Thermally insulated product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermally insulated product (10) having an interior space delimited by a wall (100) and having a vacuum insulation body (200) which partially or completely surrounds the interior space for the purpose of thermal insulation, wherein the vacuum insulation body comprises a core material (220) and a vacuum-tight enclosure (230), in particular a high-barrier film, wherein the core material (220) is located in a casing (210) which is in turn surrounded by the vacuum-tight enclosure (230).

Description

[0001] 03379-25

[0002] December 18, 2025

[0003] TerraVac GmbH

[0004] Karlstadt, Germany

[0005] Thermally insulated product

[0006] The present invention relates to a thermally insulated product with an interior space bounded by a wall and with a vacuum insulation body that partially or completely surrounds the interior space for the purpose of thermal insulation, wherein the vacuum insulation body comprises a core material and a vacuum-tight covering, in particular a high-barrier film.

[0007] A thermally insulated product of this type is known from DE 102022130725 A1. From this document, a thermally insulated product with an interior space and an inner wall is known, wherein the interior space is at least partially bounded by the inner wall, wherein the interior space is at least partially thermally insulated from the product's environment by a vacuum insulation body, wherein the vacuum insulation body has a vacuum area enclosed by a vacuum-tight shell, wherein the vacuum-tight shell is formed at least partially by the inner wall and a film.

[0008] In this product, the vacuum chamber is bounded on one side by a high-barrier film and on the other by the interior wall. The core material is exposed to atmospheric pressure, which is transferred to it through the high-barrier film. Proper evacuation of the space enclosed by the high barrier is essential, as the thermal insulation properties increase with the quality of the vacuum. A highly compacted core material complicates the evacuation process due to high flow resistance, resulting in either a very time-consuming process for achieving a sufficiently high vacuum or, within a given timeframe, only a comparatively shallow vacuum being achieved, which is associated with impaired thermal insulation properties.

[0009] The present invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a heat-insulated product whose vacuum insulation body allows for an accelerated evacuation process compared to known designs and is also sized flexibly and cost-effectively manufacturable.

[0010] This problem is solved by a heat-insulated product having the features of claim 1.

[0011] The design envisions the core material being contained within a shell, which in turn is surrounded by a vacuum-tight enclosure. The arrangement of the core material (exclusively or also) within a shell allows for the inclusion of one or more flow channels on the inner surface of the shell, thus between the outer surface of the interior wall and the shell itself. These channels enable rapid and effective vacuum formation within the space enclosed by the vacuum-tight enclosure.

[0012] Preferably, the casing is air-permeable and preferably made of or containing a non-woven material. If the casing is air-permeable, excess air can be removed from the core material through the casing material after it has been filled, thus compacting the core material. The casing is preferably tubular, but can also have another shape.

[0013] In one embodiment, the tubular casing is closed at an angle to the hose direction at its end. The term "hose direction" refers to the longitudinal axis of the hose, i.e., the line along which the hose runs. The end region(s) run at an angle to this axis, preferably at an acute angle. It is conceivable that the product is a pipe and that the end region(s) of the hose extend parallel to the pipe end, which is formed, for example, by a flange.

[0014] Preferably, an evacuation port is provided for the purpose of creating a vacuum in the area bounded by the vacuum-tight enclosure. This evacuation port can be located within the vacuum-tight enclosure. It serves to generate a vacuum in the area surrounded by the vacuum-tight enclosure and is sealed gas-tight when the desired vacuum level is reached.

[0015] It is preferred that the thermally insulated product has only one evacuation port. This simplifies the design and is preferably sufficient because the flow channels allow for particularly rapid vacuum formation in the area surrounded by the vacuum-tight casing, thus eliminating the need for multiple spatially distributed evacuation ports, although this is not excluded by the invention.

[0016] In most cases, an evacuation port can be designed as a sorption pump, as disclosed, for example, in EP 3027953 A1, EP 3224559 A1, and EP 3452768 A1. Reference is made to these documents, and their disclosures regarding the evacuation port are incorporated into this invention. It is conceivable that the vacuum-tight enclosure is provided with at least one opening, in particular with at least one evacuation port, for evacuating the vacuum area, wherein the vacuum insulation body contains at least one adsorbing material.

[0017] The adsorbing material can be arranged partially or entirely within the area of ​​the aforementioned opening.

[0018] A flow distributor may be provided, designed in such a way as to increase the effective flow cross-section during evacuation.

