Vacuum Insulated Panel Edge Seal with CTE Grading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum insulated glass panels face issues such as significant de-tempering of glass substrates, high manufacturing costs, lack of durability, and hermeticity problems due to thermal stress and cracks, which hinder their commercial viability and compliance with safety codes.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum insulating panel with a multi-layer edge seal structure, where the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of the seal layers are optimized to match those of the glass substrates, combined with laser heating to form the seal, reducing transient thermal stress and ensuring structural integrity and hermeticity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hermetic edge seal is provided in conventional vacuum insulated glass panels, then hermeticity is improved, but thermal stress and cracks occur due to CTE mismatch between seal and glass substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the CTE parameter of the seal material to match the glass substrate (8.7-9.3×10^-6 mm/(mm*deg. C.)), eliminating thermal stress and cracks while maintaining hermeticity through optimized material composition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite seal structure with multiple layers including a primer layer and a main seal layer, where each layer has specific CTE properties that collectively match the glass substrate, providing both hermeticity and structural integrity
2Manufacturing precision
If laser heating is used to form the seal, then manufacturing precision and durability are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical heating methods with laser heating, achieving precise localized heating of the seal material without heating the entire glass panel, thereby improving seal precision while controlling manufacturing costs through energy efficiency
3Stability of the object's composition
If CTE of seal layers are optimized to match glass substrates, then thermal stress is reduced, but seal structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the CTE parameter of the seal layers to match the glass substrate, reducing thermal stress gradients and maintaining structural stability through carefully controlled material composition rather than complex structural arrangements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution maintains high compressive and tensile stresses in the glass substrates, reduces thermal stress gradients, and enhances durability and hermeticity, enabling cost-effective production of vacuum insulated panels that meet safety standards.
Implementation Method 1
wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the second seal layer may be greater than a CTE of the first seal layer, a CTE of the third seal layer may be greater than the CTE of the first seal layer, the CTE of the second seal layer may be less than a CTE of the first glass substrate, and the CTE of the third seal layer may be less than a CTE of the second glass substrate
Implementation Method 2
combined with laser heating to form the seal, reducing transient thermal stress and ensuring structural integrity and hermeticity
Implementation Method 3
The gap between the substrates may be at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure to provide insulating properties. Providing a vacuum in the space between the substrates reduces conduction and convection heat transport
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum insulating panel includes first and second substrates (e.g., glass substrates), a hermetic edge seal, a pump-out port, and spacers sandwiched between at least the two substrates. The gap between the substrates may be at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure to provide insulating properties. The vacuum insulating panel may include a multi-layer edge seal structure with coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of layers of the seal structure optimized for CTE grading.