The need for a proper insulation inside cleanrooms remained unanswered for decades. Ideally, cleanroom insulation should:
- Have proper thermal conductivity
- Possess very low flame spread and smoke generation qualities
- Accommodate both steam and chill lines
- Be waterproof
- Withstand chemicals used in cleaning
- Not generate particulates
- Recover after impact
- Be easy to install and remove
- Take up little space
Traditional materials satisfy some of the required criteria but fall short of others. Open cell and fibrous insulation products that come with jacketing fail shortly after installation as rigid, thin covers cave and crack upon impact. Unless treated rapidly, contamination, mold growth, and injury to personnel become possibilities. Existing closed-cell materials that can recover after impact have too low of a tolerance for elevated temperatures. Wash-downs and commonly used cleaning chemicals usually render them unusable quickly.
From: “Breakthrough Insulation for Tubing in Controlled Environments”
