Thermal insulation material, preparation method thereof and household appliance

Abstract

The invention provides a thermal insulation material, a preparation method thereof and a household appliance. The thermal insulation material comprises a hard shell and dispersed organic fibers, and the hard shell is filled with the organic fibers. In the technical scheme provided by the invention, the hard shell can provide high-strength internal and external support for the thermal insulation material, and the dispersed organic fibers are used as a filling core material in the shell, so that the thermal insulation material has the beneficial effects of low heat conductivity, easiness in processing, cleanness and environmental protection, and the organic fibers are filled into the high-strength hard shell, so that the thermal insulation material has a good thermal insulation effect. The thermal insulation material with high strength and low heat conduction effect can be obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of thermal insulation materials technology, and in particular to a thermal insulation material, its preparation method, and a household appliance. Background Technology

[0002] Existing low thermal conductivity insulation materials typically use micro-nano composite structures as fillers. These are often prepared by stacking micro-nano structures to form a core material, which is then packaged in a membrane bag made of a polymer film. The membrane bag is then evacuated and sealed at high temperature using a polyethylene adhesive layer, resulting in a vacuum insulation material with a microporous structure.

[0003] However, the insulation material in this structure has low strength and cannot be directly used as a structural component in the final product. It requires composite rigid polyurethane foam and rigid structural components to improve processing strength and molding capability. Therefore, structural thermal bridges are unavoidable, increasing the overall thermal conductivity of the insulation material and reducing the product's insulation performance. Furthermore, the thickness and dimensions of this insulation structure are controlled by the overall strength of the core material and air pressure, making precise design impossible and increasing the difficulty of structural component design.

[0004] Currently, there are processes for infusing powdered micro / nano structures into the cavity of sealed components to create thermal insulation structures, which can reduce processing difficulty and minimize thermal bridging effects. However, thermal insulation materials made from powdered micro / nano structures have high thermal conductivity, making it difficult to meet thermal insulation requirements.

[0005] In summary, existing insulation materials that can be used directly have the problem of high thermal conductivity. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main objective of this invention is to propose a thermal insulation material, its preparation method, and a household appliance, aiming to solve the problem of high thermal conductivity in existing thermal insulation materials that can be used directly.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a thermal insulation material, the thermal insulation material comprising:

[0008] A rigid shell; and,

[0009] Dispersed organic fibers are filled into the rigid shell.

[0010] In one embodiment, the hardness of the rigid shell is greater than 60 HB.

[0011] In one embodiment, the material of the rigid shell includes a metallic material or a polymer material.

[0012] In one embodiment, the polymer material includes at least one selected from resin, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, and polytetrafluoroethylene; or,

[0013] The metallic material includes a single metal or a metal alloy.

[0014] In one embodiment, the organic fiber includes at least one of polypropylene fiber, polyethylene terephthalate fiber, and polyacrylonitrile fiber.

[0015] In one embodiment, the length of the organic fiber is 1 mm to 150 mm; and / or,

[0016] The fineness of the organic fiber is 0.1D to 3D.

[0017] In one embodiment, the inner cavity of the rigid housing is sealed, and the pressure inside the rigid housing is 0.1 Pa to 12 Pa.

[0018] In one embodiment, the moisture content of the dispersed organic fibers is 0 to 0.6%.

[0019] In one embodiment, the insulation material further includes two sealing elements. The rigid shell has a first opening and a second opening communicating with its internal cavity. The two sealing elements are respectively disposed at the first opening and the second opening to seal the internal cavity of the rigid shell.

[0020] The present invention also proposes a method for preparing the above-mentioned thermal insulation material, comprising the following steps:

[0021] A rigid shell and an organic fiber suspension are provided. The rigid shell has a first opening and a second opening in the vertical direction that communicate with its internal cavity. The first opening is located above the second opening. A filter structure is provided at the second opening. The filter pores of the filter structure are smaller than the organic fibers. The organic fiber suspension includes organic fibers and a liquid medium.

[0022] An organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening. After being filtered by the filter structure, the liquid medium flows out through the second opening to fill the rigid shell with the organic fiber, forming a thermal insulation material.

[0023] In one embodiment, the organic fiber suspension contains 0.05% to 0.5% by mass of the organic fiber.

[0024] In one embodiment, the step of introducing an organic fiber suspension into the inner cavity through the first opening, filtering it through the filter structure, and then allowing the liquid medium to flow out through the second opening to fill the rigid shell with the organic fibers to form a thermal insulation material includes:

[0025] The organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening, filtered by the filter structure, and then the liquid medium flows out through the second opening to fill the rigid shell with the organic fiber.

[0026] After filling is complete, the rigid shell is evacuated, and the first and second openings are sealed to form insulation material.

