Section 11 — Refractory, Insulation & Fireproofing

Insulation Application - Piping

IPE Engineering Practice IPE-EP-11-3-2

Document number: IPE-EP-11-3-2 · Section: 11 — Refractory, Insulation & Fireproofing

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SCOPE

This Practice covers the mandatory requirements for materials and application of external insulation for above ground piping and instruments operating at a temperature above the atmospheric dew point.

Any deviation from this Practice must be approved by the procedure described in EP 1-1-3.

This Practice is appropriate for attachment to an inquiry or purchase document when accompanied by the referenced IPE Engineering Practices and the completed data sheets, as required.

An asterisk (*) indicates that a decision by the Owner is required or that additional information shall be furnished by the purchaser.

A revision bar indicates all changes made to this Revision.

REFERENCES

The latest edition of the following standards and publications are referred to herein.

STANDARDS AND PUBLICATIONS

DEFINITIONS

• Contractor - Company or business that agrees to furnish materials or perform specified services at a specified price and/or rate to the Owner.
• Design Temperature - Shall be the highest temperature reached during operation, steamout, or regeneration.
• Equipment - Each pump, compressor, product accumulator vessel, pressure relief device, valve, sampling connection system, open-ended valve or line, flange or other connector in VOC service, or devices or systems required by this Practice.
• Fire Exposed Area - An area is considered fire exposed if it is horizontally within 30 feet of any fire potential equipment or of the limits of a potential pool or stream of burning liquid, or if it is vertically within 40 feet above any level at which a fire may be initiated. When a fire can be started above grade, the distance below (to grade) is also considered fire exposed.
• Inspector - A Inflection Point Engineering, LLC appointed engineer or inspector.
• Low Melting Point Alloys - Shall include all alloys with a melting point below 1800F. This includes the aluminum, copper, and magnesium alloys.
• Manufacturer - The recipient of a direct or indirect purchase order for materials and/or equipment. In this context, a direct order is one issued to a manufacturer by a contractor or the Owner. An indirect order is one issued to a manufacturer by a vendor (recipient of a direct order) for materials, fabricated components, or subassemblies.
• Owner - Inflection Point Engineering, LLC.
• Owner's Engineer - A Inflection Point Engineering, LLC appointed engineer.
• Purchaser - The party placing a direct purchase order. The purchaser is the Owner's designated representative.

DRAWING AND INSULATION SCHEDULES

(*)Drawing and insulation schedules shall be supplied to the contractor by the Owner's Engineer and shall contain the following information:

• Piping (designated by line or isometric number) and instruments to be insulated and extent of insulation if only partial coverage is required.
• Piping and instruments that require special insulation to prevent stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steel.
• Type, total thickness, and number of layers of insulation required.
• Design temperatures.
• Extent of insulation designated as fireproofing.
• Piping and instruments that require insulation only for personnel protection.
• Piping and instruments that are heat traced.
• Areas of piping to be insulated for foot traffic.
• Type of insulation weatherproof covering, and external coating as required.
• Designated areas and requirements for surface preparation and painting.
• Areas specified to be insulated for noise control or combined thermal and noise control.
• Flanges and valves that are to be insulated.

• Areas where insulation is to be both removable and reusable.
• Type and location of expansion joints.
• Piping specified to be insulated for winterizing.

DOCUMENTATION

• Proposal Information

(*)The following data as applicable shall be submitted to purchaser for approval by the Owner's Engineer.

• Product specifications
• Material storage requirements, including shelf life and temperature
• Design and application details of insulation expansion joints
• Repair procedures for damaged areas.
• Inspection and testing procedures.
• Recommended safety precautions, such as the proposed method of electrical grounding of equipment (i.e., blast cleaning and spray application).
• Contractor Specification

The Owner's Engineer shall supply a supplemental job specification to the insulation contractor. The job specification shall include all applicable drawing and insulation schedules, material specifications and all obligations and responsibilities required for the job.

ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS

• General
• Piping with design temperatures at and above 450F, in fire exposed areas used as fire protection, or areas of high maintenance traffic shall be insulated with calcium silicate.
• Piping with design temperatures below 450F shall be insulated with one or more of the following materials:
• Calcium silicate
• Cellular glass (preferred when design temperatures are below 250F, or cycle below 250F).
• Mineral Wool (shall be limited to applications as listed in Section 7.10).
• Insulated cement shall only be used when low chloride insulation is not required, and only to insulate screwed and welded fittings (including valve bodies) under 3 inch NPS. The thickness shall be 1-1/2 times the pipe insulation specified. Fittings (and valve bodies) 3 inch and larger shall be insulated with mitered sectional pipe insulation, block securely wired in place, or reusable insulation per EP 11-3-5.
• Rigid and Resilient Insulation
• Calcium Silicate block and preformed pipe covering shall be suitable for a continuous operating temperature of 1200□F and comply with ASTM C533, Type I requirements. For fire exposed areas or higher temperatures, calcium silicate shall be manufactured to withstand at least 1800F and shall comply with ASTM C533, Type 2.

• Mineral Wool precut and preformed pipe covering shall have a neutral pH, a nominal density not less than 10 lb/cu.ft. and be suitable for 1200F. Preformed pipe insulation shall conform to ASTM C547, Class 3.
• Cellular glass block or preformed pipe covering shall conform to ASTM 552 and is limited to a maximum service temperature of 450F.
• Alumina silica ceramic fiber blanket shall conform to ASTM C892 with a density of 8 lb/cu.ft. and a maximum use temperature of 2300F.
• Insulating cement shall be mineral fiber per ASTM C449. Cement shall set to a smooth monolithic finish.
• Expansion joint materials shall consist of compressible insulation suitable for the design temperature and, for face temperatures above 450F, shall be without binders.
• Insulation Coverings
• Metal jacketing shall comply with the following specifications, and thicknesses shall not be less than indicated.
• Stainless steel: ASTM A167, type 316. Minimum thickness 0.010 inches.
• Aluminum: ASTM B209, type 3003 or 5005. Minimum thickness 0.016 inches.
• All rolls of pipe jacketing shall be corrugated 3/16-inch in the circumferential or longitudinal direction. Circumferential corrugations shall be used where foot traffic is likely. Also, it is preferred elsewhere due to its increased strength.
• All jacketing materials shall have a vapor barrier of colored polyethylene-surlyn, colored converted epoxy, or 50-pound polyethylene-kraft paper thermally bonded to the inside surface. Where specified on the insulation schedules the outside of the jacketing shall be coated with a color converted epoxy.
• 0.016 inch thick, flat stucco embossed jacketing or prefabricated jacket sections, shall be used for elbows, fittings, and flashing.
• Insulating and Finishing Cement shall be composed of mineral fiber pellets and insulating fillers, blended with hydraulic setting binders and corrosion inhibitors. Cement shall set to a smooth, hard monolithic finish.
• Equipment where the system is considered as fireproofing and/or insulation systems on low melting alloys (such as aluminum), shall be capable of withstanding the force of fire hose stream impingement.
• Applied coatings of asphaltic (mastic) or elastomeric (such as butyl rubber) materials shall comply with the following:
• A flame spread classification of not more than 25 per ASTM E84.
• A demonstrated resistance to solar radiation.
• Flexible at the lowest temperature to which they are exposed.
• Compatible with the insulation materials.
• Mastics shall be of the breathing emulsion type.
• Mastic Weathercoat shall be a vinyl acrylic Childers Vicryl CP-10/CP 11-11-1 or equal.

• Accessories
• Tie wire to secure insulation on pipe 12 inch (o.d. of insulation) and under shall be a 14 BWG annealed stainless steel, type 316, on 16 inch centers. This applies to both single and double layer application.
• Bands to secure insulation on pipe over 12 inch (o.d. of insulation) shall be 1/2 inch wide x

0.016 inch stainless steel, type 316, with wing type seals. Maximum spacing of bands, 16 inch centers. Breather springs shall be used where required for expansion.

