When a municipal heat network operator in Zhejiang needed to control temperature drop across a long-distance, high-flow steam pipeline, they turned to NANO TECH for a proven insulation system. This district heating pipeline insulation case study documents the actual project conditions, the engineered solution, and the verified performance data — not projected estimates.
Location: Zhejiang, China
Pipe diameter: Φ600mm
Pipeline length: 8 km
Medium: Steam, flow rate G = 115 t/h
Operating temperature: 309℃
Insulation system: NANO AEROGEL FMA650 (20mm) + calcium silicate (160mm) + polyurethane foam (15–30mm)
Long-distance steam networks lose heat continuously as steam travels from the source to end users. For this project, the operator's target was strict: keep the temperature drop below 5℃ per kilometer over an 8km run — a demanding benchmark given the pipe's 600mm diameter and sustained 309℃ operating temperature. Traditional single-layer insulation (rock wool or calcium silicate alone) typically cannot hold this tolerance at scale, and any shortfall means higher fuel burn at the source plant to compensate, plus increased risk of moisture ingress and corrosion under insulation (CUI) over the network's 20+ year service life. This is exactly the kind of high-stakes, long-run district heating pipeline insulation problem that requires a manufacturer with both material performance and engineering support — not just off-the-shelf blanket.
NANO TECH engineered a composite insulation structure rather than relying on a single material: a 20mm layer of FMA650 aerogel blanket as the primary thermal barrier directly against the pipe, backed by 160mm of calcium silicate and a 15–30mm outer layer of polyurethane foam. This layered approach uses aerogel where it matters most — the innermost, highest-temperature zone, where its ultra-low thermal conductivity and ≥99% hydrophobic rate do the most work — while calcium silicate and PU foam provide additional structural bulk and cost efficiency for the outer layers. The result is a system engineered to the client's specific flow, diameter, and temperature parameters, not a generic off-the-shelf spec.
The completed system delivered a measured temperature drop of 4.2℃/km — beating the client's 5℃/km requirement with margin to spare. For the operator, this translates directly into lower fuel consumption at the heat source, more stable end-user delivery temperatures across the full 8km run, and reduced long-term maintenance exposure from moisture-related insulation failure. This is the kind of outcome a district heating pipeline insulation case study should demonstrate: not just that a material meets a lab spec, but that it performs under real flow, real distance, and real climate conditions.
NANO TECH has been manufacturing silica aerogel and its composites since 2004, making it one of the earliest and largest dedicated aerogel producers in China. The company holds 28 invention patents and 6 utility model patents, and has contributed directly to China's National Standard for Reinforced Nanoporous Aerogel Products for Thermal Insulation. Production runs through a 32,000㎡ facility with automated lines and an annual output of 8 million square meters of aerogel, backed by an in-house R&D lab equipped with thermal conductivity and high-temperature testing equipment. For district heating operators, this means access to a manufacturer that can both supply at scale and engineer a composite solution — like the one used in this Zhejiang project — around your specific pipeline parameters, rather than a fixed catalog product.
For a full breakdown of the FMA650 aerogel blanket used in this project — including thermal conductivity data, temperature range, and specifications — see our FMA650 product page. To understand how aerogel insulation applies more broadly to city heating and district heating networks, visit our City Heating System application overview.
Q:Does this district heating pipeline insulation case study reflect a typical result, or was this project unusual?
A:The 4.2℃/km result is specific to this project's parameters (Φ600mm, 309℃, 115t/h flow). Actual temperature drop depends on pipe diameter, insulation thickness, ambient conditions, and flow rate — our engineering team calculates a project-specific projection before any order is placed.
Q:Can NANO TECH design a similar composite structure for a different pipe diameter or steam temperature?
A:Yes. The layered aerogel + calcium silicate + PU foam structure used here is adaptable. Share your pipeline's diameter, length, medium, flow rate, and operating temperature, and our team will propose a configuration and provide a heat-loss calculation.
Q:Is this insulation system suitable for both steam and hot-water district heating networks?
A:Yes. The same composite approach applies to both medium-pressure steam lines (200–350℃) and high-temperature hot water lines (110–140℃) common in city heating networks.
Q:What support does NANO TECH provide for projects outside China?
We provide heat-loss analysis, solution comparison, and online or on-site technical support for international district heating and industrial insulation projects, in addition to standard OEM and customization services.
Have a district heating pipeline project with specific temperature-drop requirements? Share your pipe diameter, flow rate, and operating conditions with our engineering team for a free heat-loss calculation and system proposal.
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