[0027] In one embodiment, the step of introducing the organic fiber suspension into the inner cavity through the first opening, filtering it through the filter structure, and then allowing the liquid medium to flow out through the second opening to fill the rigid shell with the organic fiber includes:

[0028] In the step of gradually filling, a portion of the organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening, and after being filtered by the filter structure, the liquid medium flows out of the second opening.

[0029] A step-by-step drying process involves introducing gas through the first opening to dry the organic fibers in the rigid shell.

[0030] The filling and drying steps are repeated cyclically until all the organic fibers in the organic fiber suspension are filled into the rigid shell.

[0031] In one embodiment, the step of sealing the first opening and the second opening after vacuuming the rigid shell following filling, to form the insulation material, includes:

[0032] After filling is complete, the filter structure located at the second opening is removed, and the filter structure is installed at the first opening. Gas is introduced through the second opening to inflate the organic fibers in the rigid shell.

[0033] After inflation is complete, the rigid shell is evacuated, and the first and second openings are sealed to form insulation material.

[0034] In one embodiment, the temperature of the gas is 70°C to 200°C; and / or,

[0035] The pressure of the gas is 0.3 MPa to 0.9 MPa.

[0036] The present invention also proposes a household appliance comprising the insulation material described above.

[0037] In one embodiment, the household appliance includes at least one of a refrigerator, a water heater, and an air conditioner.

[0038] In the technical solution provided by this invention, the rigid shell provides high-strength internal and external support for the insulation material. Organic fibers, as the filling core material within the rigid shell, offer advantages such as low thermal conductivity, ease of processing, and cleanliness and environmental friendliness. Therefore, by filling the high-strength rigid shell with organic fibers, an insulation material with both high strength and low thermal conductivity can be obtained. The organic fiber material is directly molded into the high-strength structure, avoiding the secondary packaging process of using film bags as packaging for vacuum insulation panels. Furthermore, since the overall structure of the insulation material provided in this application consists only of the internal filling material and the high-strength shell, the thermal bridging effect caused by gas gaps and redundant packaging materials is minimized, improving the overall thermal insulation capacity of the structural components. Therefore, the insulation material provided in this application can be used directly without further external packaging while having a lower thermal conductivity. Attached Figure Description

[0039] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the thermal insulation material provided by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the preparation method of the thermal insulation material provided by this invention;

[0042] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the step of filling organic fibers in one embodiment of the method for preparing thermal insulation material provided by the present invention;

[0043] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the vacuum sealing step in one embodiment of the method for preparing thermal insulation material provided by the present invention;

[0044] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the step-by-step drying process in one embodiment of the method for preparing thermal insulation material provided by the present invention;

[0045] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the inflation step in one embodiment of the method for preparing the thermal insulation material provided by the present invention.

[0046] 100. Thermal insulation material; 1. Rigid shell; 11. First opening; 12. Second opening; 2. Organic fiber; 3. Filter structure; 4. Air blowing device; 5. Sealing element; 6. Vacuum pump; a. Organic fiber suspension; b. Liquid medium.

[0047] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them.

[0049] It should be noted that, unless specific conditions are specified in the embodiments, conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer should be followed. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all commercially available products. Furthermore, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. In addition, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0050] Currently, existing insulation materials that can be used directly have the problem of high thermal conductivity.

[0051] In view of this, please refer to Figure 1 The present invention proposes a thermal insulation material 100, which includes a shell and dispersed organic fibers 2, wherein the dispersed organic fibers 2 are filled into the rigid shell 1.

[0052] It should be noted that the rigid shell 1 refers to a shell with high strength characteristics, made of a material that can withstand large pressure, impact and other external forces without easily deforming or being damaged, that is, it will not easily deform under internal and external pressure. The dispersed organic fibers 2 refer to organic fibers that are loose, dispersed and independent, and these dispersed organic fibers 2 have the characteristics of large inter-fiber distance and good overall uniformity.

[0053] In the technical solution provided by the present invention, the rigid shell 1 can provide high-strength internal and external support for the thermal insulation material 100. The organic fiber 2, as the filling core material in the rigid material shell, has the beneficial effects of low thermal conductivity, easy processing and clean and environmentally friendly. Therefore, by filling the high-strength rigid shell 1 with organic fiber 2, a thermal insulation material 100 with both high strength and low thermal conductivity can be obtained.

[0054] Organic fiber 2 material is directly molded into the high-strength structure, avoiding the secondary packaging process of ordinary vacuum insulation panels using film bags. Furthermore, since the overall structure of the insulation material 100 provided in this application consists only of internal filling material and a high-strength shell, the thermal bridging effect caused by gas gaps and redundant packaging material is minimized, thus improving the overall thermal insulation capacity of the structural components. Therefore, the insulation material 100 provided in this application can be used directly without further outer packaging and has a lower thermal conductivity.

