Vacuum Insulation Panels Research Articles

Research on the design and thermal performance of vacuum insulation panel composite insulation materials

This study introduces a novel design methodology for composite insulation material aimed at reducing the operational energy consumption of buildings. Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) are recognized for their excellent insulating properties due to their vacuum-sealed nature that minimizes thermal transmittance. However, VIPs are susceptible to damage from temperature stress and abrasion, which can compromise vacuum integrity and degrade performance over time. To mitigate this, a protective layer of rock wool board is adhered to the exterior of the VIP to create a composite insulation material. The thermal conductivity characteristics of the composite insulation materials are experimentally measured and then corroborated with simulations using ANSYS software to affirm the precision of finite element analysis methods. A composite Insulation wall model is constructed using ANSYS to analyze the impact of varying the thickness of the composite insulation materials and the pressure within the VIP on thermal performance. The findings demonstrate that the thermal transmittance coefficient of the composite insulated wall diminishes with increased insulation material thickness and rises with increased pressure within the VIP. Additionally, rock wool boards significantly enhance the durability of the composite insulation material.

Historical Evolution and Current Developments in Building Thermal Insulation Materials—A Review

The European Climate Law mandates a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030, intending to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. To meet these targets, there is a strong focus on reducing energy consumption in buildings, particularly for heating and cooling, which are the primary drivers of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the demand for energy-efficient and sustainable buildings is increasing, and thermal insulation plays a crucial role in minimizing energy consumption for both winter heating and summer cooling. This review explores the historical development of thermal insulation materials, beginning with natural options such as straw, wool, and clay, progressing to materials like cork, asbestos, and mineral wool, and culminating in synthetic insulators such as fiberglass and polystyrene. The review also examines innovative materials like polyurethane foam, vacuum insulation panels, and cement foams enhanced with phase change materials. Additionally, it highlights the renewed interest in environmentally friendly materials like cellulose, hemp, and sheep wool. The current challenges in developing sustainable, high-performance building solutions are discussed, including the implementation of the 6R principles for insulating materials. Finally, the review not only traces the historical evolution of insulation materials but also provides various classifications and summarizes emerging aspects in the field.

Natural fibers as promising core materials of vacuum insulation panels

To reduce energy consumption in buildings, this paper investigates the feasibility of using natural fibers as cost-effective, environmentally sustainable core materials for vacuum insulation panels (VIPs). First, a comprehensive experimental study was conducted for 10 potential natural fiber candidates. The thermal conductivities of the 10 natural fiber mats at various vacuum pressures were measured; their compression and morphology properties were quantified. In addition, an analytical model was used to explore the major factors that influence the thermal conductivity of natural fibers as a function of internal air pressure. Results show that recycled cotton, kapok, and bamboo fibers are ideal candidates for VIP core materials; at <0.05 Pa, their thermal conductivities varied between 2 and 4 mW/(m⋅K). Furthermore, for some fibers, thermal conductivity was inversely proportional to fiber density. For the selection of fiber materials for VIP cores, the ideal fiber candidate has a small fiber diameter and a low fiber mat density. Based on thermal measurements, even though the internal air pressure of 5 Pa was enough to attain the minimum thermal conductivity, obtaining internal air pressure below 5 Pa is recommended for prolonged service life, considering small leaks of VIP package barrier films and potential off-gassing from fibers. The simulation results predicting the effective thermal conductivities matched the experimental results well. These findings indicate that natural fiber–based VIPs have the potential to be a sustainable, inexpensive alternative to the current technologies in building insulation materials.

Vacuum Insulation Panel Production with Ultralow Thermal Conductivity—A Review

Vacuum Insulation Panel Production with Ultralow Thermal Conductivity—A Review

Sustainability challenges and solutions in medical laboratory equipment manufacturing

Background: Ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers are vital for storing biological samples in medical labs, but they have high energy demands and significant environmental impacts. This study investigates the energy efficiency, environmental footprint, and performance of different ULT freezer models. Methodology: A lifecycle assessment (LCA) was performed on five ULT freezers to evaluate global warming potential (GWP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), and energy consumption. Key performance metrics, including compressor efficiency, thermal stability, and material recyclability, were assessed under various operating conditions. Real-time data was collected over 30 days. Results: Freezers with variable-speed compressors exhibited up to 25% lower energy consumption than those with fixed-speed systems. Freezers using low-GWP refrigerants, such as CO₂, reduced total CO₂ emissions by up to 30% over a 10-year lifespan. Models incorporating advanced insulation materials, like vacuum-insulated panels (VIPs), showed improved thermal stability and reduced heat rejection, leading to lower cooling loads. Conclusion: Adopting advanced compressor technologies, low-GWP refrigerants, and high-performance insulation materials in ULT freezers can significantly reduce energy use and environmental impact. These innovations are crucial for sustainable medical laboratory operations, balancing performance with environmental responsibility.

