Thermal insulation covering, thermal insulation system and method for thermally insulating snow heap or glacier

Abstract

A thermal insulation covering (1) for thermally insulating a snow heap (10) or glacier, comprising: a thermal insulation layer (2); a waterproof layer (3) made of a plastic material and arranged on the top side of the thermal insulation layer (2); and a fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) attached to the top side of the waterproof layer (3), the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) acting as a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener and covering the waterproof layer (3) at least at a longitudinal edge region of the thermal insulation cover (1), wherein a longitudinal edge region of the thermal insulation cover (1) can be arranged close to a similar second thermal insulation cover (1 ') or covering a portion of the second thermal insulation cover (1') and attached to the second thermal insulation cover (1 ') using an attachment strip (11) forming a hook portion of the hook-and-loop fastener.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal insulation cover for thermally insulating a snow pile or an ice field, as defined in claim 1. The invention also relates to a method of thermally insulating a snow pile or an ice field, as defined in another independent claim. The invention further relates to a thermal insulation system for thermally insulating a snow pile or an ice field. BACKGROUND

[0002] In order to preserve snow in summer, the snow must be covered with a sufficient amount of a suitable thermal insulation material, since even in northern countries, outdoor temperatures of up to +30°C can be experienced during summer months. Furthermore, the insulation covering the stored snow is exposed to a lot of direct sunlight in summer, and in rainy weather, the stored snow is wetted by rain.

[0003] The thermal insulation of stored snow comprises a thermal insulation material added on top of the snow blocks piled at the desired storage site. In recent years, the use of thermal insulation boards, such as polystyrene and / or polyurethane insulation boards, has become more and more common. This is because such solutions provide improved thermal insulation capacity, better quality of the preserved snow, and this allows the same insulation material to be used for preserving snow for several years, thus making such a method also more economical compared to traditional methods of storing snow, such as sawdust insulation.

[0004] Typically, the thermal insulation cover made by applying insulation boards is formed by attaching a plurality of insulation boards to each other in a side-by-side manner and one after the other, so that a substantially large insulation board felt (hereinafter referred to as "insulation cover section") is obtained. In a single insulation cover section, the connections between the adjacent insulation boards are designed in such a way that they allow the adjacent insulation boards to bend properly with respect to each other, so that when the insulation cover section is laid on its place on the snow pile to be preserved, the insulation cover section will conform to the shape of the snow pile.

[0005] However, for a huge snow pile, for example, appropriate for a single ski slope, a large number of insulation boards is required. Thereby, the entire insulation cover cannot be made from a single continuous insulation cover. This is especially due to safety reasons, because if a single insulation cover is made too large, it is very difficult and dangerous to handle, especially in windy weather. Therefore, the thermal insulation cover of stored snow made by applying insulation board felt must be assembled by using several insulation cover sections, which will be attached to each other at the storage site where they are placed on the snow pile to be preserved.

[0006] One disadvantage of the presently known methods for providing a thermal insulation cover formed by applying insulation board mats is that the connection methods applied to secure the insulation cover segments to each other do not meet the requirements and needs regarding durability against the harsh weather conditions experienced in typical snow preservation sites. This is believed to be because the presently known stitching and / or attachment methods for attaching the insulation cover segments to each other are too disadvantageous and unreliable. The disadvantage and lack of reliability in the attachment and connection between the insulation cover segments results in the presently known thermal insulation covers not being able to prevent water from entering under the thermal insulation cover during the preservation period, among other things. The presently known methods for assembling the thermal insulation cover onto a snow pile are also believed to be laborious and time-consuming due to the solutions applied in the connection and attachment between the insulation cover segments.

[0007] Recently, glaciers have also been protected from melting by using a cover. Because of the large size of glaciers, the covers used at glaciers are typically simpler and cheaper than the thermal insulation covers used for preserving snow. The cover can simply be a geotextile that does not have real thermal insulation properties but provides some protection against direct sunlight. However, similar challenges are encountered with respect to the attachment of the cover segments to each other as when insulating a snow pile. SUMMARY

[0008] One object of the present invention is to provide an improved thermal insulation cover for thermal insulation of a snow pile or a glacier. Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermal insulation system for thermal insulation of a snow pile or a glacier. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for thermal insulation of a snow pile or a glacier.