[0055] In some embodiments, the rigid shell 1 has a hardness greater than 60 HB. When the hardness of the rigid shell 1 is greater than 60 HB, it not only allows for vacuuming the interior of the shell to maintain its internal space when necessary, but also prevents the internal space from being compressed when the shell is subjected to external pressure. Furthermore, the introduction of pressurized gas into the shell does not alter its structure or external state. Therefore, the rigid shell 1 can provide high-strength internal and external support for the insulation material 100 during its preparation and application.

[0056] The selection of the shell material is preferably based on a material that can maintain the structure and shape of the shell throughout the production and use of the insulation material 100. Therefore, in some embodiments of this application, the material of the rigid shell 1 includes metallic or polymeric materials. Metallic materials have excellent tensile and compressive strength, and can withstand greater external pressure and impact. Rigid shells 1 made of metallic materials have good rigidity, are not easily deformed, and can provide stable protection for the interior. In addition, the strength of metallic materials usually does not decrease significantly in high-temperature environments, thus making them suitable for high-temperature working environments. Polymeric materials generally have a lower thermal conductivity than metallic materials. Using rigid polymer materials to prepare the rigid shell 1 can reduce the thermal conductivity of the resulting insulation material 100. It should be noted that this application does not limit the use of only the above-mentioned materials to prepare the rigid shell 1; other materials can also be used.

[0057] Furthermore, the polymer material includes at least one of resin, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The resin material is a material with high hardness and strength; using it to prepare the rigid shell 1 can effectively protect the internal materials of the shell from external forces, and it also has the advantages of easy processing and strong corrosion resistance. Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, also known as ABS resin, combines the impact resistance of butadiene with the rigidity and chemical corrosion resistance of acrylonitrile, thus the ABS shell has high strength and good toughness. PTFE is a material with extremely high chemical stability, capable of long-term stable use in various harsh environments such as strong acids and alkalis; therefore, the rigid shell 1 made from it has strong corrosion resistance, and PTFE has low surface tension, so the shell does not adhere to many chemicals.

[0058] Furthermore, the metallic material includes a single metal or a metal alloy. High-strength single metals can be iron, copper, etc., while metal alloys can be steel, aluminum alloys, copper alloys, magnesium alloys, titanium alloys, etc. Metallic materials have the advantages of high strength and hardness, enabling them to withstand high-intensity pressure and wear.

[0059] Furthermore, the organic fiber 2 can be of a type with a low intrinsic thermal conductivity to further reduce the thermal conductivity of the insulation material 100. Therefore, in some embodiments, the organic fiber 2 includes at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyacrylonitrile. The aforementioned organic fiber 2 material not only possesses good heat resistance and low thermal conductivity, but also maintains good thermal stability during the preparation of the insulation material 100. In addition, it exhibits excellent mechanical properties, and the fibers are not easily broken.

[0060] The organic fiber 2 has a length of 1mm to 150mm. In this application, the organic fiber 2 can be divided into long filament fibers, short fibers, and ultra-short fibers according to their length. Long fibers refer to fibers with a length greater than 150mm, short fibers refer to fibers with a length between 25 and 150mm, and ultra-short fibers refer to fibers with a length between 1 and 25mm. If the fiber length is too short, the dispersed fibers will cause the overlapping structure to collapse, making it difficult to distribute evenly within the shell. The overlapping structure refers to the structure formed by the mutual contact and interweaving between fibers. This structure plays a supporting and load-transferring role in the fiber material. When the fiber length is too short, the number of overlapping points between fibers will decrease, and the stability of the overlapping structure will decrease. This unstable overlapping structure is prone to collapse, reducing the stability of the fibers within the shell. If the fiber length is too long, the dispersed fibers will cause the overlapping structure to collapse, making it difficult to distribute evenly within the shell. If the fiber length is too short, too many gaps or irregular structures will be formed, thereby reducing the density and compactness of the material. During fiber splicing, excessively long fibers are more prone to forming defective structures, such as loose overlaps or misalignments, which reduce the overall performance and stability of the material. Furthermore, excessively long fibers can lead to uneven dispersion during filling or dispersing. Therefore, a length of 1mm to 150mm for the organic fiber 2 ensures good dispersion uniformity and high stability after fiber filling. Preferably, a length of 1mm to 25mm for the organic fiber 2 further improves the dispersion uniformity and stability after fiber filling.

[0061] The fineness of the organic fiber 2 is 0.1D to 3D. Within a certain range, the finer the fiber, the larger its specific surface area, and the corresponding increase in the contact area between fibers, which is beneficial for forming a tighter and stronger overlapping structure. Furthermore, finer fibers are easier to disperse uniformly in the material, reducing agglomeration and void formation, thereby improving the overall uniformity of the dispersed organic fiber 2. However, excessively fine organic fibers 2 are more susceptible to mechanical damage during dispersion, such as breakage or wear, and due to their small size and light weight, may lead to uneven dispersion in the material. Therefore, the fineness of the organic fiber 2 is 0.1D to 3D, which enables the organic fiber 2 to disperse uniformly and with good stability during the dispersion process. Preferably, the length of the organic fiber 2 is 0.3D to 2D, which can further improve the dispersion uniformity and stability after fiber filling. More preferably, the length of the organic fiber 2 is 0.4D to 1D, which can further improve the dispersion uniformity and stability after fiber filling.

