Insulation panels PIR (Polyisocyanurate)
Insulation panels PIR (Polyisocyanurate) are systems for continuous lamination lines for the production of sandwich panels (refrigerators, isothermal chambers, industrial insulation)

Close relatives share a family history, but rarely have the same personality. Insulation is similar in that PUR and PIR are close in chemical composition but vary in performance. While their composition makes them different, some properties that make them similar are that they both are lightweight with low thermal conductivity, and, therefore, help improve the energy efficiency of buildings by significantly reducing energy needs associated with heating and cooling.

PUR foams are essentially made by reacting a “polyol” component and an “iso” component in which the OH groups of the polyol component chemically balance the NCO groups of the iso component and form urethane linkages. In PIR foams, the iso components react with each other in trimerization reactions to form isocyanurates. Excess iso reacts with polyol to form urethane linkages as well.

Anyone who makes insulation boards for cold storage will know about polyurethane insulation boards. So here we will introduce PIR foam and PUR foam to everyone,
PIR
PIR, full name Polyisocyanate Foam, Chinese name is “polyisocyanate”, also known as “polyisocyanurate”, also known as “polyisocyanurate foam PIR” or “tri polyester PIR”. PIR is a kind of foaming material made by reacting isothio cyanate with polyether through catalyst, which has better physical and fire resistance than ordinary polyurethane. It is an ideal organic low-temperature insulation material with low thermal conductivity, lightweight shock resistance, and strong adaptability. Widely used for thermal insulation in refineries, chemical plants, ethylene, fertilizers, cold storage, and construction industries. Also known as a protein database.
PUR
PUR, full name Polyurethane (polyurethane), is a polymer with carbamate chain segment repeating structural units, which is made by the reaction of isocyanate and polyol. It has excellent material performance, wide applications, and a wide variety of products, among which PUR foam is the most widely used. PUR products are divided into foam products and non foam products. Foam products include soft, hard and semi hard PUR foam plastics; Non foaming products include coatings, adhesives, synthetic leather, elastomers, and elastic fibers.
PIR performance is superior to PUR
The fire resistance of 1PIR is superior to that of PUR and the mechanism behind the difference in fire resistance performance:
PUR and PIR are two foam systems. Polyols are divided into polyester polyols and polyether polyols. PUR is a foam system formed by the reaction of polyether polyols and isocyanates. PIR is formed by the reaction of polyester polyols and isocyanates. The isocyanate index of PUR board is usually between 110 and 120, and the crosslinking degree of PUR foam system mainly depends on the functionality of polyether polyol. However, with the increasingly strict requirements for fire rating, PUR foam is facing a huge challenge in the fire prevention specification. Usually, in order to meet the requirements of fire prevention specifications, a large number of flame retardants will be added to the formula system, but at the same time, it will affect the compression strength, dimensional stability and other physical properties of foam, and increase the cost of the product.
The degree of crosslinking of PIR system depends on the trimerization of excessive isocyanate. Generally, the isocyanate index reaches 200~300. Under the action of the corresponding catalyst, the excessive isocyanate can self react to form six membered rings, provide crosslinking for the foam collective, and at the same time promote combustion and coking through its own six membered ring molecular structure, so as to improve the fire resistance of the foam system

2. PIR reaction is simple and can use low-cost raw materials
   3 PIR can provide products with better high and low temperature dimensional stability, lower thermal decomposition rate, and form a protective carbon layer during the combustion process
3. The mechanical strength of PIR is better than that of PUR
   The production efficiency of 5 PIR is relatively high.
   The shortcomings of PIR compared to PUR
4. High brittleness, lower fluidity than PUR
5. Poor adhesion, with a bonding force of only 1/2 of PUR to the painting material
   3 PIR has a rapid secondary foaming performance, which can affect the surface performance of the board
6. Poor surface ripening, late post ripening
   The process range is relatively narrow (production temperature above 60 ℃), making production difficult to control. In the continuous PIR sheet production, the control of equipment and external environment is crucial to the quality of the final product. It is necessary to conduct good temperature control for various chemical raw materials, because it has a huge impact on the stability of the entire chemical reaction process and the entire foam forming process

The creation of PUR and PIR

PIR and PUR are both derived from , a plastic material invented by German scientist Otto Bayer and his colleagues in 1937. In 1954, the accidental introduction of water resulted in rigid polyurethane (PUR).

