Coated fibrous pipe insulation system
AssigneeJohn Manville International, Inc.
InventorsFred Migliorini, Michael Casavant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pipe insulation system includes a tubular core of fibrous insulation that is coated with a pliable polymer. The coated tubular core has a first longitudinal slit extending completely through the wall of the core and a second longitudinal slit in the inner surface of the tubular core that is opposite the first slit and forms a hinge that permits the tubular core to be opened and closed to place the coated tubular core about a pipe. Preferably, the coating has a water vapor permeance rating of 0.02 perms or less and the system includes a seal for sealing the first slit so that an outer surface layer of the sealed coated tubular core formed by the coating and seal has a water vapor permeance rating of 0.02 perms or less for use on cold pipe systems.
Claims14
A fibrous pipe insulation system, comprising:
- a tubular core of fibrous insulation having a length and a longitudinal axis;
- the tubular core having a substantially cylindrical outer surface;
- the tubular core having a substantially cylindrical inner surface;
- the tubular core having a wall extending between the cylindrical outer surface and the cylindrical inner surface;
- the wall of the tubular core having a radially extending thickness;
- the wall of the tubular core having a first slit extending completely therethrough;
- the first slit extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular core for the length of the tubular core;
- the tubular core having a second slit in the inner surface of the tubular core;
- the second slit being substantially opposite the first slit;
- the second slit extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular core for the length of the tubular core;
- and the second slit extending only partially through the wall of the tubular core to form a longitudinally extending hinge in the tubular core that permits the tubular core to be opened and closed to place the tubular core about a pipe;
- a polymer coating layer coextensive with the substantially cylindrical outer surface of the tubular core and forming with the tubular core, a coated tubular core;
- the polymer coating layer being flexible so that the coated tubular core can be opened, placed about a pipe, and closed without cracking the coating;
- and
- the substantially cylindrical outer surface of the core having a first radius;
- the substantially cylindrical inner surface of the core having a second radius;
- and for a temperature at the substantially cylindrical inner surface of the core between 35° F. and 65° F. and a temperature of 90° F. and a relative humiditiy of 90% at the substantially cylindrical outer surface of the core, a dew point temperature is attained within the wall of the core at a radial distance less than the first radius and spaced inwardly from the substantially cylindrical outer wall of the core and greater than the second radius and spaced outwardly from the substantially cylindrical inner wall of the core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.