Ceramic Wool Blanket — High-Temperature Industrial Insulation

A ceramic wool blanket is a lightweight, flexible refractory insulation material made from alumina-silica refractory fibers. It is engineered for continuous service from 1000°C to 1400°C and is widely used across metallurgy, petrochemical, power generation, and other high-heat industries. EcoIn Group supplies this product in densities from 96 kg/m³ to 160 kg/m³, meeting international performance standards.

Key Technical Properties

This material combines low thermal mass with outstanding high-temperature resistance, making it ideal for applications where rapid heat cycling occurs. Key properties include a temperature rating of 1000°C to 1400°C depending on grade, density options of 96, 128, and 160 kg/m³, low thermal conductivity of approximately 0.13 W/(m·K) at 400°C, and strong resistance to most acids and alkalis. Low heat storage reduces energy consumption in continuous furnace operations.

Common Applications

Typical uses include lining industrial furnaces, kilns, and boilers; wrapping high-temperature steam and process pipes; providing backup insulation in petrochemical reactors; filling expansion joints in refractory linings; and insulating fire doors, combustion chambers, and turbine casings. Its flexibility makes it especially suitable for curved and irregular surfaces where rigid boards would crack under repeated thermal cycling. It can be layered to achieve any required insulation thickness.

Why Choose EcoIn?

EcoIn Group has over 15 years of experience supplying industrial insulation materials to global buyers. Our ceramic wool blanket is produced under strict quality controls, with consistent fiber diameter and density across every production batch. Products are available in standard rolls of 7200 × 610 mm or in custom dimensions, with export packaging engineered to prevent moisture absorption during shipping and storage.

We supply this alongside complementary products including glass wool insulation and mineral wool solutions, making EcoIn a single-source supplier for complete industrial insulation projects. Our technical sales team provides grade selection guidance and product sampling so you can specify the right solution for your application.

How It Compares to Other Refractory Materials

Compared to rigid calcium silicate boards, a ceramic wool blanket offers greater installation flexibility and lower installed weight per unit area. Compared to standard mineral wool, it performs reliably at much higher temperatures — mineral wool begins to sinter above 900°C. For applications requiring sustained service above 1000°C, this product remains the industry-standard choice for both primary and backup insulation in industrial furnace and kiln construction worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature can it withstand?

Standard-grade ceramic wool blanket is rated for continuous service up to 1260°C. High-purity alumina grades are available for service up to 1400°C.

What thicknesses are available?

EcoIn supplies this product in 25 mm, 50 mm, and 75 mm thicknesses, with custom dimensions available on request.

Can it be used for pipe insulation?

Yes. It is commonly wrapped around high-temperature steam pipes and process piping in petrochemical and power generation facilities. Multiple layers can be combined to achieve the required total insulation thickness for any application.

Ceramic Wool Blanket Installation Guide

Installing a ceramic wool blanket correctly is essential to achieving the full thermal and acoustic performance the material offers. The blanket can be cut to size using a sharp utility knife or scissors, and it compresses slightly to fit into irregular spaces without losing its structural integrity. Always wear gloves and a dust mask during handling, as loose fibres can cause temporary skin and respiratory irritation.

For flat furnace walls and kiln linings, the ceramic wool blanket is typically layered in a staggered pattern, with joints offset between layers to eliminate straight-through heat paths. Each layer is mechanically anchored using ceramic fibre anchor pins or stainless steel anchors welded to the casing. The blanket is pushed firmly against the previous layer to eliminate air gaps, which are the primary cause of localised hot spots.

When wrapping high-temperature pipes, the ceramic wool blanket is wrapped in a spiral, overlapping each turn by at least 50 mm to maintain continuous coverage. Wire ties or stainless steel banding secures the blanket against vibration. For vertical piping, the banding spacing should not exceed 300 mm to prevent sagging under the weight of the insulation over time.

Ceramic Wool Blanket Temperature Grades and Selection

EcoIn manufactures ceramic wool blanket in four standard temperature grades to cover the full range of industrial applications. The 1260°C grade is the most widely used, covering the majority of industrial furnace, oven, and boiler applications where operating temperatures fall between 900°C and 1200°C. The 1400°C grade incorporates a higher alumina content (typically 52–55% Al₂O₃) to maintain structural integrity at elevated temperatures, and is specified for glass furnaces and steel reheating applications.

The 1600°C polycrystalline grade is manufactured from alumina-silica polycrystalline fibers and is designed for the most demanding high-temperature environments, including hydrogen atmosphere furnaces and semiconductor processing equipment. The correct grade must be matched to the peak operating temperature plus a suitable safety margin, typically 100–150°C above the continuous service temperature.

Density selection is equally important: a ceramic wool blanket at 96 kg/m³ offers superior resistance to gas erosion in high-velocity environments, while the 64 kg/m³ grade provides an optimum balance of thermal performance and installed cost for most standard applications. EcoIn’s technical team can provide grade and density recommendations based on your specific operating conditions and regulatory requirements.

Why Source Ceramic Wool Blanket Direct from EcoIn?

As a manufacturer established in China since 1995, EcoIn supplies ceramic wool blanket with consistent fibre chemistry, density, and dimensional tolerance across every production batch. Export shipments are packed in moisture-resistant cartons on shrink-wrapped pallets, with documentation including mill test reports, SGS inspection certificates, and material safety data sheets for customs and compliance purposes.