• Bands for jacketing on piping over 24 inch shall be 3/4 inch wide x 0.020 inch type 316 stainless steel, with wing type seals. Maximum spacing 9 inch centers. This banding shall also be used on all piping with stainless steel jackets. Breather springs shall be used where required for expansion.
• Bands for jacketing on piping under 24 inches shall be 1/2 inch wide x 0.016 inch stainless steel, type 316, with wing type seals. Maximum spacing 9 inch centers. Breather springs shall be used where required for expansion.
• Bands seals shall be stainless steel to match bands, regular-wing type, long shank.
• Bands shall be marked (either stamped or color coded blue, as specified by the plant) to indicate non-asbestos insulation. Bands on asbestos containing insulation shall be color coded yellow.
• Breather springs shall be stainless steel to match bands, 5 inch minimum expansion with 125- pound pull. Double springs (INSUL-MATE ES-7 RPR Products Inc., or equal) shall be used for jacketing.
• S-clips for jacketing on vertical piping shall be stainless steel, type 316, annealed temper see Figure 1.
• Sheet metal screws for securing metal to metal shall be #8 x 1/2 inch long self-tapping, type 316 stainless steel, with neoprene gaskets.
• Flashing Compound shall be a high temperature asphalt for weatherproofing applications.
• Sealer/flashing mastic shall be non shrinking permanently flexible, less than one perm water vapor per 1/16 inch thickness.
• Reinforcing for insulating cement shall be wire mesh. The wire mesh shall be 1 inch hexagonal woven wire poultry mesh, 0.036 inch minimum wire diameter. Wire shall be either stainless steel or Monel. The mesh shall be laced into place with wire at least 0.08 in. diameter of the same material.
• Glass Fabric shall be per coating manufacturer's recommendations for reinforcing fabric in mastic finishes. If not specified, use 10 x 10 open mesh, Childers Chil-Glas #10 or equal.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• (*)In areas where frequent maintenance will require removal of the insulation, as specified by Owner's Engineer and shown on drawings, the system shall be designed to allow easy removal and reuse. These removable covers shall be designed to remain intact during a fire and subsequent fire-water impingement. They shall also be capable of withstanding normal mechanical abuse during frequent removal, storage, and reinstallation. Removable insulation shall comply with the requirements in EP 11-3-5.
• (*)The following items shall not be insulated unless specified by Owner's Engineer.
• Piping components with internal refractory/insulation.
• Steam traps, expansion joints, rotation joints, threaded valves, drain lines, and vent lines.
• Flanges.
• Rotation joints, bellows, expansion joints, and similar mechanical equipment.
• Unions.
• Flanges requiring insulation shall comply with EP 11-3-6.

INSULATION SUPPORTS

• Insulation supports for vertical hot piping shall comply with Figure 2. When the design temperature is above 450F, insulation expansion joints shall be installed below insulation supports in accordance with Figure 2.
• Supports for insulation on vertical lines shall be 1/8 inch thick minimum clamp-on type. The outside diameter after installation shall be 1/2 to 3/4 inch less than the outside diameter of the insulation. See Figure 2.
• The insulation support material shall be as follows:
• Carbon steel for carbon steel and low alloy pipe with a maximum operating temperature of 800F or less.
• The same material as the piping to which it is attached for all other cases.
• (*)Piping which needs to be continuously insulated at support points, to afford protection against the effects of ambient temperature (viscosity change, congealing, condensation, etc.), shall be supported by rigid bands, saddles, or similar devices matching the OD of the insulation. Insulation at supports shall be of the load bearing type.
• Horizontal lines NPS 3 inch and larger shall be elevated on shoes at the pipe supports (shoe length to accommodate thermal growth) and the insulation shall be continuous. Lines NPS 2 inch and smaller shall have the insulation cut away on the bottom side for a distance of 2 inch (min.) on each side of the support, unless the requirements of 8.4 listed above must be met. See Figure 3.
• On vertical lines or lines inclined more than 45 from horizontal where straight runs are in excess of 12 feet, an insulation support shall be provided at the bottom and spaced so that the compressive strength of the insulation is not exceeded, but not more than 21 feet apart.

• Insulation supports shall be provided above valves or flanges if a straight vertical run is in excess of 3 feet above valve or flange. Supports shall be located and installed to allow removal of bolts at flanged joints and shall be located and installed 1 inch above fitting welds.
• Stops of sufficient area to support insulation on vertical piping shall be welded or bolted to the piping at the bottom, above flanges, and at intervals of 21 feet uninterrupted runs of pipe.

