Technical and Economical Evaluation of Vacuum Insulated Panels for A European Freezer

Vacuum insulated panels (VIP) is an emerging technology that may constitute an alternative to rigid polyurethane (RPU) foam as insulation in refrigerators and freezers. The "skin effect" caused by the aluminum layer in the envelope complicates the evaluation of the global thermal resistance. This article present a new method of VIP characterization. Values of the global thermal resistance obtained are used in a dynamic simulation tool ENEREp® to perform predictive calculations. Direct experimental measurements permitted to validate calculations. Finally, a life cycle cost analysis is performed and payback period of the technical option is calculated. Nomenclature k P,W e Thermal conductivity, W/m.K Electrical power, heat flux, W Thickness, m A AT G Area, m Temperature difference, K Specific heat loss coefficient, W/m.K 1. STATE OF ART The Montreal Protocol phased out CFCs refrigerants. R-11 (CCL3F) being used as an expanding gas in the rigid polyurethane foams (PUR) is replaced by alternative fluids such as R14lb, cyclopentane and C02. As a consequence, when using cyclopentane, the thermal resistance of PUR foams is reduced by about 33%. In parallel, international and particularly U.S. and European efforts [1] are focused on the reduction of appliance energy consumptions. The contradiction between lower thermal resistance of insulation and lower energy consumption of refrigerating appliances pushed the insulation manufacturers to find alternative solutions such as VIP.