Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Tapes vs. Blankets: Which One is Right for You?

It’s not always clear which type of insulation is best for your engine and exhaust components: with many different types of tapes, sleeves, and blankets available, finding what you’re looking for can be a headache. To be certain, each insulation variant has distinct advantages when used appropriately. With these benefits in mind, we’ve put together a few quick tips to make the selection process a little easier—so you can get the most from your insulation.

Tapes and sleeves are off-the-shelf, stocked items, and their flexibility makes them a good choice for many applications. In instances where you’re looking to insulate a variety of parts quickly, sleeves and tapes can work quite well. But when it comes to larger, thicker parts, it becomes less economical and more labor intensive. Wrapping tape around a large exhaust pipe, for example, would be difficult and time consuming. For these kinds of applications, insulation blankets are often the better choice. Because they can be manufactured in many different thicknesses and are easy to install, they work very well for engine and exhaust components. While tapes and sleeves are a great quick-fix, they don’t provide the same long-term coverage as insulation blankets.

Still not sure? Check out our useful chart for more pros and cons of tapes, sleeves, and blankets: http://www.firwin.com/pdf/tapes-blankets-application.pdf

Monday, August 22, 2011

Underground Mine Safety: The Role of Insulation

With diesel accounting for 72 percent of the energy used by the mining sector, it’s no surprise that miners are seeking the most reliable, safe, and cost-effective diesel-powered equipment. As developing economies continue to drive demand and contribute to record-high prices for precious metals and other natural resources, miners increasingly require diesel-powered equipment to work within the mine and beyond—from extraction through transportation, diesel-powered vehicles play a quintessential role.

The underground mining process comes with its own unique set of challenges, and working safely and efficiently with diesel-powered mining equipment is no exception. Miners must consider exposed exhaust and engine components, which can run extremely hot, as well as diesel particulate matter and high, ambient heat. In addition to the risks posed to workers, surrounding equipment can also suffer as a result of uncontrolled temperatures and exhaust.

Standard insulation blankets feature a fiberglass material underside, which can become a fire hazard if it encounters oil or an engine leak: a very dangerous situation within a mine. Additionally, standard insulation features a silicone impregnated fiberglass outer cover—in a mining environment, this type of insulation is prone to tears and rips.

To ensure a safe working environment in the mine, Firwin has developed a unique insulation blanket: MineWrap™. Featuring a stainless steel liner to seal off the insulation material and prevent oil from seeping in, MineWrap™ also offers a stainless steel foil exterior to reinforce its outer cover. The steel foil exterior is also covered with wire mesh. Both rugged and fire-resistant, MineWrap™ has been keeping miners safe across the industry. To learn more, please visit www.firwin.com today.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Oil and Gas Insulation Coverage

To match the continual expansion of the oil and gas sector in Alberta and Western Canada, we’ve opened a new Western Canada Sales office to better serve our clients. Each division of the oil and gas industry, from upstream and midstream upgrading facilities to downstream refineries and product development, comes with unique challenges and requirements for managing heat-related issues. Be it for protecting equipment from external environmental conditions, safe-guarding personnel from hot process piping, or providing heat retention to increase a plant's energy efficiency, removable insulation blankets are an important component in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of a petrochemical facility.

Firwin removable insulation blankets are custom designed using the latest technology and quality materials. Removable thermal blankets are only effective when properly designed and fitted to the equipment they are meant to insulate: Our blankets are designed to wrap snugly around even the most complicated upstream equipment, including those with multiple penetrations for fittings and electric, steam, or glycol tracing.

Appropriate for many applications, Firwin removable insulation blankets are used to cover valves, flanges, instrumentation panels and sending units, level indicators, and other types of equipment. Visit us at www.firwin.com today to learn more.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Insulation Key in Meeting Diesel Emission Standards

Over the years, we’ve seen engine manufacturers take a turn toward keeping diesel engine emissions down. With new engines being designed with emissions reduction in mind, complete with catalytic filters to treat harmful exhausts, we’ve done our part to help keep engines clean and green. An important part of emissions reduction rides on the maintenance of high exhaust temperatures: to maintain these temperatures and adhere to emission standards, an engine must be properly insulated.