[0019] This flow distributor can, for example, comprise or be formed by a plurality of individual bodies, preferably a plurality of individual spheres, and particularly preferably a packed bed of spheres. It is particularly preferred if the flow distributor is formed by an adsorbing material.

[0020] In this case, the material performs not only the function of an adsorbent but also that of a flow distributor. A flow distributor, as defined in the invention, is a material that increases the effective flow cross-section and thus reduces the evacuation time required. This flow distributor is preferably arranged upstream of or in line with the evacuation nozzle during the evacuation process, and particularly preferably also around this aligned area. It is preferably designed as a bed of spheres, for example, a bed of zeolite spheres, etc., contained in a bag or other gas-permeable receiving area.

[0021] It is particularly advantageous if the casing is in the form of a winding, preferably a helical winding, around the wall defining the interior. The winding can be single-layered or multi-layered. In this case, the casing is thus wound helically on the outside of a wall, preferably until it extends over the entire dimension, in particular the entire length, of the wall.

[0022] As mentioned above, it is particularly advantageous if one or more channels are formed in the winding, preferably located at the joint between two adjacent sections of the winding.

[0023] Preferably, the casing consists of a stretchable material, preferably a thermoplastic. A stretchable material, such as a stretchable nonwoven fabric, facilitates the compaction of the core material. For example, the initially round nonwoven tube can be formed into an elongated, compressed shape, such as an oval shape.

[0024] The casing is preferably closed, i.e., it completely encloses the core material. If the casing is a tube, this can mean that its ends are closed, e.g., sealed.

[0025] The wall enclosing the interior can be made of metal or have metal components. Other materials, such as plastic, composite materials, etc., are also suitable. Preferably, the casing is located directly on the outside of this wall. However, the invention also includes the possibility of one or more layers of a material being located between the wall and the casing, for example, to compensate for unevenness in the wall surface, etc.

[0026] In addition to the vacuum insulation body comprising the shell filled with a core material, one or more further vacuum insulation elements may be present. However, the invention also encompasses a vacuum insulation element consisting solely of the shell filled with a core material and surrounded by a vacuum-tight casing. If a further vacuum insulation body is present, it is preferably a vacuum insulation panel.

[0027] This is preferably arranged relative to the aforementioned shell such that the vacuum insulation body is located closer to the interior space to be insulated than the shell filled with a core material.

[0028] The product can be a pipe or a container. It can be designed to maintain a higher temperature inside than the surroundings, such as a heating or district heating pipe, or to maintain a lower temperature inside than the surroundings, such as a cryogenic container.

[0029] The thermally insulated product could be, for example, a hot water storage tank or a component in heating or domestic hot water systems.

[0030] The thermally insulated product can be a pipe with a pipe end, wherein the vacuum-tight covering is vacuum-tightly connected to the pipe end, for example by a seal.

[0031] The present invention further relates in a further embodiment to a thermally insulated product with an interior space bounded by a wall and with a vacuum insulation body that partially or completely surrounds the interior space or its wall for the purpose of thermal insulation, wherein the vacuum insulation body comprises a core material and a vacuum-tight covering, in particular a high-barrier film, wherein preferably an evacuation port is provided for the purpose of creating a vacuum in the area bounded by the vacuum-tight covering, wherein the vacuum insulation body has an elongated geometry and wherein the vacuum insulation body has one or more flow channels whose flow cross-section is at least 100,000 times the effective flow cross-section of the pore structure of the core material.

[0032] In a vacuum, the flow conductance depends very strongly on the free diameter of the flow paths. Only when gas particles collide significantly more with other gas particles than with pore or channel walls can a directed flow profile develop, leading to a much higher effective gas transport than pure diffusion. Since the gas heat conduction in the core material also depends on the mean free path of the gas particles in the pores of the core material, there is a direct relationship between the pore size of the core material and the required channel cross-section of evacuation channels, i.e., flow channels, to enable rapid evacuation to the required gas pressure.

[0033] The cross-sectional area of ​​a flow channel should therefore be at least 100,000 times the effective flow cross-section of a single pore of the core material in order to achieve a significant reduction in evacuation time. For typical milled perlite, the effective flow cross-section is in the range of 50 to 100 pm. 2 A flow channel should therefore be at least 5 to 10 mm wide. 2 have a cross-sectional area.

