Analysis of cost effective pipe insulation requirements
The proposed BRS/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1989R contains updated requirements for pipe insulation thicknesses developed on the basis of technical and economic principles. These requirements were determined based on computer simulations of the annual energy flow through the insulation, first cost assumptions for the insulation, and economic assumptions of discount rate and energy escalation rate. In later work, the same tools were used to analyze the sensitivity of the cost-effective insulation level for piping insulation to variations in operating hours, ambient temperature, fluid temperature, and economic assumptions. These analyses were carried out using cost data for pipe insulation averaged across several sources. The results of the sensitivity study showed that system operating hours is a critical parameter in determining the cost-effective pipe insulation thicknesses. Although there is a lack of reliable sources of typical operating hour data for heating systems, anecdotal information suggests that while most smaller, building level systems are operated only during a heating season, many site-wide steam and hot water heating systems are operated year round and insulation levels on these systems should reflect both the pipe size and the different operating schedules. In addition, the analysis showed that because of differences in private and Federal sector economics, the cost-effective pipe insulation levels appropriate for the private sector are often substantially different from those that are appropriate for the Federal sector.
- OSTI ID:
- 478234
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961173-; TRN: 97:002008-0057
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 19. world energy engineering congress, Atlanta, GA (United States), 6-8 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Energy business and technology sourcebook: Proceedings of the 19th world energy engineering congress; PB: 708 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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