“Nothing” insulates better

What works for thermos flasks can also be used for thermally insulating buildings: insulation by means of a vacuum. Vacuum insulation panels and vacuum glazing improve the thermal insulation not through having more material but by reducing the thermal conductivity.

This means that even a very thin structure achieves excellent performances. The new BINE-Themeninfo brochure “Insulation through vacuums” (I/2011) explains the basic principles behind the new thermal insulation technology, its potential applications and also its special features.

Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) consist of compressed silica powder, an extremely porous material that is encapsulated in a gas-tight enclosure made of special high-barrier films. The clever aspect here is that the evacuation almost completely eliminates gaseous thermal conduction within the panels. The fragile thermal insulation elements are more akin to prefabricated building elements than conventional thermal insulation that can be tailored as required. That therefore requires a new approach to the planning and handling. In specific cases this extra effort is nevertheless worthwhile – thanks to the improved thermal insulation that is five to ten times better than conventional materials. This provides a considerable advantage when there are space constraints or high thermal insulation requirements. In 2008, the first VIP products were granted building regulations approval in Germany.

Vacuum glazing has proved itself on a laboratory scale and a demonstration system for testing individual production stages is now in operation. The free BINE-Themeninfo brochure “Insulation through vacuums” (I/2011) is available from the BINE information service at FIZ Karlsruhe by downloading it online at www.bine.info or by calling +49-228 92379-0.

Press contact

Uwe Milles
presse(at)bine.info
About BINE Information Service
Energy research for practical applications
The BINE Information Service reports on energy research topics, such as new materials, systems and components, as well as innovative concepts and methods. The knowledge gained is incorporated into the implementation of new technologies in practice, because first-rate information provides a basis for pioneering decisions, whether in the planning of energy-optimised buildings, increasing the efficiency of industrial processes, or integrating renewable energy sources into existing systems.

About FIZ Karlsruhe

FIZ Karlsruhe – Leibniz Institute for Information Infrastructure is a not-for-profit organization with the public mission to make sci-tech information from all over the world publicly available and to provide related services in order to support the national and international transfer of knowledge and the promotion of innovation.
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