Thermal Expansion
As hot extreme temperature rises, materials like concrete, wood, steel and glass have the tendency to expand and contract as the temperature cools down. This phenomenon is called thermal expansion and contraction. It is defined as the substrate’s change in width, length, area, volume and density in response to temperature fluctuations. Heating allows the molecules to move and vibrate thus creating distance; more and more as it gets hotter. On the other hand, as the temperature decreases, contraction happens as the molecules cling back together. When a mass of an object changes as the per degree shift in temperature at constant compulsion is called coefficient of linear thermal expansion. This means that for every degree shift or increase in temp, the chances of the substrate cracking and deforming becomes exponentially higher. This is now more apparent with climate change that is happening nowadays and can cause catastrophic damage in the structural integrity of facilities and buildings. Destruction can be in the form of water intruding due to damaged waterproofing compounds and membranes, fissures and cracks in concrete, glass, wood and other materials due to heightened thermal expansion can result in complete failure of the substrate, adhesives ungluing and unhinging caused by moisture intrusion and which can allow the growth of biological contaminants like mildew, molds to take hold in the environment thus affecting the indoor air quality of the facility.
Gaps in insulation is one critical factor that decreases the thermal efficiency, long term performance and effectivity of the insulating material. The unwanted space is created by thermal expansion and contraction which can be addressed through proper design of multiple layers of insulation with offset of joints of at least 5”. In effect, multiple layers of insulation win over a single layer with improved thermal efficiency and performance. This is more so when it is applied in metal roofing as steel sheeting is subject to thermal expansion and contraction and having a double layer of insulation covering allows the roof deck to be more rigid and stiffer; protecting the waterproofing layer underneath, allowing a better and more consistent level of insulation which eventually contributes to an overall higher roofing system performance.
Mechanical piping is not immune to this phenomenon of expansion and contraction. This stresses the whole system and can cause drastic failures if not address immediately. Pipes do accommodate bending and flexing to a certain degree with no deformation but going pass that line, broken pipes can be a reality and an expensive fix. Insulating with expansion joints that effectively contours and flexible enough to allow the joints, elbows to move freely in case of thermal expansion and contraction can help stabilize the whole piping system. Expansion joints can either be made from metals, plastic, fabric or rubber. Temperature demands would help determine the type of materials to be used as expansion joints. With the correct piping system design including the exact calculation of anchor loads and the correct pipe spacing to prevent geometric instability and any form of disturbance in the pipe curvature like buckling and dents. In addition to that, the use of higher specs of insulation would help deliver more stable temperatures, greater energy savings and longer service life for the whole piping system.
We at Patsum Insulation deliver the right insulation materials, the right quality and specifications to your projects. We are about quality and helping you and your business move up to the next level. Do give us a call for your insulation needs and requirements.