Research on thermal insulation performance and application simulation of high-temperature vacuum insulation panel

Research on thermal insulation performance and application simulation of high-temperature vacuum insulation panel

Acoustical properties of the new sandwich structures for aircraft cabin interiors with integrated vacuum insulation

AbstractAny modern passenger aircraft must provide a high level of comfort for passengers who spend considerable time inside the cabin. The cabin's climate and interior noise levels contribute to this comfort. Vacuum insulation panels (VIP) have been explored as insulation materials to improve these factors due to their extremely low thermal conductivity. When integrating VIPs into the aircraft cabin's interior, it was discovered that the thermal conductivity of the entire sandwich structure was 3–6 times lower than conventional structures. This finding has generated much interest in using VIPs for aircraft cabin insulation. This article delves into the acoustic properties of these new structures featuring integrated VIPs. Tests were carried out to analyze the sound insulation capabilities of these structures. The results showed that the new interior structures exhibited promising acoustic properties.

Double envelope vacuum insulation panel to contribute to the long-term thermal insulation performance

Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) have a potential to be used for retrofitting thermal insulation to existing buildings from the viewpoint of low thermal conductivity, small thickness, and light weight. However, in order to realize vacuum insulation panels applicable to building thermal insulation, it is necessary to overcome the challenge of maintaining the low pressure at which high thermal insulation performance can be achieved for several decades. The authors propose double envelope VIPs to maintain this long-term high thermal insulation performance. The double envelope VIP is fabricated by creating a single envelope VIP, wrapping the VIP with core materials, and then inserting it into the envelope for vacuum sealing. By applying the double envelope VIPs, the pressure difference and the permeation of gas in the inner VIP can be drastically reduced, resulting in a longer VIP lifetime. In this paper, the gas permeabilities of the gas barrier envelopes are experimentally estimated. Then, the pressure ageing in the double envelope VIP is calculated. The inner pressure of double envelope VIP after 50 years is 5.4 Pa for the envelope of aluminium composite film, indicating that low pressure can be maintained long-term. Next, the authors carry out accelerated test, in which the double envelope VIPs are placed in a chamber at 80oC and removed every two weeks to measure the effective thermal conductivity. Even after 141 weeks, one sample with a getter agent on the inside and a desiccant agent on the outside indicates only 10.5 % decrease in the thermal resistance. From this result, the long-term high thermal insulation performance can be obtained by fabricating double envelope VIPs.

New robust multi-criteria decision-making framework for thermal insulation of buildings under conflicting stakeholder interests

The choice of thermal insulation technology for existing building retrofit can be a complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem characterized by multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests. The conflicting interests of the building owners and the policymakers could negatively influence the adoption of low-carbon energy retrofit measures by building possessors, slowing down the progress toward sustainable development. The investigation of this issue is, therefore, crucial to support more informed decisions and offer policymakers useful insights to develop future economic incentives for energy refurbishment of buildings. Most of the existing MCDM studies on the subject do not emphasize the differences among different stakeholders nor consider the outcomes' robustness. To overcome this gap, this paper integrates multi-stakeholder analyses and robustness assessments to provide broad-spectrum and reliable results. An innovative robust MCDM framework for building thermal insulation under conflicting stakeholder interests is proposed and tested on a real case study building (located in Southern Italy) using building dynamic energy simulation. Several alternatives of thermal insulation are evaluated under environmental, energy, and economic key performance indicators (KPIs). The Analytic Hierarchy Process is used to define criteria weights for conflicting decision-makers representing collectivity (policymakers) and private interests. TOPSIS, VIKOR, WASPAS, and MULTIMOORA methods are integrated to perform initial rankings of the alternatives. A rank similarity analysis is performed to evaluate the consensus between MCDM methods, and an ensemble ranking is obtained for each decision-maker using an approach based on the half-quadratic theory. A Confidence Index and a Trust Level are used to evaluate the agreement among the MCDM approaches, verifying the reliability of the final ensemble ranking. The robustness of the framework is attained by complying with well-established literature guidance. The hybrid MCDM analysis showed that porous materials like expanded clay and expanded perlite lead to better results under the KPIs investigated. The worst performances are attained by vacuum insulation panels and aerogel, mainly due to high values of embodied CO2 emissions and long payback periods. Insights upon the performance of different thermal insulating alternatives are also highlighted by the study and a stakeholder comparative analysis demonstrates that global rankings obtained for the different decision-makers show some similarities, but also important deviations, and a full compromise solution is not achieved.

