Economic Insulation thickness

Sr#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Description
Length of pipe, L
Bare pipe outer diameter,d1
Bare pipe surface area, A
Ambient Temperature, ta
Bare pipe wall temperature, Th
Desired wall temperature with insulation, Tc
Material of insulation
Mean Temperature of insulation, Tm = Th + Tc/2
Sp conductivity of insulation material, k
Surface emissivity of bare pipe
Surface emissivity of insulation

Calculation
Surface heat Transfer Coefficient of Hot Bare surface, h
:(0.85 +0.005(Th - Ta)) * 10
Surface Heat Transfer Coefficient after insulation, h'
: (0.31 +0.005(Tc - Ta)) *10
Thermal Resistance, Rth = (Th - Tc)/[h' * (TcTa)]
Thickness of Insulation, t = k * Rth:(if surface was flat)

Unit
m
mm
m2
C
C
C
C
W/m C

Insulation Thickness
1''
50
168
26.38
30
160
62
Mineral Wool
111
0.044
0.95
0.13

W/m2 C

15

W/m2 C

4.7

C-m2/W

0.695035

r1 = Outer diameter/2 =
teq = r2 *ln9r2/r1) = (select r2 so that teq = t)

mm
mm
mm

30.58156
84
28.7

Outer radius of insulation, r2 =

mm

109.2

Thickness of Insulation

mm

25.2

Insulated pipe Area,A :

m2

34.29

Total Losses from bare Surface , Q =h*A*(Th-Ta)

kW

51.4

Total loss from insulated surface, Q' =h'*A'*Tc

kW

5.16

Power saved by providing insulation, P= Q - Q'

kW

46.3

Annaual working hours, n

Hrs

8000

kwh/year

370203

Rs/kg

0.7

Energy saving after providing Insulation E = P*N :

Economics
Steam Cost,
Heat Energy Cost P,
Annual monetory saving, S = E*P
Discount factor for calculating NPV of cost of energy loss
Cost of insulation (material + labor)
Total cost of insulation
Annual cost of energy loss
NPV of annual cost of energy loss for 5 years
Total cost (inslation & NPV heat loss)

Rs/KWh
Rs.
%
Rs/m
Rs/m
Rs/year
Rs

1.11
412708
15%
450
22500
46000
154198

Rs

176698

Total cost is lower when using 2'' insulation, hence it is economical insulation thickness

tion Thickness
2''
50
168
26.38
30
160
48
neral Wool
104
0.042
0.95
0.13

3''
50
168
26.38
30
160
43
101.5
0.04
0.95
0.13

15

15

3.75

1.6

2.4

67.2
84
65.3

96
84
96

135.9

161.9

51.9

77.9

42.66

50.85

51.4

51.4

3.07

2.48

48.4

49

8000

8000

386892

391634

0.7

0.7

1.11
431313
15%
700
35000
27395
91832

1.11
436599
15%
1100
55000
22109
74112

126832

129112

hickness

Problem:

Step 1 : Thickness of Insulation

Economic Thickness

Problem:

A heating system uses steam at slightly over 100 C supplies through 50mm bore pipes. The Steam is applied by a
gas boiler which is 70% efficient and the cost of gas is 28 pence per therm. Preformed fiborous insulation material
(thermal conductivity - 0.055 w/(m.K) is to be used. The total cost of installed insulation available with the
manufacturerm is as follows.
19mm
1.40/m
25mm
2.00/m
32mm
2.30/m
38mm
2.90/m
50mm
8.40/m
The evaluation period is 22000 hrs (5 years investment life with 4400 hours of operation per annum) and the pipe
work can be assumed to run through still air at 20 C

tep 1 : Thickness of Insulation

For this application Table indicates that economic thickness is 37 mm (tabulated result for a pipe with an outer dia
of 60.3mm are closest to the proposed application).Consequently estimate around this thickness is to be required and the first
estimate for economis thickness should be 25 mm.

Economic Insulation thickness

Sr#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Insulation Thickne
Description
Length of pipe, L
Bare pipe outer diameter,d1
Bare pipe surface area, A
Ambient Temperature, ta
Bare pipe wall temperature, Th
Desired wall temperature with insulation, Tc
Material of insulation
Mean Temperature of insulation, Tm = Th + Tc/2
Sp conductivity of insulation material, k
Surface emissivity of bare pipe
Surface emissivity of insulation

Unit
m
mm
m2
C
C
C
Mineral Wool
C
W/m C

Calculation
Surface heat Transfer Coefficient of Hot Bare surface, h
:(0.85
+0.005(Th
- Ta))Coefficient
* 10
Surface
Heat Transfer
after insulation, h'
: (0.31 +0.005(Tc - Ta)) *10
Thermal Resistance, Rth = (Th - Tc)/[h' * (TcTa)]
Thickness of Insulation, t = k * Rth:(if surface was flat)
r1 = Outer diameter/2 =
teq = r2 *ln9r2/r1) = (select r2 so that teq = t)
Outer radius of insulation, r2 =
Thickness of Insulation
Insulated pipe Area,A :
Total Losses from bare Surface , Q =h*A*(Th-Ta)
Total loss from insulated surface, Q' =h'*A'*Tc
Power saved by providing insulation, P= Q - Q'
Annaual working hours, n
Energy saving after providing Insulation E = P*N :
Economics
Steam Cost,
Heat Energy Cost P,
Annual monetory saving, S = E*P
Discount factor for calculating NPV of cost of energy loss
Cost of insulation (material + labor)
Total cost of insulation
Annual cost of energy loss
NPV of annual cost of energy loss for 5 years
Total cost (inslation & NPV heat loss)

W/m2 C
W/m2 C
C-m2/W
mm
mm
mm
mm
mm
m2
kW
kW
kW
Hrs
kwh/year
Rs/kg
Rs/KWh
Rs.
%
Rs/m
Rs/m
Rs/year
Rs
Rs

Total cost is lower when using 2'' insulation, hence it is economical insulation thickness

kness
Insulation Thickness
1''
2''

3''

k.A(t1-T2)/r2.ln(Kr2/r1)
160
160
62
48
Mineral Wool
111
104
0.044
0.042
0.95
0.95
0.13
0.13

160
43
101.5
0.04
0.95
0.13

0.3

50.2

3670440
16.5
6.2
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
0
28.7
109.2
25.2
34.29
51.4
5.16
46.3
8000
370203

16.5

16.5

5.5
1.6
67.2
0
65.3
135.9
51.9
42.66
51.4
3.07
48.4
8000
386892

5.25
2.4
96
0
96
161.9
77.9
50.85
51.4
2.48
49
8000
391634

0.7
1.11
412708
15%
450
22500
46000
154198

0.7
1.11
431313
15%
700
35000
27395
91832

0.7
1.11
436599
15%
1100
55000
22109
74112

176698

126832

129112

cal insulation thickness

917610
152.935
0.152935
1666.5