[0034] This further embodiment can have all the features of claims 1 to 11, such as the helical winding of the casing on the outside around a wall defining the interior. It is particularly advantageous if the flow channels are located at the joint between two adjacent sections of the winding.

[0035] The present invention further relates to a system of at least two thermally insulated products according to the invention, wherein the (at least) two products each have a connecting element with which they are connected to one another, forming a connection point. In order to achieve the most continuous thermal insulation possible, the connection point may be provided with thermal insulation.

[0036] This thermal insulation of the connection point may correspond to the thermal insulation of the product(s) or differ from this type of thermal insulation.

[0037] This component can, for example, be removable to facilitate the separation of the products at the connection point. It can be designed as an insulating molded body.

[0038] The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a heat-insulated product according to the invention, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

[0039] a) Filling the core material into the shell,

[0040] b) Compaction of the core material located in the shell,

[0041] c) Helical winding of the casing with the compacted core material around the interior or around a wall bordering the interior of the thermally insulated product,

[0042] d) Surrounding the shell with a vacuum-tight covering and

[0043] e) Creating a vacuum in the area surrounded by the vacuum-tight enclosure.

[0044] These steps can be carried out in the specified order a) to e) or in a different sequence.

[0045] For example, it is conceivable that perlite (or another core material) could be filled into a continuous nonwoven tube using a tubular bag machine. Since the nonwoven tube is preferably air-permeable, the perlite can be compressed within the tube, with the excess air escaping through the nonwoven material.

[0046] This is preferably done by means of two possibly driven rollers through which the fleece tube is guided.

[0047] A stretchable nonwoven material can facilitate the compaction process, in which the initially round nonwoven tube is transformed into an elongated, e.g. oval, shape.

[0048] To enable faster evacuation, warm perlite or other warm core material can be added.

[0049] The application to the outside of a pipe or other body to be insulated can then be carried out in a simple manner by rotating the pipe and simultaneously moving the tubular bag machine and the pipe relative to each other along the longitudinal axis of the pipe.

[0050] As a desirable side effect, this type of installation creates a flow channel that facilitates the evacuation of the insulation space enclosed by the vacuum-tight covering.

[0051] In the context of the present invention, the core material is preferably, but not necessarily, a pearlite powder ground after expansion.

[0052] The container or heat-insulated product is preferably, but not necessarily, a pipe.

[0053] A vacuum-tight or diffusion-tight shell or covering, or a vacuum-tight or diffusion-tight connection, or the term high-barrier film, preferably refers to a shell, a connection, or a film by means of which the gas ingress into the vacuum region of the vacuum insulation body is reduced so greatly that the increase in the thermal conductivity of the vacuum insulation body caused by gas ingress is sufficiently low over its service life.

[0054] A service life of, for example, 15 years, preferably 20 years, and particularly preferably 30 years, is to be assumed. Preferably, the increase in the thermal conductivity of the vacuum insulation body caused by gas ingress over its service life is less than 100%, and particularly preferably less than 50%.

[0055] Preferably, the area-specific gas permeability rate of the shell or the compound or the high-barrier film is < 10 mbar*l / m *s and particularly preferably < 10 mbar*l / m *s (measured according to ASTM D-3985).

[0056] This gas transfer rate applies to nitrogen and oxygen. For other gases (especially water vapor), low gas transfer rates also exist, preferably in the range of < 10 mbar*l / m *s and particularly preferably in the range of < 10 mbar*l / m *s (measured according to ASTM F-1249-90).

[0057] Preferably, the aforementioned small increases in thermal conductivity are achieved through these low gas throughput rates.

[0058] A known cladding system from the field of vacuum panels is the so-called high-barrier film. Within the scope of the present invention, this preferably refers to single- or multi-layer films (preferably sealable) with one or more barrier layers (typically metallic or oxide layers, with aluminum or an aluminum oxide being the preferred metal or oxide) that meet the aforementioned requirements (increase in thermal conductivity and / or area-specific gas permeability rate) as a barrier against gas ingress. The aforementioned values ​​and the structure of the high-barrier film are exemplary, preferred specifications that do not limit the invention.

[0059] One conceivable design is one in which the vacuum insulation body forms a full vacuum system. A full vacuum system is understood to be thermal insulation that consists exclusively or predominantly of an evacuated area filled with a core material such as perlite or perlite rock. Foam insulation or any other thermal insulation besides the full vacuum system is then preferably not used.

[0060] However, the use of further thermal insulation is also conceivable and covered by the invention, such as foam insulation.