폐냉장고의 진공단열재 재제조 사례연구와 탄소 감축 잠재량 산정

This study investigates the current processes and technologies for remanufacturing vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) recovered from end-of-life refrigerators, with a focus on making them reusable. The potential industrial applications of these re-VIPs in the building and cold chain sectors are also explored. Based on the above remanufacturing process information, the carbon reduction potential through the reuse of VIPs was assessed using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The study concluded that VIPs intended for reuse are most suitable for the cold chain sector. Additionally, it was estimated that assuming 15,600 VIP refrigerators are processed annually at one recycling centers, approximately 32 tons of VIPs can be reused, potentially reducing carbon emissions by −94,282 kg CO2-eq.

Functionalising kapok fibre with lignin to enhance the structural and thermal performance of vacuum insulation panels

Kapok fibre has the advantage of low density, low porosity and low thermal conductivity, which make it an excellent substitute for fumed silica and environmentally-unfriendly synthetic polymers as core material of vacuum insulation panels (VIP). However, kapok fibre is hydrophobic, consequently, kapok fibre core materials made by conventional wet forming with weakly-bound fibres and large voids that shorten their service life. Lignin is a natural and sustainable material that has good hydrophilicity and small particle size to form nano-porous networks. Therefore, we herein present the incorporation of lignin in kapok fibre to generate a composite core material with hierarchical porous structure. Lignin functionalises the kapok fibre surface to make it hydrophilic and dispersible in water. Simultaneously, lignin enhances the mechanical properties and service life of core material by transforming its internal microstructure. The effective thermal conductivity of prepared VIP is below 6.00 mW/(m∙K), and after 28 days of accelerated ageing test without desiccant or getter, the effective thermal conductivity increases less than 5.00 mW/(m∙K). Interestingly, the addition of lignin also reduces radiative heat transfer in the VIP. So, lignin addition enables high-performance VIP to be produced. Moreover, as a natural material, kapok fibre is low-cost, environmentally-friendly, sustainable, and energy-efficient.

Experimental and theoretical thermal performance analysis of additively manufactured polymer vacuum insulation panels

Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) are characterized by low thermal conductivity, which makes them attractive for applications in buildings, refrigerators, and cold chain logistics. The study of new technologies to manufacture VIPs has grown considerably in recent years. This work presents a feasibility analysis of additive manufacturing technique to manufacture polymer VIPs. The 3D printable multilayered VIPs, in which several interlayers are utilized to suppress gas conduction and thermal radiation, are designed and then manufactured using a commercial fused deposition modeling 3D printer. The effective thermal conductivity of the 3D printed VIPs is evaluated at various vacuum levels (1 atm, 10,000 Pa, 1000 Pa, 100 Pa and 10 Pa) using the standard test method (ASTM C518). Additionally, an analytical model and numerical simulation are performed to analyze heat transfer in these 3D printed VIPs and optimize the VIP design. The experimental results show that an effective thermal conductivity of 0.0155 W/m/K is achieved for the 3D printed VIP with 8 solid interlayers at 10 Pa, which is about 60 % of the thermal conductivity of air at 1 atm pressure. It is also found that there exists an optimal number of interlayers in the multilayered VIPs when its pressure is >1000 Pa. At lower pressures, the effective thermal conductivity of the multilayered VIPs decreases monotonically with increasing number of interlayers. This work is the first one to employ 3D printing techniques to manufacture polymer VIPs, and it is expected to offer a pathway for wider adoptions of VIPs due to its advantage low cost and high manufacturing flexibility.

Evaluating novel building products through a building design-oriented LCA approach: Example of VIPs in terrace applications

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The construction industry is considered conservative in adopting new products/technologies, and environmental characteristics are one of the most important features of novel solutions. In this context, our study aims to present a building design-oriented assessment of a novel building product by extending the functional unit scope and involving multiple realistic building design scenarios. The task will be performed using the example of vacuum insulation panels (VIPs), a superinsulation product that can be used in various building applications. The study will focus on terrace insulation applications, where VIPs are an attractive solution for building designers due to the possibility of barrier-free floor design. However, they lack environmental evaluation. METHOD: A life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis is performed on two hypothetical buildings located in Ljubljana (Slovenia) for the cradle-to-gate and operational energy life cycle stages (A1-A3 + B6 according to EN 15978). A whole-year dynamic thermal response simulation was executed using the Design Builder software. Five barrier-free terrace design scenarios that influence the embodied and operational carbon footprint (while maintaining the functional and architectural integrity of the building design) were examined. RESULTS: The study showed that although EPS insulation showed a smaller embodied carbon footprint on the product level, the building level analysis showed that using VIPs in terrace applications leads to favourable or comparable environmental impact. CONCLUSIONS: Building products can be evaluated on three functional unit levels: product, application and building. By extending the boundaries from the product/application level to the entire building level, the study provides an example of a building design-oriented approach to LCA. The complexity increases by upgrading the functional unit scope to the building level, while the results become more case-specific and less general. Ideally, a novel building product should show environmental superiority on all three levels. However, as there are almost countless design possibilities in buildings, environmental superiority (or inferiority) on the product level does not necessarily indicate superiority (or inferiority) on the building level.