APPLICATION

• General
• Pressure tests on pipe shall be completed before insulation is installed.
• Care shall be taken to avoid contact between dissimilar materials which might cause galvanic corrosion (i.e. aluminum in contact with steel, etc.).
• Insulation and electric tracing shall be kept dry and shall be protected from the weather until the final weatherproofing or fireproofing covering has been installed.
• Surface Preparation
• (*)Surface preparation including any washing of stainless steel surfaces, and primer painting, will be done, as specified, and shall comply with EP 10-3-1.
• Surfaces to be insulated shall be dry, and shall have foreign matter removed by solvent cleaning. Unpainted surfaces also shall be free of loose scale.
• Coating of underground piping shall comply with EP 10-3-3.
• Projections

All projections from surfaces shall be insulated completely or to the maximum practical extent.

• Access and Clearance
• A minimum clearance of 2 inches, between the outside of any insulation and adjacent equipment, piping, or structural members shall be maintained. This clearance shall take into account the thickness of any fireproofing coating or insulation applied to such adjacent equipment, piping, or structural members.
• Insulation on both sides of flanged joints shall be tapered to permit stud removal without damage to the insulation.
• Edges of insulation openings such as around nozzles, cutouts for stud removal, pipe supports, and other attachments, shall be sealed to prevent water from entering. Metal covers shall be used if temperatures are beyond the usable range of weatherproofing coatings.
• Installation
• All insulation shall be installed butted together.
• Each layer of insulation shall be installed with transverse or longitudinal joints staggered, and secured in place with bands.
• If more than one layer of insulation is applied, each layer shall be secured in place, and joints of each layer offset.

• All gaps shall be filled with insulating cement, except when insulating stainless steel, use blanket insulation to point-up cracks and to insulate instruments that cannot be insulated with pipe insulation.
• When dual layer insulation systems employing different insulation materials are used for combined thermal and noise control, the mineral wool shall be installed as the outer layer.
• Insulation shall be installed in two layers of nearly equal thickness, with staggered joints if:
• Design temperature is above 600F and total thickness is greater than 2-1/2 inches.
• Insulation is used for fireproofing.
• The insulation shall be secured with bands or wires in a manner sufficient to provide tight fit-up and support until jacketing has been installed and secured.
• Each line shall be insulated as a single unit.
• At junction of insulated and uninsulated lines, insulation shall be carried to the first block valve in the uninsulated line.
• Where continuous insulation of piping at support points is specified, the insulation shall be of the load bearing type capable of carrying the pipe load.
• Insulation on valves shall leave the packing gland accessible.
• Insulation system around flanged joints shall be provided with a 1/4 inch drain or vent ("tell tale") tube. See EP 11-3-6.
• Unless otherwise noted, insulation shall be stopped at flanges or union connections to permit "breaking" the line without damage to the insulation. Each break shall be "beveled back" and weatherproofed with flat metal flashing. On connections heavily maintained, install reusable insulation up to the flange.
• Instrument piping and connections (i.e. gauge glass piping) shall be insulated separately. Do not use common insulation. The operator must be able to determine the correct valve for each gauge glass connection.
• Lines larger than NPS 24 shall have the same base insulation as described for horizontal vessels and equipment (see EP 11-3-3).
• Heat traced piping shall be covered with oversized or "extended leg" insulation.
• Heat traced piping placed in sleeves under road crossings, or similar installations, shall have the insulation extend 1 foot into the sleeve.

WEATHERPROOFING

• General
• Insulation must be thoroughly dry at time of weatherproofing.
• The type of insulation covering will be specified on the drawings and insulation schedules.

