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NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS REPORT

NBS PROJECT

1003-20-4881 July 9, 1954

NBS REPORT

3442

To

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS

Progress Report

to June 30, 1954

on

UNDERGROUl® PIPE INSUIATION

ty

H, E. Rotinson

Heating and Air Conditioning Section

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The publication, re

unless permission I

23. D, C, Such pei

cally prepared If f

Approved for public release by the

Director of the National Institute of

Standards and Technology (NIST)

on October 9, 2015.

' In part, Is prohibited

tandards, Washington

eport has been speclfieport for Its own use.
i
Progress Report to June 30^ 195^

Full Scale Trench Test

In order to conduct tests on Gilsulate insxilation simulating

actual use, a watertight box 4* x 4’ x 12* long was constructed,

as shown in the attached figure, along the longitudinal center

line of which was placed a V I. P. S. test pipe* The box was

filled with earth, which had previously been dried, to approximately

mid-height of the box. At this point a wooden form was placed

around the pii>e and filled with Gilsulate in the form of a square

about 12‘* on a side, simulating its application in a trench. After

removing the form, the remainder of the box was then filled with

earth. Both materials were tamped with an 8” x 8" steel tamper as

they were added.

Five thermocouples were fastened to the top of the pipe at

positions 23" apart starting at the center and extending in both

directions. Also a thermocouple was fastened to the pipe at its

entrance to and at its exit from the box. In addition, eleven

thermocouples were located in the Gilsulate or the earth in each

of three directions in a plane perpendicular to the steam pipe

at its center. The thermocouples were spaced one at l/2”, four

at r‘, three at 2", and two at 4" separation in a downward,

sideways, and upward direction from -ttie pipe*

In order that the water table in the earth in the box mi^t

be adjusted and measured, six vertical l/2** diameter pipes were

equally spaced along each side of the box extending from the top

to the bottom. A 100* length of rope was placed on the bottom of

the box to provide distributing channels for water introduced
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through these vertical pipes. Tv70 1" diameter vertical pipes

were placed 1' from the side and 1' from either end of the box

to serve as wells for measuring the actued water table level.

The 12* steam pipe v/as divided into three sections by two

internal half-moon dams set 4’ apart isolating a "measuring

section" at the middle of the pipe. Separate condensate drain

lines were brou^t out from each section and connected to steam

traps, float traps being used for the first two sections, and

a bucket (air-venting) trap for the last section. In each case

the condensate from the trap was arranged to pass through a

water-cooled heat exchanger to cool it below 212°F so that the

condensate could be collected in open weighing vessels and the

rate of condensation in each section of the 12' pipe measured.

An electrically-heated steam boiler capable of producing steam

at the necessary pressure was constnicted, installed and insulated.

Its water level is maintained by a float control opening a solenoid

valve in a line from a mter supply tank maintained at a hi^er

pressure than that of the boiler.

A first test run has been started, but sufficient data

have not been obtained at the time of this report to yield

significant results.

Laboratory Tests of the Properties of Gilsulate

Laboratory work was commenced for evaluation of the temperature-wise properties of "Gilsulate". The available literature
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vas reviewed and conferences held to determine the scope and

magnitude of the work.

An apparatus for determining the temperature characteristics

of the insulation at various pipe temperatures was designed and

constructed. The apparatus consists of a 1-inch galvanized pipe

with an electric heater wound on one end. Power to this heater

is controlled hy a thermostatic switch. Thermocouples are peened

into the pipe at equal intervals along the pipe. The pipe is

enclosed in a cement-asbestos board box which is used to contain

a of 4 inches of the insulating material radially around

the pipe. In use, the temperature of the pipe decreases with

distance from the hot end. aiccessive transverse sections of the

surrounding insulation are -Uius subjected to different pipe

temperatures in one test, the duration of vrhich may be several

days or weeks. Later examination of the condition of the

insulation at different sections indicates the effect of different

pipe tengjeratures, as shown below.

Five tests were con^leted with this apparatus and a sixth is

under way. The results of the first test have been analyzed and

conclusions drawn. The results of the other four tests are being

analyzed.

The results of the first test are presented on the enclosed

drawing and shown on the enclosed photograph. The conclusions

based on this test were as follows:

1. Pipe temperatures greater than 444°F caused considerable
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slun^^ing of the granular material, due to shrinkage as

it consolidated or melted.

2. Estimated initial sintering temperature was about 193^*

Material that sintered at ten5)eratures lower than 226°F

was too weak to withstand gentle handling.

3 . The minimum temperature of pipe for sintering to obtain

moderate strength and cohesiveness of the sintered annulus

was 22o°F. This sintered material showed only slight

fusion of particles.

4. "Glassy consolidation" occurred at temperatures higher

than 371^* This material is a uniform voidless

"solidified liquid" when cool. In general the glassy

material was found under the level of the pipe, as a

result of plastic or liquid flow into this region from

above. A thin layer of glassy material up to l/2 inch

thick was found on the top surface of the pipe where

its ten5>erature was between 371 and 491^ P. At pipe

temperatures hi^er than 491*^ the material evidently

became quite liquid and a void was formed above the

pipe by melting out of material which flowed and collected under the pipe. The void was roofed by granular

consolidated material with a skin of glassy fused

material.

5 . The sintered material under the pipe, between 300^
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and yjl^F sluiirped away from the pipe sli^tly, leaving

a gap into which a flow of plastic material entered from

the hotter end. This flow persisted imtil it reached

a temperature of 310

^•

6, It is concluded from this test that this particular

material

a) sinters to a significant degree above 226°F.

b) consolidates at about 371^F.

c) is quite plastic^ or liquid, above

d) at pipe tenrperatures of and above, voids can be

e:Q)ected to develop over the pipe.

O 7. The "as received" density of the material was 39 Ib/ft'^

as determined in accordance with Federal ^ecification

HH-I-521C.

An apparatus was designed for measuring the thermal conductivity

of loose or granular fill materials. This apparatus will be used

to make measurements on "Gilsulate" in the consolidated, sintered

and iinconsolidated conditions at appropriate ranges of ten^peiature .

Construction of the api>aratus will commence upon receipt of ordered

materials
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