Thermally insulated component and thermally insulated window

Abstract

The heat-insulating window of the present invention comprises: a pair of panels; a space sandwiched between the pair of panels; a heat-insulating material capable of filling the space; and a mechanism capable of filling and removing the heat-insulating material relative to the space. The heat-insulating material is characterized in that it comprises microparticles, which are made from an aerogel having a three-dimensional mesh structure with a framework formed by clusters of primary particles. Such a heat-insulating material has extremely high fluidity, allowing it to move through a liquid, thereby enabling it to be filled and removed relative to the space sandwiched between the pair of panels. Furthermore, the heat-insulating component of the present invention comprises a cavity capable of changing shape, and a heat-insulating material contained within the cavity. The heat-insulating material is a powder, has fluidity, and has volume-retaining properties that allow it to maintain its volume before and after the aforementioned change in the shape of the cavity, moving within the cavity as the shape of the cavity changes.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to heat insulation components and heat insulation windows, and is particularly suitable for heat insulation components that can change the heat insulation position, and even more suitable for heat insulation windows that can switch between a transparent state and a light-blocking / heat-blocking state. [Previous Technology]

[0002] With increasing attention being paid to energy-efficient housing as a countermeasure against global warming, window insulation is extremely important. In summer, it is necessary to suppress the intrusion of heat from the outside, and in winter, it is necessary to suppress the release of heat to the outside, and even to consider the balance with lighting.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a window unit in which the amount of light transmission and heat insulation can be adjusted by filling / removing foamed resin particles in a hollow portion formed by sandwiching a transparent plate between double-glazed windows. The foamed resin particles are transported from a storage tank using airflow to fill the hollow portion, thereby improving heat insulation. The foamed resin particles are removed from the hollow portion and recycled back to the storage tank using airflow, thereby improving light transmission. This document points out that during airflow transport, the foamed resin particles become charged through mutual friction, thus creating a problem of them adhering to the transparent plate constituting the double-glazed window. This problem is solved by applying an anti-charge coating to the inner wall of the double-glazed window.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a window that allows adjustment of the area through which light can pass. A gap is provided between a pair of glass panels, and a lift is arranged in the gap. Lightweight particles filled on the upper side of the lift are lowered to the lower end, thereby forming a light-blocking state. The lightweight particles are then raised, thereby increasing the transparent area and achieving light transmission.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses a double-glazed window configured to allow hydrophobic aerogel particles to enter and exit the interior space. The hydrophobic aerogel particles are lowered from the storage compartment and filled, and then returned to the storage compartment by a blowing mechanism. The following embodiment is also described: hydrophobic aerogel particles with a silicon dioxide framework are used as the insulation material, and a transparent conductive film is formed on the inner surface of the double-glazed window, causing the inner wall of the double-glazed window to become charged and adhere to the hydrophobic aerogel.

[0006] Patent Document 4 discloses a light-shielding component that fills a space sandwiched between two transparent panels with aerogel particles. Although the mechanism for switching between the transparent state and the light-shielding / heat-shielding state is not mentioned, the results obtained by analyzing in detail the relationship between the visible light transmittance and the particle size of the filled aerogel particles are disclosed.

[0007] Furthermore, although heat insulation and heat shielding are technical terms that should be clearly distinguished in practice, they are used synonymously in this specification. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-86780 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-202681 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-30085 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-178372 [Summary of the Invention]

[0009] [The problem that the invention is intended to solve]

[0010] As shown in Patent Documents 1-4, various types of windows that provide heat shading by filling the gap space of a double window with insulating materials such as aerogel particles are proposed. In the inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 1-3, a mechanism is provided to switch between the state of filling with insulating materials such as aerogel particles and the state of removing insulating materials such as aerogel particles, thereby controlling the balance between heat insulation and light transmission; however, this control mechanism is relatively complex. In the double windows disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 3, air supply fans, valves, and even heaters to prevent condensation, transparent conductive films to electrify the inner side of the window, and control circuits are required to move the particulate insulating material using airflow. In the double window disclosed in Patent Document 2, a lift is provided to mechanically move the particulate insulating material. This is because the insulating material, mainly composed of aerogel, needs to be of a constant size, and a certain degree of physical force is required to move it.

[0011] The inventors have noted that in conventional insulation components (including insulation building materials such as walls, floors, and roofs) constituting cold-insulating and heat-insulating containers, mechanisms capable of switching between insulation and non-insulation, or even adjusting insulation performance, have not yet been studied or put into practical use. This is considered to be because, in order to adjust insulation in insulation components, windows would need to have mechanisms as complex as those studied in the prior art described above.

[0012] The purpose of this invention is to provide a heat insulation component and a heat insulation window, which have a simple mechanism for adjusting the heat insulation state (the position of the heat insulation, the heat insulation performance).

[0013] Hereinafter, the means used to solve the above-mentioned problems will be described, but other problems and new features can of course be identified from the description and accompanying drawings. [Technical Means for Solving the Problems]

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is described below.

[0015] That is, the heat-insulating window of the present invention comprises: a pair of panels, a space sandwiched between the pair of panels, a heat-insulating material capable of filling the space, and a mechanism capable of filling the space with the heat-insulating material and removing the heat-insulating material from the space, and the heat-insulating window has the following features.

[0016] The above-mentioned thermal insulation material includes microparticles, which are made from aerogel having a three-dimensional mesh structure with a skeleton formed by clusters of primary particles.

[0017] The above-mentioned mechanism is a mechanism that can change the shape of the space in order to move the thermal insulation material.

[0018] The microparticles constituting the above-mentioned heat insulation material of the present invention can additionally have the following characteristics: more than 50% of their volume are dispersed with a particle size of 0.1 μm or more and 1.0 μm or less.

[0019] Furthermore, the heat-insulating component of the present invention includes a cavity capable of changing shape and a heat-insulating material contained within the cavity. The heat-insulating material is in powder form and moves within the cavity as the shape of the cavity changes. Here, a cavity refers to a hollow located within the heat-insulating component that can contain the heat-insulating material. For example, it is a hollow formed by a pair of panels, or a bag capable of containing heat-insulating material inside. In this specification, the pair of panels containing the heat-insulating material and the bag are referred to as heat-insulating components, and the hollow in the heat-insulating component capable of containing the heat-insulating material is referred to as a cavity. On the other hand, the hollow used for cold / heat insulation made using the heat-insulating component is referred to as a container. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] The effects obtained by the above-described embodiment will be explained simply as follows.

