PIR Foam Duct: Efficient Construction of 30,000㎡ Duct Project

Customer’s Project Background

TJ Commercial Plaza (pseudonym) is a comprehensive modern high-rise building that integrates hotels, office buildings, dining, and entertainment. The total planned land area is 150,000㎡, with the first floor covering 41,000㎡ and the total building area exceeding 180,000㎡. The building consists of one underground floor and 14 above-ground floors, with the HVAC duct system covering an area of approximately 30,000㎡.

Company A (pseudonym) is responsible for the main steel structure of the project, which involves an HVAC duct system spanning about 30,000㎡. Due to the project’s large building area, high cost, long construction period, and high-quality construction requirements, this project is one of the key projects for the installation company.

 

Economic Analysis of Choosing PIR Foam Duct by Company A

Taking the air conditioning project of TJ Commercial Plaza as an example, the duct system poses challenges due to its complexity, various specifications, and tight construction timeline. Initially, Company A planned to use traditional galvanized rectangular ducts with 25mm thick rubber insulation. However, after calculating the costs, they found that switching to PIR Foam Pre-insulated Duct with Double Aluminum Foil reduced the overall unit price by about 40% per square meter. With the total area of 30,364㎡ for the duct system, this alone saved the client an amount equivalent to the material cost of approximately 12,145㎡ of galvanized steel rectangular ducts.

(Note: the price could vary depending on local currency and specific requirements, please contact us for detailed pricing).

In addition to the price advantage of the Double Aluminum Foiled PIR Foam Duct Panel, considering construction standards, timeline, and cost savings, the final decision was to replace the traditional galvanized steel duct with the PIR Foam Pre-insulated Duct with Double Aluminum Foil.

This decision not only saved costs but also met the project’s strict timeline requirements. Since the air conditioning system is complex with many duct specifications, prefabricating the ducts was a challenging task. However, using PIR Foam Pre-insulated Ducts with Double Aluminum Foil saved about 1/3 of the time compared to traditional galvanized steel ducts, thus ensuring timely completion and allowing for smooth progress with other trades.

PIR Foam Duct Panel Product Overview

With increasing living standards, the requirements for air conditioning systems have risen. People not only expect better performance and comfort but also demand higher standards for the materials used, including energy efficiency, cleanliness, durability, environmental impact, and appearance. This has driven the development of new materials for air conditioning duct systems, with Double Aluminum Foiled PIR Foam Duct Panel being the latest.

This material consists of aluminum foil on both sides with a foamed composite insulation layer in the middle, providing high strength and meeting the requirements for duct system materials while also meeting environmental and energy-saving standards. Using this material for air conditioning ducts offers numerous advantages that traditional metal sheets cannot match, such as light weight, excellent airtightness, heat insulation, noise reduction, energy savings, cleanliness, aesthetics, easy manufacturing, and quick processing. This material has been widely praised in various air conditioning duct systems in projects across the country.

Performance of Double Aluminum Foiled PIR Foam Duct Panel

1. The material is 10-40mm thickness, consisting of high-density Polyisocyanurate foam without fluorine, with 80-micron aluminum foil on both sides, and the standard sheet size is 3.95m (length) x 1.20m (width) or 2.95m (length) x 1.20m (width), which can be directly processed into ducts.
2. The weight of the ducts made from this material is about 1/8 of metal ducts, with a density of 40~50kg/m. The suspension bracket spacing can be increased, reducing the load on the building structure. The duct system has excellent airtightness, with a maximum allowable air velocity of 13-20m/s.
3. The thermal conductivity is 0.020~0.027 W/(m·K), offering good insulation properties without condensation, excellent soundproofing, reduced operational noise, and lower running costs for the air conditioning system.
4. It has good fire resistance, with a maximum operating temperature of 80°C.
5. The surface is aesthetically pleasing and can be exposed as part of the decoration. It also has adequate strength and rigidity.
6. Disadvantages: During construction, the materials can cross with other trades, leading to higher product protection costs compared to metal insulated ducts. If the ducts are damaged, they can be repaired or replaced. This duct material is not suitable for use in fire, explosion, or other hazardous areas.

Construction Process for PIR Foam Duct Panel

1. Review and check the drawings
2. Prepare equipment, personnel, and materials
3.  Coordinate with civil construction for pre-embedded work
4. Install duct supports and hangers
5. Manufacture ducts and accessories
6. Install ducts and accessories
7. Duct testing
8. Install air conditioning equipment
9. Install diffusers
10. Test air conditioning equipment
11. Commissioning of air conditioning system

The production of ducts and Accessories can be broken down into:

1. Layout the material
2. Cut the material
3. Bond and assemble the ducts
4. Apply sealing adhesive
5. Attach flange parts
6. Apply aluminum foil tape
7. Reinforce the ducts
8. Install ducts and accessories

Key Construction Points

1. Preparation

Required tools: workbenches, rulers, square rulers, angle bending machines, PID Duct Cutter, etc.

2. Technical Documentation

a. Review the construction drawings, calculate the quantities, and divide the ducts into sections to save material.
b. Prepare construction plans based on the drawings and technical requirements.
c. Plan material requirements, specify storage and protection methods.
d. Organize construction briefings and clarify cutting principles to save materials.

3. Material Preparation

a. Double Aluminum Foiled PIR Foam Duct Panels should be prepared and protected according to the requirements.
b. Other materials include adhesives, sealing glue, aluminum foil tape, flanges, and various reinforcing components.
c. Hanging materials include U-channel steel, round steel, and fasteners.

Manufacturing Process

1. Material Layout: According to the duct development diagram, mark the materials for cutting. During this process, minimize waste. When using a 45° blade, the length is 20mm; with a 90° blade, the length is 40mm.
2. Cutting: Cut the material according to the layout using appropriate tools. a. Straight cuts: Use an aluminum ruler to fix the material and then cut with the blade. b. Curved cuts: Use a 45° blade to cut according to the marked arc. c. Splicing materials: When the sheet is too narrow, it can be spliced in several ways.
3. Bonding and Assembly: After cutting, immediately bond the materials. Ensure the surfaces are clean before applying adhesives. Ensure the bond is firm, and the corners are precise.
4. Sealing: Apply sealing adhesive to the internal corners to prevent contact with the foam material and air.
5. Flange Bonding: After completing the ducts, attach the flanges and ensure they are securely bonded.
6. Applying Aluminum Foil Tape: Use aluminum foil tape to cover joints, offering protection and ensuring aesthetic appeal.

 

Duct Reinforcement

a. Reinforcement should meet the requirements based on the system’s pressure.
b. Add internal reinforcement when the duct’s long side exceeds 800mm for low-pressure systems.

Duct Installation

There are several methods for hanging ducts, such as using adhesive to attach to hangers or traditional suspension methods with U-shaped galvanized steel.

System Commissioning and Acceptance

The commissioning and acceptance process for the air conditioning system made with Double Aluminum Foiled PIR Foam Duct Panels is the same as for metal duct systems.

Conclusão

Double Aluminum Foiled PIR Foam Duct Panels offer numerous benefits, including lightweight, airtightness, heat insulation, noise reduction, energy savings, cleanliness, aesthetics, simple manufacturing, and fast processing. As living standards rise, the demand for high-quality air conditioning systems grows, and Double Aluminum Foiled PIR Foam Duct Panels will continue to receive more attention and be increasingly applied in air conditioning systems in various industrial and civil construction projects.