Choosing insulation for buffer tank

There are several insulation types on the market. You can choose by price, thermal conductivity, between natural and synthetic material and other more or less important properties. Below you can see a simple overview of some widely used insulations.

Material	Thermal conductivity	Price / (Sq m)*
Fibreglass wool	0.040 W/mK	Very low (£2 - £4)
Mineral wool	0.045 W/mK	Very low (£2 - £4)
Hemp wool	0.040 W/mK	Average (£6 - £7)
Sheep wool	0.039 W/mK	Higher (£7 - £10)
Recycled textile wool	0.038 W/mK	Higher (£7 - £9)
Wood fibre	0.038 W/mK	High (£9 - £10)
Polyurethane foam	0.030 W/mK	High (about £10)
Extruded polystyrene	0.033 W/mK

Fibreglass wool

low-cost solution
itching material
synthetic product

Mineral wool

itching material
synthetic product
fire resistant properties
repels bacterial and mold growths

Hemp wool

non-itching material
natural insulation

Sheep wool

non-itching material
good fire-resistant
natural insulator
resist mould

Recycled textile wool

itch free material
ecological
flame retardant

Wood fibre

non-itching product
normally contains flame retardant
natural product

Polyurethane foam

better insulator
more expensive than other materials
can loose insulator ability by time
if blown, hard to remove
synthetic product

Extruded polystyrene

rigid, suitable as top disk
shrinking up to 4% of it's volume
not fertile for mold or microorganisms
synthetic product

* Prices are estimates and can vary by many factors, for more information ask your seller.