[0062] Furthermore, the inner cavity of the rigid shell 1 is sealed, and the pressure inside the rigid shell 1 is 0.1 Pa to 12 Pa. Specifically, the pressure inside the rigid shell 1 can be 0.1 Pa, 0.2 Pa, 0.4 Pa, 0.6 Pa, 0.8 Pa, 10 Pa, 12 Pa, etc. With this configuration, the inner cavity of the shell is in a vacuum state, with a very small number of gas molecules. Therefore, the frequency and intensity of collisions between gas molecules, between gas molecules and the inner cavity wall, and between gas molecules and the organic fiber 2 material are relatively reduced, thereby reducing heat transfer and improving the insulation effect. Moreover, since the rigid shell 1 will not deform due to certain internal pressure changes, this operation can reduce the number of gas molecules in the inner cavity of the shell without changing the internal space, thereby improving the thermal insulation performance.

[0063] Furthermore, the moisture content of the dispersed organic fibers 2 is 0-0.6%. Moisture within the organic fiber 2 material forms thermal bridges, making heat transfer easier and thus reducing the insulation effect. Therefore, when the moisture content of the dispersed organic fibers 2 is 0-0.6%, the insulation effect of the insulation material 100 can be improved.

[0064] Furthermore, the thermal insulation material 100 also includes two sealing elements 5. The rigid shell 1 has a first opening 11 and a second opening 12 communicating with its inner cavity. The two sealing elements 5 are respectively disposed at the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 to seal the inner cavity of the rigid shell 1. The rigid shell 1 can be integrally formed, but since its inner cavity needs to be filled with dispersed organic fibers 2, the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 communicating with its inner cavity are opened on the shell to facilitate the filling of the dispersed organic fibers 2. After filling is completed, the sealing elements 5 are used to seal the first opening 11 and the second opening 12. In addition, when manufacturing the vacuum thermal insulation material 100, before sealing the first opening 11 and the second opening 12, the inner cavity of the shell can be evacuated through the first opening 11 and the second opening 12. Therefore, the thermal insulation material 100 with the above structure can be prepared better and more conveniently.

[0065] This application does not limit how the thermal insulation material 100 is prepared. In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2. The preparation method of the above-mentioned thermal insulation material 100 includes the following steps:

[0066] S10. A rigid shell 1 and an organic fiber suspension a are provided. The rigid shell 1 has a first opening 11 and a second opening 12 communicating with its inner cavity in the vertical direction. The first opening 11 is located above the second opening 12. A filter structure 3 is provided at the second opening 12. The size of the filter pores of the filter structure 3 is smaller than that of the organic fiber 2. The organic fiber suspension a includes the organic fiber 2 and the liquid medium b.

[0067] It should be noted that the organic fiber 2 can be pre-mixed with the liquid medium b to obtain the organic fiber suspension a. In some embodiments, to avoid introducing impurities, the liquid medium b includes water, that is, the organic fiber 2 is dispersed in water to form a suspension, thus obtaining the organic fiber suspension a.

[0068] Further, in the organic fiber suspension a, the mass percentage of the organic fiber 2 is 0.05% to 0.5%. Specifically, the mass percentage of the organic fiber 2 can be 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, etc. If the mass percentage of the organic fiber 2 is too high, it will lead to uneven dispersion of the organic fiber 2 in the liquid medium b; if the mass percentage of the organic fiber 2 is too low, it will increase the consumption of the liquid medium b and waste a lot of time during filling, reducing filling efficiency. Therefore, a mass percentage of 0.05% to 0.5% for the organic fiber 2 can improve filling efficiency while ensuring uniform dispersion of the organic fiber 2.

[0069] S20. An organic fiber suspension a is introduced into the rigid shell 1 through the first opening 11. After being filtered by the filter structure 3, the liquid medium b flows out of the second opening 12 to fill the organic fiber 2 into the rigid shell 1. The organic fiber 2 in the rigid shell 1 is then dried to form a thermal insulation material 100.

[0070] In the technical solution of the present invention, organic fibers 2 are dispersed in liquid medium b, and then organic fiber suspension a is introduced into the rigid shell 1 through the first opening 11. Due to gravity, organic fiber suspension a flows from the first opening 11 to the second opening 12 in the inner cavity of the rigid shell 1. Since the second opening 12 is connected to a filter structure 3, the organic fibers 2 are trapped in the inner cavity by the filter structure 3, while the liquid medium b can be discharged from the inner cavity, thereby achieving the filling of organic fibers 2.

