Münster, 11 May 2015 – A new premium product in the Tubolit family: with Tubolit DG Plus Armacell now also provides a PE tube with very low smoke density. The pipe insulation achieves fire class BL-s1, d0 in the European building materials classification. In a fire the material releases only minimal smoke gases and thus contributes to the safety of people in buildings. Tubolit DG Plus fulfils the requirements of the German energy-saving regulation (EnEV) and DIN 1988-200.
Low smoke density is vital in a fire
With the introduction of the CE marking for technical insulation materials in August 2012, national fire classifications – such as the German fire classes in accordance with DIN 4102 – were replaced by harmonized European fire classes. In the EN 13501-1, not only the fire behaviour (fire classes A to F), but also the smoke development (‘s’) and burning droplets (‘d’) are classified. Whereas in the past technical insulation materials were primarily assessed according to their flame resistance, the smoke classes now allow a more realistic evaluation of the fire behaviour of the various products. Because in a fire it is vital that those trapped find escape routes quickly and this is only possible with minimal smoke development. In the European fire test, Tubolit DG Plus achieves the fire class BL-s1, d0. The pipe insulation develops significantly less smoke than traditional PE products and thus makes a proven contribution to the safety of people in buildings.
High energy efficiency in heating and plumbing applications
In Europe, the building sector accounts for 40 % of energy consumption, the majority is needed to heat the building and hot water. Correct, state-of-the-art insulation of the heating and hot-water pipes is not only one of the simplest, but also one of the most cost-effective measures for increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and achieving a sustainable reduction in CO2 emissions. The energy efficiency of buildings can be significantly improved by using the EnEV-compliant, professional pipe insulation materials made by Armacell. The Tubolit DG products ensure that the energy is delivered to where it is needed. They minimize heat losses on the way from the heating system to the radiators.
Minimize flow noise at source.
In addition, Tubolit DG products reduce the transmission of noise from the pipework. A test in accordance with EN ISO 3822-1 carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics confirms that they diminish the sound pressure level by up to 30 dB(A) compared to an uninsulated pipe. The insulation tube ensures an effective isolation of the pipe from the building structure and prevents acoustic bridging.
Tubolit DG Plus tubes are available in the insulation thicknesses 9 and 13 mm for pipe diameters from 12 to 114 mm. The tough PE insulation provides protection against energy losses not only for heating and plumbing pipes made of copper or steel, but also for plastic and multi-layer composite pipes. For more demanding applications, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning installations or plant which operates at temperatures below 0 °C, Armacell recommends using ArmaFlex Ultima, the only low-smoke elastomeric insulation material with the fire class BL-s1, d0.