Porous Ceramic Structure with Bonded Particles for Thermal Insulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing porous ceramic structures fail to achieve sufficient reduction in thermal conductivity and are difficult to install on complex shapes due to particle size and dispersion issues, leading to inadequate thermal insulation and potential cracking or chipping during application.
Innovation Solution
A porous ceramic structure with a sheet and bonded ceramic particles, featuring gaps between 10-80 μm, an aspect ratio greater than 0.02, and porosity of 20-99%, which allows for low thermal conductivity and easy installation on objects using an adhesive, with the option of tapered or step-shaped surfaces for improved flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If small particles are added to adhesive to reduce thermal conductivity, then thermal insulation performance improves, but particle uniformity in adhesive deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat insulating layer is segmented into multiple layers with different particle size distributions. The lower layer contains finer particles for better thermal insulation, while the upper layer contains coarser particles for better uniformity and adhesion. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing each layer to optimize for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the heat insulating layer have different particle size characteristics. The lower portion near the substrate has smaller particles for maximum thermal insulation effect, while the upper portion has larger particles for easier application and better uniformity. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between thermal performance and compositional stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If adhesive is applied before firing to form bulk body, then manufacturing process simplifies, but placement flexibility on complex shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The porous ceramic particles are pre-formed with controlled morphology and properties before being applied to the substrate. This preliminary preparation allows the particles to be easily applied in a slurry form and provides good adhesion after firing, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and placement flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The particle morphology parameters are specifically controlled during manufacturing to achieve an aspect ratio of 0.01 or less. This parameter optimization ensures that the particles can be easily applied in adhesive form while maintaining good adhesion and thermal insulation properties after firing, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and placement flexibility.
3Loss of energy
If porous ceramic particles with high porosity are used, then thermal conductivity decreases, but mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat insulating layer is designed with local quality variations where the lower layer has higher porosity for thermal insulation while the upper layer has lower porosity for mechanical strength. This gradient structure resolves the contradiction between thermal performance and mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat insulating layer is formed as a composite structure with porous ceramic particles embedded in a matrix material. This composite structure provides both the thermal insulation benefits of high porosity and the mechanical strength of the matrix material, resolving the contradiction between thermal conductivity and mechanical strength.
4Manufacturing precision
If particles are coated on base particles to create nanocoated composite particles, then surface properties improve, but distance between base particles decreases leading to insufficient thermal conductivity reduction
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of coating particles to reduce spacing, the invention uses uncoated or minimally coated particles with controlled sizes that naturally create optimal spacing when applied in a slurry. This inversion approach resolves the contradiction by achieving thermal insulation through controlled particle spacing rather than through coating-induced particle proximity.
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 structure achieves low thermal conductivity and facilitates uniform installation on complex shapes, reducing the likelihood of cracking and chipping, while maintaining a low thermal conductivity of less than 1.5 W/mK and heat capacity of less than 1000 kJ/m3K.
Implementation Method 1
a porous ceramic structure suitable for achieving a reduction in thermal conductivity of a component containing the porous ceramic structure
Data Source
AI summary
A porous ceramic structure includes one sheet, and a plurality of porous ceramic particles bonded on the sheet. A gap d formed between adjacent ones of the porous ceramic particles is 10˜80 μm.