Minimum order quantities start at one pallet (typically 20–30 rolls depending on thickness and density), with lead times of 15–25 days for standard grades and up to 35 days for custom dimensions or polycrystalline grades. EcoIn also supplies complementary products such as mineral wool insulation and ceramic fibre accessories including anchor systems and ceramic fibre modules, providing a complete refractory insulation package from a single supplier.

Ceramic Wool Blanket Technical Specifications

Understanding the technical specifications of a ceramic wool blanket is essential for engineers, procurement officers, and project managers specifying refractory insulation systems. The key parameters that govern product selection and performance include classification temperature, bulk density, thermal conductivity, tensile strength, and shot content.

Classification temperature indicates the maximum continuous service temperature at which the blanket maintains its thermal and mechanical properties. EcoIn supplies products classified to 1260°C, 1350°C, 1400°C, and 1600°C. Standard grade 1260°C blankets contain approximately 47% Al₂O₃ and 53% SiO₂. The 1350°C grade typically reaches 52% Al₂O₃, while the 1400°C grade achieves 55% Al₂O₃ to maintain phase stability at higher temperatures. The polycrystalline 1600°C grade is manufactured from a fundamentally different fibre composition with >72% Al₂O₃.

Bulk density is measured in kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m³) and directly affects thermal performance, mechanical strength, and installed weight. Lower-density blankets in the 48–64 kg/m³ range offer cost-effective insulation for applications with moderate gas velocities and no significant mechanical loads. The 96–128 kg/m³ range is selected for high-velocity gas environments such as burner blocks and tunnel kiln car tops, where gas erosion resistance is required.

Thermal conductivity (λ) is temperature-dependent and is the single most important parameter in thermal design calculations. At 200°C, a standard 1260°C grade blanket exhibits λ ≈ 0.06 W/m·K. At 600°C, this rises to approximately 0.17 W/m·K, and at 1000°C to approximately 0.35 W/m·K. These values are used in heat-loss calculations to determine the required blanket thickness for a given hot-face temperature and acceptable cold-face or outer-skin temperature.

Shot content refers to the percentage of non-fibrous particles (glass beads and unfiberised particles) present in the product. Lower shot content indicates better fibre quality and more consistent thermal performance. EcoIn’s standard production maintains shot content below 10% for 1260°C and 1350°C grades, with the 1400°C grade typically below 8%.

Industrial Applications of Ceramic Wool Blanket

The ceramic wool blanket is one of the most widely used refractory insulation products across global heavy industries. Its combination of low thermal mass, high-temperature resistance, and flexible form factor makes it suitable for a broader range of applications than rigid refractory bricks or castable refractories.

In the steel and metallurgy sector, these blankets are used as back-up insulation behind dense firebrick lining in blast furnaces, reheat furnaces, and ladle covers. When used as back-up insulation, the blanket reduces heat loss through the outer casing without contributing significant weight to the furnace structure. In smaller industrial furnaces used for heat treatment of tool steels and alloy steels, the entire lining may be constructed from layered blankets fixed with anchor systems.

The petrochemical industry uses this insulation for fired heaters, reformers, and ethylene cracking furnaces, where continuous operation at high temperatures places extreme demands on the insulation lining. The blanket’s resistance to thermal shock is particularly valuable in these applications, as unplanned shutdowns cause rapid temperature cycling that would crack conventional brick linings.

Power generation facilities specify the blanket for boiler insulation, steam turbine insulation, and as expansion joint packing between rigid refractory sections. The material’s ability to accommodate differential thermal expansion without cracking makes it an ideal filler material at transitions between fixed and moving components in high-temperature systems.

Ceramic kiln and glass furnace operators rely on the blanket for kiln car top insulation, roof lining in periodic kilns, and regenerator packing. In continuous glass melting furnaces, the blanket is used in the crown and sidewall construction of the regenerator chambers that recover heat from combustion gases. In these environments, the material must withstand exposure to combustion gases including sulphur dioxide and water vapour at temperatures exceeding 1200°C over service lives of several years.

Aerospace and defence applications include thermal protection systems for aircraft engine nacelles, missile launch systems, and spacecraft re-entry heat shields in lower-temperature zones. These applications require precise dimensional tolerances and consistent thermal properties batch to batch, both of which EcoIn achieves through rigorous process controls and third-party quality inspection.

Storage and Handling of Ceramic Wool Blanket

Proper storage and handling of a ceramic wool blanket preserve the product’s thermal and mechanical properties from manufacture through to installation. Blanket rolls should be stored in a dry indoor environment on raised pallets, away from direct contact with concrete floors that may transfer moisture through capillary action. The product should not be subjected to compressive loads during storage, as permanent deformation of the fibre matrix will reduce thermal performance after installation.

When the rolls are removed from export packaging for installation, they should be inspected for damage, particularly any evidence of moisture absorption. Damp or wet blankets should be dried in a low-temperature oven (120°C for two to four hours) before use, as entrapped moisture will turn to steam on first heat-up and can disrupt the fibre structure. All handling personnel should wear nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and a P2-rated dust mask to protect against temporary skin and respiratory irritation from loose fibres during cutting and fitting.

Waste material generated during cutting should be collected in sealed waste bags and disposed of according to local regulations for mineral fibre waste. EcoIn’s product safety data sheets include guidance on waste classification and disposal for all major export markets, including the European Union, United States, Canada, and Australia.