fibreglass v steel pipe heat conductivity

[bencpv]

Hi all,
I would love to have some assistance. At work we manufacture supply steel piping for district heating. Recently we have shown an interest in a pipe made from thermo setting resin with glass fibres.
I have been asked to compare the thermal conductivity of the thermo set pipe with our (equivalent in OD/ID) steel pipe.

In the manual covering our range of steel pipes, the thermal conductivity is quoted as 0.024-0.029W/mK. Upon further research I have found that the therm cond of carbon steel (1%) is 43W/mK. If the former figure is to be believed I guess the reduction must be down to the insulation/casing pipe.

The therm cond of the thermo set pipe is quoted as 0.29W/mK (I'm guessing this must be with insulation/casing).

Do these figures seem reasonable? Is there a way I can compare the 2 pipes?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks
Ben

 

[racookpe1978]

Watts per sq meter per millimeter thickness per degree K?

How is the proposed steel; pipe to be insulated, with what material, and how much thickness of that insulation?

How would the proposed "plastic" pipe be insulated and with what material and what thickness?

Is either insulation package to be wrapped with reflective protective blanket or sheetmetal? (Indoors or outside or underground? )

 

[Compositepro]

Thermal conductivity, in this case, is a material property, not a geometric property. If you keep consistent units the length units of thickness and surface area can be simplified (cancelled), although technically this is not correct.
The numbers 43 and 0.29 look about right.

 

[racookpe1978]

But he had declared 0.023 to 0.029 for the plastic/thero-setting pipe.