Just 13 years later in 1967, scientists improved upon PUR’s thermal stability and flame resistance to create polyisocyanurate (PIR). In order to create the new type of insulation, scientists induced a chemical reaction at a higher temperature.

The foaming of PUR and PIR occurs with the use of expanding agents: freon, pentane, HFC 245fa, CO2 or water. Additives whith spraying PUR and PIR foams can be used: flame retardants, fillers, dyes, chain extenders, free fluorine gas agents.

PUR was the most prone to decarbonylation (=release of CO), followed by ether PU and PIR.

Which products are suitable for the production of insulation materials?
Sustainability and resource conservation are becoming increasingly important to consumers and manufacturing companies. Consumers are looking for household appliances with the highest possible energy efficiency and for building insulation to save heating energy. It is therefore not surprising that the market for insulation and thus insulating materials is growing.

Two of the key industrially produced insulation materials are made of Polyurethane (PU) and Polystyrene (PS). In order for these to have an insulating effect, they must first be foamed. For this purpose, there are Pentanes on the one hand, and Fluorinated Olefins (HFOs) on the other. Both, but especially the Pentanes, have replaced the partially halogenated hydrocarbons (HCFC), which are particularly harmful to the environment. The alternatives to these two products are only suitable to a limited extent or are not yet available on a large scale.

Although chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are no longer permitted in the EU under the Montreal Protocol, HFOs may still be used. In contrast to pentanes, they are not equally available worldwide because they have to be manufactured in a complex way, which only very few manufacturers are able to do. This effort is also reflected in the price. Pentanes and HFOs can be mixed to optimise costs and foam properties, especially energy efficiency.

The production of insulation materials with Pentanes
Pentanes have long been used as blowing agents in Polyurethane (PU) and Polyisocyanurate (PIR) formulations. They have a proven track record and now account for more than 50% of the global market share.

Advantages of Pentanes and Pentane Blends:

High performance
No measurable ozone depletion potential (ODP)
Low impact on global warming (GWP) compared to other blowing agents
Three different isomers can be found on the global market: n-Pentane, iso-Pentane and Cyclopentane. All three have physical differences and are therefore chosen for different applications in the field of insulation.

Based on the polyol components, rigid PUR/PIR foams were produced in the laboratory by mixing 0.3 dm 3 of a reaction mixture in a paper cup. To this end, the respective polyol component, the flame retardant, the foam stabilizer, catalysts and c/i-pentane (30:70) as blowing agent were added and the mixture was stirred briefly.

The benefits of PUR

PUR insulation can be injected into wall cavities to create an energy efficient barrier. The foam is able to reach small spaces to create an air-tight seal. According to the , PUR provides “the best thermal performance of all practical full cavity insulants.”

PUR foam can be continuously sprayed onto any type of surface. It is generally less expensive than other materials, making it ideal for renovations.

In flood prone areas, PUR’s high water resistance can minimize the impact of water damage in wall cavities, since it is a material that does not hold moisture.

The benefits of PIR

Despite PUR’s benefits, PIR insulation builds upon them. PIR (polyisocyanurate), typically cut into boards, can be used in insulated metal panels, wall cavities and as insulated plasterboard. PIR has such a , it requires only half the thickness of other mineral-based insulation products.

PIR, like PUR, is known for use as a low-moisture barrier. The most notable differentiating factor for PIR is its . PIR slows the spread of flames and reduces the smoke emitted from the fire when compared to PUR products.

The future of insulation

While PIR and PUR have been used for decades, there’s another advanced insulation that outshines both in fire protection and thermal performance.

With 11 percent better thermal performance than PIR and up to 60 percent improvement over PUR, it is unrivaled in the market. Its fire resistance meets the highest insurance and regulatory standards.

