Thermal Ceramics Europe (Paris, France/Bromborough, Wirral, England) has introduced its new and exclusive AES v RCF solubility test kit which has been designed to clearly identify the type of fibre already installed.

The kit uses a simple, unambiguous colour change test to distinguish between the two main types of high temperature fibre: Superwool and Refractory Ceramic Fibre (RCF) based materials.

All high temperature insulation fibres unidentified or unrecorded must be treated as though the material is RCF.

RCF fibre must be disposed of at increased cost using a waste disposal site which is either licensed or prepared to accept hazardous waste. Companies are under more pressure to identify what they have installed and record its use whilst protecting their workforce from excessive exposure.

The Thermal Ceramics solubility test kit clearly identifies the fibre already installed and is said to offer a number of advantages:

-- Flexibility – Allows you flexibility in conducting your own test when you want.
-- Test-on-site – You can conduct the test on-site, in your labs or wherever.
-- Clear diagnosis – Clarifies an exonerated alternative material: Superwool 607 & 607 HT has been installed.
-- Identifies there is a difference between AES materials compared to RCF even though they look the same and perform similarly.
-- Safe and easy to use – The solubility test kit includes all the necessary equipment required for you to conduct safe, simple and reliable tests.
-- Saves you costs – Determines waste disposal requirements, thus reduces restrictions and your costs.
-- Saves time – No need to send away to labs for days/weeks for fibre analysis identification.

Users therefore have the ability to:

--Determine which kind of product is already installed in applications. --Determine that a safer alternative could be installed. --Identify disposal arrangements required for the material. --Check if the materials are AES fibres before releasing it for use by the workforce.