Evacuated Sheet Insulation With Filter Welded Into Sealing Seam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing evacuated thermal insulation materials face challenges in efficient evacuation processes, leading to prolonged times and uneven powder distribution due to limited airflow and one-sided evacuation methods, which also result in complex and non-automated manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A flat filter material is placed in large-area contact with the second main surface of the core, with a fully circumferential protrusion, and welded into the sealing seam between the barrier films, allowing for more uniform evacuation and flexible shaping of the insulation element without damaging the films.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter material is placed only at the opening of the film bag for evacuation, then the evacuation chamber and sealing seams are protected from dust contamination, but the evacuation process takes a relatively long time due to limited airflow cross section
Solution Approach 1:
The filter material is divided into multiple segments: a first filter material at the opening and a second filter material in large-area contact with the core's outer face. This segmentation allows airflow through multiple paths (increasing evacuation speed) while each filter segment continues to trap dust particles (maintaining sealing quality).
Solution Approach 2:
The filter material is extended from a one-dimensional opening filter to a two-dimensional large-area filter that contacts the outer face of the core. This dimensional expansion provides a much larger airflow cross section for rapid evacuation while the filter material's structure maintains its dust-trapping function across the expanded area.
2Ease of manufacture
If one-sided evacuation is performed through the opening, then the evacuation process is simple, but the powder distribution over the panel surface becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The filter material is positioned to contact the outer face of the core in large area, creating a localized evacuation interface that distributes airflow uniformly across the powder layer. This local quality enhancement at the filter-core interface ensures even powder distribution while maintaining overall process simplicity.
3Reliability
If the filter material is completely covered by the film envelope, then the sealing is dust-tight, but the evacuation process cannot be automated completely
Solution Approach 1:
The filter material is welded to the sealing seam before the final sealing step, creating a pre-assembled unit with integrated filtration and sealing functions. This preliminary action enables automated manufacturing by reducing the number of separate assembly steps required, while the filter material remains fully covered to maintain dust-tight sealing.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional insulating materials are used, then the insulation system is simple to manufacture, but the thermal conductivity is five to twenty times higher than evacuated materials
Solution Approach 1:
The core material's porosity and structure are optimized to work with the evacuation process, transforming the insulation mechanism from relying on material density alone to utilizing vacuum conditions. This parameter change enables achieved thermal insulation performance five to twenty times better than conventional materials while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of standard core materials like powder boards or open-pore foams.
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
This approach enables rapid and uniform evacuation, allows for the creation of surface structures, and results in a more reliable and impervious sealing system, reducing the risk of leakage and warping, while maintaining a long-lasting vacuum.
Implementation Method 1
the volume between the two barrier films and the fully circumferential sealing seam is evacuated
Implementation Method 2
Evacuated insulating materials achieve thermal conductivities five to twenty times lower than those of ventilated, conventional insulating materials
Implementation Method 3
a filter material that is permeable to air, but impermeable to powdery dust, is fixed near the opening on the inner face of the film bag
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet material for thermal insulation, comprising a flat core of an open-pored material having two parallel extending surfaces, and a circumferential region inter-connecting the surfaces; a first barrier film in contact with a first surface of the core and comprising a sealing layer, and a fully circumferential protrusion of the first barrier film; a flat filter material in contact with a second surface of the open-pored core and disposed oppositely first barrier film and providing a fully circumferential protrusion a second barrier film in contact with the outer face of the flat filter material and comprising at least one sealing layer facing the flat filter material, and a fully circumferential protrusion of said second barrier film; a sealing seam extending circumferentially along the protrusion of the two films and fixing the two films to each other; wherein the filter material is welded circumferentially into the sealing seam, and wherein the volume between the two barrier films and the sealing seam is sealed and evacuated; and method for producing the insulation sheet.