Mineral Wool

Mineral wool is a floccule made from slag melt at high temperature and spun with
a super-centrifuge.

From: Building Decorative Materials, 2011

Related terms:

Thermal Insulation, Roofs, Cavity, Thermal Conductivity, Insulating Material, Insu-

lation Material

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Learn more about Mineral Wool

Insulation
John Willoughby, in Plant Engineer's Reference Book (Second Edition), 2002

30.9.1 Mineral wool

Mineral wool is perhaps the best known of the whole range of insulation types. It is
widely used in all sectors of industry, transport and building for thermal, acoustic
and fire-protection purposes. Despite this, there is still a common misconception
that mineral wool is a specific product type – it is not. Mineral wool is a generic name
for a range of man-made non-metallic inorganic fibres. The following definitions
should help to clarify the situation:

1. Mineral fibre: A generic term for all non-metallic inorganic fibres.

2. Mineral wool: A generic term for mineral fibres of a woolly consistency, nor-
mally made from molten glass, rock or slag.
3. Glass wool: A mineral wool produced from molten glass.

4. Rock wool: A mineral wool produced from naturally occurring igneous rock.

5. Slag wool: A mineral wool produced from molten furnace slag.

From these it can be seen that rock wool, slag wool and glass wool are all mineral
wools.

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Pipe-in-Pipe and Bundle Systems

Qiang Bai, Yong Bai, in Subsea Pipeline Design, Analysis, and Installation, 2014

Mineral Wool
Mineral wool is a fiber made of natural or synthetic minerals or metal oxides.
The synthetic form is generally referred to synthetic materials, including fiberglass,
ceramic fibers, and stone wool. One of mineral wool’s forms is stone wool, which
has the main components of inorganic rock or slag as the main component, typically
around 98%, the leftover 2% organic content is commonly a thermosetting resin
binder or an adhesive and a little oil. Mineral wool insulation is a low-cost material.
As listed in Table 17.1, it can provide a good level of insulation performance. Figure
17.4 shows the variation of thermal conductivities of mineral wool with temperature.
The mineral wool insulation is suitable for high-temperature applications where
polymer coatings are not considered suitable. Typical mineral wool densities are in
the range of 120 to 140 kg/m3.

Figure 17.4. Thermal conductivity of mineral wool.

Source: Isover [4]. (For color version of this figure, the reader is referred to the online
version of this book.)

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Nano-based thermal insulation for en-
ergy-efficient buildings
Bjørn Petter Jelle, in Start-Up Creation, 2016

8.3.1 Mineral wool

Mineral wool covers glass wool (fiberglass) and rock wool, which normally is pro-
duced as mats and boards, but occasionally also as filling material. Light and soft
mineral wool products are applied in frame houses and other structures with cavities.
Heavier and harder mineral wool boards with high mass densities are used when
the thermal insulation is intended for carrying loads, like on floors or roofs. Mineral
wool may also be used as a filler material to fill various cavities and spaces. Glass
wool is produced from borosilicate glass at a temperature around 1400°C, where the
heated mass is pulled through rotating nozzles, thus creating fibers. Rock wool is
produced from melting stone (diabase, dolerite) at about 1500°C, where the heated
mass is hurled out from a wheel or disk, thus creating fibers. In both glass wool and
rock wool dust abatement oil and phenolic resin is added to bind the fibers together
and improve the product properties. Typical thermal conductivity values for mineral
wool are between 30 and 40 mW/(mK). The thermal conductivity of mineral wool
varies with temperature, moisture content, and mass density. As an example, the
thermal conductivity of mineral wool may increase from 37 to 55 mW/(mK) with
increasing moisture content from 0 to 10 vol%, respectively. Mineral wool products
may be perforated, and also cut and adjusted at the building site, without any loss
of thermal resistance.

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Material requirements
Maurice Stewart, in Surface Production Operations, 2016

3.5.1 Mineral wool

Mineral wool insulation is suitable for temperatures up to 1200 °F (649 °C). It is made
from basalt rock and steel slag with an organic binder. The binder requires that a
heat-up schedule be maintained for temperatures above 450 °F (232 °C). During
the heat-up phase, some of the resin will begin a controlled decomposition that
requires adequate ventilation to vent the vapors. Mineral wool is water-repellant,
yet vapor-permeable, and can be used outdoors. A metal jacket is recommended
to protect the insulation from physical damage as well as weatherproofing. The
insulation is cut with a knife and wired to the pipe. Mineral wool has a thermal
conductivity of 0.25 BTU-in./h-ft.2-°R (0.035 W/mK) at 100 °F (24 °C) and a density
of 4.4 lb/ft.3 (70 kg/m3).

