SEDL / STP / STP718-EB / STP29273S

Air Intrusion Effects on the Performance of Permeable Insulation Systems

Berlad, AL
Professor of engineering, research associate, and graduate students, State University of New York, Stony BrookN.Y.,

Tutu, N
Professor of engineering, research associate, and graduate students, State University of New York, Stony BrookN.Y.,

Yeh, Y-J
Professor of engineering, research associate, and graduate students, State University of New York, Stony BrookN.Y.,

Jaung, R
Professor of engineering, research associate, and graduate students, State University of New York, Stony BrookN.Y.,

Krajewski, R
Research engineers, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y.

Hoppe, R
Research engineers, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y.

Salzano, FJ
Research engineers, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y.

Pages: 14    Published: Jan 1980

Download this paper for $25 PDF (256K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

The R-values of permeable insulation systems are generally determined in test apparatuses designed to assure one-dimensional heat transfer and to assure no air intrusion effects. Such classical R-values are then calculationally employed to help describe in situ heat-transfer rates through insulation systems.

The research reported herein reexamines the applicability of these classical R-values to commonly encountered insulation systems where air intrusion is physically possible. Several kinds of findings are reported: (a) Laboratory-determined R-values for several types and thicknesses of permeable insulators, under conditions of no externally imposed flows. (b) Laboratory-determined heat-transfer rates for several permeable insulators under conditions of externally imposed flows (air intrusion). (c) Theoretically calculated heat-transfer rates for permeable insulation systems which sustain infiltrative-exfiltrative air intrusion effects.

The results obtained show that the thermal insulation provided by a permeable insulation system may differ substantially from that which is predicted by simple application of classical R-values.