Designation: C 547 – 00

Standard Specification for

Mineral Fiber Pipe Insulation1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 547; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope Covering-Type Thermal Insulation2

1.1 This specification covers mineral fiber insulation pro- C 335 Test Method for Steady-State Heat Transfer Proper-
duced to form hollow cylinders for standard pipe and tubing ties of Horizontal Pipe Insulation2
sizes. The mineral fiber pipe insulation may be molded or C 356 Test Method for Linear Shrinkage of Preformed
precision v-grooved, with one or more walls split longitudi- High-Temperature Thermal Insulation Subjected to Soak-
nally for use on pipe temperatures up to 1200°F (650°C). ing Heat2
1.2 For satisfactory performance, properly installed protec- C 390 Criteria for Sampling and Acceptance of Preformed
tive vapor retarders or barriers should be used on sub-ambient Thermal Insulation Lots2
temperature applications to reduce movement of moisture C 411 Test Method for Hot-Surface Performance of High-
through or around the insulation to the colder surface. Failure Temperature Thermal Insulation2
to use a vapor barrier can lead to insulation and system C 447 Practice for Estimating the Maximum Use Tempera-
damage. Refer to Practice C 921 to aid material selection. ture of Insulations2
1.3 Flexible mineral fiber wrap products such as C 585 Practice for Inner and Outer Diameters of Rigid
perpendicular-oriented fiber insulation rolls, non-precision or Thermal Insulation for Nominal Sizes of Pipe and Tubing
manually scored block or board, or flexible boards or blankets (NPS System)2
used as pipe insulation, are not covered by this specification. C 612 Specification for Mineral Fiber Block and Board
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded Thermal Insulation2
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for C 795 Specification for Thermal Insulation for Use in Con-
information only. tact with Austenitic Stainless Steel2
1.5 The following safety hazards caveat applies to the test C 921 Practice for Determining the Properties of Jacketing
methods portion, Section 11, only: This standard does not Materials for Thermal Insulation2
purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated C 1045 Practice for Calculating Thermal Transmission
with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard Properties from Steady-State Heat Flux Measurements2
to establish appropriate safety and health practices and C 1058 Practice for Selecting Temperatures for Evaluating
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to and Reporting Thermal Properties of Thermal Insulation2
use. C 1104/C1104M Test Method for Determining the Water
Vapor Sorption of Unfaced Mineral Fiber Insulation2
2. Referenced Documents E 84 Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of
2.1 ASTM Standards: Building Materials3
C 167 Test Methods for Thickness and Density of Blanket 2.2 Other Standards:
or Batt Thermal Insulations2 UL 723 Tests for Surface Burning of Building Materials,
C 168 Terminology Relating to Thermal Insulating Materi- available from Underwriters Laboratories, 333 Pfingsten
als2 Road, Northbrook, IL 60062–2026
C 177 Test Method for Steady-State Heat Flux Measure- NFPA 255 Method of Tests of Surface Burning Character-
ments and Thermal Transmission Properties by Means of istics of Building Materials, available from the National
the Guarded-Hot-Plate Apparatus2 Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy,
C 302 Test Method for Density of Preformed Pipe- MA 02269
CAN/ULC-S102–M88 Standard Method of Test for Surface
Burning Characteristics of Building Materials and Assem-
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C16 on blies, available from Underwriters Laboratories of
Thermal Insulation and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C16.20 on Canada, 7 Crouse Road, Scarborough, Ontario MIR3A9
Homogeneous Inorganic Thermal Insulations.
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 2000. Published January 2001. Originally
published as C 547 – 64 T to replace C 281 and C 300. Last previous edition
C 547 – 95.
2 3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.06. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07.

Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 C 547
3. Terminology ments in addition to those specified in Table 1.
3.1 The definitions in Terminology C 168 shall apply to the 6.2 Hot Surface Performance:
terms used in this specification. 6.2.1 The product shall not crack, warp, flame, or glow
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard: during hot surface exposure. No evidence of melting or fiber
3.2.1 molded—refers to products preformed via a molding degradation shall be evident upon post test inspection.
process to yield full-round cylindrical pipe insulation sections. 6.2.2 The insulation’s internal temperature rise (exotherm)
3.2.2 precision v-groove—refers to products fabricated from shall not exceed the pipe temperature by more than 200°F
machined board via a precision cutting process. Machined (111°C).
segments are adhered to a backing to form a full-round 6.3 Non-fibrous (Shot) Content:
cylindrical pipe insulation section. Due to the precision of the 6.3.1 The non-fibrous content of a rock- or slag-based
process, the product has no gaps when installed. product shall not exceed 30 % by weight.
4. Classification 7. Standard Shapes, Sizes, and Dimensions
4.1 Products covered by this specification are classified 7.1 The basic shape of mineral fiber pipe insulation forms a
according to maximum use temperature as follows: right annular cylinder, which is radially slit on at least one side
4.1.1 Type I—Molded, for use to 850°F (454°C). of the cylinder axis. It is furnished in sections or segments
Grade A—Requires no heat-up schedule designed to fit standard sizes of pipe and tubing.
Grade B—Heat-up schedule is required 7.2 Typical available thicknesses range from nominal 1⁄2-in.
4.1.2 Type II—Molded, for use to 1200°F (650°C). (13 mm) to nominal 6-in. (152 mm), single or double layer, in
1⁄2-in. increments for most pipe and tubing sizes.
Grade A—Requires no heat-up schedule
Grade B—Heat-up schedule is required 7.3 Individual dimensions for inner diameter and wall
4.1.3 Type III—Precision v-groove, for use to 1200°F thickness shall conform to Practice C 585.
(650°C). 7.4 Standard section or segment length shall be 3 ft (0.91m)
Grade A—Requires no heat-up schedule or as agreed upon between the buyer and seller.
Grade B—Heat-up schedule is required 8. Dimensional Tolerances
4.1.4 Type IV—Molded, for use to 1000°F (538°C). 8.1 Length equals 61⁄8-in. (3 mm).
Grade A—Requires no heat-up schedule 8.2 When installed on a nominal pipe or tubing size as
Grade B—Heat-up schedule is required defined in Practice C 585, the insulation shall fit snugly and
NOTE 1—Caution: Grade B may not be suitable for applications have tight longitudinal and circumferential joints.
requiring hot installation capability at the maximum temperature indi- 8.3 The inner and outer bore of the insulation shall be
cated. In general, products having a Grade B designation are designed to concentric to the outer surface. The deviation from concentric-
be used with a heat-up schedule. Failure to use a heat-up schedule with
ity shall not exceed 3⁄16 in. (5 mm).
Grade B products may lead to an exothermic reaction sufficient to degrade
the fiber. This is dependent on thickness and temperature. Consult the TABLE 1 Requirements of Mineral Fiber Pipe Insulation (Grades
manufacturer or manufacturer’s literature for special heat rate consider- A & B)
ations. Property Type I Type II Type III Type IV
4.2 Binder decomposition at elevated temperature may be a (Grades A (Grades A (Grades A (Grades A
& B) & B) & B) & B)
limiting factor in certain applications. Consult the manufac-
Use temperature, max, °F (°C) 850 (454) 1200 (650) 1200 (650) 1000 (538)
turer regarding special heat rate considerations. Sag resistance, max, % 5 5 5 5
thickness change
5. Materials and Manufacturer Linear shrinkage (length), max, 2 2 2 2
5.1 Composition— The mineral fiber insulation for pipes % change after change
after soaking heat at maximum
shall be manufactured from mineral substance such as rock, use temperature
slag, or glass, processed from a molten state into fibrous form Water vapor sorption, max, % 5 5 5 5
with binder. Asbestos shall not be used as an ingredient or by weight
Surface burning characteristics,
component part. Some products may also contain adhesive. max
5.2 Jackets (Facings)—The user of this specification has the Flame spread index 25 25 25 25
option to specify that the insulation be jacketed. Smoke developed index 50 50 50 50
Apparent thermal conductivity,
NOTE 2—The user is advised that the maximum use temperature of max, Btu.in./h,ft2, °F(W/m.K)
factory-applied facings and adhesives may be lower than the maximum Mean temperatureA
°F (°C)
use temperature of the insulation. The specifier shall ensure that sufficient 100 (38) 0.25 (0.036) 0.25 (0.036) 0.25 (0.036) 0.25 (0.036)
insulation thickness is installed so none of these accessory items (facings 200 (93) 0.31 (0.045) 0.31 (0.045) 0.31 (0.045) 0.31 (0.045)
and adhesives) are exposed to temperatures above their maximum use 300 (149) 0.40 (0.058) 0.37 (0.053) 0.37 (0.053) 0.37 (0.053)
temperature. The products covered by this standard are predominantly 400 (204) 0.51 (0.074) 0.45 (0.065) 0.45 (0.065) 0.45 (0.065)
inorganic in nature. Organic facings, adhesives and binders are also used 500 (280) 0.64 (0.092) 0.54 (0.078) 0.54 (0.078) 0.54 (0.078)
in the construction of these products. The resulting composite therefore 600 (316) 0.65 (0.094) 0.65 (0.094) 0.65 (0.094)
700 (371) 0.77 (0.111) 0.77 (0.111) 0.77 (0.111)
could have increased combustibility.
A
The user is advised that retrofit applications (where new insulation is being
6. Physical Requirements applied over existing) could require knowing the thermal conductivity of the
existing layer at mean temperatures above those shown. Consult a manufacturer
6.1 The product shall conform to the following require- for data at mean temperatures exceeding those listed.

