Rectangular Foam Blocks for Wall Insulation Compression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional metal building insulation methods result in significant heat losses due to the compression of insulation between metal wall panels and girts, which weakens thermal resistance and allows heat energy to flow through these areas.
Innovation Solution
The use of spaced apart foam insulation blocks between the wall panels and girts allows the insulation to expand and billow, reducing heat transfer by maintaining structural integrity and providing additional thermal resistance, while the blocks are strategically placed at seams and intermediate locations to prevent compression and enhance insulation effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If blanket insulation is compressed between wall panels and girts, then the wall structure is secured and panels are fastened, but thermal resistance is weakened and heat losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous blanket insulation is segmented by inserting rectangular insulation blocks at regular intervals between the wall panels and girts. This segmentation prevents the insulation from being compressed flat against the girts, maintaining thermal resistance while allowing structural fastening at discrete points rather than continuous compression.
Solution Approach 2:
Rectangular insulation blocks are introduced as intermediary elements between the blanket insulation and the metal girts. These blocks act as spacers that maintain the insulation's fluffed state, preventing direct contact and compression between the blanket insulation and the conductive metal girts, thereby reducing heat transfer pathways.
2Ease of manufacture
If wall panels are fastened directly to girts, then installation is simplified and structural connection is achieved, but insulation compression occurs and thermal performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rectangular insulation blocks are pre-installed between the wall panels and girts before the final fastening operation. This preliminary placement ensures that the insulation is positioned and supported in its uncompressed state, allowing subsequent fastening to occur without direct panel-to-girt contact that would cause compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The rectangular blocks serve as intermediary spacers that maintain the required gap between the wall panels and girts, allowing fasteners to secure the structure while the blocks prevent the insulation from being compressed. This intermediary element enables both structural connection and thermal performance to be achieved simultaneously.
3Loss of energy
If insulation is allowed to expand and billow, then thermal resistance is improved and heat transfer is reduced, but structural support and panel fastening become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation system is segmented into discrete rectangular blocks distributed at regular intervals rather than requiring continuous structural support. This segmentation allows the insulation to expand and billow in the spaces between blocks while maintaining overall structural integrity through simple, periodic fastening points.
Solution Approach 2:
Structural support is provided locally at discrete locations where rectangular blocks are installed, rather than requiring continuous structural reinforcement. This local quality approach allows the insulation to maintain its expanded, high-resistance state in most areas while providing targeted structural support only where needed, minimizing overall system complexity.
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 solution significantly reduces heat losses by allowing the insulation to maintain its fluffed state, increasing the thermal resistance across the wall panel and minimizing heat flow through the metal components, thus improving the overall energy efficiency of the building.
Implementation Method 1
The blocks not only move the wall panel a distance from the outside flanges of the gifts equal to block thickness, but also enable the expansion of blanket insulation into the space created between the blocks
Data Source
AI summary
A wall system (110) is disclosed which is mounted onto girts (114) on a building. Rectangular foam blocks (126) are installed between the outer flange of the girts, and the inside surfaces of the wall panel (112). Some vertically spaced apart blocks are located behind the wall seams, and other blocks are located intermediate the seams. The spacing created by the blocks allows for a blanket of insulation (118) between the blocks and the support members to be expanded, improving the system's insulative properties.