Vacuum insulated articles with reflective material enhancement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum-insulated articles face limitations in achieving improved insulating performance, especially under extreme conditions, where deeper vacuums are required without the use of getter materials, and there is a need for enhanced thermal insulation in energy storage applications.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves creating vacuum-insulated articles with a geometry that guides gas molecules towards a vent, maintaining a deeper vacuum without a getter material, and incorporating reflective materials within the insulating space to enhance thermal insulation, such as low-emissivity coatings and metallic reflective materials, which improve the insulating performance by directing gas molecules out of the space and reducing radiant energy passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If vacuum insulation is used to improve thermal insulation performance, then heat transfer is reduced, but achieving deeper vacuums requires getter materials which increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the getter material component from the vacuum insulation system entirely. Instead of using chemical getters to maintain vacuum, the invention relies on physical barriers (sealed walls) and geometric design to prevent gas molecule accumulation, thereby simplifying the device structure while maintaining deep vacuum conditions for improved thermal insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces reflective material as an intermediary element within the vacuum space. This reflective material serves as a mediator that redirects gas molecules toward the vent opening, enhancing the effectiveness of the vent geometry in maintaining deep vacuum without requiring additional active components like getters.
2Reliability
If vent geometry is designed to guide gas molecules outward to maintain deeper vacuum, then vacuum quality improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved or conical vent geometry instead of straight cylindrical channels. The curved surfaces naturally guide gas molecules outward through geometric focusing, achieving reliable deep vacuum maintenance while being more tolerant of manufacturing variations compared to precision-machined straight channels with specific angle requirements.
3Loss of energy
If reflective material is added to reduce radiant energy transfer, then thermal insulation performance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the reflective material component. It simultaneously serves as a radiant barrier to reduce thermal radiation, a geometric mediator to guide gas molecules toward the vent, and a structural element within the vacuum space. This multi-functionality improves thermal insulation performance without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite structures where reflective material is integrated with the vacuum insulation system. The reflective material may be applied as coatings on wall surfaces or incorporated as layered composite structures, combining the properties of different materials to achieve both thermal reflection and structural integrity without adding separate complex components.
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 achieves improved insulating performance, potentially increasing it by 50-70% over existing methods, allowing for deeper vacuums and effective thermal insulation in extreme conditions without the need for getter materials, suitable for applications in electronics and energy storage.
Implementation Method 1
Vacuum-insulated articles have application to a number of fields, including electronics and energy storage applications
Implementation Method 2
at least one portion of reflective material disposed within the first insulating space
Implementation Method 3
reflective materials within the insulating space to enhance thermal insulation, such as low-emissivity coatings and metallic reflective materials, which improve the insulating performance by directing gas molecules out of the space and reducing radiant energy passage
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are vacuum-insulated articles that comprise an evacuated space disposed between first and second walls and a reflective material disposed within the evacuated space. Also provided are methods of fabricating such articles.