THERMAL AND COST ANALYSIS OF INSULATING MATERIALS FOR STEAM PIPE

Abstract

This Project aims to determine the economic insulation thickness for various materials and perform a thermal analysis to find the insulation material thickness's heat flux and temperature distribution. We also conduct a cost analysis to find the minimum cost according to a MATLAB program's economic insulation thickness. Finally, we calculate the payback period using the heat flux with and without insulation. To achieve these objectives, we develop a MATLAB program that finds the economic insulation thickness for a given set of parameters such as temperature difference, insulation conductivity, outside convective heat transfer coefficient, etc. The program outputs the consistency required to minimise insulation cost and heat loss. We then use this thickness value in ANSYS to create the 2D geometry of the steam pipe with insulation. After completing the geometry, we perform a thermal analysis on ANSYS Fluent to find the insulation material's heat flux and temperature distribution. Finally, we conduct thermal research for different insulation materials and compare the results to determine the most effective insulation material in reducing heat loss. Once we obtain the heat flux values, we perform a cost analysis to determine the savings from insulation. Cost saving includes considering the initial cost of insulation and the yearly savings in energy costs. We also calculate the payback period to determine the time it would take for the insulation to pay for itself. From the results we obtain, we observe that the directional heat flux plays a crucial role in determining the performance of the insulation material. A higher directional heat flux in the insulation material indicates better insulation performance. In conclusion, this project provides a comprehensive approach to finding the economic thickness of insulation, determining the thermal performance of insulation materials and analysing the cost and payback period of insulation. These findings can be used to select insulation materials for steam pipes and design energy-efficient systems.