Over the years, I often advised on the use of insulating sandwich panels with stainless steel metal supports, when the operating environment was so aggressive as to corrode the standard polyester-coated steel quickly.
WHAT IS AN AGGRESSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR AN INSULATED METAL PANEL?
What does an “aggressive environment” mean for an insulating metal panel? Technically, the European directive EN 10169:2010 indicates the internal environment in terms of corrosivity and humidity in categories from A1 to A6. The categories that we can consider aggressive for an insulating sandwich panel are those ranging from A3 to A6. Which include:
A3: Cold rooms for dry food processing;
A4: Swimming pools, industrial buildings with medium wet work, such as breweries and wine cellars;
A5: Mushroom cultures, fish and shellfish processing plants, dairy industries;
A6: Tanneries, slaughterhouses.
What are the factors that contribute to making the environment aggressive? Mainly these factors are the type and degree of humidity and the type of cleaning. Therefore we are sharing with you practical solutions for cold storage that operates in an aggressive environment.
SOLUTION FOR COLD ROOM THAT OPERATES IN AN AGGRESSIVE ENVIRONMENT
Let’s see what solutions are available to a cold store installer, who wants to use a metal sandwich panel to achieve thermal insulation, but is operating in an aggressive environment.
SOLUTION#1
The most common solution is to use metal sandwich panels that have metal supports in stainless steel. Usually AISI 304 grade.
This solution, certainly effective on an insulating metal panel, has two negative aspects. The very high price and the poor visual comfort for the workers due to the moderate reflection characteristics of the light.
SOLUTION#2
The second solution is using metal sandwich panels with one side in fiberglass (FRP). Fiberglass has excellent resistance to aggressive chemical agents but has a notable defect. It is not possible to model FRP to make a rounded joint. We can do that with metal instead.
Consequently, only with a PVC profile, it is possible to join two panels laterally, but it significantly increases the installation costs. Above all, without this, the joint does not respect the most basic hygiene standards.
Another flaw of this type of solution is that the insulating metal panel, when it has only metal support, tends to bend, and therefore must be installed with great care and greatly increasing the number of fasteners needed to keep the sandwich panel in a straight position.
SOLUTION #3
Tatasteel offers an exciting alternative. HPS200 pre-painted steel manufactured by Tatasteel in the historic Shotton factory near Liverpool. The technologically advanced solution at an attractive price and with a guarantee that allows you to sleep peacefully.
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