High expectations are placed on the vehicle insulation of modern, public transport systems: Low thermal conductivity, fire protection requirements and mechanical strength are just as important as good workability. Innovative Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) of the German manufacturer, va-Q-tec, offer completely new possibilities for vehicle insulation by fully meeting the above-mentioned requirements and offering additional advantages: By installing these environmentally friendly products, valuable energy can be saved and the climate comfort inside the vehicles gets noticeably improved.
Less space required: The VIP insulation material compared to other materials I © va-Q-tec
va-Q-tec’s VIPs are a revolutionary high-performance insulation material. The pressure-stable core material consists of microporous sand, which is packed gas-tight and evacuated without air by means of a high-tech barrier film. At the same time they are flexibly formable – due to va-Q-tec’s intelligent technology, even round or 3D shapes can be costumized according to client requirements. Even with complicated geometries, the panels offer a maximum of insulation: they have 10 times better insulation values than conventional materials of the same thickness and therefore guarantee optimal values – even if the available space is less than 5 mm. This can be seen in a direct comparison: The melanin resin foam normally used in rail vehicles has a thermal conductivity of 32.5 mW/mK, whereas standard PU foam has a thermal conductivity of 22 mW/mK. This compares to a VIP value of 3.5 mW/mK for the same thickness.
This makes VIPs ideal for insulating the passenger compartment, driver’s cab and even inside the chassis or engine compartment. The insulation of, for example, the walls of the carriages of trains reduces the required use of the air conditioning system, thus saving valuable energy. Additionally, the climate comfort inside is improved because very hot and cold outside temperatures are ideally shielded.
Due to their high heat resistance, VIPs meet even the highest requirements of the HL3 fire protection class and are thus approved for installation in means of public transport. As part of a scientific study of insulation materials for trains, they passed a vibration test based on the IEC 613733:2010 standard. Here the VIPs proved their durability and stability even under extreme conditions.
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