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both sides with aluminium foil. This eliminates the need for a lagging stage and can significantly reduce weight when compared with galvanised metal ductwork, allowing long sections to be installed in a single-operation. Research has shown that the sealing methods and jointing systems featured on some pre-insulated ductwork can minimise air-leakage. For example, in a comparative study of two identical buildings, the air-leakage from pre-insulated ductwork was shown to be 79% lower than for a sheet metal system lagged with glass mineral fibre. This can allow air-flow rates to be met with smaller, more efficient fans. This enhanced airtightness is particularly beneficial to cleanrooms kept at
positive pressurisation. Pre-insulated ductwork systems have been shown to support positive pressurisation of up to 1,000 Pascal and their design also reduces pressure fluctuations within the ductwork. In addition, some pre-insulated systems use rigid insulation materials which
are both highly thermally efficient and fibre-free. This reduces the risk of loose fibres entering the ductwork and can considerably lower energy demand in cleanrooms where air temperature must be carefully controlled. This is especially true for cleanrooms as around 95% of the air is usually recirculated.
In Practice
The benefits of pre-insulated ductwork can be seen in the construction of an ISO 8 cleanroom at the production facility for UK E-liquid manufacturer, Zeus Juice UK. Cleanroom specialists, Monmouth Scientific, oversaw the design and
construction of the rooms and specified the pre-insulated Kingspan KoolDuct System.
Monmouth Scientific operations director, David Court, discussed the
installation: “We chose Kingspan KoolDuct for the air-distribution ductwork, which we designed to the pressure value of 500Pa as, in addition to its high performance, we are able to produce a wide variety of shapes and sizes using our computer numerical control (CNC) router. The product was fabricated in accordance with guidance from Kingspan, ensuring we could take full advantage of the product’s flexibility to fit specific applications or make onsite modifications easily with minimal waste. Complex shapes were constructed off-site, but most of the material was delivered to site flat packed and ready for assembly. This allowed us to save on significant transport costs.”
Future
As the Government moves forward with its commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the performance of energy intensive facilities will need to be addressed. Pre-insulated ductwork offers a fast, airtight solution which can help to maintain the high air-change rates required within cleanrooms with greatly reduced energy usage.
www.heatingandventilating.net
November 2019
35
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