Vacuum Insulation Component With Activatable Pressure Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum insulation systems are expensive, inflexible, and have high investment costs, limiting their application in energy-efficient insulation for district heating, building insulation, industrial processes, and transportation due to high heat losses and complex geometries, which are not effectively addressed by existing materials like glass/rock wool or polyurethane foams.
Innovation Solution
A component for producing vacuum insulation systems with a gas-tight shell and an activatable means to reduce gas pressure within the insulation layer, allowing for flexible installation and high thermal performance without the need for mechanical pumping, using materials like finely divided silicon dioxide particles and high-performance plastic fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional porous insulation materials with atmospheric pressure in pore space are used, then ease of manufacture and installation is improved, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates due to high heat transport capacity of gases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter in the pore space from atmospheric pressure to vacuum (reduced pressure), which fundamentally alters the heat transport mechanism. This parameter change reduces the heat transport capacity of gases in the pore space, thereby reducing heat losses while maintaining ease of manufacture through the use of flexible membrane structures that can be sealed and evacuated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a vacuum environment (inert atmosphere without gas molecules) in the pore space of the insulation material. This eliminates the convection and conduction heat transfer through gas molecules, leaving only radiation and solid conduction paths, thereby significantly reducing heat losses while maintaining structural integrity and ease of installation.
2Loss of energy
If conventional vacuum insulation systems (VIPs) are used to reduce heat losses, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but adaptability deteriorates due to predetermined shape and inability to cut or flex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible membrane structures as the shell enclosing the vacuum pore space. These thin film membranes can be bent, cut, and shaped on-site to adapt to complex geometries and curved surfaces, while still maintaining the vacuum seal. This provides both the thermal insulation performance of vacuum and the adaptability needed for various construction applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic system where the vacuum level can be adjusted or regenerated. The activatable means for reducing gas pressure allows the system to maintain its vacuum state over time, and the flexible membrane structure allows for dynamic shaping and adaptation to different geometries, combining performance with versatility.
3Loss of energy
If conventional VIPs are used to reduce heat losses, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but device complexity increases due to need for mechanical pumps and complex sealing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs self-service principles by using activatable gas pressure reduction means that can be integrated directly into the insulation structure. The system can autonomously maintain its vacuum state through these activatable means, eliminating the need for external mechanical pumps and complex sealing systems, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining thermal insulation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complex mechanical pump and sealing systems from the vacuum insulation system. Instead, it uses simplified activatable means for reducing gas pressure that can be directly integrated into the membrane structure, taking out the external complexity and leaving a simpler, more integrated system that maintains vacuum for heat loss reduction.
4Ease of operation
If conventional insulation materials are used for long-distance heat transport, then ease of installation is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to noticeable heat loss into surrounding environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter in the insulation pore space from atmospheric to vacuum, which dramatically reduces heat transport capacity. This parameter change enables long-distance heat transport with minimal losses while maintaining ease of installation through the use of flexible, sealable membrane structures that can be readily installed in pipe systems and building applications.
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 solution provides cost-effective, flexible, and high-performance vacuum insulation capable of reducing heat conduction, suitable for complex geometries and long-distance energy transport, while avoiding long pumping times and high production costs, thus enhancing energy efficiency and reducing heating requirements in various applications.
Implementation Method 1
using substances that absorb, adsorb, or chemically react with gases to reduce pressure
Implementation Method 2
using substances that absorb, adsorb, or chemically react with gases to reduce pressure
Implementation Method 3
using substances that absorb, adsorb, or chemically react with gases to reduce pressure
Implementation Method 4
reduced thermal conductivity, suitable for complex geometries and long-distance heat transport
Implementation Method 5
allowing for the creation of a vacuum within the insulation layer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a component for producing vacuum insulation systems, comprising at least one insulation layer which is surrounded by a jacket, wherein the gas pressure prevailing in the insulation layer can be reduced by a means which is provided in the component, wherein the means for reducing the gas pressure is designed so as to be activatable. The present invention also describes a vacuum insulation system comprising a component according to the invention.