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 C 547
TABLE 2 Requirements of Mineral Fiber Pipe Insulation factory-jacketed products, with and without self-sealing longi-
(Grade A Only) tudinal lap closure systems.
Type I Type II Type III Type IV
Property
(Grade A) (Grade A) (Grade A) (Grade A)
11.1.5.2 Test Methods UL 723 or NFPA 255 may be
substituted for Test Method E 84. These methods are largely
Maximum Internal Temp. Rise 200 (111) 200 (111) 200 (111) 200 (111)
(Grade A Only), °F (°C) considered synonymous by most building officials.
11.1.5.3 For Canada, test in accordance with CAN/ULC-
S102-M88.
9. Workmanship 11.1.6 Hot Surface Performance—Test Method C 411 and
9.1 The insulation shall not have defects that will adversely Standard Practice C 447.
affect installation or service quality. 11.1.6.1 A 3-in. (75-mm) nominal pipe size or larger shall
be used. A test specimen shall be at least 36-in. (914-mm) in
10. Sampling length. All types shall be tested at 6-in. (150-mm) nominal
10.1 When specified in the purchase order or contract, thickness, in either single or multiple layer configurations.
sampling and acceptance shall be in accordance with Criteria 11.1.6.2 All products shall be tested without jacketing, with
C 390. the exception of products where the jacket is an integral part
11. Test Methods necessary to hold the insulation together such as precision
v-groove. The test pipe shall be at the Type I, Type II, Type III,
11.1 The properties in this specification shall be determined or Type IV temperature specified in 4.1, when the insulation is
in accordance with the following test methods, with jacketing applied. For Class B material any special requirement for
excluded unless stated otherwise. heat-up shall be specified by the manufacturer shall be used.
11.1.1 Density and Dimensions—Test Method C 302.
11.1.6.3 Immediately upon application to the pipe, the
11.1.2 Linear Shrinkage— Test Method C 356.
internal temperature rise shall be measured as prescribed in the
11.1.3 Thermal Conductivity—Test Method C 335.
Hot Surface Performance section of Standard Practice C 447.
11.1.3.1 Thermal performance shall be characterized on a
3-in. NPS 3 2-in. pipe insulation size. Thermal performance 11.1.7 Sag Resistance:
must be assessed on actual pipe insulation sections. Data 11.1.7.1 Scope—This procedure is used to determine thick-
obtained on flat samples, using Test Method C 177, shall not be ness loss as a result of exposure to maximum service during the
used to state compliance with this specification. hot surface performance test.
11.1.3.2 Practice C 1058 may be used to obtain recom- 11.1.7.2 Significance and Use—Products having excessive
mended test temperature combinations for testing purposes. thickness loss at elevated temperature could yield less than
11.1.3.3 As specified in C 1045, the range of test conditions expected in-service performance.
must include at least one test where the hot surface temperature 11.1.7.3 Definition—Sag is defined as the extent of thick-
is greater than, or equal to, the hot limit of the temperature ness loss due to material fatigue or decomposition due to
range of desired data and at least one test where the cold elevated temperature.
surface temperature is less than, or equal to, the cold limit of 11.1.7.4 Procedure—For the sag determination, measure
the temperature range desired. At least two additional tests the thickness of the test length before and after 96-h hot surface
shall be distributed somewhat evenly over the rest of the exposure. A pin gage suitable for this is described by Test
temperature range. Methods C 167. The measurement shall be taken at the top
11.1.3.4 Final analysis of the thermal data shall be con- longitudinal center of the horizontally mounted test specimen.
ducted in accordance with C 1045 to generate a thermal The pin gage shall be vertically inserted through the insulation
conductivity versus temperature relationship for the specimen. to obtain tip contact with the hot pipe surface. The pin gage
11.1.3.5 The final step of C 1045 analysis is to calculate the shall be read with a steel rule to the nearest 1⁄32-in. (1 mm).
thermal conductivity using the equations generated at a set of Calculate the thickness sag as follows:
mean temperatures for comparison to the specification.
% change 5 ~~t1 2 t2!/t1! 3 100 (1)
NOTE 3—Caution: While it is recommended that the specification data
be presented as thermal conductivity versus temperature, several existing where:
specifications may contain mean temperature data from tests conducted at t1 = starting thickness, and
specific hot and cold surface temperatures. In these cases, the conductivity t2 = thickness after 96 h.
as a function of temperature from the C 1045 analysis may provide 11.1.7.5 Precision and Bias—See Method C 167, “Standard
different results. To insure that the data is compatible, a C 680 analysis,
using the thermal conductivity versus temperature relationship from
Test Methods for Thickness and Density of Blanket or Batt
C 1045 and the specific hot and cold surface temperatures, is required to Thermal Insulations”.
determine the effective thermal conductivity for comparison to the 11.1.8 Non-fibrous Content (Shot)—For rock or slag based
specification requirements. products non-fibrous content shall be determined in accordance
11.1.4 Water Vapor Sorption—Test Method C 1104/ with Test Method C 1335.
C 1104M. 11.1.9 Stress Corrosion Performance—Compliance with
11.1.5 Surface Burning Characteristics—Test Method E 84. Specification C 795 is necessary only when requested to assess
11.1.5.1 Flat specimens otherwise identical in composition corrosivity when the insulation is applied to austenitic stainless
to pipe insulation shall be used. This applies to plain and steel pipe.

