FOAMGLAS®

INSULATION
SYSTEM SPECIFICATION

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the

Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks

TANK-BASE-CRYO 3/2023
Table of Contents

1. General Notes .............................................................................................................. 1

2. Training ........................................................................................................................ 1
3. Codes and Standards ................................................................................................... 1
4. Preliminary Conditions ................................................................................................. 2
5. Design Requirements ................................................................................................... 3
6. Materials Used ............................................................................................................. 3
7. Application for Low Tanks ........................................................................................... 5
8. Application for High Tanks .......................................................................................... 7
9. Corner Protection Insulation Application ..................................................................... 7
10. Inspection .................................................................................................................... 8
11. Quality Assurance ........................................................................................................ 8
12. Certificates................................................................................................................... 8
13. Product Data Sheets .................................................................................................... 8
14. Appendix A: Technical Drawings.................................................................................. 9
15. Appendix B: Other Product Manufacturers ................................................................ 10
16. Additional Information ............................................................................................... 11

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC
1. General Notes
1.1 This specification covers the supply and application of FOAMGLAS® insulation
and accessories to the base of cryogenic storage tanks for liquids such as LNG,
LOX, and LN2. This document applies to the base insulation of cylindrical
storage tanks with vertical axes. These specifications are general in nature and
intended to be used as a tool in the design process, not as the ultimate design.
1.2 Any deviation from this specification (i.e. alternative accessory materials, design
etc.) must be authorized by written approval
1.3 The product data sheets referenced in the text are listed at the end of the
specification. Product data sheets for Pittsburgh Corning LLC products may be
accessed online at: http://www.foamglas.com/.
1.4 Technical drawings addressing most details are provided in Appendix A.
Contact Pittsburgh Corning if additional details are needed.
1.5 SI and Metric unit conversions have been rounded to nearest United States
customary unit equivalent.
1.6 This specification is subject to revision without notice. Contact Pittsburgh
Corning LLC for current revision data before using. This specification is offered
as a guide for the purpose described herein and should be employed at the
discretion of the user. No warranty of procedures, either expressed or implied,
is intended.

2. Training
2.1 The performance of insulation systems depends greatly on the quality of the
installation work. Pittsburgh Corning LLC recommends the insulation system
to be installed by a qualified thermal insulation contractor familiar with
FOAMGLAS® insulation systems. Training for installation of FOAMGLAS®
insulation systems is available from Pittsburgh Corning LLC at one of its training
facilities (Tessenderlo, Belgium; Fresno, Texas, USA; and Yantai, China). In
many cases, training may be offered for no additional cost to the client. In
addition, limited on-site training may be available. Contact Pittsburgh Corning
LLC for additional information or to request installation training.

3. Codes and Standards

3.1 ASTM International Standards
3.1.1 ASTM C552 Standard Specification for Cellular Glass Thermal Insulation

3.1.2 ASTM D226M Standard Specification for Asphalt-Saturated Organic Felt Used
in Roofing and Waterproofing

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 1
3.1.3 ASTM D2626M Standard Specification for Asphalt-Saturated and Coated
Organic Felt Base Sheet Used in Roofing
3.1.4 ASTM D312 Standard Specification for Asphalt Used in Roofing
3.2 EN Standards
3.2.1 EN 13969, Flexible sheets for roof waterproofing Bitumen damp proof sheets
including bitumen basement tanking sheets
3.2.2 EN 14967, Flexible sheets for waterproofing – bitumen damp proof courses.
3.2.3 EN 14305, Thermal insulation products for building equipment and industrial
installations. Factory made cellular glass (CG) products. Specification
3.2.4 EN ISO 9229, Thermal insulation — Vocabulary
3.3 International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
3.3.1 ISO 9001: Quality management systems — Requirements
3.3.2 ISO 9002: Quality systems. Modelled for quality assurance in production,
installation, and servicing
3.4 British Standards (BS)
3.4.1 BS 4370-1-4 Method of test for rigid cellular materials