Energy efficiency in architecture: Strategies and technologies

Energy efficiency in architecture is a critical consideration in the design and construction of buildings, aiming to reduce energy consumption and minimize environmental impact. This abstract explores various strategies and technologies that can be implemented to enhance energy efficiency in architecture. The importance of energy efficiency in architecture lies in its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy costs, and create healthier indoor environments. Achieving energy efficiency in architecture involves a combination of passive design strategies, such as orientation, shading, and natural ventilation, as well as active technologies, including high-performance insulation, energy-efficient lighting, and renewable energy systems. Passive design strategies are fundamental to energy-efficient architecture, utilizing the natural elements of sunlight, shade, and airflow to minimize the need for mechanical heating, cooling, and lighting. Proper building orientation, effective shading devices, and strategic placement of windows and openings can maximize natural light and ventilation, reducing the reliance on artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation systems. In addition to passive design strategies, active technologies play a crucial role in enhancing energy efficiency in architecture. High-performance insulation materials, such as aerogel and vacuum insulation panels, can significantly reduce heat loss and gain through building envelopes, improving thermal comfort and reducing energy consumption. Energy-efficient lighting systems, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and daylight harvesting systems, can reduce electricity usage for lighting, while renewable energy systems, such as solar photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, can generate clean energy on-site, further reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Overall, energy efficiency in architecture requires a holistic approach that considers both passive design strategies and active technologies. By incorporating these strategies and technologies into building design and construction, architects and designers can create buildings that are not only environmentally sustainable but also comfortable, healthy, and cost-effective for occupants.

Investigating Advanced Building Envelopes for Energy Efficiency in Prefab Temporary Post-Disaster Housing

Prefabricated temporary buildings are a promising solution for post-disaster scenarios for their modularity, sustainability and transportation advantages. However, their low thermal mass building envelope shows a fast response to heat flux excitations. This leads to the risk of not meeting the occupant comfort and HVAC energy-saving requirements. The literature shows different measures implementable in opaque surfaces, like vacuum insulation panels (VIPs), phase change materials (PCMs) and switchable coatings, and in transparent surfaces (switchable glazing) to mitigate thermal issues, like overheating, while preserving the limited available internal space. This paper investigates the energy and overheating performance of the mentioned interventions by using building performance simulation tools to assess their effectiveness. The optimization also looks at the transportation flexibility of each intervention to better support the decision maker for manufacturing innovative temporary units. The most energy-efficient measures turn to be VIPs as a better energy solution for winter and PCMs as a better thermal comfort solution for summer.

Development of a vacuum insulation panel detection system for end-of-life refrigerators in Korea: a practical approach

Development of a vacuum insulation panel detection system for end-of-life refrigerators in Korea: a practical approach

Thermal analysis of aerogels and their vacuum-formed forms, their potential uses, and their effects on the environment

The main topic of the paper is to investigate the thermal examination of aerogels and their vacuumed forms, application possibilities, and environmental impact. In the paper, the thermal conductivity of homemade vacuum insulation panels was tested with different silica-based core materials. Three types of fibrous aerogel materials were used as core materials; another silica-based microporous insulation was used as a filling material. Microscopic images were taken from the core materials; furthermore, the thermal conductivities of both base materials and their vacuumed form were also tested at different mean temperatures (0, 10 and 20 °C). The results regarding the applicability of these materials as filling-core materials for vacuum insulation panels are interesting. The results showed that for microtherm and pyrogel, the thermal conductivities decreased more than 15%, while for the spaceloft and slentex it was about 8 and 2%, respectively, after evacuating the air. The paper also presents compressibility changes of the samples after vacuumization. The results were used as a basis for building energetic calculations; furthermore, the comparison of different materials from their carbon footprint point of view was also presented. These calculations depicted aerogel's very long payback time with a current market price.