[0021] That is, it is possible to provide a heat insulation component and a heat insulation window, which have a simple mechanism for adjusting the heat insulation state (the position of the heat insulation, the heat insulation performance).

Implementation Method

[0023] 1. The principle of the present invention explains the principle by which the above-mentioned problems can be solved by the present invention.

[0024] The inventors have invented a thermal insulation material and filed a patent application under Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-193892. This thermal insulation material is characterized by containing microparticles, which are derived from an aerogel having a three-dimensional mesh structure with a framework formed by clusters of primary particles. The thermal insulation material is named TIISA (a trademark application filed by Thermalytica Inc.). TIISA has a thermal conductivity comparable to high-performance aerogels and a bulk density of 0.01 g / cm³ or less, which is about one-tenth or less of that of conventional aerogels. Therefore, it is a lightweight and high-performance thermal insulation material. In contrast to conventional aerogels, whose framework is formed by secondary particles, TIISA is characterized by its framework being formed around the primary particles constituting the aforementioned secondary particles. Therefore, the particles are extremely small, with more than 50% of their volume dispersed in a modulo of a particle size of 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm.

[0025] FIG3 is an explanatory diagram comparing the structure of a conventional aerogel particle with that of a microparticle whose framework is formed by primary particles. The conventional aerogel particle 13 has a three-dimensional mesh structure with secondary particles 12 as units, which are clusters of primary particles 11 (FIG. 3(a)). In contrast, the microparticles of the present invention (e.g., the microparticles of TIISA) 14 have a three-dimensional mesh structure formed with the aforementioned primary particles 11 as the framework (FIG. 3(b)).

[0026] Commonly circulated aerogels are particles, forming a three-dimensional mesh structure with a framework composed of 1 / 2 secondary particles. Therefore, even if they are finely pulverized using a pulverizing device, the framework structure remains unchanged. The experimental results are shown below. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the frequency distribution of particle size for aerogel particles, aerogel powder, aerogel micropowder, and microparticles forming a framework of primary particles, sequentially from the bottom layer. Aerogel particles are the commonly circulated aerogel particles themselves. Aerogel powder was produced by pulverizing aerogel particles at 5000–7000 rpm for two minutes using a Mitsui Electric Seiki SX08 speed mixer homogenizer. Aerogel micropowder was produced by pulverizing aerogel particles at 21000 rpm for 20 seconds using a Blendtec STEALTH885. In Figure 4, the horizontal axis represents particle size, and the vertical axis represents the frequency distribution of particle size. The vertical axis on the right represents frequency, and the vertical axis on the left represents cumulative value. Figure 4 shows the observation results based on a laser diffraction particle size distribution (PSD) measuring device. This manual explains particle size based on PSD measurement. In PSD measurement, not only the diameter of the particle itself but also the particle aggregation is observed as particle size; therefore, the actual particle size is more likely to be smaller than the measured value. If there are differences in particle size depending on the measurement method, please perform the conversion to understand. More specifically, Figure 4 shows the particle size distribution measured using the SALD-2300 laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation. Particle size distribution is an indicator of the proportion (relative particle amount of 100%) of particles of what size (particle diameter) are included in the sample particle group being measured; the dimension (level) of particle amount is based on volume.

[0027] Commonly circulated aerogel particles have an average particle size of approximately 400 μm and only one peak in relative particle quantity (bottom layer of Figure 4). When the aerogel particles are pulverized using the device described above, the aerogel powder has an average particle size of approximately 90 μm, and the aerogel micropowder has an average particle size of approximately 50 μm, but each has only one peak in relative particle quantity (layer 3 and layer 2). In contrast, TIISA has a first peak with an average particle size of approximately 20 μm and a second peak with an average particle size of approximately 0.3 μm. For relative particle quantity, the first peak with an average particle size of approximately 20 μm accounts for 21.2%, and the second peak with an average particle size of approximately 0.3 μm accounts for 78.8%. This is because the first peak with an average particle size of approximately 20 μm is composed of microparticles with a three-dimensional mesh structure having a framework composed of secondary particles (12 units), while the second peak with an average particle size of approximately 0.3 μm is composed of microparticles with a three-dimensional mesh structure having a framework composed of primary particles.

[0028] Because the framework of a conventional aerogel's three-dimensional mesh structure is composed of secondary particles, it is difficult to produce particles with a diameter of less than 10 μm, regardless of how much the pulverization conditions are improved. In order to produce particles with a three-dimensional mesh structure in which a primary particle framework is formed, a different process than that for conventional aerogel manufacturing is required. As described in Japanese Patent Application 2020-193892, this requires fundamental changes to the manufacturing method, not only to the pulverization conditions but also to the aging conditions.

[0029] Through experiments described below, the inventors have newly discovered that this TIISA exhibits high fluidity and volume retention performance comparable to that of a liquid. Dynamic angle of repose and volume change rate were used as indicators of fluidity and volume retention performance, respectively. For example, the angle of repose used in Patent Document 4 is a static angle of repose, suitable for measurement on powders, but it is clear that it may not be appropriate for representing the fluidity of a fluid. Furthermore, the inventors noted that the insulating material experiences external forces while flowing (i.e., moving), but its volume does not change as a result; that is, volume retention performance is also an important characteristic.

[0030] 〔Dynamic Repose Angle) Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram (schematic cross-sectional view) showing the method for measuring the dynamic repose angle. The dynamic repose angle measuring device 90 is configured such that a sample 91 is placed in a cylindrical glass container 92, which is then placed on two rotating tubular rollers 93 and rotated, allowing the sample 91 to be observed from the bottom side of the glass container 92. Using the surface of the sample 91 when it is not rotating as a reference, the surface is tilted in relation to the rotation speed, and the angle θ between the surface and the reference at this time is measured as the dynamic repose angle.