4. Preliminary Conditions
4.1 FOAMGLAS® insulation is impermeable and the properties of FOAMGLAS®
insulation will not be affected by exposure to moisture. Due to the nature of the
FOAMGLAS® insulation surface, moisture can be retained in the surface cells of
exposed FOAMGLAS® insulation. If installed wet, the surface moisture
contained in the outer surface of FOAMGLAS® insulation can potentially cause
problems for the system during application. Because of this the following steps
are required to ensure the integrity of the finished system.
4.1.1 Insulating materials shall be supplied to the jobsite in the Supplier’s clearly
identified original packaging Supplier’s unique identification, batch number, date
of manufacture and shelf life (if applicable) shall be visible.
4.1.2 FOAMGLAS® insulation must be transported and stored upright. Packages must
be handled with care and protected from the elements while in storage.
FOAMGLAS® insulation packages and must not be allowed to come into direct
contact with the ground in to prevent possible damage or contamination prior
to application.
4.1.3 Insulation materials shall remain in their original packaging until immediately
prior to use. Materials removed from their original packaging and not
immediately used shall be re-sealed/packaged to prevent damage or
contamination. Material identification shall be maintained.

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 2
4.1.4 Materials which become wet, contaminated, or damaged shall not be used.
Contact Pittsburgh Corning LLC Technical support and/or refer to Pittsburgh
Corning LLC Technical Information Letter TD-266 (FOAMGLAS® Insulation
Exposed to Rain, or Salt and Freshwater Flooding), for corrective action
recommendations in cases where FOAMGLAS® insulation has been allowed to
become wet.

4.2 The surface to be insulated should be clean and free from all traces of grease,
rust, dust and any foreign matter.
4.3 Insulation and necessary materials shall be protected from moisture during
shipment, storage, and installation. Temporary polyethylene sheeting shall be
used to protect insulation in wet weather conditions until the final application of
the tank base. Wet sealants, coatings, and insulation are unacceptable and shall
be replaced with dry materials.
4.4 The surface and the materials used must be dry before and during application
and must remain dry until start-up of the insulated system.
4.5 The application of FOAMGLAS® insulation is to be done at ambient temperature.
4.6 The temperature limits of the accessory products must be respected during
both storage and application.

5. Design Requirements
5.1 The heat transfers through the tank base shall be limited to acceptable values
with respect to both economic and functional aspects as determined by the
design engineer. The insulation thickness shall be determined through
calculations based on particular and unique environmental and operating
conditions.
5.1.1 The total thickness of FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation shall be determined by
calculation of thermal losses to achieve the desired heat flux or exterior
temperature.
5.1.2 Every precaution should be taken to avoid freezing of the ground by
incorporation of heating elements under the insulated tank base.

6. Materials Used
6.1 The following materials are acceptable for use in this application. Substitution
of material will require written approval of the owner or his designated
representative.
6.2 Insulation material - Insulation material shall be FOAMGLAS ® HLB cellular glass
insulation manufactured in accordance with ASTM C552 “Standard
Specification for Cellular Glass Thermal Insulation” (Grades 8 through 24) or
EN14305, “Thermal insulation products for building equipment and industrial

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 3
 installations – factory made cellular glass (CG) products – Specification”.
Pittsburgh Corning LLC’s quality system for manufacturing, inspecting, and
testing of FOAMGLAS® insulation is certified to meet the requirements of ISO
9001:2015.
6.2.1 The specific grade of FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation is to be determined by a
qualified engineer. Factors to consider include, but are not limited to: tank
height, type of liquid to be stored, storage temperature, preferred application
procedures, local environmental conditions such as earthquake requirements,
load during hydro testing, existence of non-vertical forces, etc. Historically,
many load-bearing applications of FOAMGLAS® insulation have been designed
with a safety factor of three (3), based on the maximum working stress and the
average compressive strength. It is the position of Pittsburgh Corning that the
actual choice of safety factor is the responsibility of the design engineer in
conjunction with the owner after a thorough consideration of the most severe
prevailing or anticipated local design criteria.
6.2.2 Insulation for corner protection shall be FOAMGLAS® ONE™ insulation, ASTM
C552 “Standard Specification for Cellular Glass Thermal Insulation” (Grade 6) or
EN14305, “Thermal insulation products for building equipment and industrial
installations – factory made cellular glass (CG) products – Specification”.
6.3 Interleaving and capping material for cryogenic tanks with operating
temperatures greater than -183°C (-297°F), shall be PITTCOURSE™ 100 High
Performance Bitumen Damp Proof Course (DPC) modified bitumen, non-
metallic sheet for use as a DPC between layers of FOAMGLAS® insulation tank
base insulation systems. PITTCOURSE™ 100 DPC meets the requirements of
EN 13969 “Flexible sheets for roof waterproofing Bitumen damp proof sheets
including bitumen basement tanking sheets”.
6.4 Interleaving and capping material for cryogenic tanks with operating
temperatures at or below -183°C (-297°F) shall be one of the following.
6.4.1 Ceramic felt paper Ceramic felt paper, 3 mm (⅛ in.) thick, such as Lytherm® 550-
LJ Paper1 or equal.
6.4.2 Loomstate “Marine” type E woven glass fabric, 0.35 mm ( 14 mil) thick such as
Temtex™ 420/LS1 or equal.
6.5 Surface cell filler for FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation blocks shall be one of the
following:
6.5.1 PC® 85 POWDER, a totally inorganic mineral based powder that has been
specially developed to fill the open surface cells of FOAMGLAS® cellular glass
insulation when it is used as loadbearing insulation of tank bases. PC® 85
POWDER is an E.E. stock item.

