T-FIT Hygiene Application profile 29-moisture
The following document describes the performance of T-FIT® Hygiene insulation regarding moisture and microbial resistance.
These properties are important in cleanroom, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical facilities. Moisture penetration can have debilitating effects; water conducts heat around twenty times better than air, so if moisture penetrates the insulation material it can cause an increase in the thermal conductivity of the insulation, reducing its effectiveness. Moisture penetration can also promote serious problems such as corrosion under insulation and bacterial growth, as well as increase the mass of the insulation, which can put the pipe system under additional strains.
Preventing mould growth is especially important in these environments, since microbial growth can lead to contamination of the clean environment and any products that are made within them. The T-FIT tubes have a moulded surface, so pores or cut cells are sealed off to give a smooth, clean surface. This has the benefit that microbes or debris that could provide nutrients for their growth do not collect in the surface of the insulation.