[0031] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of the dynamic angle of repose measurement. The top layer is water. Similar to Figure 4, from the bottom up, the results are shown for aerogel particles, aerogel powder, aerogel micropowder, and microparticles with a primary particle skeleton (TIISA) at rotation speeds of 16 rpm, 32 rpm, and 48 rpm. The surface shape, as indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 6, is not flat. However, if the angle θ is quantified by approximating it with straight lines, at a rotation speed of 48 rpm, water is 6°, aerogel particles, aerogel powder, and aerogel micropowder are 50°, 20°, and 26° respectively, and TIISA is 6–15°. Regarding the dynamic angle of repose, it is known that aerogel particles have the largest angle, TIISA is smaller than aerogel powder and aerogel micropowder, and is close to that of water.

[0032] 〔Volume Change Rate〕 The so-called volume change rate is an indicator used by the inventors in this invention as one of the indicators representing the fluidity of TIISA, and is measured by the following method.

[0033] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the method for determining the rate of volume change. The sample 91 is placed in a transparent, cylindrical elastic tube 96 and clamped from both sides by a compression block 97. The upper side of Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken from the side, and the lower side is a cross-sectional view taken from above at the clamped position x-x. Compression is achieved by narrowing the width of the compression block 97 from the initial state, and then the sample returns to its original state (called the recovery state). The elastic tube 96 is a tubular container with a diameter of 12 mm and a wall thickness of 0.25 mm. In the compressed state, the shorter side in the direction of compression becomes 6 mm, and the longer side in the vertical direction becomes 16 mm, but in the recovery state, it returns to its original diameter of 12 mm. Starting from the initial height hI of the sample 91, the height becomes hH in the compressed state and hL in the recovery state. In a completely fluid state, if there is no volume change, the height hL in the recovery state will return to the initial height hI.

[0034] Figure 8 shows the results of the volume change rate measurement. It is a graph with the depth of compression based on the compression block 97 as the horizontal axis and the change in surface height hH-hI from the initial state as the vertical axis. While not strictly proportional to the depth of compression, the change in surface height from the initial state is generally proportional. The largest change in surface height for water, as a completely fluid, is 15 mm, compared to 13 mm for TIISA, 6 mm for aerogel micropowder, 5 mm for aerogel powder, and 2 mm for aerogel particles. When the change in water is set to 1, the relative values ​​of the changes in TIISA, aerogel micropowder, aerogel powder, and aerogel particles are 0.87, 0.40, 0.33, and 0.13, respectively.

[0035] Figure 9 shows the results of the measurement of the volume change rate over time. The horizontal axis is plotted as the logarithm of the number of repeated compression and recovery cycles, and the vertical axis is plotted as the rate of change of volume from the initial state of sample 91. As a completely fluid, the volume of water remains unchanged even after repeated compression and recovery (volume change rate = 0%). Similarly, the volume change rate of TIISA remains unchanged even after 100 cycles of compression and recovery (volume change rate = 0%). On the other hand, the volume change rates of aerogel particles are 21%, 53%, and 63% for 1, 10, and 100 cycles of compression and recovery, respectively; the volume change rates of aerogel powder are 32%, 42%, and 53% for 1, 10, and 100 cycles of compression and recovery, respectively; and the volume change rates of aerogel micropowder are 42%, 53%, and 84% for 1, 10, and 100 cycles of compression and recovery, respectively. All changes represent an increase in volume compared to the initial state. This is believed to be a result of the three-dimensional mesh structure being locally disrupted by repeated compression and recovery, leading to an increase in the gaps. Based on the experimental results and investigations, it is known that even if aerogels are pulverized while maintaining the particle state, the compression and recovery processes will cause irreversible changes in volume.

[0036] Furthermore, it is known that TIISA can possess extremely high hydrophobicity. (TIISA can also be processed to be hydrophilic.) The inventors focused on the aforementioned high fluidity of TIISA, comparable to that of liquids, and noted that it can move through a liquid, rather than through air as in Patent Documents 1-3. Furthermore, it was discovered that due to its high hydrophobicity, the liquid it can use can also be water.

[0037] If a liquid, especially water, is used as the medium, it is easier to seal in the liquid to suppress diffusion and leakage, and it is also easier to move the liquid. If the medium is a liquid with water as the main component, it will not mix with the TIISA, which has high hydrophobicity, and a clear interface can be formed. In addition, the mechanism for sealing in the liquid (water) as the medium and moving it can be a simple elastic cavity, thereby forming an extremely simple mechanism. This is because by applying pressure to such an elastic cavity to compress it, the medium can be squeezed out, thereby moving the TIISA to the desired position. Conversely, by releasing it from the compressed state, the TIISA can return to its original position.

[0038] Furthermore, the particles that can be used as thermal insulation materials are referred to as "TIISA". In this specification, there are other materials that are referred to as "TIISA" as thermal insulation materials. However, if the materials have the same fluidity and volume retention properties, it goes without saying that the same solution principle can be applied.

[0039] Utilizing this principle, a mechanism for moving the insulation material to a desired position can be easily constructed. In particular, when applied to double windows, a mechanism for switching between insulation and lighting can be easily constructed.

[0040] 2. Summary of Embodiments First, a summary of representative embodiments disclosed in this application will be described. In the summary description of representative embodiments, the reference numerals in the drawings marked in parentheses are merely examples illustrating the concept of the constituent elements indicated by those reference numerals.

[0041] 〔1〕<Insulated window using TIISA as insulation material> A representative embodiment of the present invention is an insulated window (10) having a pair of panels (7); a space (8) sandwiched between the pair of panels; an insulation material (1) capable of filling the space; and a mechanism (2-6) capable of moving the insulation material into the space to fill it and moving the insulation material out of the space to remove it. The insulated window (10) has the following characteristics.

[0042] The above-mentioned thermal insulation material includes microparticles (14) which are made from aerogel (13) having a three-dimensional mesh structure formed by a cluster (12) of primary particles (11) forming a skeleton.

[0043] Thus, an insulated window with a simple mechanism for adjusting heat insulation and light transmission can be provided. Here, the mechanism for moving the aforementioned heat insulation material can be implemented in various ways. The aforementioned heat insulation material has high fluidity and volume retention properties similar to those of a liquid, so it can be a mechanism that moves the liquid as a medium, as shown in [3] described later, or it can be a mechanism that adjusts the volume of the space (cavity) that houses the heat insulation material in the same way as a liquid, thereby applying force to the heat insulation material itself to move it.

