Hot water pipe insulation

[R22Tailrotor]

I need some help on calculating the insulation specifications on a domestic hot water re-circulating system. I have 200 feet of 3/4 inch copper pipe. Can the insulation be specified based on a heat loss that is a percentage of the hot water used. In other words insulate so that perhaps 5% of the heat is lost in the pipes so the efficiency of the system would be 95%. The system circulates all day but the hot water is used sporatically. I would guess about 100 gallons of hot water are used daily.

Bill

 

[jasoncpe]

calculate the heat loss in BTUH, based on system temperature, ambient conditions, and insulation characteristics. 3/4-inch copper pipe is generally provided with 1-inch thick fiberglass insulation. Depends of course on application. Then, calculate heat loss to determine appropriate recirculation rate etc.