Sekisui Foam Australia invented Thermobreak® insulation, and the product is now globally recognised as an Australian success story. Thermobreak® thermal insulation has been supplied to the Australian HVAC industry for decades and is Codemark certified, environmentally sustainable and Australian made.
Extremely high quality and versatile, Thermobreak® has proven itself as an excellent value and fully reliable thermal insulation solution for HVAC original equipment manufacturers and pipe insulation lagers.
Sekisui Foam Australia is increasingly approached by HVAC stakeholders seeking assistance with overcoming the shortcomings of other methods of insulating air handling systems. While all HVAC consumers have different requirements, their basic need remains the same; residential homes, commercial complexes, industrial sites or transport vehicles all require conditioned air to be circulated into spaces by systems that durably provide the safe, efficient and sustainable delivery of comfort.
The intrinsic shortcomings of traditional insulation products risk thwarting the desired outcome. Fibrous insulation issues include: risk of moisture ingress, inconsistent thermal insulation performance (R-value) due to compaction, risk of exposed fibres, and potential poor appearance of lagging due to ease of damage. Flexible ducting issues include: airflow pressure drops and inconsistent R-values due to compaction. Pre-insulated rigid duct solutions have problems with poor noise attenuation characteristics and ease of damage.
As a result of talking to industry and innovative product development, Sekisui Foam Australia now offers an extended range of Thermobreak® products that provide new, innovative and sustainable solutions for the thermal and acoustic insulation of HVAC ductwork and accessories. These new solutions for building owners, consultants, contractors, and manufacturers address indoor air quality concerns and facilitate long-term sustainably efficient thermal and acoustic comfort.
One such product is Thermobreak® Acoustiplus, an innovative, physically cross-linked polyolefin foam duct liner that provides acoustic solutions for both steel duct and pre-insulated rigid duct. Thermobreak® Acoustiplus is supplied with reinforced aluminium foil facing and is available with a pressure sensitive adhesive backing.
Thermobreak® Acoustiplus is a lightweight liner that combines excellent thermal insulation and sound absorption properties. It is safe, durable, cleanable, non-fibrous, low VOC, formaldehyde free and PVC free.
Thermobreak® Acoustiplus has been specially designed for noise attenuation in internal HVAC duct lining by maximising acoustic performance in the appropriate noise frequency range. Figure 1 illustrates noise generation within HVAC systems as a function of frequency.
When combined with a high performance foil facing, it provides more targeted sound absorption properties with superior fire performance (BS 476 Class 0 and AS 4254 compliance) and inherent mould resistance properties.
Figure 1 illustrates Thermobreak AcoustiPlus sound absorption coefficients for thicknesses ranging from 8mm to 54mm.
Benefits offered by Thermobreak® Acoustiplus include:
- Fibre-free insulation provides a clean and tidy solution that addresses installation and safety concerns and is inherently mould resistant
- Excellent sound absorption at low thicknesses
- Extremely lightweight 25 kg/m3 foam density
- Excellent thermal performance 0.035 W/mK @ 23oC
- Very low water absorption
- Fully tested and compliant with relevant sections of AS4254 and UL181
- Extremely easy to fabricate (die-cutting, installing)
Sustainability
Sekisui Chemical Group has been named in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World. The Global 100 index ranks major companies from all sectors around the world in areas such as environmental, social and economic performance.
Conclusion
The Thermobreak® range offers new and innovative solutions to meet the needs and concerns of anyone involved in the HVAC industry, providing the most advanced product while achieving cost savings in both installation and long-term energy efficiency. It is suitable for thermal and acoustic insulation of mechanical services, refrigeration, and building elements.
Thermobreak® : high performance, low risk, Australian manufactured products that provide durable insulation solutions.
For more information on the product, specifications, and recent projects visit www.sekisuifoam.com.au