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Acoustic and Thermal Insulating Mate-

rials
In Building Decorative Materials, 2011

1 Mineral Wool Decorative Acoustic Board

Mineral wool decorative acoustic board adopts slag wool as main raw material and
added in certain amount of bonding agent, dust-preventive agent and water-re-
pelling agent, and then is produced through processing techniques such as pres-
surizing, drying and finishing etc. It has unique performances such as lightweight,
sound absorption, fireproof, heat preservation and insulation and good decorative
effect etc. and suitable for the decoration of suspended ceilings in public buildings
such as hotels, conference halls, office buildings, departure lounges of airport and
theaters etc.

There are many types of mineral wool decorative acoustic board such as knurled,
relieved, textured, printed, natural and *-shape grille style etc.; specifications include
square and rectangle, dimensions are 500 mm × 500 mm, 600 mm × 600 mm, 610-
 mm × 610 mm, 600 mm × 1000 mm, 600 mm × 1200 mm and 625 mm × 1250 mm
etc., thickness are 12 mm, 15 mm and 20 mm. The physical mechanical properties
of such board are shown in Table 16.3.

Table 16.3. Physical Mechanical Properties of Mineral Wool Acoustic Board

Volume den- Folding Moisture Acoustic ab- Heat conduc- Flammability

sity (kg/m3) strength content (%) sorption co- tivity coef-
(Mpa) efficient ficient [W/(m-
 · K)]
Board thickness (mm)
9 12 15 19
500 0.744 846 0.795 0.653 < 3 0.4-0.6 <  Grade A
0.0875
(incom-
bustible)
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Furan Resins
Johannes Karl Fink, in Reactive Polymers Fundamentals and Applications (Second
Edition), 2013

7.6.10 Plant Growth Substrates

Conventional mineral wool plant growth substrates are based on a coherent matrix
of mineral wool of which the fibers are mutually connected by a cured binder.

There is a need to reduce the phytotoxicity of the chemicals used. The phytotoxicity
may result from the phenolic binder materials. If a phenolic resin is used as binder,
a wetting agent must be added in order to impart the hydrophobic mineral wool
matrix with hydrophilic properties. However, the use of a furan resin allows the
abandonment of the use of a wetting agent.

A disadvantage of the use of a furan resin is its comparatively high price. Therefore,
a traditional phenol/formaldehyde resin substituted only partly by a furan resin is
sufficient to maintain or to achieve the desired properties [62,63].

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Combined cycles and total energy

In The Efficient Use of Energy (Second Edition), 1982

Insulation Systems
The following are the most common:

1. Loose-fill insulation.

2. Mineral-wool insulation in trenches.

3. Cellular concrete in concrete conduits.

4. Foamglass insulation.

5. Prefabricated foam plastic-insulated pipelines.

6. Bitumen insulation.

7. Steel pipeline-within-a-pipeline systems.

Loose-fill Insulation17.
The basis of this technique is to dig a trench in the soil, and to lay a bed of powder,
which may be either of plastic, bitumen or pitch residue in origin. After compaction,
the pipeline is placed on top and then covered in with some more of the same
material. The substance close to the pipeline sinters and coats it, while the rest of
the material, which has a hydrophobic character, protects the pipeline even when
the groundwater rises to a level above the pipeline.

Methods of this sort have given good results under circumstances where straight
pipeline runs only are envisaged, where the subsoil is stable, and where such
factors as sidestream take-offs, junctions etc. are minimal. Unfortunately many other
pipeline networks constructed in this way have given trouble. Subsoil movements
have disturbed the continuity of the insulation layer, enabling ground water to
get into contact with the mild-steel pipelines. Some of the materials are unable to
withstand long-term expansion and contraction stresses, and many give troubles at
expansion units and junctions. The method is very cheap, but care must be taken
that it is not used in unfavourable circumstances.