[0009] The thermal insulation cover according to the present invention has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, a bottom side configured to face the snow pile or the glacier, and a top side configured to face outwards. The thermal insulation cover comprises a thermal insulation layer configured to reduce thermal conduction and / or thermal radiation through the thermal insulation cover, a waterproof layer arranged on the top side of the thermal insulation layer and attached directly or indirectly to the thermal insulation layer, the waterproof layer being made of a plastic material and covering substantially the entire thermal insulation layer, and a fabric layer attached to the top side of the waterproof layer, the fabric layer being configured to function as a loop part of a hook-and-loop fastener, the fabric layer covering the waterproof layer at least at the longitudinal edge areas of the thermal insulation cover. The thermal insulation cover is configured such that the longitudinal edge areas of the thermal insulation cover can be arranged close to or covering parts of a similar second thermal insulation cover, and attached to the second thermal insulation cover using an attachment strip configured to form a hook part of the hook-and-loop fastener and attached to the fabric layer of the thermal insulation cover.

[0010] The thermal insulation cover according to the present invention can allow for a quick and reliable attachment of the thermal insulation cover. The covers can be releasably attached to each other, thereby allowing for a quick removal and reuse of the thermal insulation cover.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof layer is configured to extend beyond the edge of the thermal insulation layer at least on one longitudinal side of the thermal insulation layer to form a skirt configured to cover a portion of the second thermal insulation cover. The skirt is particularly beneficial in case of a thick thermal insulation layer. The skirt allows for an overlap of adjacent thermal insulation covers and prevents rain water from flowing underneath the thermal insulation cover. Due to the flexibility of the skirt, the skirt also allows for an easier attachment of adjacent thermal insulation covers.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the skirt extends beyond the edge of the thermal insulation layer by 20 cm to 50 cm. Such a skirt allows for a sufficient overlap of the thermal insulation covers and an easy handling of the thermal insulation covers.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fabric layer covers the waterproof layer at the lateral edge areas to allow for the attachment of separate skirt portions to the thermal insulation cover. The separate skirt portions protect snow from direct sunlight and rain. When the thermal insulation cover does not need to extend to the ground, the thermal insulation cover is protected from dirt.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fabric layer only covers the edge areas, thereby leaving a middle portion of the waterproof layer bare. When the fabric layer is configured to only cover a portion of the waterproof layer, the thermal insulation cover is lighter and absorbs less water. Also, the soiling of the thermal insulation cover is reduced.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the fabric layer at each longitudinal edge area is at least 30 cm. A fabric layer that is sufficiently wide ensures a reliable attachment. Furthermore, the fabric layer provides a less slippery surface, thereby allowing for a safe work when installing the thermal insulation cover.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the fabric layer at each longitudinal edge area is at most 80 cm. By keeping the fabric layer narrow, the weight, water absorption and soiling of the thermal insulation cover are reduced.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the thermal insulation cover is 2.0 m to 4.0 m. Such a width allows for an easy handling and a quick installation of the thermal insulation cover.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof layer is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate. The use of EVA provides suitable properties, such as UV radiation resistance and frost resistance.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fabric layer is attached to the layer underneath by gluing, stitching or by applying heat to the fabric layer and / or the layer underneath.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thermal insulation layer has a thickness of at least 10 mm.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thermal insulation layer comprises a plurality of insulation panels, such that at least some of the insulation panels are pivotally connected to at least one adjacent insulation panel in a longitudinal direction of the thermal insulation cover to allow folding of the thermal insulation cover. The use of insulation panels allows for good thermal insulation and easy handling of the thermal insulation cover.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thermal insulation layer comprises a top cover layer arranged on a top side of the insulation panels and a bottom cover layer arranged on a bottom side of the insulation panels, and the top cover layer and the bottom cover layer are attached to each other at predetermined locations to form pockets separated from each other along a lateral extension line, each pocket accommodating one or more insulation panels, the cover layers forming a pivot joint between adjacent pockets. The cover layers protect the insulation panels and form durable joints between the insulation panels.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof layer is attached to the thermal insulation layer by point-form and / or line-form attachment, such that slack is formed in the waterproof layer to allow folding of the thermal insulation cover.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof layer is attached to the thermal insulation layer by means of screws. Screws allow for easy and reliable attachment of the waterproof layer.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the insulation panels have a thickness of at least 30 mm.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thermal insulation layer is made of a flexible material, thereby allowing rolling up of the thermal insulation cover. A rollable thermal insulation cover is particularly suitable for applications where large areas need to be covered, such as for protecting glaciers.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thermal insulation layer comprises an aluminum foil. Aluminum foil effectively reflects heat. The aluminum foil can form part of the thermal insulation layer. However, in some applications, the thermal insulation layer can consist of aluminum foil.

