Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
(OP)
On my heat exchanger project, I will have some length of condensate piping that should not be insulated in order to prevent subcooling of condensate before steam trap. However, I want to install a personnel safety shield around the pipe to prevent personnel from burning themselves on very hot piping. I've seen what I'm talking about before---basically, a perforated or mesh sort of curved sheet metal that is clamped on to and surrounds a pipe an inch or so from its surface. However, I'm not sure what it's called or who would sell it. I understand this forum isn't for promoting products although if someone can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.





RE: Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
Kevin
RE: Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
RE: Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
It therefore does almost nothing to protect personnel from hot surface burns, unless there is a substantial flow of temperate air over the assembly.
WRT to the velocity of the temperate air required, I'm guessing it's about 100 mi/hr, based on experience aboard a yacht, where the gas turbine's exhaust pipe was insulated with some self-supporting metal mesh type stuff that had been used with reported good results on the owner's race cars. In the gentle breezes found in an engineroom, the stuff didn't do squat.
( Said owner had a set of insulating blankets measured and made overnight. I was in the insulating blanket business at the time, and couldn't have produced them in a week. I was duly impressed. )
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
I tried to google around a little but found no refernces. Just a few mm. of neoprene would lower the skin tempearture significantly - but would also reduce the cooling.
RE: Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
RE: Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
A bit of trial and temperature measurements probably needed here....
My motto: Learn something new every day
Also: There's usually a good reason why everyone does it that way
RE: Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
RE: Pipe shield to prevent burns from uninsulated pipe
For example, 1 mm thick wire as the mesh, with 30 mm - 50 mm "holes" about 40 to 60 mm away from the pipe. Could even be 75 mm to 105 mm away.
You're ONLY trying to prevent accidental contact with the pipe by a person's hand or arm or leg.