Rock wool pipe insulation for industrial pipework
Vulcanite Armor rock wool blanket is stitched to wire mesh and wrapped around steam, process and exhaust pipework. Choose the grade by the pipe's surface temperature, then buy by the roll or ask for a project quote.
Which grade for which line
The grade is chosen on the hot-face temperature: the outside of the pipe wall, measured. Each grade carries its own rating, hot-surface performance per ASTM C411 / C447.
| Product | Density | Rated to | Use on | Thickness | From, per roll incl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vulcanite Armor Blanket 80 | 80 kg/m³ | 650°C hot-surface | Hot face at or below 650°C | 50 to 100mm | R1 254,51 |
| Vulcanite Armor Blanket 100 | 100 kg/m³ | 700°C hot-surface | Hot face from 650°C to 700°C | 40 to 100mm | R1 384,91 |
| Vulcanite Armor Blanket 120 | 120 kg/m³ | 750°C hot-surface | Hot face from 700°C to 750°C | 40 to 100mm | R1 514,85 |
Vulcanite Armor Blanket 120 lists steam pipes among its applications; see the steam question below.
Hot faces above 750°C are outside the rock wool range. For those, see the ProTherm ceramic fibre blanket. Every roll size and price is on the price list.
How the blanket goes on a pipe
Vulcanite Armor is a wire-mesh stitched blanket cut from a roll. In outline:
- Cut each piece to length with a slight pre-stress and wrap it around the pipe.
- Butt the edges together and stagger the joints.
- Wire the mesh closed along the joints.
- Clad the insulation with metal sheeting, fixed with aluminium or stainless screws.
- Close expansion joints with tensioning wire and seal the connections.
The full installation steps are on the Vulcanite Armor datasheet. The cladding is what keeps water off the metal; why that matters is set out in corrosion under insulation and chloride.
Thickness
Thickness is calculated, not looked up. Each duty (process control, personnel protection, condensation control or energy savings) needs the line temperature, the ambient conditions and the pipe size before it returns a number. ASTM C680 is the standard practice for that calculation.
Vulcanite Armor rock wool rolls run from 40 to 100mm thick, 1200mm wide: 40 and 50mm as 5m rolls (6 m² per roll); 75 and 100mm as 3m rolls (3.6 m² per roll).
How line temperature picks the grade and duty picks the thickness is set out in choosing rock wool density and thickness. Send us the line temperature and pipe diameter and we will come back with a grade and thickness.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best insulation for steam pipes?
Choose on the hot-face temperature of the line, not on the word steam. Vulcanite Armor rock wool blanket publishes hot-surface performance of 650°C for Blanket 80, 700°C for Blanket 100 and 750°C for Blanket 120, per ASTM C411 / C447. Blanket 120 lists steam pipes among its applications. Saturated steam at distribution pressure runs well below those figures; superheated steam may not, so confirm the grade against the hot face you measure. Above 750°C the rock wool range does not apply.
Which rockwool density do I need for pipe insulation?
On this range the temperature choice is the density choice. Blanket 80 is 80 kg/m³ and rated to 650°C, Blanket 100 is 100 kg/m³ and rated to 700°C and Blanket 120 is 120 kg/m³ and rated to 750°C, with density measured per EN1602. Measure the hot face of the pipe and take the grade whose rating clears it. Custom densities are available on request, made to order, lead time on request.
Can rock wool blanket be used on stainless steel pipe?
The Vulcanite Armor datasheet states that it conforms to the stainless steel corrosion specification as per ASTM C692 and C871 test method and publishes a chloride ion content of 5 ppm or less. Whether a stainless line is at risk is decided by the alloy, the stress, the temperature and whether water reaches the metal, not by the insulation alone.
Do you sell preformed pipe sections?
No. Vulcanite supplies a wire-mesh stitched blanket in rolls only, not pipe sections, boards or loose wool. For a project, send the line list and pipe sizes and ask for a quote.