Tree waste based advanced thermal insulation – Vacuum insulation panels – For application at up to 70 °C

Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs), despite being the best performing thermal insulation, face the challenges of high cost and environmental concerns associated with the core material, which typically consists of fumed silica (FS) or glass fibres. This study experimentally assessed the suitability of two novel core materials, which were generated from waste tree-based natural fibres (TNF), as potential substitutes for the expensive and widely used fumed silica. A series of composite samples were developed by mechanically mixing TNFs with FS and compressed to manufacture cores (150 mm × 150 mm). Samples were investigated for their radiative, gaseous and solid conductivities using extensive experimental techniques to identify the most cost-effective core composite for VIPs exposed to temperatures up to 70 °C. The spectral extinction coefficient of TNFs was determined by the use of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and results indicated that TNFs exhibited a greater spectral extinction coefficient compared to fumed silica within the short infrared wavelength range of 2.5–7.5 μm. The radiative conductivity of fumed silica at a temperature of 70 °C was determined to be 3.33 mWm−1K−1, whereas the radiative conductivity of TNF composites varied between 0.53 mWm−1K−1and 0.39 mWm−1K−1. The VIP sample, which consisted of 100% FS material, had a thermal conductivity 7.84 mWm−1K−1 when measured at an average temperature of 20 °C. The observed value exhibited a substantial increase with the rise in temperature, reaching 11.58 mWm−1K−1 at a temperature of 70 °C. VIP containing 30 % tree-based natural fibre had the lowest thermal conductivity of 6.75 mWm−1K−1 and 8.28 mWm−1K−1 at 20 °C and 70 °C, respectively, among all composites studied. For this sample, VIP core material cost decreased from £3.46 kg−1 per R-value (100% FS) to £2.19 kg−1 per R-value at 20 °C. The study has concluded that a content of 30% of TNF is optimum for FS cores to deliver the most cost-effective VIP.

System multi-scale analysis of temperature control for spaceborne electronic devices

&lt;sec&gt;To improve the simulation resolution and accuracy in thermal analysis of spaceborne electronic devices and the temperature control performance of passive thermal control devices, a system multi-scale model is established, thereby obtaining the temperature field and heat flux of electronic devices inside the satellite on different scales as illustrated in the below figure. The temperature fluctuation mechanism inside the satellite is analyzed on different physical scales. The thermal analysis resolution of spaceborne electronic equipment is improved, and a method to reduce the power fluctuation of spaceborne equipment is proposed based on the results of system multi-scale thermal analysis.&lt;/sec&gt;&lt;sec&gt;The results indicate that the accuracy deviation between the multi-scale model of the system and the actual model is less than 9%. However, the system multi-scale model saves 99.67% of the mesh generation time, which greatly improves the computation efficiency. The system multi-scale model can capture the thermal information about device-level chip microstructures at a lower computational cost. The system-level model can evaluate the temperature control and insulation performance of passive thermal control materials on a macroscale. The temperature fluctuation amplitude of the platform compartment is 7.95 K, while the temperature fluctuation amplitude of the load compartment decreases to 2.43 K after the temperature of the composite phase change insulation material has been controlled, which is 69.43% lower than that of the platform compartment. Compared with traditional vacuum insulation panels, the composite phase change materials are very superior in controlling the temperature of the chamber and suppressing temperature fluctuations. The temperature fluctuation signal after being insulated by the composite phase change insulation materials shows a characteristic of shifting to the high-frequency domain. After selecting the cabins that require key insulation and temperature control through multiple regression analysis, a simplified model at device level is employed to obtain temperature fields under different thermal control device layouts as a training dataset. A neural network genetic algorithm is used to predict the optimal installation position of passive thermal control device on the device scale and a thermal control layout scheme is obtained, which reduces the maximum temperature fluctuation of the device by 2.74 K. If the temperature uniformity coefficient is taken as the optimization goal, the temperature of each device on PCB board can be reduced to 14.39% of the average temperature of all devices through optimizations.&lt;/sec&gt;

Research and Application Progress of Insulation Materials in Cold Chain Logistics

In cold chain logistics equipment, the role of insulation materials is very important. With the continuous development of cold chain logistics, the requirements for insulation materials are getting higher and higher, and future insulation materials need to be more energy-saving and environmentally friendly. This paper introduces the development of cold chain logistics and the insulation materials commonly used in cold chain logistics, which include extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), polyurethane foam (PU), vacuum insulation panels (VIP), and aerogel materials. The performance of these insulation materials and their applications in cold chain logistics are also summarized. In addition, the future development direction of thermal insulation materials is envisioned to promote the sustainable development of the cold chain logistics industry.