Insulation Covers Key to Sustainability in Recycling Facilities
Insulation Covers Key to Sustainability in Recycling Facilities
Plastics renewal facilities are a growing trend in U.S. new construction as energy companies redirect extensive amounts of plastic waste for conversion to diesel fuel, blend stocks, and wax. Some of the most critical equipment at these innovative recycling facilities are the hundreds of reactors, all of which operate outdoors and at very high temperatures (850°F to 1000°F +) throughout all four seasons.
To maintain temperatures and efficiently operate, these facilities must insulate the reactors, but also be able to access the equipment regularly, which is a limitation of conventional insulation. Fit Tight Covers (FTC) is meeting the needs of customers in this industry by designing and fabricating fully custom, removable, and reusable insulation systems for the reactor heads. To ensure proper fit, FTC field representatives visit facilities to measure equipment, analyze temperature, and examine the unique environmental constraints. Measurements and notes are then brought back to headquarters in Evansville, Indiana. The fabrication process begins with the FTC CAD design team and ends with a quality check prior to shipment.
“A well-fitted cover is critical for temperature control and energy conservation, especially in high-temp industrial applications,” emphasizes Calvin Brasel, General Manager at Fit Tight Covers. “With Certified Energy Appraisals, we have documented the effectiveness of custom FTC covers, as well as, the high levels of energy loss in unfitted generic covers.” By custom-engineering every cover and using time-tested materials, FTC’s insulation covers meet and exceed specifications across the energy sector and ensure effectiveness and reliability of essential processing equipment.
Notes about the design:
- Cold face fabric is a Teflon impregnated fiberglass fabric which FTC reinforced with stainless steel mesh.
- Two different types of insulation were used due to different operant temperature zones on the reactors. For the zones near the burner, 2” Insulfrax was used due to temperatures above 1000°F. For the cooler zones that only saw temps in the 850°F range, 2 layers of 1” temp-mat we’re best.
- The hot face fabric utilized was an 18 oz. satin weave silica fabric. This was reinforced with Inconel mesh in the burner regions and stainless-steel mesh in the other areas.
The primary concern was durability and longevity for the reactor head insulation. After extensive testing on reactor #1 was complete the customer was confident FTC had found the solution and placed the order for the remaining reactors. The reactor heads and trim comprised at this one location required 2100 hours of production in the Fit Tight Covers shop.