Mineral-wool Insulation in Trenches8.

Mineral wool is an excellent insulating material, but this method is not advisable for
use where there is even a chance that the outer cover of the insulation might become
wet. The system is best used in conjunction with pipelines laid in the cellars of
buildings, inside tunnels, conduits and the like, where there is no question of water
rising. To eliminate the chance of accidental wetting of the mineral-wool insulation,
this is normally covered with polythene foil.

Cellular Concrete Insulation8,18.

Probably the most popular form of thermal insulation for district-heating pipelines
in the past was the use of concrete conduits, filled with gas or aerated concrete.
Under normal circumstances, when the gas-concrete remains dry, pipelines are
preserved extremely efficiently as the alkaline nature of the insulation material
protects the surface of the mild steel against corrosion. The system cannot be used
if there is the slightest chance that the water table may rise to engulf the insulation
material. It is now disused in the UK.

Foamglass Insulation19.
This is a material made by mixing broken glass with carbon and heating inside
moulds. The material is available in half sections, which can be glued with a special
bitumen binder round pipelines, junctions etc. Disadvantages are its softness and
brittleness, but on the other hand there is no deterioration with age. Nevertheless, if
the material is suitably protected against mechanical and thermal shocks, foamglass
insulation keeps water away from pipelines, even if these should be permanently
submerged.

Prefabricated Foam Plastic-insulated Pipelines20–23.

These have recently become much more popular (Figure 10). The plastic foam usually
employed is rigid polyurethane, which adheres exceedingly well to mild steel, is
elastic enough to withstand pipeline movement, and is impervious to water. These
coated pipelines are then surrounded by an extremely rigid layer of either polyethyl-
ene or PVC sheeting. This protects the rather soft polyurethane foam against damage
during handling and eliminates the chance of water penetration into cracks in the
foam. The ends of the pipelines are always left uninsulated to enable butt jointing by
welding or other techniques to be carried out. Initially joints are also left uninsulated.
Thereare a number of different techniques practised by different firms active in the
field to insulate these rather more tricky parts of the pipeline network in situ. If such
pipeline systems are well constructed, they have considerable advantages over other
methods in water resistance, durability and cost.

Figure 10. Prefabricated insulated pipeline section.A:Fibreglass reinforced plastic

pressure carrier pipe (up to 1 MPa pressure)B:Polyurethane foam insulationC:PVC
plastic outer jacketD:Waterproof end barrier

Courtesy Ric-Wil

Bitumen Insulation24.
In this system (Figure 11) a shallow trench is dug and a lightweight steel/aluminium
shuttering system is placed in it. A layer of plastic foam is then placed at the bottom
of this shuttering, the pipelines are put in place, and the bitumen is spread. This
is elastic enough to withstand slight movements in the pipeline without cracking.
The material withstands district-heating pipeline temperatures of up to 150°C and is
totally waterproof. The system is considered to be particularly useful in places where
there is a chance of slight ground subsidence. Costs are moderate.

Figure 11. Insulation of district-heating pipelines with bitumen in sheet aluminium

formers.

Courtesy Lebit GmbH

Steel Pipeline-within-a-pipeline System21.

In this system one, two or more mild-steel pipelines are individually insulated
and are housed inside yet another mild-steel pipeline, which in its turn is thor-
oughly coated by means of a bitumen-impregnated fibreglass fabric. The various
prefabricated units, which include expansion units, T-joints, branch joints, bends
etc., are supplied in sections for the inner pipes to be butt-welded together and
a steel cover to be installed, again by welding. The system is therefore completely
watertight under any conditions of groundwater level, and is even suitable for
leading district-heating mains underneath lakes or rivers. Prefabricated manhole
covers are made to be incorporated with the other sections of the system. Great care
is taken to ensure that no water can possibly penetrate into the gap between the
inner and outer pipes. Welds are inspected using X-ray equipment and drain plugs
are installed at intervals.

Of all the different systems of pipeline insulation, this technique is the one least
likely to fail. However it should be pointed out that costs are very high, especially
when larger-diameter pipes are to be laid. Where severe conditions are unlikely to
occur, it may be better to use a cheaper system.

Apart from the systems described above, prefabricated units are on the market,
in which district-heating mains are co-ordinated with cold-water pipes, gas pipes,
sewage runs and electric-power conduits. These are commonly used in new building
complexes and save considerably on installation costs.