[0044] In addition, "a pair of panels" means "at least a pair of panels", and the insulated window can also be a multi-pane window with multiple panels (7) and multiple spaces (8). In this case, the insulation material can be filled / removed into multiple spaces in the same way, can be filled / removed independently, or may include spaces that are not filled / removed.

[0045] 〔2〕<TIISA Features: Particle Size> In the heat insulation window of 〔1〕, the characteristic is that the particles constituting the above-mentioned heat insulation material constitute 50% or more of its volume and are dispersed with a mode of particle size of 0.1 μm or more and 1.0 μm or less.

[0046] Through this feature, the thermal insulation material can ensure high fluidity.

[0047] 〔3〕<Mechanism for moving thermal insulation material by means of liquid> In the thermal insulation window of 〔1〕 or 〔2〕, the above mechanism is a mechanism that can move the liquid in contact with the above thermal insulation material so as to move the above thermal insulation material.

[0048] Thus, an insulated window with a simple mechanism for adjusting heat insulation and light transmission can be provided. A mechanism using a liquid as a medium is employed to move the insulation material, thereby enabling the application of mechanisms widely used to move the liquid while simultaneously preventing leakage.

[0049] 〔4〕<The medium that moves the insulation material is water> In the insulation window of 〔3〕, the liquid is characterized by water as the main component.

[0050] Thus, it is possible to construct a mechanism for moving thermal insulation material at low cost.

[0051] 〔5〕<Switching between heat insulation material filling and air> In any one of 〔1〕 to 〔4〕, the above mechanism has an elastic cavity (4) that can accommodate the heat insulation material (and the liquid) on the lower side of the space, and a compression mechanism (3) that can increase or decrease the volume of the elastic cavity.

[0052] The above-mentioned mechanism reduces the volume of the elastic cavity by means of the compression mechanism, thereby causing the heat insulation material to move from the elastic cavity to the space. The compression mechanism increases the volume of the elastic cavity, thereby causing the heat insulation material to move from the space into the elastic cavity.

[0053] Thus, a mechanism for moving the thermal insulation material can be easily constructed.

[0054] 〔6〕<Switching between insulation material filling and liquid (water)> In the insulation window of 〔3〕 or 〔4〕, the above mechanism has an upper elastic cavity (5) that can accommodate the insulation material on the upper side of the space, a lower elastic cavity (4) that can accommodate the liquid on the lower side of the space, and a compression mechanism (3) that can increase or decrease the volume of the lower elastic cavity.

[0055] The above-mentioned mechanism reduces the volume of the lower elastic cavity by means of the compression mechanism, thereby causing the liquid to move from the elastic cavity to the space and the heat insulation material to move from the space to the upper elastic cavity. The compression mechanism increases the volume of the lower elastic cavity, thereby causing the liquid to move from the space to the lower elastic cavity and the heat insulation material to move from the upper elastic cavity to the space.

[0056] Thus, a mechanism for moving the thermal insulation material can be easily constructed.

[0057] 〔7〕<Insulation component made of a heat insulation material with fluidity> A representative embodiment of the present invention is an insulation component (20) which has a cavity (21) that can change shape and an insulation material (1) contained in the cavity, wherein the insulation material is a powder that moves within the cavity along with the change in shape.

[0058] Thus, it is possible to provide a heat-insulating component with a simple mechanism for adjusting heat insulation. A heat-insulating component is a component that constitutes a heat-insulating container, etc., and can be a component constituting a heat-insulating container, etc., in addition to heat-insulating building materials such as the aforementioned heat-insulating window. A cavity, for example, only needs to have a gap between a pair of side walls such as panels, and be able to accommodate heat-insulating material in that gap; its shape is arbitrary. Furthermore, changes in shape include, for example, changes in the volume of the cavity, as well as arbitrary changes such as changes in the shape of the location where the heat-insulating material is held, and changes in the shape of the shape of the thickness of the heat-insulating material.

[0059] 〔8〕<Insulation component using TIISA as insulation material> In the insulation component of 〔7〕, the insulation material includes microparticles (14) which are made from aerogel (13) having a three-dimensional mesh structure formed by a cluster (12) of primary particles (11) forming a framework.

[0060] Through this feature, the thermal insulation material can ensure high fluidity and volume retention performance.

[0061] [9] <Insulating component using insulating material with fluidity and volume retention properties> In the insulating component of [7], the insulating material has fluidity and has volume retention properties that retain volume before and after the change in the shape of the cavity.

[0062] As long as the insulating material has high fluidity and volume retention properties, even materials that do not have the characteristics described in [7] above can be used in the insulating component of the present invention. This includes the insulating windows described in [1] to [5] above, which are appropriate in all embodiments.

[0063] 〔10〕<Decompression of the cavity> In the heat insulation component of 〔7〕 or 〔8〕, the pressure inside the cavity is reduced compared to the external air pressure.

[0064] As a result, the thermal conductivity of the insulation component can be significantly reduced (improving insulation performance). In particular, the improvement in insulation performance is even more significant in [7].

[0065]

[11] <Using a gas with a lower thermal conductivity than air to fill the cavity> In the insulation component of [7] or [8], the cavity is filled with a gas with a lower thermal conductivity than air (e.g., carbon dioxide).

[0066] This reduces the thermal conductivity of the insulation component (improves insulation performance). After decompression as described in [9] above, the filling state can be maintained for a longer period of time, compared to maintaining the decompression state. Furthermore, it is easier to combine with

[11] to

[14] below.

[0067] 〔12〕<Movement of the insulating material with liquid as a medium> In the insulating component of 〔7〕, a liquid (2) that is exclusive to the insulating material is further contained in the cavity. Here, exclusiveness is the opposite of affinity, meaning the property of not mixing, such as hydrophobicity, which is equivalent to the property of a substance that does not mix with water.

[0068] Thus, a mechanism for moving the thermal insulation material can be easily constructed.

[0069] 〔13〕<Movement of water-based insulating material> In the insulating component of 〔7〕, the insulating material is hydrophobic, and water (2) is further contained in the cavity.

