The challenge
The most effective insulation materials are based on fumed silica. Together with other materials like silicon carbide as a turbid component blocking infrared-radiation and a reinforcement of glass fibres, panels can be fabricated and sealed into a vacuum-tight envelope to reach a very low thermal conductivity of 0,004 W/m⋅K. With a thickness of only 20 mm a U-value of 0,193 W/m²K can be realized as an equivalent to a conventional insulation panel with a thickness of 200 mm. Can this insulation technique be applied on a highly efficient insulated glass panel?
The invention
Fumed silica is translucent as well as silicon itself. Therefore a light-diffusing highly effective RES-Insulated Glass Panel can be manufactured with fumed silica as an infill between two glass plates just by omitting silicon carbide. A vacuum-tight edge compound is necessary to reach the same insulation quality as a non-transparent Vacuum Insulation Panel (VIP). The fumed silica together with a reinforcement of glass fibres acts as a stiff supporting body between the glass plates.
The advantages
- Provision of a highly efficient insulated glass panel
- Provision of a daylight system without supplementary sun protection
The applications
- Translucent insulation panel for the building envelope