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Industrial Nanotech Inc. is piloting projects with hospitals and universities nationwide to use its thermal insulation and corrosion prevention coating to increase the efficiency of their steam processes.
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Blue epoxy Nansulate insulation coating is designed to be chemical and flame resistant. |
More than a dozen institutions have purchased the company’s Nansulate coatings to attempt to improve their energy efficiency, said Francesca Crolley, vice president of business development.
The project involves several hospitals and 16 universities. The first trial evaluation, by one of the hospitals, should be complete within 45 to 60 days, Crolley said.
“This project is for a steam line application to insulate the line and provide corrosion resistance, in addition to reducing the surface temperature,” Crolley wrote in an email.
Preventing Heat Loss
The applications reflect a new market for Industrial Nanotech, which has been focused primarily on heavy industry and OEM projects, Crolley notes. “Our success in industry with reducing energy consumption of steam process systems indicates that we can be of tremendous benefit to these markets,” she said.
Crolley cited estimates by the U.S. Department of Energy that a 2,000-foot-long, 4-inch-diamter steam line running at 150 PSIG can lose 17,000 million BTUs (MMBTU) per year. Using recent National Gas Prices averages and DOE insulation and boiler efficiency estimates, she says insulating those steam pipes could save $84,130.88.
Industrial Nanotech has created two spreadsheet calculators based upon the DOE steam tables to help companies calculate the potential energy savings from insulating steam pipes and steam valves.
Crolley said use of the coatings on a large steam line in a chemical manufacturing facility had reduced the pipe’s surface temperature from 302°F to 100°F with one-half inch of insulation thickness and had “eliminated” the facility’s problem with corrosion under insulation. In that and other cases, Crolley said, costs were recouped in several months.
Nansulate is Industrial Nanotech’s line of specialty nanotechnology-based coatings designed to provide thermal insulation; corrosion prevention; resistance to mold growth, fire and chemicals; and lead encapsulation in a water-based formulation. The line includes industrial, residential, agricultural and solar thermal insulation coatings.
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