Variation of Thermal Conductivity of Polystyrene Insulation Material Under Different Operating Temperatures and Moisture Contents

Abstract

Utilizing thermal insulation in the building envelope, in harsh climates, will considerably reduce the heat gain through the envelope of the building and consequently its energy consumption. The performance of thermal insulation material is mainly determined by its thermal conductivity (k), which describes the ability of heat to flow cross the material in presence of gradient of temperature. In practice, the k-value is normally evaluated at 24°C (i.e., k24) according to relevant ASTM standards. Actually, the thermal insulation materials when used in building envelope are exposed to significant and continuous temperature change. Moreover, the material moisture content, which is influenced by the ambient humidity level, may significantly affect the k-value of the insulation material. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of the operating temperature and the moisture content on the thermal conductivity of various densities of polystyrene insulation material, which is widely used in Oman under hot-humid climate. Keywords—component, formatting, style, styling, insert (key words)