Automotive

Many vehicles used for transporting people or goods have air-conditioning systems with heat- and cold-carrying pipes. To ensure high efficiency of these installations, appropriate insulation should be made. These must meet various certification standards for the automotive industry, such as KBA R118, according to which many Kaiflex products are approved and can therefore be used without hesitation. To pass the fire tests required for this purpose, the insulation material is tested with regard to flame spread and melting behavior. The insulating material must also be resistant to fuels and lubricants, for which rubber is ideal due to its closed-cell structure. To provide appropriate recycling evidence, Kaiflex products are listed in the international Automotive Material Master Database (IDMS).

Since there is no combustion engine in electric vehicles whose waste heat can be used to heat the interior, insulation is particularly important in this drive concept. Regardless of whether an additional heat pump is installed or the pure energy of the battery is used for heating, the usable range density of the vehicle is reduced - sometimes considerably. In addition, further losses are caused by the heating of the battery that is necessary in winter and further reduces the already limited capacity. Vehicle insulation made of elastomeric rubber is ideal for keeping heat inside the vehicle and protecting the body from moisture penetration and the resulting corrosion thanks to the vapor-retardant effect of the closed-cell structure. A nice side effect: Due to its sound-absorbing properties, the rubber also reduces unwanted driving noise, thus ensuring carefree travel even on long journeys.

Fire protection

Kaimann makes it easier to achieve fire protection pursuant to DIN EN 13501-1, and it also saves time and money. This is because no change of material or manufacturer is required to seal off piping systems in the area of wall or ceiling penetrations. Kaimann supplies coordinated system solutions for safe fire, personal and system protection, consisting of innovative insulation materials and matching accessories such as pipe supports, adhesives and tape. With smoke development classes s1 ("low smoke development") and s2 ("limited smoke development"), the insulation materials thus meet the highest European smoke specifications and provide at least 90 minutes or 120 minutes of fire resistance for a wide range of pipe penetration solutions - up to an outer pipe diameter of 133 mm for steel and 42 mm for copper even without an additional fire protection mat when penetrating pipes with Kaiflex KKplus s1 or Kaiflex KKplus s2. For larger pipe diameters and when passing through lightweight partition walls or for the partitioning of combustible piping systems, the "Kaiflex Pyrostar" bandage system is also used.

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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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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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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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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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