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Nonwood bio-based materials
In Performance of Bio-based Building Materials, 2017

3.8.8 Conclusion
The use of peat as a bio-based thermal insulation is well known historically, with
many buildings still in existence.

The thermal properties of peat are known to be good enough and can compare with
mineral wools for producing different types of insulation. Some results of testing
main insulation materials in Estonia are given in Table 3.8.

Table 3.8. Thermal properties of main known insulating materials (Miljan and Miljan,
2012)

Density r (kg/m3) Water content w (%) Thermal conductivity l

(W/(mK))
Isover OL-P 74 0.034
EPS 17 0.038
Isover (loose-fill) 50 0.6 0.039
Cellulose (loose-fill) 50 9.1 0.044
Cellulose (loose-fill) 30 7.6 0.045
Rough peat (milled) 135 5.5 0.046
Shaving 69 8.7 0.047
Fine peat (milled) 164 9.1 0.050
Boob of flax 109 8.4 0.050
Boob of hemp 94 8.2 0.053
Hemp chips 64 8.5 0.056
Sawdust 197 9.5 0.062
Isover (loose-fill) 30 0.3 0.065
Termoliit (sawdust +- 254 5.7 0.066
 hydrated lime 5%)
Reed mat 119 5.4 0.070
Reed mulch 76 7.8 0.074
Hemp fibre 38 7.2 0.079
LECA (expanded clay) 279 0.1 0.116
10–20 mm

The mechanical properties of pressed elements made of peat are sufficient for
their use as structural load-carrying material at least for single-storey buildings
without timber frame. Fire resistance can be increased by treating with impregnates
or through the dry method of producing elements. The best and extraordinary
characteristic is the favourable behaviour of peat in different moisture conditions
compared with mineral wools, especially glass wools.

The other important thing is the possibility to use peat and its mixtures with novel
technologies as 3D printing to construct more industrially and cheaper without
losing the effectiveness of the material natural properties at the same time.

The resurgence of using peat for building purposes has already started in several
countries (Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Russia, etc.). A significant number of sci-
entists of northern countries are investigating the extraordinary properties of peat
enhanced through the use of high-tech equipment.

It is necessary to investigate the properties of insulation material of peat with

different other components in depth as stability in time, resistance to the different
weather conditions and behaviour in it, sound insulation qualities, the ability of
biological resistance and behaviour with changes in temperature and humidity
conditions through future field tests.

Fortunately, a lot of old buildings have survived in many countries to allow us to

know/remember the possibilities to use peat in an environmentally friendly and
sustainable way.

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New developments in pipes and related

network components for district heat-
ing
S.F. Nilsson, in Advanced District Heating and Cooling (DHC) Systems, 2016

9.3.2.2 Thermal insulation

Insulation of flexible pipes is quite often applied with open-structured materials,
such as PE foams or mineral wool, which are not affected by aging from cell gas
diffusion. There is, however, also a ‘semi-flexible’ PUR foam variant, which is slightly
more flexible than regular PUR foam and thus allows the pipe to be coiled. Reidhav
et al. (2008) studied cell gas diffusion in such foam and concluded that it is much
more rapid than in regular foams and that such pipes should be equipped with a
diffusion barrier.

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 Flame retardant nonwovens
S. Duquesne, S. Bourbigot, in Applications of Nonwovens in Technical Textiles, 2010

4.4.3 Other applications

Another application of FR nonwovens is flexible insulation panels for building
construction. Although traditional thermal insulation materials such as mineral wool
or polystyrene are widely used, the return to ecology and nature noticed in several
application fields is also observed in the building industry. Natural wool, coconut or
even duck feathers are used to design thermal insulation panels. However, all these
materials burn easily and thus FR treatments are required. The development of nee-
dle punched nonwovens and air-laid nonwovens based on fire retardant modified
natural fibers has been reported (Kozlowski et al. 2007) and has been demonstrated
that such materials meet the requirements for use in building applications.

Finally, it is noteworthy that there are applications where FR properties are required
in disposable nonwovens, for example for surgical drapes used in operating rooms
as well as air filters used in the automotive industry. However, as only few studies
have been reported these applications will not be fully developed in this chapter.

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