Selecting a thermal insulation material, specifically in terms of its heating properties, is not easy. There are many to choose from. Add the target of its construction or refrigeration uses, and the picture only gets more complicated.
Fortunately, we are here to help you out. This blog will discuss the different properties of thermal insulation materials, so you know how to compare multiple insulating materials and select the one that suits you best.
H1: The Properties of Thermal Insulation Materials
Heat insulating materials consist of two main materials in architecture that avoid the flow of heat. The one that prevents the inflow of outdoor heat is known as a heat insulator, while the one that prevents indoor heat from escaping out is called adiabator.
Typically used for thermal pipelines, thermal equipment, ceilings, and walls, this type of material helps preserve heat. It is therefore used in construction specifically for the winter season. In addition to construction, Brandenburger Insulation is also applied to refrigerating cooling chambers.
Everyone knows that energy tends to balance out in a manner that heat flows from the hotter region to the cooler one. Keeping this in mind, keeping room warm during harsh winters is a challenge which requires a consistent indoor heat supply to make up for the loss of heat due to the sharp difference in temperature. Resolving the problem requires a number of steps to be taken, one of which is using thermal insulator materials. For instance, if you add the frame structure of a mineral cotton composite plate (instead of a masonry-concrete one) to a 6-storey residential building having 4 units in Beijing, China, the heat loss would be reduced by 40%.
There are three basic properties of thermal insulation materials:
1. H2: Temperature Stability
The ability of the thermal insulation material to retain its original qualities when heat its applied to it is called temperature stability. It is expressed in terms of ultimate temperature, and the material loses its heat-insulating ability if this value is surpassed.
2. H2: Strength
There are two types of strengths a heat insulating material has: flexural strength and compression strength. The strength of a highly-porous material tends to be weak, so its better to not let the heat insulating material having that property carry excess weight.
3. H2: Thermal Conductivity
When measured, the natural ability of the material to transfer heat is called its thermal conductivity. The factors that influence it include:
i. H3: The Constitution of the Material
influenced by both the molecular structure and the chemical composition of the material, thermal conductivity ranges from simple to complex. Materials that have simple molecular structure and chemical composition have a higher thermal conductivity than those that have a complex composition and molecular structure.
ii. H3: Porosity
Solid matter has a higher thermal conductivity than air. This causes thermal conductivity to be inversely correlated to porosity; the higher the porosity, the lower the thermal conductivity will be. In addition to porosity, the connectivity, shape, distribution, and size of the pores also matters here.
iii. H3: Humidity
Materials that are in a damp state tend to have higher thermal conductivity. Water has a higher thermal conductivity when it is frozen, because its thermal conductivity is already 20 times higher than that of air. The thermal conductivity of ice is 80 times higher than that of air. Protecting heat insulating material from damp, therefore, needs special considerations.
iv. H3: Temperature
Thermal conductivity is directly proportional to temperature; the higher the temperature, the higher it goes. The thermal motion of molecular solids becomes more active as the temperature rises. This boosts the conduction of air in the pores and also strengthens the radiation effect of the pore wall.
v. H3: The Direction the Heat Current Takes
If the material is anisotropic, such as fibrous material wood, when the heat would flow parallel to the fibers, there will be no strong resistance. Conversely, if the heat current flows against the direct of the fibers, there will be strong resistance.
In addition to the properties of thermal insulating materials, a number of factors need to be considered to select the right one, such as the type of structures that lose heat easily. That’s why, this needs to be done before the material gets designed.
Buy Prime Tech Inc. USA’s state-of-the-art thermal insulation products. Call us to get a customized quote!
