Transparent insulation materials: a review

Werner J. Platzer

doi:10.1117/12.185405

9 September 1994 Transparent insulation materials: a review

Werner J. Platzer

Proceedings Volume 2255, Optical Materials Technology for Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Conversion XIII; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.185405
Event: Optical Materials Technology for Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Conversion XIII, 1994, Freiburg, Germany

Abstract

After more than ten years of research and development on a new generation of transparent insulation materials in the more restricted sense, namely honeycomb type and other geometric structures, granular and monolithic aerogel, a critical overview of existing materials is presented. During the last years considerable progress has been made, and still more is to be expected as well on the theoretical understanding of the physical properties as on the actual material development. On the other hand there still are problems when one looks at the application aspect, e.g. temperature stability, inflammability, optical appearance, irregularities of the structures, and production costs. The development objectives in the past have been either to physically optimize a material for an application, or to produce a lower-quality cheap material. An example of the first strategy is the recent development of glass capillary structures. The question here, of course, is, whether production, handling and transport can be made easy enough to meet the target of reasonable costs. It should be emphasized, that material costs are not the key issue, but system costs. A continuous and intensive collaboration between production engineer, system or design engineer, scientist and salesman is probably the only chance to meet the requirements of high quality products, adapted to the application, with reasonable costs. An engineer designing an application with transparent insulation materials without understanding the physics of the material type used may run the risk of deteriorating the performance severely.

Citation Download Citation

Werner J. Platzer "Transparent insulation materials: a review", Proc. SPIE 2255, Optical Materials Technology for Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Conversion XIII, (9 September 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.185405

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available