[0070] Thus, by using water as the medium for moving the insulation material, the above-mentioned mechanism can be easily constructed.

[0071] 〔14〕<Insulation Material Moving Mechanism> In the insulation component of 〔7〕, the cavity has one or more pairs of panels (21i, 21w) and an insulation material receiving portion (23), each of the one or more pairs of panels having a gap (22) capable of receiving the insulation material on its inner side. The insulation material receiving portion receives the insulation material, and the volume change of the space continuous with the gap thereby squeezes the insulation material into the gap of the panel or recycles the insulation material from the gap of the panel.

[0072] Thus, the heat insulation material moves between the gap between the paired panels and the heat insulation material storage part, thereby enabling the heat insulation performance of the panel part to be adjusted.

[0073] 〔15〕<Insulation material moving mechanism with liquid as medium> In the insulation component of 〔12〕, the cavity has one or more pairs of panels (21i, 21w), insulation material storage part (23) and liquid storage part (24), and the one or more pairs of panels each have a gap (22) that can accommodate the insulation material inside.

[0074] The above-mentioned heat insulation material storage part has a space continuous with the above-mentioned gap, which can store the heat insulation material in the above-mentioned space. The above-mentioned liquid storage part stores the above-mentioned liquid. By changing the volume of the space continuous with the above-mentioned gap, the liquid is moved, thereby enabling the heat insulation material to be squeezed into the gap of the panel or to be recovered from the gap of the panel.

[0075] Thus, the insulation material moves between the gap between the paired panels and the insulation material storage section, thereby adjusting the insulation performance of the panel portion. The liquid storage section (24) is a volume adjustment mechanism using liquid as the medium. Since a liquid (e.g., water) is used as the medium for moving the insulation material, it has the effect of suppressing leakage even if there are movable parts, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in designing the volume adjustment mechanism.

[0076] 3. Details of the Implementation Method The implementation method is further described in detail.

[0077] [Embodiment 1] FIG1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a heat-insulating window 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] The heat-insulating window 10 of this embodiment includes: a pair of panels 7; a space 8 held between the pair of panels 7; a heat-insulating material 1 capable of being filled into the space 8; and mechanisms 2 to 6 capable of moving the heat-insulating material 1 into the space 8 to fill it and moving the heat-insulating material 1 out of the space 8 to remove it. The heat-insulating material 1 includes microparticles 14, which are made from aerogel 13 having a three-dimensional mesh structure formed by clusters 12, which are aggregates of primary particles 11. The above-described mechanism is a mechanism that can move the liquid 2 in contact with the heat-insulating material 1 so as to move the heat-insulating material 1. As the medium for moving the heat-insulating material 1, liquid 2 is used, which makes sealing easier compared to using gas (air), and there is almost no volume change when pressure is applied. Therefore, it has the advantage of being able to transmit the applied pressure to the heat-insulating material 1 and move it. Thus, a heat-insulating window 10 with a simple mechanism for adjusting heat insulation and light transmission can be provided.

[0079] For the microparticles 14 constituting the thermal insulation material 1, it is preferable that the frequency distribution of their particle size has a mode (peak value) of dispersion of 1.0 μm or less. Furthermore, it is even more advantageous if more than 50% of their volume is dispersed with a mode of particle size of 0.1 μm or more but less than 1.0 μm. The thermal insulation material 1 has this characteristic, thereby ensuring a high degree of fluidity of the thermal insulation material 1.

[0080] The thermal insulation material 1 is preferably a powder formed from microparticles having the above-described characteristics in particle size distribution, but it is not limited thereto; any material having the same degree of flowability (dynamic angle of repose) and volume retention performance is acceptable. For example, regarding the dynamic angle of repose, referring to the experimental results shown in Figure 6, it can be seen that a thermal insulation material having a dynamic angle of repose within 3 to 4 times that of water can be used. In addition, the volume retention performance is preferably the same as that of a liquid. The mechanism for moving the thermal insulation material is optimally designed with parameters such as the force applied to the thermal insulation material for movement, the frequency of movement, and the lifespan of the thermal insulation material.

[0081] In this heat-insulating window 10, the liquid 2 is preferably a liquid with water as its main component. This is because the heat-insulating material 1 is formed into a material with high hydrophobicity and high fluidity as described above, so it will not mix with the liquid 2, which is mainly composed of water, and a clear interface can be formed, thereby allowing the heat-insulating material to move smoothly using the liquid 2. In addition, by using water as the liquid 2, the mechanism for moving the heat-insulating material can be constructed at a low cost.

[0082] The mechanism for moving the heat insulation material 1 can be configured, for example, as shown in FIG1. ​​In the heat-insulating window 10, this mechanism is composed of a frame, which has a lower elastic cavity 4 and an upper elastic cavity 5 on the lower and upper sides of the space 8 held by a transparent panel 7 such as glass, respectively. The frame supports the panel 7 and accommodates the lower elastic cavity 4 and the upper elastic cavity 5 on the upper and lower sides, respectively. A compression mechanism 3 capable of controlling the volume of the lower elastic cavity 4 is housed in the lower frame 6. As shown in FIG1(a), the lower elastic cavity 4 has a volume capable of accommodating the heat insulation material 1 and the liquid 2 within the lower frame 6. At this time, the space 8 is filled with air, so that the heat-insulating window 10 becomes transparent and allows visible light to pass through. In addition, the upper elastic cavity 5 becomes the smallest volume. The lower elastic cavity 4 is reduced in volume by pressure applied from the compression mechanism 3 provided around it, thereby squeezing the heat insulation material 1 into the space 8. The space 8 becomes filled with the heat insulation material 1 and is thus shielded from heat. At this time, the upper elastic cavity 5 expands to contain the air squeezed out from the space 8. Thus, a mechanism for moving the thermal insulation material can be easily constructed.