[0071] In order to improve the thermal conductivity of the insulation material 100, in some embodiments, step S20 includes:

[0072] S201. Please refer to Figure 3The organic fiber suspension a is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening 11. After being filtered by the filter structure 3, the liquid medium b flows out of the second opening 12 to fill the organic fiber 2 into the rigid shell 1.

[0073] S202. Please refer to Figure 4 After filling is completed, the rigid shell 1 is evacuated and the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 are sealed to form the thermal insulation material 100.

[0074] In the above embodiments, after the rigid shell 1 is evacuated and sealed, the inner cavity of the shell is in a vacuum state, and the number of gas molecules is extremely small. Therefore, the collision frequency and intensity between gas molecules, between gas molecules and the inner cavity wall, and between gas molecules and the organic fiber 2 material are relatively reduced, thereby reducing heat transfer and improving the heat preservation effect.

[0075] Furthermore, when micron-sized organic fibers 2 are used simultaneously, the organic fibers 2 fully fill the high-strength shell, and the inner cavity of the shell is under a high vacuum. The gaps between the micron-sized fibers are smaller than the molecular free path under low pressure, which can better reduce the thermal convection effect caused by molecular collisions.

[0076] It should be noted that after filling is complete, one of the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 can be sealed first, and the other opening can be connected to the vacuum pump 6 to evacuate the inner cavity of the rigid housing 1. Then, the opening connected to the vacuum pump 6 can be sealed. Alternatively, vacuum pumps 6 can be installed at both the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 simultaneously, operating concurrently. After evacuation is complete, both the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 can be sealed at the same time. Furthermore, a shut-off mechanism can be used to seal the first opening 11 and / or the second opening 12.

[0077] It is understandable that a filter structure 3 is provided between the vacuum pump 6 and the opening connected to the vacuum pump 6 to prevent the organic fibers 2 from passing through, thus preventing the organic fibers 2 in the inner cavity from being extracted.

[0078] After the organic fibers 2 in the organic fiber suspension a are filled into the rigid shell 1, the dispersed organic fibers 2 need to be dried to reduce their water content.

[0079] Therefore, in some embodiments, step S201 includes:

[0080] S201a. Step-by-step filling: A portion of the organic fiber suspension a is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening 11. After being filtered by the filter structure 3, the liquid medium b flows out of the second opening 12.

[0081] S201b. Step-by-step drying: Gas is introduced through the first opening 11 to dry the organic fibers 2 in the rigid shell 1;

[0082] Please see Figure 5 During the gradual drying process, gas can be introduced through the first opening 11 by the blowing device 4 and output through the second opening 12, carrying away the liquid medium b that has not flowed out. Meanwhile, the organic fiber 2 is trapped in the rigid shell 1 by the filter structure 3 located at the second opening 12.

[0083] S201c. Repeat the step-by-step filling and drying steps in a cyclical manner until the organic fibers 2 inside the rigid shell 1 are filled to the preset filling amount.

[0084] By filling the organic fiber 2 multiple times and drying the organic fiber 2 inside the rigid shell 1 after each filling, the filling amount can be better controlled and the filling effect can be improved, that is, the uniformity of the organic fiber 2 inside the rigid shell 1.

[0085] It should be noted that the drying time for drying the organic fibers 2 in the rigid shell 1 is adjusted according to the actual situation until no moisture flows out.

[0086] Further, step S202 includes:

[0087] S202a. After filling is completed, gas is introduced to inflate the organic fibers 2 in the rigid shell 1;

[0088] S202b. After inflation is complete, the rigid shell 1 is evacuated, and the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 are sealed to form the thermal insulation material 100.

[0089] It is understood that in step S202a, the completion of filling means that all the preset organic fibers 2 are filled into the rigid shell 1. That is, after the organic fibers 2 are filled, gas is introduced from the first opening 11 or the second opening 12 to increase the porosity of the thermal insulation material 100, so that the organic fibers 2 are more evenly distributed in the rigid shell 1.

[0090] It should be noted that in step S202a, gas can be introduced from the first opening 11 or the second opening 12. When gas is introduced from the second opening 12, the organic fibers 2 in the rigid shell 1 can be dispersed more evenly.

[0091] Please see Figure 6Gas can be introduced through the second opening 12 by the blowing device 4 and output through the first opening 11, carrying away the liquid medium b that has not flowed out, while the organic fiber 2 is trapped in the rigid shell 1 by the filter structure 3 provided at the first opening 11.

[0092] When filling with organic fibers 2, the organic fiber suspension a is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening 11. When the liquid medium b flows out from the second opening 12, a large amount of organic fibers 2 flow with the liquid medium b to the second opening 12 and are intercepted by the filter structure 3 at the second opening 12. Therefore, they are distributed in large quantities at the second opening 12, resulting in uneven distribution of the organic fibers 2. Conversely, during inflation, gas is introduced through the second opening 12 and blown out from the first opening 11. This can, to a certain extent, blow the organic fibers 2 near the second opening 12 toward the first opening 11, so that the organic fibers 2 are more evenly distributed within the rigid shell 1.

