Keeping cool on the cheap
Over 40 % of the EU's energy consumption is used for heating/cooling in buildings, hot water, for industrial process heat and heat in the service sector. In Europe, 12 % of vehicles used to transport goods (e.g. ice cream) are insulated. This EU-funded project, HIP , produced a new class of polymer insulating materialmaterial. The low-cost, highly insulating polymer material is based on high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating. Following a review of techniques and formulations of polyHIPEsone formula produced the perfect material for maximum cost savings. The HIP material will last 25 years, has a thermal conductivity of 0.015 W/mK and costs less than EUR 500 per cubic metre. Small and medium-sized enterprises benefit from using refrigerated vehicles by reducing fuel consumption without sacrificing payload. The fuel cost savings are typically EUR 4 000 per vehicle. Because of this new highly insulating polymer material the cost savings are enormous on the 37000 refrigerated containers in the EU. The material, complies with the EU Parliament Directive of 2013. Examples of compliance include: using minimal materials, efficiencies created in pumps and solar thermal systems, and reduced emissions thanks to the HIP material's design. This product has potential for worldwide use as an effective insulation solution with expected savings of over EUR 50 million just in the EU.
Keywords
Polymer insulation, thermal resistance, refrigerated transport, energy consumption, high internal phase emulsion, fuel consumption, payload