Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp.

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adam garcia Active Contributor Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 17	Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp. 09/13/2013 10:45 AM
	Hello, Is there a standard available for Instrument Insulation? All of my instrument installs in the Oil & Gas Process Skid field have been in Tropical or hot environments. Recently I have an inquiry for a system in Alaska, and the outside ambient temperature is -30(F). I have never dealt with this before so I need to educate myself on this, please help. Also, the P&ID, and per the inquiry, shows not only the tubing to be insulated and heat traced but also for the instruments to be insulated and heat traced. Instruments include pressure gauges and pressure switches.
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BruceFlorida Guru Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1688 Good Answers: 145	#1 Re: Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp. 09/13/2013 11:18 AM
	What temperature range are the instruments rated for? What does "heat traced" mean? __________________ Few things limit our potential as much as knowing answers and setting aside questions.
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adam garcia Active Contributor Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 17	#2 In reply to #1 Re: Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp. 09/13/2013 11:51 AM
	Instruments low temperature rating is -40(C). Heat trace means they will be insulated and in the insulation an electrical heat cord will be inserted to keep equipment from freezing. Regardless of the above, they want the instruments to be insulated. I am unsure of the insulation type and material to use, and am not familiar with the insulation installation on instruments.
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PWSlack Guru Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on. Posts: 32175 Good Answers: 839	#6 In reply to #2 Re: Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp. 09/16/2013 3:28 AM
	"they". Ask for a copy of "their" insulation standards. __________________ "Did you get my e-mail?" - "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw, 1856
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Iris Guru Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 669 Good Answers: 176	#3 Re: Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp. 09/13/2013 3:23 PM
	The principle of heat tracing is to replace heat lost through the insulation to maintain a suitable temperature. The heat trace vendors (Nelson, Chromalox, Thermon, others) have engineering guides and software that step you through heat trace selection. There's 2 kinds of electric heat trace, mineral insulated (MI), a heater element in a stainless or copper sheath and self regulating, a flexible ribbon used in northern climates for residential service for keeping gutters from freezing (sold in hardware stores). The advantage of self regulating is you don't need a temperature sensor and controller to regulate the heat. Some Chromalox illustrations from an installation guide for instruments: Wikipedia claims these International standards for the design and installation of electric trace heating systems include IEEE standards 515 and 622, British standard BS 6351, and IEC standard 60208, but I suspect vendor support is far more likely to provide answers that standards.
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adam garcia Active Contributor Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 17	#4 In reply to #3 Re: Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp. 09/13/2013 4:07 PM
	I am quite familiar with the heat trace installation as we use it very often in process skid world. I apologize if my comment on the heat trace was inaccurate as i just answered quick to steer away from that topic for my main concern is the Insulation on the actual Instrument. See how in your 2nd figure the pressure gauge is exposed, surely we don't use the same insulation that is on the pipe connecting to the gauge to insulate the pressure gauge. In some cases we use cold insulation type on level gauges for the same purpose(w/ heat trace), but it matches the same insulation found on the vessel since level gauges can accommodate the insulation with frost extensions. I will contact my insulation vendor for further information as you suggested.
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Munster Power-User Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 406 Good Answers: 3	#5 Re: Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp. 09/14/2013 6:15 AM
	Do you know of any local companies to ask?
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srini Power-User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 101 Good Answers: 6	#7 Re: Instrument Insulation for Cold Ambient Temp. 09/16/2013 8:08 AM
	O'Brien corporation is one of the manufacturer of instrument protection . There are others who make these. see http://www.obcorp.com/literature.aspx?cat=2 __________________ If you don't know where you are going,you are bound to get there
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adam garcia (2); BruceFlorida (1); Iris (1); Munster (1); PWSlack (1); srini (1)

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