Four Trends in Thermal Insulation Materials

During the process of energy consumption, the study on how to save energy has never stopped. The development of new thermal insulation materials is rapid. There are a variety of different materials and products, such as ceramic fiber paper and board. After decades of research and extensive application, those materials have been proved to have a good energy saving effect. Efficiency, energy saving, fireproofs, safety, low thermal conductivity are their synonymous. Composite and multi-function have become a trend.

1) The improvement of the quality of safe thermal insulation materials

Although safe thermal insulation materials have many advantages, their quality and manufacturing technology still need to be improved. Ceramic fiber materials are required to have longer fiber diameter and length, lower shot content and higher working temperature. The shot content has a big influence on the thermal conductivity at high temperature. The diameter and length of ceramic fiber is increased to improve its insulation properties. The improvement of the use temperature is of great importance to the expansion of the application of the material. According to the intended use, the curing agent is improved and an inorganic binder is selected. In short, the improvement of the insulation materials is important.

2) The development of thermal insulation materials with low thermal conductivity

Lightweight magnesium aluminum radiation heat insulating materials have the ability to shield up to 50-60% of radiant heat. Lightweight magnesium aluminum materials can also shield up the heat transfer in forms of radiation, conduction and convection. It hasa  low thermal conductivity at room temperature of 0.032, wide working temperature range at -60-1250℃. At 350℃, the thermal conductivity is 0.064 which is even lower than that of ceramic fiber paper(0.089) and calcium silicate board(0.087). 

Micro heat conductor is a new insulation material. It is composed of silica ultrafine particle air gel as the main component and is compacted into shape after mixed with inorganic fibrous reinforcement materials and powder that can prevent post-infrared rays. Its thermal conductivity is within 0.02-0.03, just 1/3-1/4 of the common materials, even lower than that of the static air. 

3) Completely fireproof thermal insulation materials

Composite insulation structure, insulation materials composed of composite structure, or lightweight magnesium aluminum radiation insulation materials are all mainly made of inorganic materials with excellent fireproof properties. 

4) Composite insulation structure

The composite structure generally refers to the structure composed of silicate-rock cotton, aluminum-glass wool, aluminum-calcium silicate, silicate felt and wool. This composite structure is used due to the temperature and economic rationality. According to the design requirements, when the temperature of the hot surface is over 400℃, rock wool, glass wool and foam cotton cannot be used. In this case, the composite materials are suitable to be used in the high temperature layer. Ceramic fiber paper and aluminum silicate is a material with high safety performance. The composite structure has low thermal conductivity, strong safety performance, and low economic cost and can meet the design requirements of the project. Currently the composite structure has been widely used in the pipe insulation.