[0083] The lower elastic cavity 4 is bonded to the panel 7 at its lower end, and the upper elastic cavity 5 is bonded to the panel 7 at its upper end, and is sealed in a way that prevents the thermal insulation material 1 from leaking out of the space 8 and prevents the liquid 2 from evaporating. The lower elastic cavity 4 and the upper elastic cavity 5 can be made of, for example, rubber or latex. The lower elastic cavity 4 can also be configured to maximize its volume by increasing the weight of the contained liquid 2. In addition, the upper elastic cavity 5 can also be configured to contain air and thus expand naturally, and to naturally contract as the liquid 2 returns to the lower elastic cavity 4, thereby depressurizing the space 8. The compression mechanism 3 that compresses the lower elastic cavity 4 can be configured, for example, a mechanism that maintains the pressure applied from the outside of the frame or transmits the pressure by increasing the displacement through gears.

[0084] The mechanism for moving the thermal insulation material 1 can be implemented in various ways different from Embodiment 1. For example, instead of the lower elastic cavity 4, a cavity for accommodating the thermal insulation material 1 can be pre-formed in the lower part of the space 8 held by a pair of panels 7, and liquid 2 as a medium can be injected into this cavity, thereby enabling the thermal insulation material 1 to move into the space 8. When the panels 7 are large and the volume of the thermal insulation material 1 used to fill the space 8 is large, and the power required to move the thermal insulation material 1 into the space 8 is large, it is effective that the liquid 2 can be injected using energy such as electricity.

[0085] Alternatively, for example, it can be configured such that the lower elastic cavity 4 expands to the left and right of the window frame. By effectively utilizing the volume of the window frame containing the liquid (water) 2, the window frame can be miniaturized. In addition, by properly balancing the water level when the liquid (water) 2 is contained in the left and right window frames, the force that squeezes the insulation material 1 out of the lower frame by the weight of the liquid (water) 2 contained in the left and right window frames can be utilized, thereby enabling the insulation material 1 to be moved with a weaker force.

[0086] The gas filling space 8 has been described as air, but it is possible to replace air with a gas with lower thermal conductivity, such as carbon dioxide. This can suppress the decrease in heat-shielding performance in the transparent state.

[0087] [Embodiment 2] FIG2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a heat-insulating window 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Basically, it is the same structure as the heat-insulating window 10 of Embodiment 1 shown in FIG1, but the lower elastic cavity 4 forms a volume that can contain the liquid 2 in the lower frame 6, and the upper elastic cavity 5 forms a volume that can contain the heat-insulating material 1 in the upper frame 6. The lower elastic cavity 4 contains the liquid 2, and the heat-insulating material 1 fills the space 8, thereby making the heat-insulating window 10 in a heat-shielding state (FIG. 2(a)). When the lower elastic cavity 4 is compressed, the liquid 2 is squeezed out into the space 8, and when the upper elastic cavity 5 contains the heat-insulating material 1, it becomes transparent (FIG. 2(b)). This is of course an explanation based on the premise that the liquid 2 is transparent. By making the liquid 2 semi-transparent to the same degree as the heat-insulating material 1, the transparency is not changed, so the heat-shielding performance can be controlled without affecting the light transmission. In addition, it is also possible to make the liquid 2 opaque compared to the heat-insulating material 1. According to this implementation method, a mechanism for moving the thermal insulation material can also be easily constructed.

[0088] By setting the liquid 2 to water, it is possible to construct it at a lower cost. Here, if the panel 7 is made of a hydrophilic material such as glass, the inner wall of the panel 7 will be wet when the liquid (water) 2 is discharged. However, the space 8 is filled with a semi-transparent heat-insulating material 1, and the window is semi-transparent, so the aesthetics are not compromised.

[0089] Furthermore, the detailed implementation methods and various modifications described in Implementation 1 can also be applied to Implementation 2.

[0090] 〔Embodiment 3〕 Both Embodiment 1 and 2 are mechanisms (4 to 6) that use liquid (water) 2 as a medium to move the heat insulation material 1, but the mechanism for moving the heat insulation material 1 can also be implemented in various other ways.

[0091] FIG13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a heat-insulating window 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Basically, it has the same structure as the heat-insulating window 10 of embodiments 1 and 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but it is a mechanism that moves the heat-insulating material 1 by applying force to it without using liquid (water) 2 as a medium. That is, the lower elastic cavity 4 forms a volume capable of accommodating the heat-insulating material 1 within the lower frame 6, and the upper elastic cavity 5 forms a volume capable of accommodating the air expelled by the heat-insulating material 1 within the upper frame 6. Other structures are the same as in embodiments 1 and 2, therefore repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0092] The lower elastic cavity 4 is compressed, squeezing out and filling the space 8 with the heat-insulating material 1 already contained therein, thereby making the heat-insulating window 10 a heat-shielding state (Fig. 13(a)). At this time, the air or other gas in the space 8 is further squeezed out, causing the upper elastic cavity 5 to expand within the frame 6. On the other hand, the lower elastic cavity 4 is released from compression and expands, and when the heat-insulating material 1 squeezed into the space 8 returns to the lower elastic cavity 4 and is contained therein, it becomes transparent (Fig. 13(b)). In this way, a mechanism can be constructed that directly applies force to the heat-insulating material 1, thereby moving it. Furthermore, the detailed embodiments and various modifications described in Embodiment 1 can also be applied to Embodiment 3. This Embodiment 3 is an example of cavities 4 and 5 being formed from elastic material, but as long as the volume of cavities 4 and 5 can be adjusted, elastic material is not necessary.

[0093] Furthermore, this embodiment 3 can be determined as an embodiment obtained by applying the following embodiment 4 to the heat-insulating window 10. That is, a heat-insulating window has a cavity that can change shape and a heat-insulating material contained in the cavity. The heat-insulating material is a powder, and any material that moves within the cavity along with the change in the shape of the cavity is acceptable. At this time, the heat-insulating material, which is a powder, is required to have high fluidity, and it is even more preferable if it has volume retention properties similar to those of a liquid. At this time, the various modifications described in embodiment 4 can also be applied to the heat-insulating window 10 of this embodiment 3. For example, although the illustration is omitted, a heat-insulating window that can adjust the heat insulation performance by adjusting the spacing (gap) of the pair of panels 7 can be constructed in accordance with the configuration shown in FIG12.

