VACUUM INSULATION ELEMENT

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a vacuum insulation element suitable as a fire protection insulation element, comprising a core material and an envelope completely surrounding the core material, said envelope comprising a plastics layer and a stainless steel layer disposed on the plastics layer.

Claims

1. Vacuum insulation element suitable as a fire protection insulation element, comprising a core material, and an envelope completely surrounding the core material, said envelope comprising a plastics layer and a stainless steel layer disposed on the plastics layer.

2. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the stainless steel layer comprises a stainless steel foil, and wherein the stainless steel foil is coated with the plastics layer

3. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the stainless steel layer comprises a stainless steel foil, and wherein the plastics layer comprises a plastics foil, and wherein the stainless steel foil is indirectly or directly laminated onto the plastics foil.

4. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the envelope has a thickness which is configured such that the envelope is flexible.

5. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the stainless steel layer has a thickness in a range between 20 μm to 80 μm, in particular 30 μm and 40 μm.

6. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the stainless steel layer has a smaller thickness than the plastics layer.

7. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the plastics layer has a thickness in a range between 50 μm and 100 μm.

8. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the plastics layer is made of a heat-sealable or ultrasonically weldable material.

9. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 8, wherein the envelope has at least one seam created by thermal welding of the plastics layer to the stainless steel layer.

10. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, comprising a combustible core material, and wherein the envelope is designed such that the vacuum insulation element meets the minimum requirements for fire class B2 according to DIN 4102-1 or E according to 13501-1.

11. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, comprising a non-combustible core material, and wherein the envelope is designed such that the vacuum insulation element meets the minimum requirements for fire class A2 according to DIN 4102-1 or EN according to 13501-1.

12. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the core material comprises a solid core or a pulverulent core or an open-pored core.

13. Vacuum insulation element according to claim 1, wherein the core material comprises glass fibers or a plastics material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In the following, the invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to drawings, wherein:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a vacuum insulation element; and;

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a vacuum insulation element; and

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of an envelope.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] According to an advantageous aspect, the stainless steel layer comprises a stainless steel foil. Here, the stainless steel foil is coated with the plastics layer. Stainless steel foils are available in suitable thicknesses and can be easily coated with a plastics layer, for example polyethylene. Designing the stainless steel layer as a stainless steel foil is advantageous over metallizing the plastics layer, since the stainless steel foil is less sensitive to mechanical stress compared to the metallized plastics layer.

[0021] According to another advantageous aspect, the stainless steel layer comprises a stainless steel foil, and the plastics layer comprises a plastics foil. In this context, the stainless steel foil is indirectly or directly laminated onto the plastics foil. In this regard, the process of laminating provides a low-cost and rapid bonding technique. In this process, the stainless steel foil and the plastics foil can be bonded using an adhesive or by carrying out thermal lamination.

[0022] According to a preferred aspect, the envelope has a thickness which is configured such that the envelope is flexible. A flexible envelope offers the advantage that folded edges can be formed.

[0023] According to a particularly advantageous aspect, the stainless steel layer has a thickness in a range between 20 μm to 80 μm, in particular 30 μm and 40 μm. This provides the advantage that the vacuum insulation element does not become too stiff and thus allows a more flexible handling.

[0024] According to another preferred aspect, the stainless steel layer has a smaller thickness than the plastics layer. This makes it possible to achieve a low weight of the envelope.

[0025] According to a preferred aspect, the plastics layer has a thickness in a range between 50 μm and 100 μm. In this regard, the plastics layer can be designed as a high barrier layer such that the plastics layer has a low permeation rate despite the low thickness, which is suitable for ensuring that a pressure of <1 mbar can be generated and maintained inside the vacuum insulation element.

[0026] According to another preferred aspect, the plastics layer is made of a heat-sealable material. This allows the creation of seams by thermal welding of the plastics layer. Another option would be the use of an ultrasonically weldable material.

