High performance insulation systems for chemical motors

Economics of manufacturing has dictated that the indoor housing of process facilities be limited to the minimum possible, that necessary only to protect the products. Where the material in process is housed in pipes, totally enclosed vessels, etc., it does not usually need additional weather protection, so the trend toward completely outdoor plants has become the rule rather than the exception. This has placed resistance to water as an additional requirement on electric motor insulation. Outdoors, this water can be either in the form of precipitation or condensation. It would appear that splashproof or totally enclosed motors would be protected from precipitation, but this just isn´t so. Even if other paths are completely protected, a considerable quantity of water will enter a totally enclosed motor via the conduit and terminal box. Diversion of the conduit water and drain holes in the bottom of the motor are necessary to minimize the water level in these outdoor motors. Even these provisions do not keep some water from going through the motors, and insulation failures due to water action are frequent. The usually mild climate and plentiful raw materials along our southern "Gulf" coast have made this area attractive for chemical manufacturing utilizing the outdoor plant concept. The extremely severe condensation conditions, coupled with an occasional hurricane and frequent gales with heavy rain brought the water-prone insulation situation into sharp focus.