By: JADE Learning | Jan 06,
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Phenolic insulation is an alternative to galvanized sheet metal. Many HVAC professionals have turned to this option when installing or replacing duct systems. Learn about some of the pros and cons of phenolic duct systems to determine if it might be right for your project.
Pros of Phenolic Duct Systems
Some of the advantages that make a phenolic duct system viable for HVAC professionals include:
Lighter weight
. Phenolic duct systems weigh considerably less than steel or fiberglass systems. The reduced weight of phenolic systems is ideal for replacement projects in old buildings that may have a hard time supporting the weight of a metal system.
Longer sections
. Phenolic duct systems come in longer lengths than metal, making them easier and faster to transport and install.
Saves space
. Because theres no need to install a separate layer of insulation on a phenolic setup, it can be installed flush against ceilings,
walls
, and floors.
Easy to modify
. Phenolic systems are flexible and easy to modify to adapt to unusual designs and improvisations.
Easy to integrate
. Phenolic systems can easily integrate with existing metal duct
work,
so you dont need to tear down an entire system just to replace one particular section.
Easy to install
. Phenolic ducts are a single-fix installation with no need to install insulation as a separate step, saving both time and money during the installation process.
For home and building owners, using a phenolic duct system brings a host of additional benefits such as fire and smoke resistance, low air leakage, better air quality, and increased efficiency and energy savings.
Cons of Phenolic Duct Systems
The many benefits of phenolic duct systems easily outweigh the few disadvantages, which include:
Strength and durability
. The alternative, galvanized metal duct systems, are strong and durable and provide a long-lasting system that is difficult to puncture or damage.
Commonality
. While phenolic ducts are rising in popularity, traditional metal systems remain the most common. As such, the materials and labor may be easier to come by
for traditional systems
.
Improve Your HVAC Knowledge
The tradeoffs of phenolic duct systems are just one of the many things you can learn from HVAC continuing education from JADE Learning. Learn more about how JADE Learning helps thousands of HVAC professionals renew their license every year and how we can help you, too.
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10 Reasons to Choose Phenolic Duct(pre-insulated duct)
In recent years, phenolic aluminum foil composite air ducts have emerged and developed rapidly, showing their talents in ventilation projects with their unique advantages. It has been applied in many important engineering buildings. For a long time, in ventilation projects, the material of ventilation and air conditioning pipes is mostly galvanized steel sheets. The outside of the pipe is sometimes covered with insulating layers such as glass wool, polyethylene foam or rubber sponge. However, this kind of traditional air duct has high production cost, heavy weight, long installation period, poor heat insulation performance and poor appearance, which makes the users and designers of central air conditioners eagerly hope for the emergence of new air duct materials.
Langfang Clear Chemical Product Page
Phenolic aluminum foil composite board is a sandwich panel made of phenolic foam board and aluminum foil. On-site processing and molding according to the design specifications, one-time hoisting, no need to add insulation layer. The phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct system has excellent fire protection performance, excellent heat insulation performance, corrosion resistance and aging resistance, good sound insulation performance, light weight and convenient construction, and has achieved obvious social and economic benefits.
Here are ten reasons to choose phenolic duct:
1. Lightweight to reduce building loads
The phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct is light in weight, about 1.4 kg/. The bulk density of galvanized steel air duct (0.8mm thick) and glass fiber reinforced plastic air duct (3 mm thick) is 7.08 kg/ and 15~20 kg/ respectively. This can greatly reduce the load on the building, and is extremely beneficial to the installation of the air duct. When installing, it only needs to set up a bracket every 4m or so to have enough supporting force. This greatly reduces the requirements for the bearing capacity of brackets and hangers, making transportation and installation very convenient.
2. Good thermal insulation, can greatly reduce the heat dissipation loss of the air conditioner
The thermal conductivity of phenolic composite air duct is 0.016~0.036W/(m·k). The thermal conductivity of galvanized steel air ducts and FRP air ducts is much larger. In addition, the unique connection method of the phenolic composite air duct ensures the excellent air tightness of the ventilation system, which is close to 8 times that of the galvanized steel air duct. Some data show that when transporting the same amount of heat (cold), the heat loss of the galvanized steel air duct is 15%, the heat loss of the fiberglass air duct is 8%, and the heat loss of the phenolic foam insulation material air duct is less than 2%.
3. Durable and long service life
Phenolic composite air ducts are not as easy to rust, aging, and damage as traditional air ducts, and their service life is at least 15 years. The service life is more than 3 times longer than that of traditional air ducts. In addition, the reuse rate of phenolic composite air ducts can reach 60% to 80%, while traditional air ducts can hardly be reused.
4. Good noise cancellation
The interlayer of the phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct is a porous phenolic foam material board, which has good noise reduction performance. In the central air-conditioning system, it can significantly reduce indoor noise. The phenolic composite air duct itself is a very good pipe muffler, and there is no need to install muffler accessories such as muffler covers or muffler elbows.
5. Lower the height of the storey
Traditional air ducts require on-site insulation layer construction, so a certain construction height is required, which puts additional requirements on the building's storey height. The phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct does not require on-site insulation construction, so there is no need to reserve construction space, which can reduce the height of the building.
6. The construction period can be shortened
The phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct is very light in weight, and the installation is more convenient and quicker than the traditional air duct. When the air duct is hoisted, the required hangers are simple, the number is small, and almost no machinery is used. The production is simple and simple, completely breaking through the traditional craft, greatly shortening the construction period, and the on-site modification is also very convenient. According to on-site calculations, each worker can install 20.0~30.0 per day during the installation of phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct, while the traditional air duct is only 4.0~5.0 /(day · person). Compared with traditional air duct manufacturing, the production efficiency of phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct is increased by 4 to 5 times.
7. Hygiene
The surface of the phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct is sealed with aluminum foil, thus ensuring the hygiene of the conveying medium, avoiding secondary pollution, and the inner layer has no condensed water and no rust. In traditional air ducts, glass wool and asbestos are easy to absorb moisture, and the thermal insulation performance is seriously deteriorated after absorbing water. Moreover, asbestos is a carcinogen, and glass wool dust can irritate the skin and make construction workers itchy all over. In addition, galvanized steel air ducts are prone to rust and cold bridges.
8. Beautiful, suitable for surface installation
Phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct can be made into various colors, beautiful, especially suitable for surface installation. The surface of the traditional air duct needs to be wrapped with aluminum foil on site, so the surface installation effect is not very good.
9. Wide range of applications
Galvanized steel air ducts are widely used, but their service life is low in high humidity environments. The use of FRP ducts in hospitals, food processing plants, basements and other places with dust-proof requirements and high humidity is also restricted. The phenolic aluminum foil composite air duct can be widely used in industrial and civil buildings, hotels, hospitals, office buildings and other places with special requirements.
10. Strong temperature adaptability
Phenolic composite air ducts are suitable for a wide range of temperatures and can be used at high and low temperatures (-140°C to 150°C), unlike some other composite air ducts that can only be used at a temperature of 50°C.
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