[0027] According to a particularly preferred aspect, the envelope comprises at least one seam created by thermally welding the plastics layer to the stainless steel layer. The aspect that the envelope is a combination of a plastics layer and a stainless steel layer disposed on the plastics layer, makes it possible that thermal welding for seam creation can be easily performed.

[0028] According to another preferred aspect, the envelope has a permeation rate for air in a range between 0-2 mbarl/m.sup.2y at ambient conditions and for water vapor in a range between 0-0.004 g/m.sup.2d at 50° C., 70% RH.

[0029] According to a particularly preferred aspect, the vacuum insulation element comprises a combustible core material. In this context, the envelope is designed in such a way that the vacuum insulation element meets the minimum requirements for fire class B2 according to DIN 4102-1 or E according to EN 13501-1. Thereby, the stainless steel layer of the envelope is formed so as to prevent burning of the core material.

[0030] According to an advantageous aspect, the vacuum insulation element comprises a non-combustible core material. In this context, the envelope is designed in such a way that the vacuum insulation element meets the minimum requirements for fire class A2 according to DIN 4102-1 or EN 13501-1.

[0031] According to a particularly advantageous aspect, the core material comprises a solid core or a pulverulent core or an open-pored core. An open-pored core can thereby comprise fumed silica. A solid core can thereby comprise a fiber material.

[0032] According to a preferred aspect, the core material comprises glass fibers. Glass fibers and other fiber materials can thereby increase the stability of the vacuum insulation element. According to one variant, the core material made of plastics comprises plastics powder in loose or compressed form and foamed plastics.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows one variant for a vacuum insulation element 1. The vacuum insulation element 1 shown is formed as a vacuum insulation panel with a center seam. The vacuum insulation element 1 comprises a core material 2, and an envelope 3 completely surrounding the core material 2 and made of various sections connected to each other. The envelope 3 comprises a plastics foil 3a and a stainless steel foil 3b.

[0034] The seams 5 extend along the sides at about half height, and along the flat side of the vacuum insulation panel.

[0035] The core material 2 in the illustrated embodiment comprises fumed silica, glass fibers 4 or a loose plastics material.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a vacuum insulation element 1. The vacuum insulation element 1 shown is embodied as a vacuum insulation panel. The vacuum insulation element 1 comprises a core material 2 and an envelope 3 completely surrounding the core material 2. The envelope 3 comprises a plastics foil 3a and a stainless steel foil 3b, which are bonded to each other by lamination. Here, the stainless steel foil 3b has a thickness of 40 μm and the plastics foil 3a has a thickness of 100 μm. This means that the vacuum insulation element 1 is not too stiff and allows a more flexible handling, as well as the creation of folded edges.

[0037] The plastics foil 3a is formed here as a high barrier layer such that the plastics layer 3a has a low permeation rate despite the low thickness, which is suitable for ensuring that a pressure of <1 mbar can be generated and maintained inside the vacuum insulation element.

[0038] The use of a combination of plastics foil 3a made of a heat-sealable material and a stainless steel foil 3b allows seams 5 to be easily created by thermal welding. At the same time, the combination of plastics foil 3a and stainless steel foil 3b as the envelope 3 contributes to rendering the vacuum insulation element 1 suitable as a fire protection insulation element.

[0039] The use of a combination of plastics foil 3a and stainless steel foil 3b is advantageous over metallization of the plastics foil 3a, because the stainless steel foil 3b is less sensitive to mechanical stress compared to a metallized plastics layer.

[0040] The core material 2 in the illustrated embodiment comprises fumed silica and glass fibers 4. The combination of plastics foil 3a and stainless steel foil 3b as the envelope 3 reduces the occurrence of thermal bridges between the environment of the vacuum insulation element 1 and the core material 2.

[0041] A vacuum insulation element 1 according to the invention of the illustrated embodiment meets the requirements according to DIN 4102-1 and EN 13501-1 for fire protection class A2.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a section through the envelope 3. Here, the envelope 3 comprises a plastics foil 3a and a stainless steel foil 3b. In this aspect, the plastics foil 3a and a stainless steel foil 3b are bonded together by lamination.