[0028] The thermal insulation system according to the present invention comprises at least the first thermal insulation cover defined above and a second thermal insulation cover defined above, the second thermal insulation cover being configured to be arranged adjacent to the first thermal insulation cover, and at least one attachment strip configured to form the hook portion of the hook-and-loop fastener for attaching an edge region of the first thermal insulation cover to an edge region of the second thermal insulation cover.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a separate skirt portion made of a flexible sheet material and having a top surface at least partially configured to form the loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, and a second attachment strip configured to form the hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener for attaching the skirt portion to lateral edge regions of the thermal insulation cover.

[0030] The method for thermally insulating a snow pile or an ice field using the above defined thermal insulation system according to the present invention comprises the steps of arranging the first thermal insulation cover above the snow pile or the ice field, arranging the second thermal insulation cover above the snow pile or the ice field adjacent to the first thermal insulation cover, arranging edge regions of the first thermal insulation cover close to edge regions of the second thermal insulation cover or partially above the edge regions of the second thermal insulation cover, and attaching the fabric layers of the edge regions of the first thermal insulation cover and the second thermal insulation cover substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the thermal insulation covers in order to attach the edge regions of the thermal insulation covers to each other.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the step of attaching the above defined skirt portion to lateral edge regions of the first and second thermal insulation cover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] In the following, embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0033] Figure 1 A snow pile covered by a plurality of thermal insulation covers is schematically shown,

[0034] Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of two thermal insulation covers attached to each other is shown,

[0035] Figure 3 A top view of a thermal insulation cover according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown,

[0036] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a thermal insulation cover, Figure 3

[0037] Figure 5 A top view of three thermal insulation covers attached to each other is shown,

[0038] Figure 6 A cross-sectional side view of a thermal insulation cover according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown,​

[0039] Figure 7 A cross-sectional side view of a thermal insulation cover according to another embodiment of the application is shown,

[0040] Figure 8 A way of attaching different layers of a thermal insulation cover to each other is shown, and

[0041] Figure 9 The method according to the application is shown as a flow chart. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] Figure 1 A snow pile 10 is schematically shown that has been insulated using a number of thermal insulation covers 1. The thermal insulation covers 1 are elongated mats. The thermal insulation covers 1 have a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, a bottom side and a top side. The bottom side is configured to face the snow pile 10 and the top side is configured to face outwards. The width of the thermal insulation covers 1 can for example be 2.0 m to 4.0 m. However, the width can also be different. In the longitudinal direction, the length of the thermal insulation covers 1 can be substantially larger, for example at least 10 m. The number of thermal insulation covers 1 used to insulate the snow pile 10 depends on the size of the snow pile 10 and the dimensions of the thermal insulation covers 1. Each thermal insulation cover 1 is configured to be attached to an adjacent thermal insulation cover 1 on a longitudinal side of the thermal insulation cover 1. In addition, each end or at least one end of the thermal insulation covers 1 can be configured to allow attaching the thermal insulation cover 1 from the end of the thermal insulation cover to a similar thermal insulation cover 1. The thermal insulation system can thereby be formed by connecting several thermal insulation covers 1 to each other to form a continuous cover.

[0043] Figures 2 to 8 Different views of different embodiments of the application are shown in the figures.

[0044] Heat can be transferred by conduction, convection and radiation. To reduce the transfer of heat, the thermal insulation cover 1 comprises a thermal insulation layer 2. The thermal insulation layer 2 can be configured to reduce, among others, the heat conduction and / or the heat radiation through the thermal insulation cover 1. The thermal insulation layer 2 can consist of a layer that is configured to reduce the heat radiation but not significantly reduce the heat conduction. The thermal insulation layer 2 can thereby consist of for example an aluminum foil. However, the thermal insulation layer 2 preferably comprises a material with a low thermal conductivity to also reduce the heat conduction. The heat conduction properties of a material can be characterized by a so-called lambda value. The thermal insulation layer 2 can comprise a material with a lambda value λ that is less than 0.3 W / (m-K), preferably less than 0.05 W / (m-K). The thermal insulation layer 2 can comprise for example expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS) or honeycomb plastic.

