Which type of insulation is economic and energy efficient for piping carrying saturated steam? a. Fiber bricks b. Ceramic fiber c. Calcium silicate d. Fiberglass The Answer… d. Fiberglass – Fibrous insulation is composed of small diameter fibers which finely divide the air space. But why is insulation needed? First, steam is a hot gas that desperately wants to give up its latent heat energy and turn back into water. It will give up that tremendous amount of energy to anything that’s colder than it is. Typically steam leaves a boiler anywhere from 240 to 340 degrees F depending on its pressure. That’s hotter than just about everything else in the system. So when the steam hits a cold pipe, it will quickly make that pipe hot by condensing and releasing its latent heat energy. The hot pipes lose heat through radiation and convection condensing more steam. The colder the surrounding conditions are, the faster the steam will condense, and that’s why we recommend using Thermal Blanket insulation. The insulation keeps the steam hot, like a thermos bottle. At Campbell-Sevey we recommend using INSULTECH Blankets. The blankets provide immediate energy savings, capturing 80% of surface radiant and convective heat loss, with the added benefits of quick installation, quick removal and quick reinstallation. Contact the team at Campbell-Sevey to learn more about how to make your steam system operate at peak efficiency.