Research on thermal conductivity of vacuum insulating materials

Abstract

The main purpose of thermal insulating materials is to save heat inside the buildings. Thermal conductivity of current thermal insulating materials ranges of 0.026 W/(m·K) to 0.040 W/(m·K). The main thermal insulating materials are mineral wool, expanded or extruded polystyrene and polyurethane foam. Thermal conductivity of these materials can be reduced about 10 % due to different technological factors. Essentially new group of thermal insulating materials is vacuum insulating materials also known as vacuum insulating panels (VIP). VIPs can save five to ten times more heat energy than traditional thermal insulating materials. Thermal conductivity of these materials can achieve 0.004 W/(m·K). In the present paper the research of thermal conductivity of VIPs is presented. Different gas barriers, vacuum pressure and core constructions are tested.