ROCKWOOL Rock Wool Insulation Pre-formed Pipe Type Model ProRox PS960sa WR-TECH

ProRox PS960sa WR-TECH

Rock wool insulation ProRox PS is rock wool insulation in the ProRox series, which is insulation used in industrial applications (Industrial Insulation). Designed as straight pipes 1.2 meters long for easy installation in various piping systems and available in multiple insulation thicknesses (25 – 100 mm).

ROCKWOOL rock wool insulation in the ProRox series is specifically designed for industrial applications. It has more extensive testing standards for factory use and testing for substances that may cause damage in factories, such as chloride which is a major cause of rust on pipe surfaces, or water vapor absorption testing to less than 1% by weight.

Operating Temperature

ProRox PS960 can be used up to 650 degrees Celsius. The hotter the pipe, the thicker the insulation needs to be to prevent people from touching hot pipes and to reduce heat loss from the pipes.

We can calculate the appropriate insulation thickness using the RockAssist Program. You can see how to use the RockAssist program in the article How to Use RockAssist Program

Thermal Conductivity ASTM C335

Hot pipe systems in industrial plants may have temperatures as high as 500 degrees Celsius which will cause people near these pipes to feel skin irritation or get burned if they touch the pipes. Rock wool insulation is therefore necessary to install on pipe surfaces to protect people from danger. The insulation surface temperature should be 40 – 50 degrees Celsius which is considered not too hot.

Another function of insulation is to maintain the temperature inside pipes, for example, steam pipes at 400 degrees Celsius – we need to maintain the internal pipe temperature to prevent it from dropping so the steam can be used for further applications. What we need to consider is the thermal conductivity value of the insulation.

Rock wool insulation ProRox PS has been tested for thermal conductivity by ASTM institute with ASTM C335 standard, which tests to find the thermal conductivity value of pipe-form insulation, and achieved test results of 0.037 – 0.083 W/m.K

Thermal Conductivity	Mean Temp (C)	50	100	150	200	250	300	350
	W/m.K	0.037	0.042	0.048	0.055	0.063	0.072	0.083

Max Service Temperature = 650 °C

Rock wool pipe insulation ProRox PS can be used up to 650 degrees Celsius and has been tested according to ASTM C411 standard which tests to find the maximum usable temperature. This ensures that ProRox PS rock wool insulation can be used at high temperatures such as steam pipes in power plants or sugar mills.

Fire classification and reaction to fire

Due to its melting point above 1,000°C, we tested the insulation for fire classification according to EN13501-1 standard, which categorizes materials from A1 to F based on fire behavior.

Table classifying materials by fire severity

Definition	Classification according to European Standard EN 13501-1
Non-Combustible materials	A1
	A2 – s1d0	A2 – s1d1	A2 – s1d2
	A2 – s2d0	A2 – s2d1	A2 – s2d2
	A2 – s3d0	A2 – s3d1	A2 – s3d2
Combustible materials – very limited contribution to fire	B – s1d0	B – s1d1	B – s1d2
	B – s2d0	B – s2d1	B – s2d2
	B – s3d0	B – s3d1	B – s3d2
Combustible materials – limited contribution to fire	C – s1d0	C – s1d1	C – s1d2
	C- s2d0	C – s2d1	C – s2d2
	C – s3d0	C – s3d1	C – s3d2
Combustible materials – medium contribution to fire	D – s1d0	D – s1d1	D – s1d2
	D – s2d0	D – s2d1	D – s2d2
	D – s3d0	D – s3d1	D- s3d2
Combustible materials – highly contribution to fire	E	E – d2
Combustible materials – easily flammable	F

“s” Smoke emission level: ranges from 1 (low-no smoke) to 3 (high smoke emission)

“d” Flaming droplets: ranges from 0 (no droplets) to 1 (many droplets)

Table showing levels of smoke production and flaming droplets

Additional class			Level Definition
Smoke emission during combustion	S	1	Quantity/speed emission of absent or weak
		2	Quantity/speed emission of average intensity
		3	Quantity/speed emission of high intensity
Production of flaming droplets/particles during combustion	D	0	No dripping
		1	Slow dripping
		2	High dripping

From the material classification table, we can see that ProRox PS rock wool insulation is A1 type material which is non-combustible, does not produce smoke and has no fire dripping. Therefore, you can be confident that it is a material that can be used for fire protection.

Chloride Testing

In industrial insulation work, we are quite concerned about “rust”. The main causes of rust are moisture and chloride substances that accelerate rust formation on pipe surfaces.

Since our pipes are wrapped with insulation, by the time we realize our pipes have rusted, significant damage has already occurred and repair by pipe replacement would cost enormous amounts. Therefore, preventing rust under insulation surfaces or CUI (Corrosion Under Insulation) is extremely important.

ProRox PS rock wool insulation has been tested for chloride content in the insulation material according to ASTM C871 standard which tests for quantities of Chloride, Fluoride, Silicate and Sodium Ions within thermal insulation, and achieved test results as expected with specified compounds less than 10 ppm (parts per million).

Moisture and water vapor

Another important factor in rust formation is water and moisture. The fiber content of rock wool insulation has silicone water repellent added during the manufacturing process, making rock wool insulation fibers highly effective at water resistance. When we pour water on the insulation, it will bounce off like water-coated car windshields.

We have tested our insulation according to EN 13472 standard to find the water absorption value of the insulation material and achieved test results of only 1% water absorption by insulation weight.

Mineral wool insulation causing cancer

Only in Thailand is there concern about “mineral wool” causing “cancer”. This is a misunderstanding due to translation issues. Mineral wool insulation (ROCKWOOL) and asbestos are confused due to similar terminology. We will explain the difference.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of minerals with white fibers smaller than 0.1 micron, derived from silicate minerals. It can become airborne and break into smaller, sharp fibers. It is a known carcinogen.

ROCKWOOL mineral wool insulation is produced through a controlled manufacturing process that melts basalt and dolomite rocks to spin fibers 4-6 microns in size. These fibers can break but have large, rounded ends too big to enter the lungs. It does not cause cancer.

Table of differences between ROCKWOOL mineral wool insulation and asbestos

Difference	ROCKWOOL mineral wool insulation	Asbestos
Raw material	Basalt rock, dolomite	Silicate mineral group
Source	Standardized machinery	Accumulation of silicate minerals
Fiber characteristics	4-6 microns, rounded fiber ends	Smaller than 1 micron, sharp fiber ends
Health impact	Does not cause cancer in humans	Causes cancer in humans
Classification by International Agency for Research on Cancer	Group 3: Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans	Group 1: Carcinogenic to humans

We can find information about various carcinogenic substances from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The IARC divides products into 3 groups

Table classifying carcinogenic substances

Group 1	Substances that cause cancer in humans
Group 2A	Substances that may cause cancer in humans
Group 2B	Substances that possibly may cause cancer in humans
Group 3	Substances that do not cause cancer in humans