The overall performance of pentane blown rigid polyurethane foams in terms of insulation value and mechanical properties is demonstrated. The low vapor pressure of both normal-pentane and cyclopentane is shown to induce condensation effects. The consequences of condensation in terms of thermal conductivity and dimensional stability are discussed. The effects on the cell gas pressure of the pentane solubility in the polymer matrix are demonstrated and compared with sorption measurements. The solubility is shown not to deteriorate the foam mechanical properties as a function of time. The ageing characteristics of normal -and cyclopentane blown laminates in terms of the thermal insulation value are discussed. Mixtures of normal- and cyclopentane are suggested to be advantageous in view of their ageing profile.

The difference between EPS fire resistance grades A, B, and B1:

1. Fire resistance coefficient: Class A is non combustible; Level B is further divided into three levels, with B1, B2, and B3 having different levels of combustion.
2. Flammability: Class A has zero flammability;, B1 is flame retardant, B2 is flammable, and B3 is flammable.
   At present, the common A-grade products in the market include phenolic aldehyde, rock wool, insulation mortar, foam ceramics, foam glass, and foam concrete. At present, the most advantageous A-grade material is foamed concrete, also known as foamed cement.
   EPS polystyrene board itself is a flammable material, so it is not a fireproof material in terms of fire rating. So it’s not at all A-level or B1 level. The fire resistance rating of polystyrene boards on the market is only B2 (flammable) and B3 (flammable).
   Extended Information:
   EPS physical and mechanical properties:
3. Density
   The density of EPS is determined by the expansion ratio of polystyrene particles during the forming stage, which is generally between 10 and 45kg/m3. As EPS used in engineering, its apparent density is generally between 15 and 30kg/m3.
   At present, the density of EPS used as lightweight filling material in road engineering is 20kg/m3, which is 1% to 2% of that of ordinary road filling material. Density is an important indicator of EPS, and its mechanical properties are almost directly proportional to its density.
4. Deformation characteristics
   When the confining pressure exceeds 60KPa, the yield strength significantly decreases, which is clearly different from the variation law of the soil. When axial strain ε When a ≤ 5%, regardless of the confining pressure, the volumetric strain ε V is close to axial strain ε a. The lateral deformation of EPS is small, which means the Poisson’s ratio is small.
   To minimize post construction settlement, after laying the EPS material layer, fill 1.2m of soil on it for preloading. The average compressive settlement of the EPS material layer is 32mm, and it can be calculated that the elastic modulus of EPS is 2.4MPa, and the EPS material is still in the elastic deformation stage.
5. Self-reliance
   The self-sustaining nature of EPS is very beneficial for the stability of high slopes. Due to the small lateral pressure generated by the vertical compression of EPS, the use of EPS as filling material for the roadbed at the bridge head can greatly reduce the soil pressure behind the abutment, which is very beneficial for the stability of the abutment.
   The friction coefficient f between EPS block and sand is 0.58 (dense)~0.46 (loose) for dry sand and 0.52 (dense)~0.25 (loose) for wet sand; The range of f between EPS blocks is between 0.6 and 0.7.
6. Water and temperature characteristics
   The closed cavity structure of EPS determines its good insulation performance. Its biggest characteristic when used as insulation material is its extremely low thermal conductivity, with various specifications of EPS boards having thermal conductivity ranging from 0.024W/m.K to 0.041W/m.K. EPS is a thermoplastic resin that should be used below 70 ℃ to avoid thermal deformation and strength reduction.
   Simultaneously utilizing this feature, electric heating wire processing can be used. Flame retardants can be added in production to form flame retardant EPS. Flame retardant EPS extinguishes itself within 3 seconds after leaving the ignition source. Due to the much lower bulk density of EPS compared to soil, the 1% to 10% increase in bulk density caused by water absorption can have negligible impact on engineering.
7. Durability
   EPS has stable chemical properties in water and soil, and cannot be decomposed by microorganisms; The cavity structure of EPS also makes water infiltration extremely slow; If exposed to ultraviolet radiation for a long time, the surface of EPS will change from white to yellow, and the material will appear brittle to some extent; EPS has stable properties in most solvents, but can be dissolved in organic solvents such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, toluene, acetone, etc. This indicates that EPS fillers require a good protective layer.
   
