ISO 6334:2023

Overview

ISO 6334:2023 sets out the specification for factory-made expanded perlite products used in the thermal insulation of building equipment and industrial installations. Targeting applications with operating temperatures from 23 °C to approximately 1,000 °C, the standard covers a range of product forms including boards, pipe sections, segments, and prefabricated components. This international standard outlines key product characteristics, requirements for testing, conformity evaluation, and guidance for marking and labelling, ensuring quality and uniformity in the performance of expanded perlite insulation products. The standard is developed by ISO Technical Committee 163, Subcommittee 3 and is an essential reference document for manufacturers, specifiers, and users of thermal insulation systems.

Key Topics

• Scope and Applicability:
  ISO 6334:2023 applies to factory-made expanded perlite products for thermal insulation of building equipment and industrial installations, excluding products with thermal conductivity above 0.072 W/(m·K) at 70 °C and those used in structural insulation.

• Product Forms:
  The standard covers products supplied as boards, pipe sections, segments, prefabricated ware, and special ware.

• Thermal Performance:
  Declares requirements for thermal conductivity over the specified temperature range, with testing carried out in accordance with ISO methods such as ISO 13787, ISO 8302, and ISO 8894-1.

• Dimensional Requirements:
  Specifies tolerances on length, width, thickness, squareness, and flatness, ensuring that manufacturers declare and test essential product dimensions.

• Fire Properties:
  Sets out requirements for assessing reaction to fire in accordance with ISO 1182 and ISO 1716, important for compliance with local regulations.

• Durability:
  Expanded perlite products must maintain their thermal and fire performance characteristics against ageing, degradation, and high temperatures.

• Additional Properties:
  Allows for optional declaration of properties such as thermal expansion, porosity, airflow resistance, creep in compression, permeability to gases, acoustic properties, bending strength, and density as supplementary identification parameters.

• Quality Control:
  Outlines factory production control, initial type testing, and minimum testing frequencies to ensure ongoing product compliance.

• Marking and Labelling:
  Details the key information to be provided on packaging or products, including manufacturer, thermal conductivity, dimensions, and relevant codes.

Applications

ISO 6334:2023 is primarily intended for:

• Thermal insulation of pipes, tanks, vessels, and processing equipment in industrial settings such as power plants, refineries, and chemical facilities.
• Thermal insulation of building equipment including HVAC systems and hot water installations, where expanded perlite’s performance over a wide temperature range is a significant benefit.
• Prefabricated thermal insulation systems and composite panels for high-temperature service environments.
• Quality assurance and product selection for specifiers, engineers, and procurement professionals seeking reliable thermal insulation solutions that meet standardized requirements.

This standard ensures that expanded perlite products used in these scenarios perform reliably, have declared and tested thermal capabilities, and are produced under a consistent level of quality and traceability. It fosters confidence among end-users and regulatory bodies in the suitability of expanded perlite solutions for demanding thermal applications.

Related Standards

If you utilize or specify expanded perlite insulation for building equipment and industrial installations, the following ISO standards are referenced in ISO 6334:2023 and may also be relevant:

• ISO 13787: Determination of declared thermal conductivity for products used in building equipment and industrial installations.
• ISO 8302: Guarded hot plate apparatus for thermal resistance testing.
• ISO 29465–29472: Determination of physical and mechanical properties such as length, width, thickness, squareness, compression, and dimensional stability.
• ISO 1182 & ISO 1716: Tests for non-combustibility and calorific value related to fire performance.
• ISO 12576-1: Factory-made products conformity control systems.
• ISO 2477: Change in dimensions on heating for insulating refractory products.

Consult ISO 6334:2023’s normative references for a full list of relevant supporting standards. Adhering to these standards ensures comprehensive compliance and optimal performance of thermal insulation systems using expanded perlite products.