Effective thermal insulation of ducts and pipes, and air tightness of ducts, reduce energy losses, resulting in thermal and cost savings and helping to guarantee the appropriate thermal comfort. Thermal insulation of the duct & pipe networks can significantly modify the thermal load of a building. KIMMCO-ISOVER offers solutions to the HVAC market with higher thermal performance to help reduce energy consumption due to thermal losses.
Thermal Savings in HVAC
Two significant areas should be considered when attempting to reduce energy consumption for HVAC installations in buildings:
- Structural thermal insulation. Reducing the building's thermal load and compliance with regulations is essential. This can be achieved with effective building insulation together with other design consideration, such as building orientation, shading, etc.
- Ductwork and pipework insulation and air tightness. The design of an efficient duct and pipe work insulation system can significantly modify thermal loads in buildings. KIMMCO-ISOVER solutions for ducts and pipes provide the highest quality insulation and help reduce the system's energy consumption.
Thermal Transference
Some thermal losses in HVAC installations are due to temperature differentials between the fluid -air or water- inside the duct or the pipe and the surrounding ambient air. Heat transfer between the two air masses causes a loss of efficiency and increases energy costs. This can be minimised by using the appropriate insulation.
Heat transfer by conduction:
If two areas in contact are at different temperatures, then heat tends to flow from the area of higher temperature to the one with lower temperature. If a physical body separates these two areas, heat transfer depends on:
- the geometry of the physical element
- the thermal conductivity of the material
Surface heat transfer:
In addition to heat transfer by conduction, heat transfer also occurs at the surface delimiting this separating element.
Different algorithms can be used to estimate it, with variations based on flow characteristics (position and geometry of the surface, laminar or turbulent flow, material, temperature, etc), listed in European Standard EN ISO 12241:1998 Thermal insulation for building equipment and industrial installations - Calculation rules.
Thermal transference in ducts and pipes:
Thermal transmittance between two environments is defined as the amount of heat that passes from one to the other per unit of area, divided by the temperature difference.