6.5.2 Hydrocal® B 11 gypsum cement manufactured by U.S. Gypsum Corporation

1 Product manufacturer information available in Appendix B

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 4
 and available from Pittsburgh Corning or approved equal.

6.6 Low VOC Asphalt Primer – PITTCOTE® TB Primer a low VOC cut-back asphalt
of a brush, roll or spray consistency as supplied by Pittsburgh Corning LLC.
6.7 Corner Protection Insulation Adhesive shall be one of the following:
6.7.1 PC® 88 adhesive as supplied by Pittsburgh Corning LLC. PC® 88 Adhesive is a
two-component urethane modified asphalt adhesive.
6.7.2 PC® 99 2K adhesive as supplied by Pittsburgh Corning LLC. PC® 99 2K adhesive
is a two-component moisture curing, polyether adhesive.
6.8 Sand shall be clean and dry, 2mm (0.08 in.) diameter particle size or finer (#18
sieve size or finer), from any acceptable source.

7. Application for Low Tanks

7.1 These tanks exert relatively low pressure on the base insulation. Generally, the
FOAMGLAS HLB insulation is installed in multiple layers between two concrete
layers. An appropriate grade of HLB insulation may also be employed under the
ring wall bearing support in this case (see 14.1).
7.2 A leveling layer of sand or concrete is poured on the base of the outer tank floor.
If concrete is to be used, the surface of the concrete should be float finished.
The concrete leveling course or base shall have a smooth level surface with no
abrupt steps in the surface, level to within +/- 6 mm over 3 m (+/- 0.25 in. over
10 ft.) with a maximum variation of +/- 13 mm (+/- ½ in.) overall.
7.2.1 If concrete is used, allow concrete leveling layer to cure completely prior to
insulation application.
7.2.2 Apply a layer of surface cell filler powder directly over the concrete leveling
screed.
7.3 For cryogenic tanks with operating temperatures greater than -183°C (-
297°F), PITTCOURSE™ 100 BDPC is the preferred interleaving.
7.3.1 Prime the cured concrete with PITTCOTE® TB Primer. Follow application
instructions on the PITTCOTE® TB Primer product data sheet.
7.3.2 Apply a single layer of PITTCOURSE™ 100 BDPC interleaving material over the
leveling screed. The interleaving shall be butted edge to edge.

7.3.3 If a sand leveling layer is used, apply a single layer of PITTCOURSE™ 100 BDPC
interleaving material over the leveling layer. The PITTCOURSE™ 100 BDPC may
be butted or overlapped up to six inches.

7.4 Apply the first layer of the appropriate grade FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation over
the installed PITTCOURSE™ 100 BDPC.

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 5
7.4.1 All joints of the insulation must be tightly butted.

7.5 Apply a single layer of the PITTCOURSE™ 100 BDPC over the installed
FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation.
7.5.1 The interleaving shall be butted edge to edge.

7.6 Apply successive layers of FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation block with

PITTCOURSE™ 100 BDPC applied between each layer. Follow the previously
described application method in sections 7.4. to 7.5.
7.6.1 The joints of each successive layer of FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation block shall
be staggered from the preceding layer.

