Insulation of Cooling Systems
Cooling systems and insulation thickness.
To avoid
- heat gain and reduced efficiency of cooling systems
- condensation of water on surfaces and potential corrosion problems
- pipes in cooling systems should always be insulated.
The insulation thickness of chilled water, refrigerant and brine systems should not be less than indicated below.
| System | Operation Temperature | Pipe Size (inches) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| < 1" | 1 1/4" - 2" | 2 1/2" - 4" | 5" - 6" | > 8" | |||
| (oF) | (oC) | Insulation Thickness (inches) | |||||
| Chilled Water | 40 - 55 | 4 - 12 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Refrigerant | < 40 | < 4 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Brine | < 40 | < 4 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
- 1 inch = 25.4 mm
Insulation of a cold system should be made with micro-cellular cross-linked polyethylene foam with low water vapor diffusion.