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 C 547
12. Qualification Requirements should be reported to the manufacturer or supplier promptly
12.1 The following requirements shall be employed for the and in writing. The manufacturer and supplier have the right to
purpose of product qualification: verify rejected products.
12.1.1 Density and dimensions,
12.1.2 Linear shrinkage, 14. Packaging and Package Marking
12.1.3 Apparent thermal conductivity, 14.1 Packaging—Mineral fiber preformed pipe insulation
12.1.4 Surface burning characteristics, shall be packaged in the manufacturer’s standard commercial
12.1.5 Hot surface performance,
container unless otherwise agreed upon between the buyer,
12.1.6 Sag resistance,
seller, and the manufacturer.
12.1.7 Water vapor sorption, and
12.1.8 Non-fibrous content (shot). 14.2 Unless otherwise specified, each container shall be
marked with the manufacturer’s lot or date code identification,
13. Inspection and facing, if any, on the material in the container. When
13.1 When agreed upon between the purchaser and manu- specified in the purchase order or contract, each container shall
facturer or supplier, the inspection of material shall be made at also be marked with the appropriate Specification C 547 type
either the point of shipment or the point of delivery. The and maximum use temperature.
following requirements are generally employed for the pur-
poses of acceptance and sampling of lots, on shipments of 15. Keywords
qualified insulation:
15.1 mineral fiber thermal insulation; molded; physical
13.1.1 Dimensional tolerances, and Workmanship.
13.2 Rejection—Material that fails to conform to the re- properties; pipe insulation; precision v-groove; thermal prop-
quirements of this specification may be rejected. Rejection erties

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