[0061] In one embodiment, a vacuum panel can be used as additional thermal insulation. This vacuum panel is preferably arranged within the area surrounded by the vacuum-tight enclosure. It can, for example, have glass fiber as its core material, but other core materials are also conceivable. Glass fiber panels, i.e., vacuum insulation panels with a glass fiber core, have an extremely low thermal conductivity of between 1 and 2 mW / m*K, but are very sensitive to pressure increases. Under normal atmospheric conditions, gas ingress through the high-barrier film of the glass fiber panel leads to rapid aging of the vacuum insulation panel. If the glass fiber panel is placed in a vacuum chamber, i.e.,In the area where the core-filled casing of the vacuum insulation body according to the invention is located, a very good service life of the vacuum insulation panel can be achieved. In the case of the present invention, it is preferred to first arrange and fix the fiberglass panel(s) or other vacuum insulation panel(s) on the wall of the interior space to be insulated and then (at least partially) attach the core-filled casing, such as the perlite-filled nonwoven tube. Subsequently, both, i.e., the core-filled casing and the vacuum insulation panel(s), are surrounded by the vacuum-tight covering.

[0062] It should be noted here that the terms "ein" and "eine" do not necessarily refer to exactly one of the elements, although this is a possible interpretation, but can also denote a plurality of elements. Likewise, the use of the plural also includes the presence of the element in question in the singular, and conversely, the singular also includes several of the elements in question.

[0063] Furthermore, all features of the invention described herein can be combined with one another or claimed separately from one another as desired.

[0064] Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0065] The single figure shows a schematic sectional view of a heat-insulated product in the form of a pipe section.

[0066] In this example, the thermally insulated product is a thermally insulated pipe section 10, which is fitted with flanges 12 at both ends.

[0067] Further pipe sections are arranged on the flanges 12, which may be constructed identically to the pipe section 10. The pipe section 10 is, for example, a section of a district heating line or another type of heating pipe.

[0068] The pipe section 10 has a base body with a wall 100, which is made of metal, for example, and has a round cross-section. The invention and this embodiment also encompass materials other than metal for the wall 100, such as plastic, glass, etc.

[0069] The reference number 200 designates the vacuum insulation that completely surrounds the wall 100 of the base body in a cladding-like manner in the circumferential and longitudinal directions.

[0070] The vacuum insulation 200 comprises a fleece tube 210, a core material 220 arranged therein and a high barrier film 230.

[0071] The nonwoven tube 210 is wound spirally around the metallic wall 100 of the base body. The tapered ends E of the nonwoven tube 210 run parallel to the pipe ends, so that the pipe wall 100 is covered by the nonwoven tube 210 over its entire length.

[0072] This type of winding creates flow channels 240, which are limited on one side by adjacent winding sections W1 and W2 and on the other side by the wall 100 of the pipe. By appropriately selecting the nonwoven material and pre-compacting parameters of the filled nonwoven tube, the flow channel 240 can be brought to the required dimensions.

[0073] The nonwoven tube 210 is filled with a powdered core material 220, which is preferably, but not necessarily, a perlite powder ground after expansion. Before a vacuum is established, the powder arrangement is contained within a vacuum-insulated, atmospherically exposed jacket in the form of the nonwoven tube 210. The high-barrier film 230 completely surrounds the nonwoven tube 210. Furthermore, at its ends, it is gas-tightly connected to the pipe wall 100 or the flanges 12, for example, by sealing. The high-barrier film 230 is thus vacuum-tightly connected to the pipe 10 at both ends via flange-like structures 12 arranged on the pipe 10. A vacuum prevails in the largely cylindrical space bounded by the high-barrier film 230.

[0074] The arrangement allows for the simple production of the assembly shown in Figure 1: The perlite 220 is filled into the continuous nonwoven tube 210, for example, using a tubular bag machine. Since the nonwoven tube 210 is air-permeable, the perlite 220 can be compacted within the tube, with excess air escaping through the nonwoven material. This preferably occurs by means of two optionally driven rollers through which the nonwoven tube 210 is guided. A stretchable nonwoven material can facilitate the compaction process, in which the initially round nonwoven tube 210 is compressed into a squashed or elongated shape. To enable faster evacuation, warm perlite can be used for the filling process.

[0075] The application to the pipe or its wall 100 can then be carried out in a simple manner by means of rotation of the pipe and simultaneous relative movement of the tubular bag machine and pipe along the longitudinal axis of the pipe.