   Reference Source: JUNYUAN PETROLEUM GROUP – EPS Blowing Agent Department (Folystyrene Foam)

Expandable polystyrene (EPS)

Revolutionary patented polystyrene production method

Expandable polystyrene (EPS) consists of polystyrene micro-pellets or beads containing a blowing agent and other additives for foaming. We have developed a continuous production process in which the blowing agent is directly injected into the melt, combined with subsequent underwater pelletization.

Commercial EPS is manufactured with the addition of a blowing agent, typically a chlorinated hydrocarbon or a low-boiling petroleum-derived agent with the presence of pentane. These substances are highly flammable; by reducing the amount of flame retardant due to the addition of gypsum, they ignited during the flame propagation test, increasing the burn rate of the GPS.

Main benefits

• The patented EPS process is economical, compact, and easy to operate
• Continuous process for consistent product quality
• Dispersing a wide range of additives and pigments is possible
• Minimized waste production
• Reduction of wastewater and process water
• Recycling possibility for waste EPS pellets/beads/foam
• Process allows developing innovative applications

Main applications

• Expandable Polystyrene

EPS Panel

The self-extinguishing, fire-retardant EPS Panel foam is manufactured from 100% virgin bead and oven-cured after manufacture to ensure the resulting blocks are completely dry and free from all residual pentane.

EPS Panel is a lightweight, CFC-free, non-brittle, closed cell insulator with more consistent thermal performance over time. It has a high dimensional stability and low water vapor transmission.

A special chemical coated to the Expanded Polystyrene beads (raw material) distinguished it from standard/common EPS Panel. Fire-Retardant EPS Panel is a self-extinguishing, non-combustible material.

Fire-retardant EPS Panel with a density of 15 kg/m3 is used for clean rooms, food processing facilities and modular buildings, while the 20 kg/m3 is used for industrial and commercial cold storage.

Core

Width (cover mm)
Thickness (mm)
Length
Exterior Facing Skin
Internal Facing Skin
Standard Colors
Joint System
Finishes
Type of SkinEPS
(Expanded Polystyrene)
1,160
50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250
Up to 12 meters
0.5mm, 0.6mm G300 CRP Steel
0.5mm, 0.6mm G300 CRP Steel
Off White
Slip Joint
Plain, Ribbed, Diamond
Anti Bacterial (AB)
Food Grade (FG)
Xterior Roof and Wall (XRW)

Features and Advantages

• Fire retardant
• Meets safety requirements
• Energy saving
• Longer lifetime
• Resistant to termites and rodents
• Customized design
• Easy to install saving cost of installation time
• High performance on insulated panel

The Oigin of Cyclopentane
A colorless, water-insoluble liquid, C5H10, obtained from petroleum and used chiefly as a solvent. Cyclopentane is a flammable liquid and its vapors can be explosive. Cyclopentane has a bond angle of about 108°C. This minimal ring strain for cyclopentane makes it a more stable compound.

Cyclopentane is in the class of cycloalkanes, being alkanes that have one or more carbon rings. It is formed by cracking cyclohexane in the presence of alumina at a high temperature and pressure.

Cyclopentane is a twisted ring in the form of an “envelope” so that one of the carbon atoms is out of the plane of the ring.

Cyclopentane is listed as a High Production Volume (HPV) chemical (65FR81686). Chemicals listed as HPV were produced in or imported into the U.S.

Cyclopentane is formed from pentane and is an alicyclic hydrocarbon compound that falls in the category of an alkane.

Cyclopentane is treated with chlorine in the presence of light or heat to form chloro cyclopentane which then reacts with KOC(CH3)3 forming cyclopentene. Cyclopentane has a bond angle of about 108o. This minimal ring strain for cyclopentane makes it a more stable compound. Besides, this compound occurs as a colourless liquid, and it is flammable. Moreover, it has a petrol-like odour. Cyclopentane is a simple hydrocarbon. If 0.0956 g of the compound is combusted in oxygen, 0.300 g of carbon dioxide and 0.123 g of water are produced.

