How Calcium Silicate Insulates
Like many other materials and substances, calcium silicate is a high-class thermal insulator. However, this particular substance stands on its own for many reasons, one of which is its excellent protective capacities. To give you an idea of its functionality, here is how calcium silicate insulates from heat.
What Is Calcium Silicate?
Calcium silicate, also known as calsil, is a chemical composite involving calcium, silicon, and oxygen. Chemists derive this compound from naturally occurring rocks under the earth, giving calcium silicate its signature white, powdery appearance. Due to this unique chemistry, calcium silicate offers high compression resistance, high-temperature structural integrity, and high corrosion resistance in its final forms, even in excessive moisture conditions. In fact, though the substance handles enormously high temperatures, it is noncombustible.
How Does It Insulate?
Calcium silicate may have all these chemical properties, but how does it actually insulate the outside world from 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures? Well, the unique composition of calcium silicate resists particulate invigoration by hot substances. Since it usually comes in the shape of blocks, pipes, and boards, calcium silicate lines high-temperature piping and boxes heat-producing areas. For example, at Red Seal Electric Company, our calcium silicate-based Marinite I works as a thermal insulating sheet that blocks heat from escaping operational sites. This allows industrial processes to continue without thermal loss or damage to surrounding parts. If you have any questions about the specifications of Marinite I, reach out to our team today for more information.
What Are Its Common Applications?
Calcium silicate is a top-of-the-line industrial heat processing and fire protection material. As thermal insulation, it lines high-temperature piping and equipment in manufacturing sites. Everything from electric power plants to chemical plants needs heat management, and calcium silicate provides the necessary buffer. It mainly serves as a safe alternative to other asbestos-based insulators. However, calcium silicate is also an approved food additive. It serves as an anti-caking agent in food preparation and as an antacid. Despite these other uses, calcium silicate’s main applications relate to thermal insulation and the management of high temperatures in manufacturing processes.
Understanding how calcium silicate insulates equips manufacturers with the knowledge to choose which materials best suit their industrial processes. Thermal insulation is essential to the energy efficiency and facility safety of every manufacturing plant, so reach out to our team at Red Seal Electric Company to find the right fit for your needs.