[0094] [Embodiment 4] Embodiments 1, 2, and 3 are examples of applying the present invention to a heat-insulating window 10, but the present invention can be applied to more general heat-insulating components. That is, a more general embodiment of the present invention is a heat-insulating component that has a cavity capable of changing shape and a heat-insulating material contained in the cavity. The heat-insulating material is a powder, and any material that moves within the cavity along with changes in the shape of the cavity is acceptable. In this case, the heat-insulating material, being a powder, is required to have the same degree of fluidity as a liquid, and it is even more preferable if it has the same degree of volume retention performance as a liquid. Thus, a heat-insulating component with a simple mechanism for adjusting heat insulation can be provided.

[0095] TIISA is a preferred material for thermal insulation. TIISA is a powder containing microparticles 14, which are made from an aerogel 13 having a three-dimensional mesh structure formed by clusters 12 of primary particles 11 forming a framework. TIISA has the above-described structure, thereby achieving the aforementioned flowability and volume retention properties required for thermal insulation materials.

[0096] The cavity can also be depressurized to a pressure lower than the external air pressure. This significantly reduces the thermal conductivity of the insulation component (improving insulation performance). In particular, the improvement in insulation performance is even more significant when TIISA is used as the insulation material. For TIISA, the skeleton occupies less than 1% of the overall volume, and depressurization is achieved by venting air from the remaining 99% or more of the space (gap), thereby suppressing convection. Since the space (gap) contributes significantly to thermal conductivity, venting has a more significant impact on improving insulation performance. On the other hand, for conventional aerogels, the skeleton (solid) occupies a relatively high proportion of approximately 5% of the overall volume. Because the skeleton (solid) contributes significantly to thermal conductivity, even when venting air from the gaps to suppress convection, the improvement in insulation performance is relatively small.

[0097] Alternatively, the cavity can be filled with a gas (e.g., carbon dioxide) that has a lower thermal conductivity than air. This reduces the thermal conductivity of the insulation component (improving insulation performance). After decompression as described above, the filling state can be maintained for a longer period of time more easily than maintaining a decompression state. Furthermore, in the case where a liquid (e.g., water) is used as the medium for moving the insulation material, as in the example shown in Figure 11, a gas with lower thermal conductivity (e.g., carbon dioxide) is more suitable than the decompression described above.

[0098] FIG10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a heat-insulating container 20 using the heat-insulating component of this embodiment. The heat-insulating container 20 is composed of a heat-insulating component surrounding its periphery. That is, the container 20 has a side wall formed by a cavity having a gap 22 sandwiched between an inner wall 21i and an outer wall 21w, a cavity 21c of a top cover portion, and a cavity provided at the bottom that forms a heat-insulating material storage portion 23. The cavity 21c of the top cover portion is filled with heat-insulating material 1. A continuous space is formed between the gap 22 sandwiched between the inner wall 21i and the outer wall 21w and the heat-insulating material storage portion 23, and heat-insulating material 1 is filled into this space. The heat insulation material storage section 23 is configured to change its volume. By reducing the volume, the internal heat insulation material 1 is sent into the gap 22 held by the inner wall 21i and the outer wall 21w. By returning the volume to its original state, the heat insulation material 1 is recovered from the gap 22 to the heat insulation material storage section 23.

[0099] The mechanism for changing the volume of the insulation material storage section 23 can be, for example, an outer cylinder 27, a piston 28, and an operating rod 29 for pressing or pulling the piston 28 in. Alternatively, even if the insulation material 1 inside the insulation material storage section 23 does not enter the contact area between the outer cylinder 27 and the piston 28, a bag made of a soft sheet material such as latex (not shown) can be tightly attached from the front end of the outer cylinder 27 to the front end of the piston 28, thus separating the inner and outer spaces.

[0100] The portion of the sidewall filled with the insulation material 1 has high insulation performance, while the portion not reached has low insulation performance. For example, the insulation material 1 can be selectively moved to portions where a higher insulation performance is required, such as those with a greater temperature difference between the inside and outside. In addition, it can be said that the insulation performance of the sidewall as a whole can be controlled according to the size of the area reached and filled by the insulation material 1.

[0101] FIG11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another configuration example of the heat-insulating container 20 using the heat-insulating component of this embodiment. This example of the heat-insulating container 20 differs from the heat-insulating container 20 in that the cavity at the bottom is formed by a heat-insulating material storage section 23 and a liquid storage section 24. Other structures are common to the heat-insulating container 20 of FIG10, and therefore are omitted from the description. The mechanism for adjusting the volume of the bottom cavity can be configured to be the same as the mechanism shown in FIG10 for changing the volume of the heat-insulating material storage section 23, but in this case, the bottom cavity also contains liquid 2 in addition to the heat-insulating material 1. When the volume is changed by the aforementioned mechanism, it is the liquid 2 that is directly acted upon, and the heat-insulating material 1 is pressed and moved by the liquid 2. The liquid 2 has exclusivity relative to the heat-insulating material 1; that is, the liquid 2 is a material that does not mix with the heat-insulating material 1 to form a defined interface. For example, if TIISA is used as the heat-insulating material 1, the liquid 2 can also be a liquid with water as its main component. TIISA has extremely high hydrophobicity, thus it can move without mixing with water through a defined interface and according to changes in volume. Introducing liquid (water) 2 into the bottom cavity allows for the use of known methods to suppress leakage when setting up a volume adjustment mechanism such as the outer cylinder 27 and piston 28. That is, using a liquid (e.g., water) as the medium for moving the insulation material effectively suppresses leakage even in the presence of moving parts, thereby increasing the design freedom of the volume adjustment mechanism.

[0102] FIG12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another configuration example of a heat-insulating container using the heat-insulating component of this embodiment. In the configuration example shown in FIG10 and FIG11, a volume adjustment mechanism is provided in the bottom cavity, but the thickness of the heat-insulating material 1 filling the cavity in the side wall portion is changed, thereby adjusting the heat insulation performance. The cavity in the side wall portion is formed by the gap between the inner wall 21i and the outer wall 21w. The bottom of the container 20 has a double structure of floor surface 21f and bottom surface 21b, and the gap is filled with heat-insulating material 1. The cavity 21c of the top cover is configured such that the space is continuous with the gap between the inner wall 21i and the outer wall 21w, so that the heat-insulating material 1 can move freely. The outer wall 21w is extended outward, thereby maximizing the gap between the inner wall 21i and the outer wall 21w, and thus maximizing the heat insulation performance (FIG. 12(a)). The outer wall 21w is pressed inward toward the inner wall 21i, narrowing the gap. As a result, the insulation material 1 that is filled is squeezed out into the cavity 21c of the top cover, thus thinning the insulation material 1 filling the cavity in the side wall portion, thereby reducing the insulation performance (Fig. 12(b)). Furthermore, the cavity 21c of the top cover portion can also be tilted inward toward the gap in the side wall portion. The angle of tilt determines the degree to which the insulation material 1 moves toward the gap in the side wall portion due to its own weight.