7.6.2 Continue application of insulation and interleaving in this fashion to achieve the
specified insulation thickness.

7.7 For cryogenic tanks operating below -183°C (-297°F) ceramic felt paper or fiber
glass fabric interleaving shall be used in place of the PITTCOURSE™ 100 BDPC.
7.7.1 Apply a layer of surface cell filler powder directly over the leveling screed.
7.7.2 Apply a single layer of ceramic felt paper or glass fabric interleaving material as
specified in section 6.4, over the leveling cell filler powder. The joints of the
ceramic felt or glass fabric interleaving shall be butted.
7.7.3 Apply surface cell filler to one side of the FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation block to
be installed.
7.7.4 Carefully rotate the powdered face of the FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation block
face down and install over the interleaving layer. Repeat this process for the
remaining FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation block in the layer. Install all insulation
block with joints tightly butted.
7.7.5 Apply surface cell filler over the top surface of the installed FOAMGLAS® HLB
insulation blocks covering the entire layer.
7.7.6 Apply a single layer of ceramic felt paper or glass fabric interleaving material
over the leveling cell filler powder
7.7.7 Install another layer of FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation blocks as described in
sections 7.7.3 through 7.7.6 with ceramic felt or glass fabric interleaving applied
between each successive course of HLB block.
7.8 After the application of the final layer of FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation block is
completed, apply a final layer of the appropriate interleaving material (Sections
6.3 or 6.4) over the FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation block.
7.8.1 The interleaving in this top layer may be butted or overlapped up to six inches.
7.9 Before setting the tank or floor plates in place, apply a level of dry sand over the
insulation of sufficient thickness to match the contour of the tank floor plates.

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 6
7.9.1 The minimum thickness of the sand layer shall be 38 mm (1½ in.).
7.9.2 The sand layer shall be kept dry before the tank base is installed by covering
with a waterproof polyethylene slip-sheet.

8. Application for High Tanks

8.1 High tanks require even higher compressive strength insulation block to support
the inner tank contents. Tank wall loads are normally supported by a perimeter
ring made of lightweight insulating concrete, treated wood, or appropriate equal
(See Appendix A2 14.2 Figure 2).
8.2 Using the appropriate grade of FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation, apply the base
insulation as described in Section 7.
8.2.1 Metal jacketing shall be applied over the mastic coating with the joints.

9. Corner Protection Insulation Application

9.1 If specified, install FOAMGLAS® ONE™ insulation for corner protection on the
inside surface of the outer wall to a height of 1.8 m (6 ft.).
9.2 Apply sidewall insulation for to inner surface of the bottom of the outer tank wall
in double layer fashion. Using the specified adhesive, coat the face of the
FOAMGLAS® insulation block contacts the shell or the inner layer of blocks and
in the two sides that will butt to adjacent blocks. The adhesive also acts as a
butt edge joint vapor sealant.
9.3 Apply the insulation block to the outer tank wall using a rotary motion so that,
when pressed into position, the insulation block will form a completely vapor
sealed joint with adjacent blocks. All excess adhesive on the upper block surface
shall be removed before it has begun to set. Care shall be taken to completely
fill the intersection of joints along the edges of the blocks.
9.4 After the first layer of FOAMGLAS® insulation is installed, apply a second layer
of FOAMGLAS® insulation block using the technique outlined above. The joints
of the second layer of insulation should be offset by a distance of at least the
thickness of a single insulation layer from the joints of the first layer of
insulation.
9.5 Install the base insulation at the corner using the same procedures followed
when installing the tank base insulation. Seal the outer edges of the corner
protection block (between the wall and base insulation and between the base
insulation and the concrete beam) using the specified insulation adhesive.
9.6 Seal the top of the sidewall corner protection insulation with the specified
insulation adhesive.

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 7
10. Inspection
10.1 The general contractor, insulation contractor and owner shall provide sufficient
inspection during the insulation and finish application. Continuous inspection of
the application is not to be considered a responsibility of Pittsburgh Corning
LLC. Pittsburgh Corning LLC recommends the use of certified mechanical
insulation inspectors who maintain current certification through recognized
industry certification agencies such as the National Insulation Association (NIA),
the British Columbia Insulation Contractors Association, CINI, or another agency
having appropriate jurisdiction throughout the project.

10.2 Inspect all insulation and accessory materials to be certain they are applied in
conformance with the specification recommendations. Joints must be tight,
sealing and flashing must be thorough and water-tight, and finishes must be
uniform and free of defects.