[0045] The thermal insulation properties of the thermal insulation layer 2 also depend on the thickness of the thermal insulation layer 2. The thickness of the thermal insulation layer 2 can be in the range of 2 mm to 150 mm. However, especially if the purpose of the thermal insulation layer 2 is mainly to reduce thermal radiation, the thermal insulation layer 2 can be thinner. The thermal transmittance of the structure can be characterized by the U-value. The U-value of the thermal insulation layer 2 is preferably less than 1.0 W / (m 2 • K). The thermal insulation layer 2 can comprise several layers. For example, the thermal insulation layer 2 can comprise one or more layers made of a material with a low lambda value and one or more layers configured to reflect thermal radiation. For example, the thermal insulation layer 2 can comprise a layer made of XPS and on one or both sides of the XPS layer a layer made of aluminum foil. The thermal insulation layer 2 can also comprise one or more layers that protect any thermal insulation material.

[0046] The thermal insulation cover 1 further comprises a waterproof layer 3 arranged on the top side of the thermal insulation layer 2. In the use position of the thermal insulation cover 1, the waterproof layer 3 is thus above the thermal insulation layer 2. The waterproof layer 3 is attached to the thermal insulation layer 2. The waterproof layer 3 can be attached directly or indirectly to the thermal insulation layer 2. There can thus be further layers between the thermal insulation layer 2 and the waterproof layer 3, or the waterproof layer 3 can be arranged directly on the thermal insulation layer 2. The waterproof layer 3 is made of a plastic material. A suitable material is ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). However, the waterproof layer 3 can also be made of some other suitable material that is water-impermeable. The waterproof layer 3 covers substantially the entire thermal insulation layer 2. However, it is possible that the waterproof layer 3 does not extend to the edge of the thermal insulation layer 2 on all sides of the thermal insulation cover 1. For example, if the thermal insulation cover 1 is configured to overlap with an adjacent thermal insulation cover 1, the part of the area intended to be placed under the adjacent thermal insulation cover 1 can be free of the waterproof layer 3.

[0047] The thermal insulation cover 1 further comprises a fabric layer 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d attached to the top side of the waterproof layer 3. The fabric layer 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d is configured to function as the loop part of a hook-and-loop fastener and covers the waterproof layer 3 at least at the longitudinal edge areas of the thermal insulation cover 1. The thermal insulation cover 1 is configured so that the longitudinal edge areas of the thermal insulation cover 1 can be arranged close to a similar adjacent thermal insulation cover 1 or to cover a part of an adjacent thermal insulation cover 1 and attached to the adjacent thermal insulation cover 1 using an attachment strip 11 configured to form the hook part of a hook-and-loop fastener.

[0048] The fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d and the attachment strips 11 of the thermal insulation cover 1 thus form part of a Velcro type fastener. This allows simple, fast and reliable attachment of two adjacent thermal insulation covers 1. The thermal insulation covers 1 can also easily be detached from each other to remove the thermal insulation covers 1 and store them for reuse. In the embodiments of the figures, the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d also cover the waterproof layer 3 at the lateral edge regions of the thermal insulation cover 1, i.e. at the ends of the thermal insulation cover 1. The fabric layers comprise longitudinal portions 4a, 4b and lateral portions 4c, 4d. The lateral portions 4c, 4d of the fabric layers at the ends of the thermal insulation cover 1 allow separate skirt portions 12 to be attached to the thermal insulation cover 1.

[0049] Preferably, the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d only cover the edge regions, leaving the middle portion of the waterproof layer 3 exposed, as shown. Figure 3 The fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d absorb water and are more prone to soiling than the waterproof layer 3. Furthermore, the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d increase the weight of the thermal insulation cover 1. By arranging the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d only at the edge regions, the thermal insulation cover 1 is easier to handle and the thermal insulation cover 1 is easier to keep clean.

[0050] The width of the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d at each longitudinal edge region may, for example, be in the range of 30 cm to 80 cm. The fabric layers 4 are less slippery than the waterproof layer 3 and allow safe working when installing the thermal insulation covers 1 and attaching these to each other.

[0051] The fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d can be attached to the waterproof layer 3 or other underlying layer by gluing, or by applying heat to the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d or the layer underlying the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d. Alternatively, the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d can be stitched to the underlying layer.

[0052] The fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d can be made of geotextile or other suitable material.