[0103] Various applications can be expected in adjusting the thermal insulation performance. For example, the internal pressure of tanks used to supply hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles needs to be properly managed. To prevent the tank from rupturing due to excessive internal pressure, venting is required, resulting in the waste of hydrogen in the container. Conversely, if the internal pressure is too low, problems arise regarding the proper filling of hydrogen from the tank to the fuel cell vehicle. The same internal pressure adjustment is also required in the storage tanks of liquefied hydrogen transported over long distances on cargo ships.

[0104] The invention made by the inventors has been specifically described above based on the embodiments, but the invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit. [Industrial Applicability]

[0105] The present invention can be appropriately used in heat insulation components that can change the heat insulation position, and can be more appropriately applied to heat insulation windows that can switch between a transparent state and a light-blocking / heat-blocking state. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0022] FIG1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an insulated window according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an insulated window according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG3 is an explanatory diagram comparing the structure of ordinary aerogel particles with that of microparticles whose skeleton is formed by primary particles. FIG4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the frequency distribution of particle size for ordinary aerogel particles, powder obtained by crushing aerogel particles, micro powder, and microparticles whose skeleton is formed by primary particles. FIG5 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for measuring the dynamic angle of repose. FIG6 is an explanatory diagram showing the measurement results of the dynamic angle of repose. FIG7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for measuring the rate of volume change. FIG8 shows the measurement results of the rate of volume change. FIG9 shows the measurement results of the rate of volume change over time. FIG10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an insulated container using the insulated member of the present invention. FIG11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the configuration of an insulated container using the insulated member of the present invention. Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another configuration example of an insulated container using the heat-insulating component of the present invention. Figure 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another configuration example of an insulated window according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat-insulating window comprising: a pair of panels; a space sandwiched between the pair of panels; a heat-insulating material capable of filling the space; and a mechanism for moving the heat-insulating material into the space to fill it, and for moving the heat-insulating material out of the space to remove it, wherein, The thermal insulation material comprises microparticles, which are made from an aerogel having a three-dimensional mesh structure with a framework formed by clusters of primary particles. The microparticles constituting the thermal insulation material are dispersed such that at least 50% of their volume has a particle size of 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm.

2. The heat-insulating window according to claim 1, wherein, The mechanism is one that can move a liquid in contact with the insulation material so as to move the insulation material.

3. The heat-insulating window according to claim 2, wherein, The thermal insulation material is hydrophobic, and the liquid is mainly composed of water.

4. The heat-insulating window according to claim 2, wherein, The mechanism includes an elastic cavity capable of accommodating the thermal insulation material and the liquid on the lower side of the space, and a compression mechanism capable of increasing or decreasing the volume of the elastic cavity. The mechanism decreases the volume of the elastic cavity through the compression mechanism, thereby causing the thermal insulation material to move from the elastic cavity into the space, and increases the volume of the elastic cavity through the compression mechanism, thereby causing the thermal insulation material to move from the space into the elastic cavity.

5. The heat-insulating window according to claim 2, wherein, The mechanism includes an upper elastic cavity capable of accommodating the thermal insulation material on the upper side of the space, a lower elastic cavity capable of accommodating the liquid on the lower side of the space, and a compression mechanism capable of increasing or decreasing the volume of the lower elastic cavity. The mechanism is configured such that: by reducing the volume of the lower elastic cavity through the compression mechanism, the liquid moves from the elastic cavity into the space, and the thermal insulation material moves from the space into the upper elastic cavity; by increasing the volume of the lower elastic cavity through the compression mechanism, the liquid moves from the space into the lower elastic cavity, and the thermal insulation material moves from the upper elastic cavity into the space.

6. A heat insulation component, wherein, The device comprises a cavity capable of changing shape and a thermal insulation material contained within the cavity. The thermal insulation material is in powder form and moves within the cavity as the shape changes. The thermal insulation material contains microparticles. The microparticles are made from an aerogel having a three-dimensional mesh structure with a framework formed by clusters of primary particles. The microparticles constituting the thermal insulation material are dispersed such that at least 50% of their volume has a particle size of 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm.

7. The heat insulation component according to claim 6, wherein, The thermal insulation material has fluidity and volume retention properties, enabling it to maintain its volume before and after the change in the shape of the cavity.

8. The heat insulation component according to claim 6, wherein, The air pressure inside the cavity is reduced compared to the external air pressure.

9. The heat insulation component according to claim 6, wherein, The cavity is filled with a gas that has a lower thermal conductivity than air.

10. The heat insulation component according to claim 6, wherein, The cavity further contains a liquid that is exclusive to the insulation material.

11. The heat insulation component according to claim 6, wherein, The thermal insulation material is hydrophobic, and water is further contained in the cavity.

12. The heat insulation component according to claim 6, wherein, The cavity has one or more pairs of panels and a heat insulation material receiving portion. Each pair of panels has a gap that can accommodate the heat insulation material on its inner side. The heat insulation material receiving portion accommodates the heat insulation material. By changing the volume of the space continuous with the gap, the heat insulation material is squeezed into the gap of the panel or retracted from the gap of the panel.

13. The heat insulation component according to claim 10, wherein, The cavity has one or more pairs of panels, a heat insulation material storage section, and a liquid storage section. Each pair of panels has a gap that can accommodate the heat insulation material on its inner side. The heat insulation material storage section has a space continuous with the gap that can accommodate the heat insulation material. The liquid storage section accommodates the liquid. The liquid moves by changing the volume of the space continuous with the gap, thereby squeezing the heat insulation material into or recovering the heat insulation material from the gap of the panel.

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