SUPPLYING REMOVABLE INSULATION PILLOWS FOR EQUIPMENT AND PIPELINE SYSTEMS IN BREWERY PLANT PROJECTS – A FLEXIBLE INSULATION AND EASY MAINTENANCE SOLUTION

Removable Insulation Pillows are a flexible and highly effective thermal insulation solution for modern industrial systems. For the Brewery Plant Project in Da Nang, Black Cat Insulation Technical Joint Stock Company (Stock Code: BMK) has been implementing the installation of removable insulation pillow systems for pipelines, measuring instruments, valve boxes, tees, flanges, and other similar components.

What is a Removable Insulation Pillow?

A Product is custom-made based on the actual dimensions of equipment, such as measuring instruments, valves, flanges, tees, and pipes in hot/cold pipeline systems or areas with high operating pressure that require frequent leak inspections. The use of flexible insulation pillows allows for easy inspection and maintenance without compromising the integrity of the insulation material layer.

Application objectives and key features of insulation pillow products in industrial systems

Use of insulation pillows in industrial plants:

Piping systems and equipment—especially in large-scale facilities such as breweries—typically include numerous connection points such as control valves, flanges (weld joints), tees,….. These areas are subject to high operating pressure and require frequent maintenance, inspection, and replacement.

Removable Insulation Pillows serve as an intermediate solution that balances effective thermal insulation with the need for flexible and convenient removal during leak inspections, maintenance, and servicing. The basic structure of an insulation pillow includes:

• Outer layer: Made from heat-resistant, water-repellent, and abrasion-resistant fabric.
• Insulation Material layer: Filled with insulating materials such as Mineral wool (Rockwool) or Ceramic Fiber (Superwool), fabricated according to the actual dimensions of the equipment.

Each product is custom-designed and tailored to fit specific positions along the piping system, ensuring tight sealing, appropriate insulation thickness, and the ability to be repeatedly removed and reinstalled without damage.

Product Advantages:

• Flexible installation: Easy to install and remove, such as valves, flanges, elbows, and tees
• High temperature resistance (up to 1000°C): Made with heat-resistant materials such as fiberglass or silica fabric, combined with an insulation of ceramic fiber or mineral wool.
• Custom-designed to actual dimensions and customer requirements: Tailored to fit tightly and precisely around complex components, ensuring optimal thermal insulation performance and ease of installation
• Easy to clean and maintain: Can be removed for inspection and reinstalled quickly without damaging the insulation materials or affecting system performance.

Disadvantages:

• High initial investment cost
• Lower weather resistance compared to metal cladding insulation systems.

Applications of Insulation Pillows:

• Turbines: Used for insulating gas and steam turbines, where high temperatures and significant mechanical stress are present.
• Valves: Ideal for insulating industrial valves in piping systems.
• Pipelines and pipe fittings are applied to insulate pipelines carrying fluids.
• Measuring Instruments

For this project, the Black Cat JSC team conducted on-site surveys and identified locations requiring removable thermal insulation. Based on the operating temperature and available installation space, the insulation pillows were custom-made as follows:

• Insulation pillows for valve boxes
• Insulation pillows for tee
• Insulation pillows for flange boxes
• Insulation pillows for straight pipes

Materials used in this project:

1. Fabric: A silicone-coated fiberglass fabric imported from Europe, with the following technical specifications:

• Base fabric withstands temperatures up to 500°C, while the double-sided silicone coating can resist up to 260°C.
• 2-sided coating on silicone basis with functional filler provides water resistance, oil resistance, and UV protection.
• Chemical resistance: Resistant to acids and bases at room temperature (20°C).
• High flexibility, good electrical isolation options,
• Good abrasion and cut resistance.

2. Insulation material: Rockwool Blanket (Density: 100kg/m³)

• The inner filling of the insulation pillows consists of Rockwool in blanket form, with a density of 100kg/m³ — a commonly used material in industrial hot insulation systems.
• Heat resistance up to 650°C.
• Low thermal conductivity (~0.04 – 0.083 W/mK)
• Non-combustible and does not emit toxic smoke.
• Provides sufficient elasticity to maintain shape without sagging over time.

The materials are cut and fabricated in the workshop, then assembled and sewn into finished insulation pillows, customized to meet the project’s specific requirements.

Images at the Project:

Black Cat JSC specializes in providing thermal insulation solutions for industrial systems operating under high temperature, low temperature, and corrosive environments. In addition to insulation pillows, the company also supplies:

• Pre-formed Insulation materials such as PIR (Polyisocyanurate), Foamglas, Phenolic, Rockwool
• Metal Cladding (SS304, SS316, A6061…)
• Cryogenic/cold pipe Support

Black Cat JSC directly manufactures and fabricates insulation pillows domestically, controlling quality at every stage while proactively selecting imported materials that meet technical standards.

Source: Insulationmarket.com.vn