Boiling point: 49 °C
Melting point: −94 °C
Molecular formula: C5H10
Other names: pentamethylene

Cyclopentane makes important contribution to energy efficiency. Junyuan Petroleum Group is a leading manufacturer of Pentanes in China.

In order to further improve the management level and comprehensive quality of middle and high-level managers, broaden their horizons, broaden their thinking, and update their concepts, the group company has established the “Junyuan Petroleum Group Managers’ Ability Improvement Training Course” to train and improve the company’s managers in batches , On the afternoon of March 24, the group company organized trainees to go to Qingdao for training.

After the preliminary inspection and communication of the general office, the high-quality course of “2023 Qingdao Enterprise Middle and Senior Management (Phase 52) Training Course” sponsored by Qingdao Enterprise Service Group was selected for this training – “Communication ability improvement and charm display” , This course is taught by Cai Libin, deputy director and associate professor of the Tourism Department of the School of Management, Ocean University of China. The teaching content covers marketing management, crisis reversal, performance management, and emotional intelligence improvement. Through the lecturer’s entertaining and entertaining explanation, it helps the company’s managers to improve their comprehensive quality and management ability, and further broaden their in-depth thinking on management work.

After one day of training, the trainees gained a lot and had a clear grasp and cognition of communication management skills. Combining learning with practical application and continuous improvement of communication and management skills to contribute to the high-quality development of enterprises.

After the training, the trainees of Junyuan Petroleum Group’s ability-enhancing training course for managers (first phase) went to visit the group company’s training base in Shinan District, Qingdao, and took a group photo.

Get up-to-date on what’s happening within the chemical industry  — weekly economic updates, industry innovations, and our thoughts on different policies and issues. Junyuan Petroleum Group News Center

Top 5 Uses of Pentane

Pentane is a cost-effective liquid that has several different industrial and laboratory applications.

1. Laboratory Solvents

They are the most volatile liquid alkanes (at room temperature). Because of this, they are commonly used in laboratories as solvents. Although, due to their lack of functionality and non-polarity, they only dissolve other nonpolar and alkyl-rich compounds. Pentanes are miscible with other solvents like ethers, aromatics, and chlorocarbons.

2. Chromatography

Pentane is commonly used in chromatography – which is a laboratory technique to separate components in a mixture. The mixture is passed in a suspension or solution through a medium where the components each move at different rates.

3. Blowing Agent

Pentane is used as the primary blowing agent in the production of foams like polystyrene. A blowing agent is a substance that is capable of producing a cellular structure through a foaming process. These foams are often used as insulating material in refrigerators and heating pipes

4. Binary Fluid

Because of its low boiling point, pentane is used in geothermal power stations as a binary fluid.

5. Industrial Ingredient Uses

Due to its ready availability and low cost, pentane is also used as a solvent in many common products like pesticides. It can also be used in making other chemicals, plastics, and low-grade thermometers. Acid-catalyzed isomerization can produce isopentane, which can be used in making fuels.

In 1993, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) issued its final nomenclature for organic compounds. Nomenclature (Nomenclature), as the name suggests, is the method of naming compounds. If we want to give each organic compound a name, we obviously cannot write all possible organic compounds and their names into a table. So we need to write a few very concise rules to help us quickly name even a compound that has never been seen before.

Naming structure The naming structure of organic compounds can be basically split into prefix (Prefix) and suffix (Suffix). The prefix generally indicates how many carbon atoms are in the compound. The suffix represents which functional groups (Functional Group) are contained in the compound. In other words, the suffix represents which organic compound this organic compound belongs to, such as alkanes (Alkane), alkenes (Alkene), alcohols (Alcohol) and so on. There is nothing to say about the prefix. It is purely a one-to-one table: 1 Carbon: Meth- 2 Carbons: Eth- 3 Carbons: Prop- 4 Carbons: But- 5 Carbons: Pent- 6 Carbons: Hex- 7 Carbons: Hept- 8 Carbons: Oct- 9 Carbons: Non- 10 Carbons: Dec- 11 Carbons: Undec- 12 Carbons: Dodec- … In IGCSE chemistry, we rarely see names above 7 Carbons. So everything from Meth- to Hex- must be memorized. No way, just memorize it by rote. The prefixes are only associated with carbon atoms, so you don’t need to count hydrogen atoms. You see several carbon atoms, and its prefix is the corresponding prefix. Let’s take an example.