[0076] This type of installation has the desirable side effect of creating a flow channel 240, which facilitates the evacuation of the insulation space. An evacuation point or sorption pump in the high-barrier film is designated by 250. A vacuum pump or negative pressure is applied to this pump to generate a vacuum until the desired negative pressure is present in the space surrounded by the high-barrier film 230. After the vacuum has been generated, the pump 250 is sealed vacuum-tight, for example, by means of a high-barrier film 230.

[0077] The flow channels 240 facilitate the extraction of air or gas particles from the space enclosed by the high-vacuum foil 230 towards the vacuum connection 250. Reference numeral 260 designates a conventional insulation layer that insulates the connection area where the two flanges 12 of adjacent pipes 10 are joined. For simplicity, the insulation layer is shown only below, but it is formed all the way around.

[0078] To protect the high-barrier film 230 from damage, it can be surrounded by a protective layer, for example made of sheet metal or plastic, which is not shown in Figure 1.

Claims

03379-25 December 18, 2025 TerraVac GmbH Karlstadt, DE Thermally insulated product (10) Patent claims 1. Thermally insulated product (10) with an interior space bounded by a wall (100) and with a vacuum insulation body (200) that partially or completely surrounds the interior space for the purpose of thermal insulation, wherein the vacuum insulation body (200) comprises a core material (220) and a vacuum-tight covering (230), in particular a high-barrier film, characterized in that the core material (220) is located in a covering (210) which in turn is surrounded by the vacuum-tight covering (230).

2. Thermally insulated product (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover (210) is an air-permeable cover (210) which preferably consists of or comprises a nonwoven material, and / or that the cover (210) is tubular in shape.

3. A thermally insulated product (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the tubular casing (210) is closed obliquely to the tubular direction in its end region (E) and / or that an evacuation port (250) is provided for the purpose of creating a vacuum in the area bounded by the vacuum-tight casing (230).

4. A thermally insulated product (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the casing (210) is in the form of a winding, preferably in the form of a helical winding around the wall bounding the interior.

5. Thermally insulated product (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that one or more channels (240) are formed in the winding, which are preferably located at the joint between two adjacent sections (W1; W2) of the winding.

6. Heat-insulated product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the casing (210) consists of or comprises a stretchable material, wherein the material is preferably a thermoplastic polymer.

7. Thermally insulated product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the casing (210) is closed, i.e. that ends (E) of the casing (210) are sealed.

8. Thermally insulated product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall (100) defining the interior space is made of metal or comprises metal.

9. Thermally insulated product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the product is a pipe or a container.

10. Thermally insulated product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the product is a tube with a tube end and that the vacuum-tight covering (230) is vacuum-tightly connected to the tube end.

11. Thermally insulated product (10) with an interior space bounded by a wall (100) and with a vacuum insulation body (200) that partially or completely surrounds the interior space for the purpose of thermal insulation, wherein the vacuum insulation body (200) comprises a core material (220) and a vacuum-tight covering (230), in particular a high-barrier film, wherein preferably an evacuation port (250) is provided for the purpose of creating a vacuum in the area bounded by the vacuum-tight covering (230), characterized in that the vacuum insulation body (200) has an elongated geometry and has one or more flow channels (240) whose flow cross-section is at least 100,000 times the effective flow cross-section of the pore structure of the core material (220).

12. Thermally insulated product (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that the vacuum insulation body (200) is designed with the features of one of claims 1 to 11, wherein in particular it is provided that the flow channels (240) according to claim 5 are located at the joint between two adjacent sections (W1 ; W2) of the winding.

13. System of at least two thermally insulated products according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two products each have a connecting element with which they are connected to each other by forming a connection point.

14. System according to claim 13, characterized in that the connection point has thermal insulation.

15. System according to claim 14, characterized in that the thermal insulation corresponds to that of the thermally insulated products or differs from that type of thermal insulation and is preferably designed as an insulating form (260).

16. Method for producing a thermally insulated product (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 comprising the steps: a) filling the core material (220) into the shell (210), b) compacting the core material (220) located in the shell (210), c) helically winding the shell (210) with the compacted core material (220) around the interior or around a surface (100) of the interior of the thermally insulated product (10), d) Surrounding the shell (210) with a vacuum-tight enclosure (230) and e) creating a vacuum in the area surrounded by the vacuum-tight enclosure (230).

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