Bergatherm® Composite Load Bearing Insulation

Bergatherm has been developed as an environmentally friendly replacement for hardwoods such as Oak, Iroko, Sapele, Cedar, Ash, Maple and Beech. These woods have been commonly used as supports for cold and cryogenic pipe work in refineries, gas handling and chemical plant where the operational parameters require both high strength and good insulation properties.

Over time wooden supports deteriorate, can leach acid leading to corrosion of the pipe, moisture absorption into the local insulation, degradation of the support and inefficiency in the process.

Other similar products such as laminated, resin impregnated woods are costly, have very long lead times and can be uneconomic to produce in some of the shapes that are required for supporting pipes. There are also significant physical limitations in which the use of wood and laminated wood products become constrained, especially at higher temperatures and in very wet conditions.

Bergatherm is used as a high-load capacity, cold isolation block typically found in situations where the cold temperature of the fluid within the pipe would cause potential embrittlement or damage to the surrounding structure. Such blocks are used as a thermal barrier between support structures and vessels or beneath trunnions or at line stops and anchors.

Bergatherm can be used to completely isolate a pipe, supplied in cylindrical form, molded to shape to avoid waste and give increased strength over similar machined composites. Such product is used on flare lines where dual temperatures are often a feature.

Bergatherm not only possesses excellent low temperature properties but can also be used at temperatures far exceeding the limitations of wood, laminated wood and other commercial composite blocks while still retaining its mechanical properties.