Laboratory test results on the thermal resistance of polyisocyanurate foamboard insulation blown with CFC-11 substitutes: A cooperative industry/government project
The fully halogenated chlorofluorocarbon gases (CFC-11 and CFC-12) are used as blowing agents for foam insulations for building and appliance applications. The thermal resistance per unit thickness of these insulations is greater than that of other commercially available insulations. Mandated reductions in the production of these chemicals may lead to less efficient substitutes and increase US energy consumption by one quad or more. This report describes laboratory thermal and aging tests on a set of industry-produced, experimental polyisocyanurate (PIR) laminate boardstock to evaluate the viability of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFSs) as alternative blowing agents to chlorofluorcarbon-11 (CFC-11). The PIR boards were blown with five gases: CFC-11, HCFC- 123, HCFC-141b, and 50/50 and 65/35 blends of HCFC-123/HCFC-141b. These HCFC gases have a lower ozone depletion potential than CFC-11 or CFC-12. Apparent thermal conductivity (k) was determined from 0 to 50{degrees}C. Results on the laminate boards provide an independent laboratory check on the increase in k observed for field exposure in the Roof Thermal Research Apparatus (RTRA). The measured laboratory increase in k was between 8 and 11% after a 240-d field exposure in the RTRA. Results are reported on a thin-specimen, aging procedure to establish the long-term thermal resistance of gas-filled foams. These thin specimens were planed from the industry-produced boardstock foams and aged at 75 and 150{degrees}F for up to 300 d. The resulting k-values were correlated with an exponential dependency on (diffusion coefficient {times} time){sup {1/2}}/thickness and provided diffusion coefficients for air components into, and blowing agent out of, the foam. This aging procedure was used to predict the five-year thermal resistivity of the foams. The thin-specimen aging procedure is supported with calculations by a computer model for aging of foams. 43 refs., 33 figs., 25 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6232228
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-TM-11645; ON: DE92003011
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COMPUTER PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL INSULATION
AGING
THERMAL TESTING
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
BUILDING MATERIALS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
M CODES
MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION
PLASTIC FOAMS
REGULATIONS
ROOFS
COLLOIDS
COMPUTER CODES
DISPERSIONS
FOAMS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLYMERS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SIMULATION
TESTING
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
320107* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Building Systems- (1987-)
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)