Dynamic Multi-Pane Insulation With Vacuum and Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-pane insulating glass units (IGUs) and vacuum insulating glass units (VIGUs) face challenges in maintaining high thermal resistance over their lifetime, especially under changing environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic multi-pane insulating assembly and system that includes an interior gas-permeable pane, exterior panes, a vacuum source, and a pressurized gas source, with a control assembly to maintain desired vacuum and pressure levels, ensuring optimal thermal resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If vacuum levels are increased to improve thermal resistance, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but maintaining the vacuum seal over time becomes more difficult due to gas permeation through the glass pane
Solution Approach 1:
A gas permeable membrane is introduced as an intermediary component between the interior and exterior environments. This membrane selectively allows gas permeation in a controlled manner while maintaining the vacuum seal, resolving the contradiction between achieving high vacuum levels for thermal insulation and preventing vacuum degradation over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts vacuum levels by controlling gas permeation through the membrane. By changing the vacuum pressure parameter over time and managing gas flow rates, the system maintains optimal thermal resistance while preventing excessive vacuum degradation that would compromise seal reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gas permeation through the interior pane is increased to dynamically control vacuum levels, then adaptability to environmental conditions is improved, but thermal resistance decreases due to additional heat transfer through the gas
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static vacuum seal to a dynamic vacuum control system. The gas permeable membrane enables continuous adjustment of vacuum levels in response to environmental conditions, allowing the system to adapt while maintaining acceptable thermal resistance by controlling gas flow rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates environmental sensing and responsive gas permeation control. By monitoring external conditions and adjusting vacuum levels accordingly, the system achieves adaptability while minimizing thermal loss through controlled gas flow management.
3Ease of operation
If a gas permeable membrane is used to control vacuum levels, then ease of operation is improved through dynamic adjustment, but device complexity increases due to additional components and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The gas permeable membrane provides automatic, passive vacuum regulation based on pressure differentials and environmental conditions. This self-service mechanism reduces the need for complex active control systems, achieving ease of operation while limiting the increase in device complexity to primarily the membrane component itself.
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 system effectively maintains high thermal resistance values, comparable to R-13 or more, by dynamically adjusting vacuum and pressure levels, thereby reducing heat transfer and ensuring performance over the assembly's lifetime.
Implementation Method 1
In VIGUs, the gap is 'filled' with or contains a reduced-pressure atmosphere or a vacuum
Implementation Method 2
an interior gas-permeable pane... pressurized gas from the pressurized gap permeates through the interior pane, which is gas permeable, and into communication with the vacuum present in the evacuated gap
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic multi-pane insulating assembly and system including methods for dynamically maintaining the thermal resistance value of the assembly and system. The dynamic multi-pane insulating assembly and system includes an interior pane and first and second exterior panes. The first exterior pane and a first side of the interior pane defines an evacuated gap in communication with a vacuum source and a second side of the interior pane and the second exterior pane defines a pressurized gap in communication with the source of pressurized gas.