Roxul Industrial Insulation Process - Manual (Page 21)

1.1 Planning and preparation 1.1 Planning and preparation
C. economics
Increasing energy prices are tending to bring
about a shift in economic insulation thicknesses
towards larger thicknesses.
b) Pay-back time
In addition to the economical insulation thickness,
another frequently used economical parameter is
the return on investment period (ROI), also
referred to as the payback period. This is defined
as the period within which the cost of the
insulation is recuperated through savings on heat
loss costs.
ROI period =
Costs of the insulation
[a]
annual saving
In the case of industrial insulation systems, the
return on investment period is generally very
short, often being much less than one year.
Considering only the return on investment period,
however, can be deceptive, as this approach
disregards the service life of the installation.
With long-life installations, it is advisable to select
higher insulation thicknesses, even if this means
accepting a longer return on investment period.
Throughout the entire service life of the
installation however, the increased insulation
thickness results in a significantly higher return
on the investment in insulation and achieves a
much more economic operation of the installation.
D. environmental
The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil or
gas, not only depletes the available primary
energy sources, but also, due to the emission of
carbon dioxide (CO²) into the atmosphere, places
a burden on the environment.
The increasing CO² concentration in the Earth’s
atmosphere plays a significant part in the global
increase in temperature, also referred to as the
“greenhouse effect”. CO² absorbs the thermal
radiation emanating from the earth’s surface
and in doing so reduces the dissipation of heat
into space. This is leading to a change in the
world’s climate with as yet inestimable
consequences. Reducing CO² emission can only
be achieved through more efficient management
of fossil fuels.
Increasing the insulation
thicknesses is essential for the reduction of CO²
emissions.
Reducing CO² emissions also has a positive
financial benefit for businesses within the context
of an emissions trading scheme. The benefits of
increased insulation thicknesses in industrial
installations are twofold, as the costs for both
energy consumption and CO² emissions are
decreased.
e. Corrosion Prevention
See Chapter 1.1.3
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