By 2015, all off-highway and stationary diesel engines will be subject to the EPA’s highest Tier 4 level of emission control. Engine and catalyst manufacturers have responded with several approaches. Engine modification aims to reduce emissions where they start, within the engine, through better design and control. After-treatment treats the exhaust after it leaves the engine, with catalytic filers, fuel modifications, and other methods. Often, these approaches are used together to achieve the required emissions reduction.

As a key component in emissions reduction, engine insulation works to maintain high engine exhaust temperatures. Some technologies require a heat exhaust level in excess of 800°F in order to fully function, and to maintain internal heat and maximum burn-off. As a primary insulation provider for a range of diesel engine manufacturers, we’re proud our removable insulation is helping our clients achieve their emission reduction goals. Engine users and catalyst manufacturers alike recommend removable insulation blankets as an important aspect of their emission reduction strategy: Contact Firwin to find out how our insulation can work for you.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Permanent Hard Coat Insulation

Although removable insulation blankets are the perfect solution for many industries and applications, we understand that there are times when a thinner, permanent insulation is more appropriate. Our specially designed Permanent Composite Hard Coat™ provides a unique insulation solution for limited space applications, with the ability to withstand extremely high temperatures.

Often used on elbows, exhaust manifolds, exhaust tubing, and turbochargers, our clients in the aerospace, defense, marine, and mining industries turn to our hard-coat insulation to ensure both safety and performance. Conforming tightly to the part, hard-coat insulation prevents fluids from igniting on hot engine and exhaust parts and protects personnel from burns. And, because of its high-temperature performance, the composite is ideal for engine compartments and components requiring long-term exposure to high temperatures. By lowering ambient temperatures, the composite reduces heat stress for both the application and the operator.

A more durable, longer-lasting choice than removable insulation, our Permanent Composite Hard Coat™ can be installed within three short weeks: Once a part arrives at our plant, we apply insulation and return the component to you as needed. To learn about this product and more, please contact us.

http://removable-insulation-blankets.firwin.com/item/hard-coat-composite-insulation/hard-coat-insulation-overview/item-1043?

Firwin Expands U.S. Distribution Network

As a custom manufacturer of a variety of insulation products, we’re dedicated to providing our clients with individual insulation solutions. To help us reach a broader client base, we’ve enlisted three new U.S. distributors: The Edward D. Newell Company, Onsite Power Inc., and Renosa.

In business for 48 years, the Edward D. Newell Company is located in Bristol, Wisconsin. As a former Firwin customer since 2006, they recognized the value of adding a Firwin insulation product line: they now represent Firwin in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisonsin. For our clients looking for custom insulation blankets for power generation applications in this region, Edward D. Newell’s unparalleled expertise and customer service is sure to surpass our clients’ expectations. As a family-owned company, they strive to make each customer feel like their only customer: a value mirrored by our own commitment to quality and service.

Specializing in representing suppliers in the onsite power/distributed generation industries in the Rocky Mountains, Onsite Power Inc. distributes our products to clients in Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, and New Mexico. With a dedication to independent sales representation, Onsite Power successfully navigates the energy products and services markets, and understands the challenges specific to the Rocky Mountain region. With their support, Firwin’s power and engine insulation products are now reaching a wide range of clients throughout the area.

A client of Firwin’s since 2007, Renosa Corp. is located in Dayton, Ohio. After experiencing first-hand the quality of our removable insulation blankets, Renosa decided they would be a natural addition to their product line. Now representing Firwin in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, Renosa’s commitment to representing superior manufacturers of quality products and delivering the best in customer service sets them apart from other power generation industry product distributors.

The Edward D. Newell Company’s contact is Mike Kime: mkime@ednewell.com / 262.857. 6871.

Onsite Power’s contact person is Dennis Roundtree: dennis@onsitepowerinc.com / 303. 690. 8486.

Renosa’s contact person is David Hammond: dhammond@renosa.com / 503. 864. 3952.