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Engineering ToolBox > Insulation of Cooling Systems
To avoid heat gain and reduced efficiency of cooling systems, condensation of water on surfaces, and potential corrosion problems, pipes in cooling systems should always be insulated.
As a rule of thumb the insulation thickness of chilled water, refrigerant and brine systems should be no less than indicated below:
| System | Operation Temperature | Pipe Size (inches) | |||||
| < 1" | 1 1/4" - 2" | 2 1/2" - 4" | 5" - 6" | > 8" | |||
| oF | oC | Insulation Thickness (inches) | |||||
| Chilled Water | 40 - 55 | 4 - 12 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Refrigerant | < 40 | < 4 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Brine | < 40 | < 4 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
The insulation of a cooling system should be made of micro-cellular cross-linked polyethylene foam with low water vapor diffusion.