• Metal Jacketing
• Laps of jackets shall be positioned to shed water. Minimum lap (horizontal and vertical) shall be as shown in Table 1.
• Jackets shall be lapped, or sealed where not practical to lap, to prevent entrance of water. Insulating cements shall not be used for sealing purposes.
• To allow for thermal expansion and movement of metal jacket sections, screws shall not be used in the end laps of jackets.
• Jacket attachment shall be designed to hold the jacket in place for the condition of design wind speed (fastest-mile).
• A minimum of two bands per jacket course shall be used. On vertical surfaces bands shall be secured from sliding with screws (see Figure 2 ).
• Jacketing shall be secured according to the following:
• Banding shall comply with Section 6.4.
• Vertical lines shall be secured with screws on 9-inch centers along the longitudinal joints. A minimum of three "S" clips, per Figure 1, shall be used at the circumferential joint.
• Jackets on welding elbow fittings shall be secured with no less than three screws per joint.
• For insulation design temperatures below 400F, all projections through the jacket shall be sealed with a 1/4-inch fillet of sealer/flashing mastic. For temperatures of 400F and above, metal flashing shall be used. Extra precautions must be taken to insure good fit-up.
• Elastomeric Coatings
• Elastomeric coatings shall be reinforced with synthetic fiber fabric when cellular glass insulation is used.
• (*)Total elastomeric coating film thickness shall be per the coating manufacturer's recommendations. Coatings shall be applied in a minimum of two coats. Recommended total film thickness is 30-40 mils dry (64-86 mils wet). The final proposed thickness shall be approved by Owner's Engineer prior to application.
• Reinforcing fabric used in conjunction with the coating shall be applied without wrinkles; metal fasteners (e.g., staples) shall not be used to hold the fabric.
• Application of multi-coat system:
• Immediately after application of the first coat, and while still wet, a layer of reinforcing fabric shall be pressed smoothly into the coating. Fabric overlap shall be 1 to 2 inches.
• After a minimum of 4 hours drying time, the 2nd coating shall be applied.
• Double layers of fabric shall be used at joints of attachments, or other configurations, requiring a smooth transition of the weatherproofing coatings.
• Mastic Coatings
• (*)Mastic coatings shall be reinforced and the final thickness shall be per the coating manufacturer's recommendations. A minimum thickness of 1/8 inch (dry film) is recommended. The final proposed thickness shall be approved by the Owner's Engineer prior to application.
• Mastic shall be used when items are insulated with insulation cement.

• Application shall be per the manufacturer's recommendations. As a minimum, when mastic is used there shall be a tack coat of mastic applied over the insulation, followed by a layer of fabric installed wrinkle free. Over the fabric another layer, when dry, of mastic weather coat shall be trowelled to a smooth finish. After drying, no porosity shall exist in coating.
• This finish shall extend approximately 2 inch under the adjacent pipe weatherproofing jacket.
• Vertical joints between mastic and pipe jacket shall be sealed to prevent entrance of moisture.
• Weatherproofing of elbows and fittings with mastic and fabric shall be done so that all seams are completely covered. Pre-coating of molded insulation halves without additional weatherproofing to cover seams will not be considered adequate.

APPLICATION FOR FIRE PROTECTION

Applications for combined thermal insulation and fireproofing shall be installed per Sections 9.0 and 10.0, with the following exceptions:

• Insulation shall be installed in two layers regardless of design temperature.
• Jacketing shall be designed to withstand firewater impingement.
• Banding on insulation jacketing in a fire exposed area shall be spaced on 6 inch centers (maximum).
• Insulation materials shall comply with Section 6.0. Valves and flanges shall be insulated per EP 11-3-6.
• (*)The jacketing shall be color coded, as specified by the Owner's Engineer.

INSPECTION

• Compliance with governing specifications shall be checked by the Inspector during the course of installation of the insulation system.
• Work shall not proceed with the next step in the insulation system sequence (i.e., surface preparation, priming, insulation, weather barrier application) until the previous work has been inspected and approved.

13.0 TABLES

TABLE 1

MINIMUM LAP FOR JACKETING

TABLE 2 DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR INSULATION APPLICATION - PIPING PER EP 11-3-2

14.0 FIGURES

FIGURE 1 STAINLESS STEEL "S" CLIP

NOTE: Length (L) to equal overlap of jacketing per Section 10.2.

FIGURE 2

INSULATION SUPPORT RING AND EXPANSION JOINT FOR HOT VERTICAL PIPING

FIGURE 3

PIPE SUPPORTS - PIPNG WITHOUT SHOES

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