[0093] It should be noted that either the drying step in step 201 or the gas filling step in step 202 can be selected, or both can be selected. When both are selected, gas is introduced for gas filling after the cyclic filling and drying are completed, which can make the organic fibers 2 in the rigid shell 1 more evenly dispersed.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned gas introduction operation, the temperature of the introduced gas is 70℃~200℃, and the pressure of the introduced gas is 0.3MPa~0.9MPa. Specifically, the gas temperature can be 70℃, 100℃, 130℃, 150℃, 180℃, 200℃, etc. Excessively high temperatures may cause changes in the structure of the organic fiber 2, while excessively low temperatures may lead to incomplete drying, thereby affecting the thermal conductivity of the insulation material 100. Therefore, by using a gas within the above temperature range, the fibers can be dried more effectively, reducing the moisture content in the fibers. Specifically, the gas pressure is 0.3MPa, 0.5MPa, 0.6MPa, 0.7MPa, 0.9MPa, etc. Using a gas at these pressures provides a force to disperse the organic fiber 2, thereby better and more uniformly dispersing the organic fiber 2.

[0095] In some embodiments of the present invention, the method for preparing the thermal insulation material 100 includes the following steps:

[0096] S10. A rigid shell 1 and an organic fiber suspension a are provided. The rigid shell 1 has a first opening 11 and a second opening 12 communicating with its inner cavity in the vertical direction. The first opening 11 is located above the second opening 12. A filter structure 3 is provided at the second opening 12. The size of the filter pores of the filter structure 3 is smaller than that of the organic fiber 2. The organic fiber suspension a includes the organic fiber 2 and the liquid medium b.

[0097] S201a. A portion of the organic fiber suspension a is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening 11, and after being filtered by the filter structure 3, the liquid medium b flows out of the second opening 12.

[0098] S201b. Gas is introduced through the first opening 11 to dry the organic fibers 2 in the rigid shell 1;

[0099] S201c. Repeat the above steps until the organic fibers 2 inside the rigid shell 1 are filled to the preset filling amount;

[0100] S202a. After filling is completed, the filter structure 3 located in the second opening 12 is removed, and the filter structure 3 is installed in the first opening 11. Gas is introduced through the second opening 12 to inflate the organic fibers 2 in the rigid shell 1.

[0101] S202b. After inflation is complete, the rigid shell 1 is evacuated through the first opening 11 and / or the second opening 12, and then the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 are sealed to form the thermal insulation material 100.

[0102] In some other embodiments, the above-mentioned thermal insulation material can also be prepared by other methods, such as dry preparation, including the following steps:

[0103] A rigid housing 1 is provided, the rigid housing 1 having a first opening 11 and a second opening 12 communicating with its internal cavity;

[0104] Dispersed organic fibers are injected through the first opening 11 into the rigid shell 1 to form a thermal insulation material 100.

[0105] The rigid shell 1 has a first opening 11 and a second opening 12 communicating with its inner cavity. The first opening 11 and the second opening 12 can be used to introduce gas and / or dispersed organic fibers into the shell, and can also be used to remove moisture from the gas and / or organic fibers from the shell.

[0106] By blowing air into the organic fibers during processing, the dryness of the final product can be improved, processing efficiency can be accelerated, and no additional dispersant is needed, thus avoiding damage to the organic fibers by the dispersant and improving the quality of the insulation material 100.

[0107] Further, the step of filling the rigid shell 1 with dispersed organic fibers through the first opening 11 by blowing air to form the thermal insulation material 100 includes:

[0108] Dispersed organic fibers are filled into the rigid shell 1 through the first opening 11 by blowing air.

[0109] After filling is completed, the rigid shell 1 is evacuated, and the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 are sealed to form the thermal insulation material 100.

[0110] In the above embodiments, after the rigid shell 1 is evacuated and sealed, the inner cavity of the shell is in a vacuum state, and the number of gas molecules is extremely small. Therefore, the frequency and intensity of collisions between gas molecules, between gas molecules and the inner cavity wall, and between gas molecules and organic fiber materials are relatively reduced, thereby reducing heat transfer and improving the insulation effect. In addition, when micron-sized organic fibers are used simultaneously, the organic fibers fully fill the high-strength shell, and the inner cavity of the shell is under a high degree of vacuum. The gaps between micron-sized fibers are smaller than the molecular free path under low pressure, thereby better reducing the thermal convection effect caused by molecular collisions.

[0111] It is understandable that, during the dry preparation of the thermal insulation material 100, gas can be introduced to inflate the organic fibers 2 in the rigid shell 1 before the vacuuming step. Further details of this invention will not be elaborated upon here.

[0112] The present invention also proposes a household appliance comprising the aforementioned thermal insulation material 100. The household appliance possesses all the technical features of the aforementioned thermal insulation material 100, and therefore has the aforementioned related technical effects, which will not be elaborated upon further herein.

