection for exterior refrigerant piping. The peak normal operating temperatures are what dictate insulation thickness in accordance with current state energy codes and/or ASHRAE 90.1. The insulation is tailored to fit for copper and iron pipe … Not sure what happen here, but there isn’t much protection for the piping. Also, the VRF manufactures are dealing with contractors that have brought this issue to their attention, but as of this article have been slow to respond and make the appropriate corrections that limit the contractor or owners liability for differing from their published literature. It can typically be found on piping between the evaporator, the compressor, accompanying vessels and auxiliary equipment. Insulation covering chilled water piping and refrigerant suction piping located outside the conditioned space shall include a vapor retardant located outside the insulation (unless the insulation is inherently vapor retardant), all penetrations and joints of which shall be sealed. Refrigeration applications encompass a variety of operating temperatures, piping materials, space and environmental conditions, refrigerants and fluids – all of which impact insulation selection. Refrigeration pipe insulation, or refrigerant piping insulation, plays a critical role in controlling heat gain of refrigerant fluids, moisture (vapor drive), surface condensation and icing. Sensors / Cameras / Licenses / Accessories. What can we do to improve the information ? Always use the correct size of insulation. What are the operating temperatures for the various refrigerant pipes. Install pipe insulation in the household to prevent water from freezing, and it’s also an energy-efficient addition to piping systems. of insulation (such as mineral wool, fiberglass, or calcium silicate) will be required on all pipes except those with a size less than 1 in. Cryogel-Z has an integral vapor barrier. Flexible Rubber Foam Pipe Insulation Soft and easy to install, this insulation restricts absorption of water, air, and gas. Owners and property managers need to be aware of the maintenance requirements of any exterior insulation and the signs of a poor installation. Insulation thickness, insulation type … Click below to go to the Master List of all commercial resources. The risk related to the improper application or selection of refrigerant piping insulation can be represented in a simple graph. How many owners or management companies do you know that re-coat their insulation every 2 to 4 years? The biggest impact is for the High Pressure Vapor side of the requirements. 23 CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Why do we Insulate Refrigerant Piping? Your risk increases as your quality of installation varies from the manufactures recommendation, and as you deviate from the code requirements. In defense of the regulatory officials, how are they to keep up with the wavering message about the temperature ratings of the insulation required by the various VRF manufactures. A good example would be when running liquid refrigerant line through the attic area where temperature often exceed 110°F. With energy codes getting stricter during each code cycle, and some large lawsuits related to refrigerant piping being improperly insulated, the need to get your insulation right is very important. In almost every scenario involving a heating pipe, replacing 1/2" thickness pipe insulation with 1" thickness pipe insulation reduces the loss of heat transmission in half. Airex E-Flex Guard 72C-B is available in standard piping insulation diameter sizes, and lengths of up to 75 feet of continuous non-interrupted runs (allows for field applied cut to length requirements). You will receive your welcome email soon describing the program and what to expect in the upcoming weeks. It is tough & flexible with a smooth and powdered inner surface for say installation on copper pipes used for Split air-conditioning systems and VRV/VRF applications as refrigerant piping insulation. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our, Uniflair Ceiling Mounted Split Room Cooling, NetShelter Shelving & Mounting Accessories, NetShelter Metered-by-Outlet with Switching Rack PDU, Featured - 6U Wall Mount EcoStruxure Micro Data Center, Advanced Network Management Card Security. VRV & VRF manufactures need to be consistent in their literature on the actual temperature requirements of the insulation for their systems. All Product models, All serial numbers. Be sure to use inserts, saddles and shields where appropriate. Aluminum insulation jacketing is made out of .016" smooth aluminum that comes in 3 foot sections. Environment: REFRIGERATION PIPING Successful Installation of a Refrigeration System is Dependent Upon: 1. Unfortunately we have all seen this one slip by the inspector’s watchful eye. Important note: this also applies to the need for EPDM on insulated coils (line-sets) going to the fan coils. This is a requirement of many building codes. Installers need to be sure that they meet the VRF manufacturers recommended temperature rating for the insulation their installing. Be aware of pipe expansion and the possible movement of the saddle off the support. This chapter is a guide to specifying insulation systems for refrigeration piping, fittings, and vessels operated at temperatures ranging from 35 to -100°F (2 to -70°C). 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