DynoFlex^® sewn-blanket thermal insulation

Why do we insulate the front and rear plates of the boiler?

Boiler front and rear plates are typically left uninsulated for maintenance reasons, as in most cases they are opened at least once a year. However, these surfaces — sometimes several tens of square metres — continuously release heat to the environment, reducing the efficiency of heat generation.

Which surfaces can be insulated in a boiler house?

From the uninsulated surfaces of the boiler through the valves and heat exchangers of the heating medium to the detachable connections, valves and pumps of the condensate and feedwater systems, every surface above 40 °C is worth examining.

Why is 550 °C insulation used on boiler front and rear plates when the average surface temperature is 80 °C?

On the front and rear plates of the boiler — along the sealing cord line or around the sight glass — there may be areas where the surface temperature reaches 250 °C. The most frequently used DynoFlex construction, DLT250-S-EG25, is rated to a maximum of 250 °C, so for safety reasons a construction with higher temperature resistance is required.

What types of fittings can be insulated?

Every fitting whose operating principle does not exclude it can be insulated. Typically, with the exception of thermodynamic and thermostatic steam traps, it is worth fitting every valve in a system with DynoFlex sewn insulation.

To what extent can a valve be insulated?

A valve can typically be insulated in full, except for its actuating mechanism. Optimal valve insulation is free of thermal bridges, fully overlaps the adjacent insulation and covers the valve body, stuffing box, flanges and counter-flanges without affecting operation. With DynoFlex insulation we always aim to insulate the largest possible surface.

Does it make sense to insulate a safety valve?

It does make sense to insulate the safety valve as well, since in a steam system steam is continuously present up to the closing point, so the fitting heats up and releases heat to its environment just the same.

How do we insulate a heat exchanger?

We insulate heat exchangers so that our insulation covers the largest possible surface while keeping removal and refitting easy, fast and logical. On plate heat exchangers we leave the tie rods free.

Why are heat exchangers not insulated by the manufacturer?

The thickness of a plate heat exchanger depends on the number of plates, so it is not a standard size. The desired heat transfer capacity is set by changing the number of plates, optimising it for the given application. Moreover, in the event of a leak, conventional insulation solutions are destroyed, making them uneconomical. With DynoFlex insulation, the cover material is selected together with the customer so that in case of a leak it is enough to clean the insulation before refitting.

How quickly can the insulation be removed from the heat exchanger?

Depending on size, the insulation can be removed from the heat exchanger in a few minutes at most, thanks to the hook-and-loop fastening.

How is the insulation fixed?

The fixing of DynoFlex insulation depends on the medium and the temperature. The most common solution — also for pumps — is hook-and-loop fastening combined with aramid cord.

How many parts does a pump insulation consist of?

The number of parts depends on the type and size of the pump. A feed pump, for example, can be insulated with a single jacket, while a pump with more complex geometry or fixing may require 2–4 parts.

To what extent do we insulate pumps?

Pump insulation is typically limited to the pump body and the connecting flanges, leaving the motor and the bearing housing free — the parts where significant excess heat could cause rapid failure.

Won't the heater band temperature destroy the insulation?

On plastics industry equipment, the side of our insulation in contact with the heater band is always fitted with a cover rated to a maximum of 550 °C. This way even temperature peaks above the operating temperature — for example during heat-up — do not damage our insulation.

What happens if melt gets onto the insulation?

All our insulation pieces carry a unique identifier. If plastic melt gets onto the insulation on extruders or injection moulding machines (e.g. material backflow at the nozzle), it is enough to replace that single damaged piece. You only need to send us the insulation ID; the drawings can be retrieved and the piece re-manufactured. This is exactly why we usually insulate this equipment heater band by heater band, so that a single damaged element does not require replacing the insulation along the full length.

How are sensors and cables routed?

On both injection moulding machines and extruders we insulate the heater bands so that sensor connectors and cables are left free and do not run under the insulation.