[0113] Furthermore, the household appliances include at least one of a refrigerator, a water heater, and an air conditioner. The refrigerator, water heater, and air conditioner possess all the technical features of the aforementioned insulation material 100, and therefore have the aforementioned related technical effects, which will not be elaborated upon further in this application.

[0114] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0115] Example 1

[0116] This embodiment provides a thermal insulation material, which includes a rigid stainless steel shell and dispersed polypropylene fibers. The polypropylene fiber filling amount in the rigid shell is 150 g / m³. 3 The moisture content is 0.9%.

[0117] The thermal insulation material is prepared by the following method:

[0118] S10. A rigid shell and an organic fiber suspension are provided. The rigid shell has a first opening and a second opening in the vertical direction that communicate with its inner cavity. The first opening is located above the second opening. A filter structure is provided at the second opening. The filter structure has filter pores smaller than the organic fiber. The organic fiber suspension includes polypropylene fiber and water. The mass percentage of polypropylene fiber in the organic fiber suspension is 0.5%.

[0119] S201a. A portion of the organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening, and after being filtered by the filter structure, the water flows out through the second opening;

[0120] S201b. A gas at 150°C and 0.5MPa is introduced through the first opening to dry the polypropylene fibers in the rigid shell;

[0121] S201c. Repeat the above steps until the polypropylene fibers inside the rigid shell are filled to the preset filling amount;

[0122] S202a. After filling is completed, the filter structure located at the second opening is removed, and the filter structure is installed at the first opening. Gas is introduced through the second opening to inflate the polypropylene fibers in the rigid shell.

[0123] S202b. After inflation is complete, seal the second opening, evacuate the rigid shell through the first opening, and then seal the first opening. The internal pressure of the rigid shell is 10.5 Pa, forming a heat-insulating material.

[0124] Example 2

[0125] This embodiment provides a thermal insulation material, which includes a rigid stainless steel shell and dispersed polyacrylonitrile fibers. The filling amount of polyacrylonitrile fibers in the rigid shell is 145 g / m³. 3 The moisture content is 0.8%.

[0126] The thermal insulation material is prepared by the following method:

[0127] S10. A rigid shell and an organic fiber suspension are provided. The rigid shell has a first opening and a second opening in the vertical direction that communicate with its inner cavity. The first opening is located above the second opening. A filter structure is provided at the second opening. The size of the filter pores of the filter structure is smaller than that of the organic fiber. The organic fiber suspension includes polyacrylonitrile fiber and water. The mass percentage of organic fiber in the organic fiber suspension is 0.1%.

[0128] S201a. A portion of the organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening, and after being filtered by the filter structure, the water flows out through the second opening;

[0129] S201b. A gas at 150°C and 0.5MPa is introduced through the first opening to dry the polyacrylonitrile fibers in the rigid shell;

[0130] S201c. Repeat the above steps until the polyacrylonitrile fibers in the rigid shell are filled to the preset filling amount;

[0131] S202a. After filling is completed, the filter structure located at the second opening is removed, and the filter structure is installed at the first opening. Gas is introduced through the second opening to inflate the polyacrylonitrile fibers in the rigid shell.

[0132] S202b. After inflation is complete, seal the second opening, evacuate the rigid shell through the first opening, and then seal the first opening. The internal pressure of the rigid shell is 9.2 Pa to form insulation material.

[0133] Example 3

[0134] This embodiment provides a thermal insulation material, which includes a rigid polytetrafluoroethylene shell and dispersed polypropylene fibers. The filling amount of polypropylene fibers in the rigid shell is 155 g / m³. 3 The moisture content is 0.85%.

[0135] The thermal insulation material is prepared by the following method:

[0136] S10. A rigid shell and an organic fiber suspension are provided. The rigid shell has a first opening and a second opening in the vertical direction that communicate with its inner cavity. The first opening is located above the second opening. A filter structure is provided at the second opening. The size of the filter pores of the filter structure is smaller than that of the organic fiber. The organic fiber suspension includes polypropylene fiber and water. The mass percentage of polypropylene fiber in the organic fiber suspension is 0.05%.

[0137] S201a. A portion of the organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening, and after being filtered by the filter structure, the water flows out through the second opening;

[0138] S201b. A gas at 150°C and 0.5MPa is introduced through the first opening to dry the polypropylene fibers in the rigid shell;

[0139] S201c. Repeat the above steps until the polypropylene fibers inside the rigid shell are filled to the preset filling amount;

[0140] S202a. After filling is completed, the filter structure located at the second opening is removed, and the filter structure is installed at the first opening. Gas is introduced through the second opening to inflate the polypropylene fibers in the rigid shell.

[0141] S202b. After inflation is complete, seal the second opening, evacuate the rigid shell through the first opening, and then seal the first opening. The internal pressure of the rigid shell is 8.5 Pa to form insulation material.