Now that the prefixes are finished, let’s talk about suffixes. If there are only Carbon-Carbon single bond and Carbon-Hydrogen single bond in a compound, then it belongs to alkane (Alkane). Let’s take a look at the name Alkane. It can be split into Alk- prefix and -ane suffix. The Alk- prefix represents a comprehensive compound category. It does not specify the length, but it is just a placeholder. So of course, -ane is the common suffix of this kind of compound.

We still see our three previous examples. Take a closer look, in each compound, each atom is connected with a single bond (a horizontal line), so we can say that all three of them belong to Alkane, and their suffixes are all -ane. So we have a prefix, and we have a suffix, and we can name it. The first compound has the prefix Meth- and the suffix -ane, so the full name is Methane. The second compound has the prefix But- and the suffix -ane, so the full name is Butane. The third compound has a prefix of Pent- and a suffix of -ane, so its full name is Pentane. simple right?

It is absolutely impossible to obtain high-quality lost foam castings without high-quality patterns. STMMA is an expandable copolymer resin bead specially used for the pattern material of lost foam casting. Pentane is mainly used as the foaming agent, and the content of pentane directly affects the quality of the mold. The main process of pentane control: pre-expansion – bead curing – die drying In the process of pre-expansion, on the one hand, it is the process of expanding and foaming the beads, and on the other hand, it is the main process of pentane loss. Pentane is the basis for pre-expanding and molding, but after the molding is completed, it is hoped that the pentane can be completely and completely dissipated. Copolymerized beads with less than 9.5% of the original bead pentane can shorten the heating time during pre-expanding, and it is recommended to control it at about 40s; Control it around 60s. The structure of the beads is damaged if the pre-expansion time is long, and too much foaming agent is consumed; thus affecting the quality of the secondary molding. STMMA storage method: low temperature storage ≤ 10 degrees. When it is not used up after opening, remember to re-tighten the bag, and keep the barrel covered at low temperature to prevent the loss of pentane. Bead aging The newly foamed beads have negative pressure inside and are easy to collapse. They must be put into the aging warehouse for aging treatment, allowing air to enter the interior of the beads to achieve internal and external balance. Aging is a process for the pre-released beads to reach stability. During the stabilization process, the beads change: most of the water evaporates, the beads recover a certain degree of elasticity, and the content of pentane decreases. When the pentane content is less than 9.5%, the curing time of the pre-haired beads is generally controlled to be 12-48 hours. When the content of pentane is greater than 9.5%, the curing time of the pre-haired beads is generally controlled at 3-4 days. In this curing process, the pentane content is controlled at 7%-8% to reduce the possibility of expansion bubbles in the later stage after bead molding. At this time, the mold is filled evenly, easy to form, the surface of the mold is high, strong, and the beads are fused with each other. Die shrinkage is stable and consistent. When the pentane content of the beads is less than 5% after bead curing, it is very difficult to form a die, the surface collapses, shrinks, and the uneven surface is not smooth.

The higher the die drying temperature, the faster the pentane volatilizes. The die pieces are placed in the air for natural aging, and the pentane and water content evaporate slowly. According to my many years of production experience: under normal circumstances, after one day of curing, the dies are sent to the drying room at a temperature controlled between 45-50 degrees, and sent to the pentane content after drying for 4-5 days. If the pentane content is greater than 5%, it can continue to be cured at high temperature, and it can be used when it is less than 5%. When the pentane content of the pattern is greater than 5%, the dip-coated pattern is wrapped by the coating, even if the high-temperature drying gas is difficult to volatilize. During the pouring process, the amount of gas is too large, which causes the imbalance of internal and external air pressure to cause reverse spray and collapse of the box. Castings produce porosity, air separation, and incompleteness lead to castings being scrapped.