[0053] In the embodiments of the figures, the waterproof layer 3 is configured to extend beyond the edge of the thermal insulation layer 2 at least on one longitudinal side of the thermal insulation layer 2 to form a skirt portion 3a. The skirt portion 3a may, for example, extend 20 cm to 50 cm beyond the edge of the thermal insulation layer 2. The skirt portion 3a is configured to cover a portion of an adjacent thermal insulation cover 1. If the waterproof layer 3 forms a skirt portion 3a, the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d on the opposite longitudinal edge regions of the thermal insulation cover 1 do not need to extend to the edge of the waterproof layer 3, but the fabric layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d can be arranged at a distance from the edge, as shown in the figures.

[0054] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of two thermal insulation covers 1, 1' is shown. The thermal insulation cover 1 on the left is referred to below as the first thermal insulation cover and the thermal insulation cover 1' on the right is referred to as the second thermal insulation cover. The thermal insulation covers 1, 1' are arranged so that the thermal insulation layer 2 of the first thermal insulation cover 1 is adjacent to the thermal insulation layer 2 of the second thermal insulation cover 1'. For effective thermal insulation, it is preferred that the thermal insulation covers 1, 1' are arranged as close to each other as possible. However, the thermal insulation layers 2 do not necessarily have to be adjacent to each other. Small gaps can thus be present between the thermal insulation layers 2 of adjacent thermal insulation covers 1, 1'. The skirt 3a of the first thermal insulation cover 1 is already arranged on the second thermal insulation cover 1'.

[0055] The left longitudinal fabric layer 4b of the second thermally insulating cover 1' is partially below the skirt 3a of the first thermally insulating cover 1. However, part of the longitudinal fabric layer 4b is outside the area covered by the skirt 3a and runs parallel to the longitudinal edge of the skirt 3a. The longitudinal fabric layer 4a on the skirt 3a of the first thermally insulating cover 1 extends to the longitudinal edge of the skirt 3a.

[0056] In order to attach the skirt 3a of the first thermally insulating cover 1 to the second thermally insulating cover 1 ′, an attachment strip 11 is provided. The attachment strip 11 is configured to form the hook portion 11 of a hook-and-loop fastener. The attachment strip 11 is attached to the longitudinal fabric layer 4a of the skirt 3a of the first thermally insulating cover 1 and the longitudinal fabric layer 4b of the second thermally insulating cover 1 ′ at an edge region located on one of the longitudinal sides of the first thermally insulating cover 1 . The width of the attachment strip 11 can, for example, be in the range of 10 cm to 20 cm. Approximately half of the attachment strip 11 can be attached to the first thermally insulating cover 1 , and the other half can be attached to the second thermally insulating cover 1 ′. The attachment strip 11 can be stored as a roll and unrolled to attach it to the respective fabric layer 4a, 4b of the thermally insulating covers 1, 1 ′.

[0057] More than one attachment strip 11 can be used to attach two insulation covers 1 to each other. The attachment strip 11 can thus be shorter than the insulation covers 1. If two insulation covers 1 are attached to each other from their ends, a single attachment strip 11 can be used to attach several insulation covers 1 to each other from their longitudinal edges.

[0058] Preferably, the fabric layer 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d is made wider than the width of half of the attachment strip 11 at least at the longitudinal edge area that is covered by the skirt 3a of the adjacent thermal insulation cover 1. When the skirt 3a is attached to the fabric layer part 4b, a part of the fabric layer part 4b is left bare. This allows for safe walking on the snow pile 10.

[0059] Figure 5 Top views of three thermal insulation covers 1, 1', 1" are shown. Each thermal insulation cover 1, 1', 1" is attached to adjacent thermal insulation covers 1, 1', 1" in the manner described above.

[0060] In step 101 of the method according to the invention, a first thermal insulation cover 1 is arranged above the snow pile 10. In step 102, a second thermal insulation cover 1' is arranged above the snow pile 10 next to the first thermal insulation cover 1. In step 103, an edge area of the first thermal insulation cover 1 is arranged next to or partly above an edge area of the second thermal insulation cover 1'. In step 104, an attachment strip 11 is attached to the fabric layer 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d of the edge area of the first thermal insulation cover 1 and to the fabric layer 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d of the edge area of the second thermal insulation cover 1' substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the thermal insulation covers 1, 1' in order to attach the edge areas to each other. Further thermal insulation covers are installed in a similar manner. It should be noted that these steps do not need to be performed in the order described above. For example, when a plurality of thermal insulation covers 1 is installed, all thermal insulation covers 1 can first be pulled above the snow pile 10, then the skirts 3a can be arranged in place and finally all attachment strips 11 can be attached. The procedure will be similar for the protection of glaciers.

