ROCKWOOL Technical Insulation (Houston, Texas, USA) has recently introduced its next-generation ProRox Mat (Wrap) MA 961 insulation for large diameter pipework, vessels, columns, and other plant applications requiring design flexibility.
The ProRox Mat (Wrap) incorporates the company's WR-Tech (Water Repellency Technology) to provide protection against corrosion under insulation (CUI) by keeping steel pipes, vessels, and columns as dry as possible.
CUI is a pervasive problem in many insulated plant processes, attributed to the ingress and migration of water through the insulation to the metal surfaces of piping, vessels, and other plant equipment. If left unchecked, CUI can lead to leakages or ruptures, process stoppages, or even a shutdown of the entire plant.
A CUI event can negatively impact the plant’s health, safety, and environmental (HSE) metrics, as well as damage the company’s reputation. CUI is also an expensive problem, accounting for an estimated 10% of a plant’s overall maintenance costs and 40% to 60% of its pipeline maintenance costs.
The ProRox MA 961 is the latest offering in ROCKWOOL Technical Insulation’s line of ProRox stone wool insulation products. It effectively combats CUI with the addition of WR-Tech, a revolutionary binder technology that coats each individual fiber of the ProRox insulation with an inorganic, hydrophobic additive during the production process.
This technology gives the insulation improved water repellency. In fact, the patent-pending WRTech makes the insulation five times more water repellent (at 482°F, or 250°C) than standard EN-compliant stone wool, even after heating and aging.
The innovative WR-Tech has received accolades from the industry at large, having been awarded one of the prestigious 2019 MP Corrosion Innovation of the Year Awards by NACE International’s Materials Performance (MP) Magazine. WR-Tech was one of 10 technologies out of more than 50 nominees to receive the coveted award, thanks to its growing track record of significantly advancing corrosion control.
WR-Tech was first successfully launched on ROCKWOOL’s ProRox mandrel wound pipe sections, where it proved its added value in combatting CUI in several applications. Engineers are upgrading their specifications, while contractors and installers are frequently applying this solution to both new-build and maintenance projects.
“With each new application, WR-Tech is proving itself to be the most effective solution to help mitigate CUI,” says Jason Hammond, vice president of the Americas region. “Now, with WR-Tech as part of our ProRox MA 961 insulation, plant operators can confidently protect their large pipework, vessels, and other insulated equipment from CUI—extending the run life of their processes, while lowering their maintenance costs.”
ProRox MA 961 is now available for delivery from the group's Houston warehouse, which is fully stocked for on-demand product orders and access for freight.
With WR-Tech as part of ProRox Mat (Wrap), complete pipeline systems—including bends—can be protected from the hazards of CUI. This results in safer plant operations, reduced environmental impacts, and lower total maintenance costs, according to the company. Additional information is available by contacting ROCKWOOL representatives.
Source: ROCKWOOL Technical Insulation, rti.rockwool.com.