Does different vacuum layer thickness have a big impact on the insulation effect?

Does different vacuum layer thickness have a big impact on the insulation effect?

In daily life, insulation products have penetrated into all aspects of our lives, from thermos cups to refrigerators, to building insulation materials, etc. As a common insulation structure, the influence of the thickness of the vacuum layer on the insulation effect has become the focus of people’s attention. This article will explore in depth the influence of different vacuum layer thicknesses on the insulation effect and related factors.

1. The principle of vacuum insulation
Vacuum insulation mainly uses the vacuum environment to reduce the transfer of heat. There are three basic ways of heat transfer: conduction, convection and radiation. In a vacuum state, since there is almost no medium, heat conduction and heat convection are almost completely suppressed, and only heat radiation can transfer heat to a certain extent. Therefore, the vacuum layer can effectively prevent heat loss and achieve the purpose of insulation.

2. The influence of vacuum layer thickness on insulation effect
(I) Theoretical analysis
In theory, the increase in the thickness of the vacuum layer will further reduce the transfer of heat. Because when heat is transferred through the vacuum layer, it needs to overcome the resistance of the vacuum layer, and the greater the thickness, the greater the resistance. According to the basic formula of heat conduction Q=
d
U⋅A⋅ΔT
​
(where Q is heat, U is heat transfer coefficient, A is heat transfer area, ΔT is temperature difference, and d is thickness), when other conditions remain unchanged, the increase in thickness d will reduce the heat Q, thereby improving the insulation effect.

(II) Experimental research
Vacuum insulation board: Studies have shown that the thermal conductivity of vacuum insulation board is extremely low, which can reach about 0.004 W/(m·K), while the thermal conductivity of general insulation materials is about 0.03 W/(m·K). Its performance and service life depend largely on the internal vacuum degree. When the vacuum degree is maintained well, increasing the thickness of the vacuum layer can significantly improve the insulation effect.
Vacuum insulation pipe: In the study of vacuum insulation pipes, it was found that when the size of the working steel pipe and the steel outer protective pipe is constant, increasing the thickness of the glass wool (i.e. reducing the thickness of the vacuum layer) can improve the insulation effect of the vacuum insulation pipe. This shows that within a certain range, the change in the thickness of the vacuum layer has a significant impact on the thermal insulation effect.
Vacuum glass: The vacuum layer thickness of vacuum glass is generally 0.5mm, and its thermal insulation performance is 4 times that of hollow glass. This shows that even a relatively thin vacuum layer can achieve a good thermal insulation effect, but an appropriate increase in thickness will further improve the thermal insulation performance.

(III) Practical application
Thermos cup: The thickness and integrity of the vacuum layer are directly related to the thermal insulation effect. If the vacuum layer leaks or is not thick enough, it will lead to rapid heat transfer, thereby reducing the thermal insulation effect.
Building insulation: In the field of construction, the thermal insulation effect of a 2 cm vacuum insulation board is equivalent to that of a 10 cm thick benzene board material, which can significantly improve the thermal insulation performance of the building. However, vacuum insulation boards also have their limitations, such as being easily damaged and affecting the thermal insulation effect.

III. Other factors affecting the thermal insulation effect
In addition to the thickness of the vacuum layer, the degree of vacuum, the type and quality of the thermal insulation material, the structure and uniformity of the thermal insulation layer, and the sealing of the product will also affect the thermal insulation effect. For example, the higher the vacuum degree, the better the thermal insulation effect; high-quality thermal insulation materials and good thermal insulation layer structure can reduce heat loss; products with good sealing can maintain the stability of the vacuum layer, thereby ensuring the thermal insulation effect.

IV. Conclusion
In summary, different vacuum layer thicknesses have a great influence on the thermal insulation effect. In general, appropriately increasing the vacuum layer thickness can effectively improve the thermal insulation effect, but this influence will also be restricted by other factors, such as vacuum degree, thermal insulation material performance, etc. In practical applications, it is necessary to comprehensively consider various factors and select appropriate vacuum layer thickness and thermal insulation materials to achieve the best thermal insulation effect.