Heat Transmission - Testing

The Thermal Transmission - Testing Section deals with the analysis of thermal insulation characteristics of materials and components for building and industrial applications. These products include:

thermal insulators;
masonry, floors;
insulating glazing;;
precast concrete panels;
self-supporting sandwich panels;
insulating tiles, and pre-insulated pipes for district heating.

A further activity of the laboratory is the characterisation of different types of chimneys, smoke ducts and flues for the evacuation of combustion fumes.

Below is a list of the main activities and products tested.

THERMAL MEASUREMENTS IN THE LABORATORY

Thermal transmittance using the hot chamber method of walls (EN ISO 8990).
Thermal conductivity and thermal resistance using the hot plate method with guard ring (EN 12664, EN 12667 and EN 12939).
Thermal conductivity (ASTM E 1530) of thin materials.
Thermal conductivity by the radial method (EN ISO 8497) of:
- insulating tiles for plant and industrial applications;
- pre-insulated pipes for district heating (EN 253).
Maximum use temperature (EN 14706 and EN 14707) of insulators for plant and industrial applications.

MEASUREMENT OF HYGROMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS

Vapour permeability of:

construction materials (EN ISO 12572, ASTM E 96);
thermal insulation (EN 12086);
plasters (EN 1015-19);
membranes (EN 1931);
thermal insulation for plant and industrial installations (EN 13469).

Water absorption:

for short-term partial immersion of thermal insulators (EN ISO 29767, EN 1609);
long-term immersion of thermal insulators (EN ISO 16535, formerly EN ISO 12087);
in the short term by partial immersion of preformed pipe insulation (EN ISO 12623, EN 13472);
for long-term diffusion of thermal insulation (EN ISO 16536, EN 12088);
of plastics (EN ISO 62).

MEASUREMENT OF DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Thickness (EN ISO 29466, formerly EN 823);
Length and width (EN ISO 29465 and EN 822;
Orthogonality (EN 824);
Flatness (EN ISO 29468, ex EN 825.

DIMENSIONAL STABILITY AND SETTLEMENT

Dimensional stability under normal laboratory conditions (EN 1603);
Dimensional stability under specified conditions (EN 1604);
Settlement of bulk mineral wool products MW (EN 14064-1) and bulk cellulose products LFCI (EN 15101-1).

TESTS ON CHIMNEYS

Types of chimneys:

Metal chimneys (EN 1856-1, EN 1859, EN 13216-1, EN 1443);
Metal smoke ducts, smoke ducts and flexible smoke ducts (EN 1856-2, EN 1859);
Plastic chimneys (EN 14471);
Chimneys, metal terminals and air supply ducts for sealed heating appliances (EN 14989-1, EN14989-2) in coaxial or split configuration;
Concrete flues (EN 1857);
Concrete Smoke Blocks (EN 1858);
External concrete elements (EN 12446).

Types of evidence:

Mechanical tests (compressive strength, tensile strength, resistance to lateral stress in non-vertical orientation, wind load resistance);
Gas-tightness;
Rainwater resistance of the elements;
Rainwater resistance of terminals;
Condensate penetration resistance;
Resistance to water vapour diffusion;
Thermal performance under normal operating conditions (Heat resistance);
Soot Fire Resistance (Thermal Shock Resistance);
Thermal resistance.
Corrosion resistance of:
- metal chimneys for the V2 designation (EN 1856-1 Annex A.2);
- concrete chimneys (EN 1858 para A.8).

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