[0061] Figure 1 and Figure 5 A skirt part 12 for a thermal insulation system is shown. The skirt part 12 is a separate part that can be attached to thermal insulation covers 1 in a similar manner as the thermal insulation covers 1 can be attached to each other. At least a part of the skirt part 12 thus has a fabric layer as an uppermost layer. The skirt part 12 can consist of a fabric layer. The skirt part 12 can thus be made of geotextile. Alternatively, the skirt part 12 can comprise a waterproof layer and a fabric layer at least partly covering an upper surface of the waterproof layer. The skirt part 12 can also comprise a thermal insulation layer, but this is not necessary. If the skirt part 12 comprises a thermal insulation layer, the thermal insulation layer is preferably thinner than the thermal insulation layer 2 of the thermal insulation cover 1. For example, the thermal insulation layer of the skirt part 12 can consist of aluminum foil.

[0062] The purpose of the skirt portion 12 is to cover the lower part of the snow pile 10. The thermal insulation cover 1 is thereby shorter, so that they do not extend to the ground. This protects the thermal insulation cover 1 from dirt. Figure 5 It is shown how the skirt portion 12 has been attached to the thermal insulation cover 1, 1', 1" by means of a second attachment strip 13. The second attachment strip 13 can be identical to the attachment strip 11 used to attach the thermal insulation covers 1, 1', 1" to each other. Figure 5 Only the skirt portion 12 is shown at one end of the insulation cover 1, 1', 1", but preferably the skirt portion 12 encircles the entire snow pile 10. Thereby, even the other end of the insulation cover 1, 1', 1" can be provided with a skirt portion 12. The skirt portion 12 can comprise two or more shorter sections. The sections can be attached to each other from their ends using attachment strips 11, 13 similar to the attachment strips used to attach the insulation covers 1, 1', 1" to each other or to attach the skirt portion 12 to the insulation cover 1, 1', 1".

[0063] In the embodiments of the figures, the thermal insulation layer 2 comprises a plurality of insulation boards 5. At least some of the insulation boards 5 are pivotally connected to at least one adjacent insulation board 5 in the longitudinal direction of the thermal insulation cover 1 to allow folding of the thermal insulation cover 1. When the thermal insulation cover 1 is not in use, it can thereby be folded to allow convenient storage of the thermal insulation cover 1.

[0064] Figure 6 One embodiment is shown, in which the thermal insulation layer 2 comprises a top cover layer 6 arranged on the top side of the insulation boards 5 and a bottom cover layer 7 arranged on the bottom side of the insulation boards 5. The top cover layer 6 and the bottom cover layer 7 are attached to each other at predetermined positions to form pockets that are separated from each other along a lateral extension line. Each pocket accommodates one or more insulation boards 5. The insulation boards 5 can be made of e.g. XPS. The thickness of the insulation boards 5 is preferably at least 20 mm, more preferably at least 40 mm. Thicker insulation boards 5 improve the insulation, but make handling and storage of the thermal insulation cover 1 more difficult. The thickness of the thermal insulation boards 5 is therefore preferably at most 120 mm.

[0065] The cover layers 6, 7 form pivot joints 8 between adjacent pockets. The cover layers 6, 7 can be attached to each other, e.g. by stitching, welding or gluing, to form the pivot joints 8. The ends of the pockets on the longitudinal sides of the thermal insulation cover 1 can be closed in a similar manner. Each pocket can be provided with one, two or more insulation panels 5. For example, each pocket can accommodate four insulation panels arranged in a square form. Each pocket can also accommodate two or more thinner insulation panels 5 arranged on top of each other. The size of the pockets is preferably set such that significant movement of the insulation panels 5 within the pockets is prevented. The insulation panels can be made of, e.g., extruded polystyrene. The ends of the pockets can be closed in a suitable manner, such as by means of screws, welding, stitching or gluing. For the sake of clarity, Figure 6 The fabric layer is not shown in

[0066] The top cover layer 6 and the bottom cover layer 7 can be made of a suitable plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The top cover layer 6 and the bottom cover layer 7 are not essential, but the thermal insulation layer 2 can consist of insulation panels 5 or can include only one of the cover layers 6, 7. If the thermal insulation layer 2 does not include any cover layers, the insulation panels 5 can be attached to each other in some other manner. For example, two adjacent insulation panels 5 can be attached to each other by means of a flexible material strip attached to both insulation panels 5 to form a pivot joint. The flexible material can be attached to the insulation panels 5 by gluing or welding, or by means of mechanical fasteners, such as screws.

