Development of Numerical Heat Transfer and the Structural Model to Design Slim and Translucent Vacuum Layer Type Insulation Panels to Retrofitting Insulation in Existing Buildings

Zhang Yang, Takao Katsura, Masahiro Aihara, Makoto Nakamura and Katsunori Nagano
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Zhang Yang: Division of Human Environmental Systems, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13-W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
Takao Katsura: Division of Human Environmental Systems, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13-W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
Masahiro Aihara: Division of Human Environmental Systems, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13-W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
Makoto Nakamura: Division of Human Environmental Systems, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13-W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
Katsunori Nagano: Division of Human Environmental Systems, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13-W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: The authors develop slim and light-weight vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) by producing vacuum layers with spacers and plastic plates. The developed VIPs have the advantages of a low cost and easy installation, thus facilitating retrofitting insulation of existing buildings. In addition, one of the developed VIPs is slim and translucent so it can be easily used for windows in an internal installation. In this paper, the authors first propose a vacuum layer type slim translucent VIP and focus on a reasonable design method. Next, the authors introduce the design process in which the structural design is obtained with element mechanical analysis and a three-dimensional analysis is conducted for the VIP element. In the study, a heat transfer model is used to predict the insulation performance through finite element analysis (FEA). Subsequently, the authors perform an experiment to measure the thermal conductivity in a guarded hot plate apparatus to validate the performance prediction. Finally, case studies are performed to confirm how the different design conditions affect the insulation performance. The optimum design of the vacuum layer type slim and translucent VIP will have a sufficient structural strength to hold and maintain the vacuum layer. The thermal conductivity is approximately 0.007 W / ( m · K ) , which can effectively improve the insulation performance in applications.

Keywords: vacuum insulation panels; vacuum layer type; slim and translucent retrofit insulation; structural model; heat transfer model; finite element analysis; guarded hot plate apparatus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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