11. Quality Assurance

11.1 The insulation manufacturer’s quality system including its implementation, shall
meet the requirements of ISO 9001:2015. The manufacturer will furnish
evidence of compliance with the quality system requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

12. Certificates
12.1 The manufacturer will furnish evidence of compliance with the quality system
requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

13. Product Data Sheets

13.1 Product data sheets for Pittsburgh Corning LLC products may be accessed
online at: http://www.foamglas.com/. The following are Pittsburgh Corning
LLC products referenced in this specification:
13.1.1 FOAMGLAS® ONETM Insulation
13.1.2 FOAMGLAS® HLB Insulation
13.1.3 PITTCOURSE™ 100 DPC
13.1.4 PITTCOTE® TB Primer
13.1.5 PC® 85 POWDER
13.1.6 Hydrocal® B 11
13.1.7 PC® 88 adhesive
13.1.8 PC® 99 2K adhesive

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 8
14. Appendix A: Technical Drawings 2
14.1 Appendix A1 Figure 1: Low Tanks

1 Outer tank wall 6 Slip layer

2 Levelling screed 7 Separation layer
3 FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation 8 Inner tank bottom
4 Concrete ring beam 9 Inner tank wall
5 Approved interleaving layer

2
NOTE: The sketches only outline the general principle of the connection between bottom and wall insulation. The design engineer should
prepare in each case the appropriate drawing.

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 9
14.2 Appendix A2 Figure 2: High Tanks

Emergency complementary
1 Concrete or metal base 9
protection (optional)
2 Concrete or metal outside tank wall (optional) 10 Concrete slab
3 Levelling screed 11 Inner tank bottom
4 Lightweight concrete ring beam 12 Inner tank wall
FOAMGLAS® tank wall corner
5 FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation 13
protection insulation
6 Approved interleaving layer 14 Adhesive
7 Slip layer 15 Optional finish
8 Fine dry sand (optional) 16 Slip Layer

15. Appendix B: Other Product Manufacturers

15.1 Ceramic felt paper 3 mm (⅛ in.) thick such as Lytherm® 550-LJ Paper as
manufactured by Lydall Inc. One Colonial Road P.O. Box 151 Manchester,
Connecticut 06045-0151 Telephone: +1 860 646 1233 Fax: +1 860 646 8847
www.lydallthermal.com
15.2 Loomstate “Marine” type E woven glass fabric, 0.35 mm ( 14 mil) thick such as
Temtex™ 420/LS supplied by Temati. P.O. Box 1005 1940 EA Beverwijk The
Netherlands www.temati.com Telephone: +31 251 22 91 72 Fax: +31 251 21 23
80

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 10
16. Additional Information
Questions regarding this specification should be directed to:

Pittsburgh Corning LLC

One Owens Corning Parkway
Toledo, OH 43659 U.S.A.

For electronic Sales and Technical Service inquiries,

please visit www.foamglas.com

To contact by phone:
Industrial & Commercial Sales
Americas
+1 724 327 6100
+1 800 327 6126
Asia-Pacific
Singapore: +65 9635 9184
China: +86 (0) 21 6101 7179
Japan: +81 3 6365 4307
Europe, Middle East & Africa
+32 13 661 721

Technical Services, Global installation training, Job-start training support:

Americas & Asia Pacific

+1 800 327 6126
foamglastechnical@owenscorning.com
Europe, Middle East & Africa
+32 13 611 468
industry.tech@owenscorning.com

©2023 Owens Corning. All Rights Reserved. ©2023 Pittsburgh Corning LLC. All
Rights Reserved.

This specification is subject to revision without notice. Contact Owens Corning Sales LLC for current revision
data before using the product. This specification is offered as a guide for the purpose described herein and
should be employed at the discretion of the user. No warranty of procedures, either expressed or implied, is
intended. The final application procedure is the responsibility of the project designer and/or owner. This
specification has been prepared by Owens Corning Sales LLC using generally accepted and appropriate
technical information, but it is not intended to be solely relied upon for specific design or technical applications.
Having no control over the elements of design, installation, workmanship or site conditions, Owens Corning
Sales LLC assumes that persons trained and qualified in the appropriate disciplines will make the actual design
choices and installation. Therefore, Owens Corning Sales LLC disclaims all liability potentially arising from the
use or misuse of this specification.

FOAMGLAS® Insulation Application Specification

Application of FOAMGLAS® Insulation to the Base of Cryogenic Liquid Storage Tanks
© 2023 PITTSBURGH CORNING LLC 11