Solar thermal energy

Solar thermal hot water is becoming more and more important, especially in the era of renewables and environmental protection. In order for the entire system of a solar thermal plant to work efficiently, the insulation of pipes is also an important decisive factor. The less heat is lost on the way from the collector on the roof to the buffer tank in the basement, the greater the savings in fuel for heating and thus in CO₂. Insufficiently insulated pipes release part of the valuable thermal energy back into the environment unused, which reduces the efficiency of the entire system.

In outdoor areas, particularly high demands are placed on the insulation system: There, UV radiation, ozone influence and animals that like to steal insulation materials for nesting purposes, add up to the heat stress. Regardless of their cause - whether thermal or mechanical - thermal bridges occur at any damaged point in the insulation layer, again leading to costly energy loss. Respective pipelines should therefore only be protected with solar-grade insulation materials.

Kaiflex Solar EPDM is suitable for this purpose: The elastomeric insulation material is characterised by a high-temperature resistance of +150 °C. This is particularly important for insulating pipework in a solar energy system. If the temperature of the media pipes rises above 100 °C, many other insulations melt or harden and lose their functionality. Kaiflex Solar EPDM withstands such temperatures and retains its flexible properties. The insulation material has excellent UV resistance and ensures reliable performance throughout the system's service life. Robust coatings such as Kaiflex Protect protect the insulation materials and guarantee consistent effectiveness for many years.

Energy efficiency

Optimal technical insulation can provide sustainable support in keeping energy losses in a building or operational system low in the long term. Cost-saving measures to increase energy efficiency and system performance can be easily realized by insulating the entire piping network with Kaiflex. Thanks to the low thermal conductivity of up to λ ≤ 0.033 W/(m·K) and the thus very good thermal performance, the energy budget can already be sustainably optimized with a minimum insulation layer thickness, as the following example shows: an uninsulated DN 50 pipe has an annual energy consumption of 172.2 kWh per pipe meter. At a heat price of 0.24 € / kWh, this results in additional costs of 41.33 Euros per meter and per year. If, on the other hand, the pipe is covered with 19 mm of Kaiflex insulation, heat losses are reduced to 39 kWh and operating costs shrunken to 9.36 Euros per meter per year (assuming ambient temperature of 23 °C, media temperature 6 °C, rel. humidity 75 %, system hours 6,000). This means that 77 % of costs can be saved and the use of Kaiflex has already paid for itself after a short time.

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Surface protection

Kaimann tube jackets combine high-performance insulation properties with resilient surface protection. Thanks to its very good properties, regarding e.g. elongation at break and tensile elongation or puncture resistance, the underlying insulation and pipelines are optimally protected against mechanical damage and the effects of UV radiation and weathering, when used out-of-doors. In buildings, the surface protection is convincing by its visual appearance, which blends harmoniously into the overall appearance when installed in an open installation. Kaiflex Protect systems are also a good alternative to conventional insulation sheathing, as there is no need to increase the thickness of the insulating layer and there is no need for the air gap caused by installation. Thanks to the durability of the insulation materials, no follow-up costs are incurred: As long as the Kaiflex tube jackets are not damaged, long service life without deterioration of its technical properties is guaranteed.

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Corrosion protection

Corrosion processes under insulation are among the hidden and particularly critical damage processes. Particularly at risk are refrigeration, cryogenic and alternating temperature installations, i.e. installations that tend to draw moisture from the air through the insulation. Kaimann corrosion protection systems play a significant role in protecting the material under the insulation, reducing the risk of a wide variety of corrosion types (e.g. oxygen or crevice corrosion) as well as costly system damage and downtime. The closed-cell structure provides a reliable vapour barrier, safely protects against moisture penetration, and has a chemically neutral pH of about 7, therefore not promoting acidic or alkaline corrosion. Kaifinish protective coatings provide corrosion protection through shielding, i.e. insulation of the pipe surface by excluding air and moisture.

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Condensation prevention

In order to ensure the thermal performance of an insulation material in the long term, high water vapours diffusion resistance is also important in addition to thermal conductivity. This additionally protects the refrigeration and air-conditioning systems from condensation and pipe corrosion. The closed-cell structure of Kaiflex is formed from individual, self-contained cells. As a result, the insulation material already has "by nature" a secure vapour barrier integrated across the entire insulation profile and offers a water vapour diffusion resistance of up to μ ≥ 10,000. Kaiflex cannot become soaked during its service life and therefore retains its excellent insulating performance. The result: Kaiflex insulation on cold-carrying pipes increases the service life of technical equipment and also prevents moisture damage to the building's inventory.

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Thickness insulation calculator Kaicalc

Those who pay attention to careful planning, workmanship and quality in a project design, can avoid costly system malfunctions or even failures and can thus keep operating costs stable in the long term - or even reduce them sustainably. Decisive for this is both the choice of the right insulation material and the correct calculation of insulation thickness. Our insulation thickness calculator Kaicalc provides reliable support around the clock.

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