[0142] Comparative Example 1

[0143] Perlite with an average particle size of 5 μm was mixed using a powder processor with a feed screw.

[0144] The vacuum insulation material made of perlite is dried and degassed, and then the vacuum insulation material is installed into the vacuum insulation structure by evacuating the vacuum insulation structure.

[0145] Continue to apply vacuum to the vacuum insulation structure, and then seal the loading port to form the final vacuum insulation structure;

[0146] The vacuum degree of the vacuum insulation material inside the final vacuum insulation structure is less than 100 Pa, and the water content is less than 2%.

[0147] Performance testing

[0148] The thermal conductivity of the insulation materials obtained by the steady-state method in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 1 is shown in Table 1.

[0149] Table 1. Thermal conductivity of the insulation materials obtained in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 1

[0150] Thermal conductivity / mW / mK Example 1 3.5 Example 2 3.6 Example 3 3.2 Comparative Example 1 5.2

[0151] As can be seen from Table 1, Examples 1-3 directly filled the rigid shell with dispersed organic fibers, which not only simplified the processing steps, but also achieved a lower thermal conductivity compared to Comparative Example 1, which used perlite as a powdered material as the inner material.

[0152] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal insulation material, characterized in that, include: Hard shell; as well as, Dispersed organic fibers are filled into the rigid shell.

2. The thermal insulation material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hardness of the rigid shell is greater than 60HB.

3. The thermal insulation material as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The material of the rigid shell includes metallic or polymeric materials.

4. The thermal insulation material as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The polymer material includes at least one of resin, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, and polytetrafluoroethylene; or... The metallic material includes a single metal or a metal alloy.

5. The thermal insulation material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The organic fibers include at least one of polypropylene fibers, polyethylene terephthalate fibers, and polyacrylonitrile fibers.

6. The thermal insulation material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The organic fiber has a length of 1 mm to 150 mm; and / or, The fineness of the organic fiber is 0.1D to 3D.

7. The thermal insulation material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inner cavity of the rigid shell is sealed, and the pressure inside the rigid shell is 0.1 Pa to 12 Pa.

8. The thermal insulation material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The moisture content of the dispersed organic fibers is 0-0.6%.

9. The thermal insulation material as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The insulation material also includes two sealing elements. The rigid shell has a first opening and a second opening communicating with its inner cavity. The two sealing elements are respectively disposed in the first opening and the second opening to seal the inner cavity of the rigid shell.

10. A method for preparing a thermal insulation material as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: A rigid shell and an organic fiber suspension are provided. The rigid shell has a first opening and a second opening in the vertical direction that communicate with its internal cavity. The first opening is located above the second opening. A filter structure is provided at the second opening. The filter pores of the filter structure are smaller than the organic fibers. The organic fiber suspension includes organic fibers and a liquid medium. An organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening. After being filtered by the filter structure, the liquid medium flows out through the second opening to fill the rigid shell with the organic fiber, forming a thermal insulation material.

11. The method for preparing the thermal insulation material as described in claim 10, characterized in that, In the organic fiber suspension, the mass percentage of the organic fiber is 0.05% to 0.5%.

12. The method for preparing the thermal insulation material as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The steps of introducing an organic fiber suspension into the inner cavity through the first opening, filtering it through the filter structure, and then allowing the liquid medium to flow out through the second opening to fill the rigid shell with the organic fiber and form an insulating material include: The organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening, filtered by the filter structure, and then the liquid medium flows out through the second opening to fill the rigid shell with the organic fiber. After filling is complete, the rigid shell is evacuated, and the first and second openings are sealed to form insulation material.

13. The method for preparing the thermal insulation material as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The steps of introducing the organic fiber suspension into the inner cavity through the first opening, filtering it through the filter structure, and then allowing the liquid medium to flow out through the second opening to fill the rigid shell with the organic fiber include: In the step of gradually filling, a portion of the organic fiber suspension is introduced into the inner cavity through the first opening, and after being filtered by the filter structure, the liquid medium flows out of the second opening. A step-by-step drying process involves introducing gas through the first opening to dry the organic fibers in the rigid shell. The filling and drying steps are repeated cyclically until all the organic fibers in the organic fiber suspension are filled into the rigid shell.

14. The method for preparing the thermal insulation material as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The step of sealing the first opening and the second opening after vacuuming the rigid shell after filling to form the insulation material includes: After filling is complete, gas is introduced to inflate the organic fibers in the rigid shell; After inflation is complete, the rigid shell is evacuated, and the first and second openings are sealed to form insulation material.

15. The method for preparing the thermal insulation material as described in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, The temperature of the gas is 70℃~200℃; and / or, The pressure of the gas is 0.3 MPa to 0.9 MPa.

16. A household appliance, characterized in that, Including the thermal insulation material as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

17. The household appliance as described in claim 16, characterized in that, The household appliances include at least one of refrigerators, water heaters, and air conditioners.

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