[0067] Figure 6 A waterproof layer 3 is also shown. The waterproof layer 3 is attached to the thermal insulation layer 2 such that slack is formed in the waterproof layer 3 to allow folding of the thermal insulation cover 1. The slack of the waterproof layer 3 also prevents rainwater from flowing into the pivot joints 8 and via the pivot joints 8 to below the thermal insulation cover 1. The waterproof layer 3 can be attached to the thermal insulation layer 2, e.g. by means of screws 9 as Figure 8 shown, or by means of other point form attachment. Alternatively, the waterproof layer 3 can be attached to the thermal insulation layer 2 by thread form attachment, such as by means of elongated welds.

[0068] Figure 7 The embodiments of Figure 6 are similar to the embodiments of the thermal insulation cover 1. However, the pivot joints 8 are formed on opposite sides of the insulation panels 5 alternately. Every second pivot joint 8 is thus formed on the bottom side of the insulation panel 5, and every second pivot joint 8 is formed on the top side of the insulation panel 5. This allows a smaller gap between adjacent pockets. Similar pivot joints 8 can be formed by flexible material strips attached to the top and bottom sides of adjacent insulation panels 5 alternately. In Figure 7In embodiments of the water-proof layer 3 only needs to be provided with slack in the joints where the pivot joints 8 are formed on the bottom side of the insulation panel 5. If the pivot joints 8 are at the level of the top of the thermal insulation layer 2, the water-proof layer 3 does not prevent folding of the thermal insulation cover 1 and water running along the pivot joints 8 does not cause problems.

[0069] The embodiments of the figures show a thermal insulation cover 1 with an insulation panel 5. In the embodiments of the figures, the thermal insulation cover is foldable. However, the thermal insulation layer 2 can be made of a flexible material that allows rolling up of the thermal insulation cover 1. For example, the thermal insulation layer 2 can consist of aluminum foil, or the thermal insulation layer can comprise honeycomb plastic. The aluminum foil or other insulation material can be arranged between a pair of water-proof layers, which can be made of a plastic material, such as EVA. Such a thermal insulation cover would be particularly suitable for protecting glaciers from melting during the summer. The thickness of the rollable thermal insulation cover 1 can for example be in the range of 2-50 mm, preferably 10-30 mm. If the purpose of the cover is mainly to reduce heat radiation through the thermal insulation cover 1, the thermal insulation cover 1 can even be thinner. A cover with a thickness exceeding 50 mm is difficult to handle.

[0070] If the thermal insulation layer 2 is thin, for example at most 30 mm, the skirt 3a is not necessary. The water-proof layer 3 can thereby have the same size as the thermal insulation layer 2. The thermal insulation covers 1 can be arranged close to each other such that their edges abut each other. Alternatively, the thermal insulation covers 1 can be arranged to partially overlap with the adjacent thermal insulation covers 1.

Claims

1. A thermal insulation cover (1) for thermally insulating a snow pile (10) or a glacier, the thermal insulation cover (1) having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, a bottom side configured to face the snow pile (10) or the glacier and a top side configured to face outwards, the thermal insulation cover (1) comprising a thermal insulation layer (2) configured to reduce heat conduction and / or heat radiation through the thermal insulation cover (1), a waterproof layer (3) arranged on the top side of the thermal insulation layer (2) and directly or indirectly attached to the thermal insulation layer (2), the waterproof layer (3) being made of a plastic material and covering substantially the entire thermal insulation layer (2), and a fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) attached to the top side of the waterproof layer (3), the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) being configured to function as a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener and covering the waterproof layer (3) at least at the longitudinal edge regions of the thermal insulation cover (1), The thermal insulation cover (1) is configured so that a longitudinal edge region of the thermal insulation cover (1) can be arranged adjacent to or covering a portion of a similar second thermal insulation cover (1') and attached to the second thermal insulation cover (1') using an attachment strip (11) configured to form a hook portion of the hook and loop fastener and attached to the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the thermal insulation cover (1, 1').

