INSULATION USED ON CHILLED WATER PIPES IN SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD MINES.

The South African gold mines spend over seven million Rands a year on insulation for chilled water pipes. The various types of pipe insulation and their properties are examined. In spite of the harsh conditions encountered underground it is shown that at the present costs of insulation it is economically justifiable to insulate chilled water pipes in practically all cases. The effect of water vapor transmission through the pipe insulation on the thermal conductivity of the insulation is examined. In the final section of the paper, the water temperature rise due to pipe friction is compared with the water temperature rise due to heat conduction through the insulation.