Phenolic insulated pipe supports are often considered a favourable choice compared to wood and mineral wool. This is because they tend to offer the best all-round solution as well as being cost-effective. Here’s a summary of how phenolic blocks, wood blocks and mineral wool blocks compare.
Phenolic foam used in insulated pipe supports has excellent thermal insulation properties. It has low thermal conductivity, which helps minimize heat transfer between the pipe and its surroundings. This reduces energy loss, improves energy efficiency, and maintains the desired temperature of the fluid being transported. Wood blocks are considerably less thermally efficient and do not provide a vapour barrier. Compared to mineral wool blocks, phenolic foam has better thermal insulation properties and has a lower thermal conductivity, meaning it minimizes heat transfer more effectively.
Phenolic foam insulated pipe supports are resistant to moisture and water. They do not absorb moisture like wood, which can lead to degradation, rotting, or warping over time. Mineral wool, although it provides insulation, can absorb and retain moisture, potentially compromising its thermal performance.
Phenolic blocks have superior dimensional stability compared to wood and mineral wool blocks. They do not warp, deform, or change shape significantly due to temperature or humidity variations. This ensures consistent support, alignment, and load distribution for the pipes.
Phenolic foam is known for its excellent fire-resistant properties. It has a high ignition temperature and low flame spread characteristics. Walraven’s Phenblox® has a densely cross-linked structure that makes it difficult to ignite when subjected to fire. It has achieved a European Reaction to Fire rating of Class BL-S1,d0 which is the best available rating for phenolic foam. Wood is obviously a very flammable substance and mineral wool is simply classified as non-combustible. Mineral wool blocks are therefore suited to very high temperature environments such as power plants and refineries.
Phenolic foam exhibits good chemical resistance, making it suitable for environments where pipes may come into contact with corrosive substances or chemicals. Wood can be susceptible to chemical degradation, while mineral wool’s resistance to chemicals may vary depending on the specific substances.
Phenolic insulated pipe supports have a longer lifespan compared to wood and may offer better durability than mineral wool blocks. Phenolic foam is less prone to degradation, rotting, or deterioration over time, ensuring the longevity and performance of the pipe supports.
Phenolic pipe supports and mineral wool blocks are generally lighter than wood, simplifying handling, transportation, and installation. This can result in cost savings and improved efficiency during construction projects.
Phenolic blocks offer a robust and effective solution for the majority of circumstances. It is clear that wood blocks offer a significantly inferior performance and are no longer recommended according to the British Standard BS5970:2012. Mineral wool blocks are fairly new to the market and can be expensive. Their overall performance may not be as robust as phenolic foam but they do offer a completely non-combustible solution – if this is required. In the vast majority of construction projects a Euroclass fire rating such as that which phenolic offers, is sufficient. A non-combustible solution may only be required on high temperature systems.
You should always check individual project and specification requirements to determine the right solution for your project.
You can read more about the different insulated pipe supports and the British Standards in our article ‘An overview of insualted pipe supports’.
Walraven manufactures phenolic foam pipe supports in house. You can view Walraven Phenblox product information including all technical information on the product page.
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