2. The thermal insulation cover (1) according to claim 1, wherein the waterproof layer (3) is configured to extend beyond the edge of the thermal insulation layer (2) at least on one longitudinal side of the thermal insulation layer (2) to form a skirt (3a) configured to cover a portion of the second thermal insulation cover (1').

3. The thermal insulation cover (1) according to claim 2, wherein the skirt (3a) extends beyond the edge of the thermal insulation layer (2) by 20 cm to 50 cm.

4. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) covers the waterproof layer (3) at lateral edge regions to allow a separate skirt portion (12) to be attached to the thermal insulation cover (1).

5. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) covers only the edge areas of the waterproof layer (3), leaving the middle part of the waterproof layer (3) exposed.

6. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) at each longitudinal edge region is at least 30 cm.

7. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) in each longitudinal edge region is at most 80 cm.

8. The thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the thermal insulation cover (1) is 2.0 m to 4.0 m.

9. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the waterproof layer (3) is made of ethylene vinyl acetate.

10. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) is attached to the underlying layer by gluing, sewing or applying heat to the fabric layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) and / or the underlying layer.

11. A thermal insulation covering (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal insulation layer (2) has a thickness of at least 10 mm.

12. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal insulation layer (2) comprises a plurality of insulation panels (5), such that at least some of the insulation panels (5) are pivotally connected to at least one adjacent insulation panel (5) in the longitudinal direction of the thermal insulation cover (1) to allow folding of the thermal insulation cover (1).

13. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to claim 12, wherein the thermal insulation layer (2) comprises a top covering layer (6) arranged on the top side of the insulation board (5) and a bottom covering layer (7) arranged on the bottom side of the insulation board (5), and the top covering layer (6) and the bottom covering layer (7) are attached to each other at predetermined positions to form recesses separated from each other along a lateral extension line, each recess accommodating one or more insulation boards (5), the covering layers (6, 7) forming a pivot joint (8) between adjacent recesses.

14. The thermal insulation cover (1) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the waterproof layer (3) is attached to the thermal insulation layer (2) by point-form and / or line-form attachment so that slack is formed in the waterproof layer (3) to allow folding of the thermal insulation cover (1).

15. The thermal insulation covering (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the waterproof layer (3) is attached to the thermal insulation layer (2) by means of screws (9).

16. The thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the thickness of the insulation board (5) is at least 30 mm.

17. The thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the thermal insulation layer (2) is made of a flexible material, thereby allowing rolling up of the thermal insulation cover (1).

18. A thermal insulation cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal insulation layer (2) comprises an aluminium foil.

19. A thermal insulation system for thermally insulating a snow pile (10) or a glacier, the thermal insulation system comprising: at least a first thermally insulating cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims and a second thermally insulating cover (1') according to any one of the preceding claims, the second thermally insulating cover being configured to be arranged adjacent to the first thermally insulating cover (1); and at least one attachment strip (11) configured to form the hook portion of the hook-and-loop fastener for attaching an edge region of the first thermal insulation cover (1) to an edge region of the second thermal insulation cover (1').

20. The thermal insulation system of claim 19, wherein the system further comprises: a separate skirt portion (12) made of a flexible sheet material and having a top surface configured at least in part to form the loop portion of a hook and loop fastener; and a second attachment strip (13) configured to form the hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener for attaching the skirt portion (12) to a lateral edge region of the thermal insulation cover (1, 1').

21. A method for thermally insulating a snowdrift (10) or a glacier using the thermal insulation system according to claim 19 or 20, the method comprising the steps of: - arranging the first thermally insulating cover (1) above the snow pile (10) or the glacier (101), - arranging the second thermally insulating cover (1') adjacent to the first thermally insulating cover (1) above the snow pile (10) or the glacier (102), - arranging the edge region of the first heat-insulating cover (1) close to the edge region of the second heat-insulating cover (1') or partially above the edge region (103) of the second heat-insulating cover (1'), and - attaching the attachment strips (11) to the fabric layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the edge areas of the first thermally insulating cover (1) and the fabric layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the edge areas of the second thermally insulating cover (1') substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the thermally insulating covers (1, 1') so as to attach (104) the edge areas of the thermally insulating covers (1, 1') to each other.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the thermal insulation system is according to claim 20, and the method comprises the steps of: The skirt portion (12) is attached to the lateral edge regions of the first thermal insulation cover (1) and the second thermal insulation cover (1, 1').

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