Development and characterization of sandwich panels for thermal insulation in a cold storage chamber

Abstract

Sandwich composites are materials that have superior properties including low weight, high impact energy absorption and high thermal insulation features, compared to conventional materials. In this study, four different sandwich samples were explored for use in cold storage chambers. The composites were created using an injection molding process with polyurethane foam as the core and different materials (glass fiber reinforced polyester, galvanized steel, aluminum sheets and crimped aluminum) as face materials. Morphological, physical and mechanical properties were evaluated. An inexpensive and nondestructive method was used to determine the thermal behavior of the sandwich panels, and the surface temperature evolution was thermally monitored during the tests. In general, results showed that polyurethane had a homogeneous distribution of size and shape with closed cells, which can improve the retention of the insulating gas. Additionally, the compressive strength of polyurethane within the composites exhibited typical values to be used in specific applications. Thus, the sandwich with galvanized steel exhibited lower flexural strength, which provides more freedom in panel design. The overall heat transfer coefficient of the panels in the form of cubes presented values below the maximum limit requested by ABNT NBR-15457. Finally, the composite galvanized steel/polyurethane/galvanized steel achieved the best performance for use as a thermal insulation material in a cold storage chamber.

Development of Lightweight Thermal Insulation Board: A Study on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Sandwich Board Made of Perlite, Polystyrene, and Formica Sheet

“…Durmuş, G. & Topuz, H. C. (2022) used expanded perlite and granular polystyrene foam as aggregates in foam concrete, as well as creating an aerogel layer on the concrete surface. MAHS Khan et al (2018) studied the low-velocity impact of EPS-based composite, finding non-linear displacement and linear maximum principal strain increase with impact energy, causing damage after 8J.Four different sandwich samples were explored for use in cold storage chambers, and the results showed that polyurethane had a homogeneous distribution of size and shape with closed cells, which can improve the retention of the insulation gas (Sartori, Ana P. et al 2023). The perlite-based insulating material is developed to meet ASTM C610 standards in a form of the board in order to meet the requirements of thermal conductivity and moisture resistance (Keawprak, N. et al 2022).…”