Description Of Wall

During Fall months 2005, and Spring months 2006 several configurations of commercial roofs and steel-framed walls insulated with fiberglass and innovative aerogel inserts, were tested in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) guarded hot-boxes using ASTM C-1363 procedure. This project was jointly initiated ASPEN Aerogels, Guardian Fiber, MBMA, Lennar Family of Builders.

Installation of aerogel strips on top of the steel purlin

As shown on the Figures 1 and 2 aerogel was used only locally in areas of strongest thermal bridges.

Figure 2. Steel purlin with installed aerogel local insulation.

The remainder of the roof structure was almost conventional. Typical R-19 fiberglass blankets were used as main roof insulation. – Figure 3.

Figure 3. Almost typical commercial roof assembly used for testing local aerogel insulations

Test walls were following findings of the most current CEC and ASHRAE 2002 projects with the amount of framing members about 25%. Conventional ½-in. thick OSB sheathing and ½-in. thick gypsum boards were used for exterior and interior wall finish.

Figure 4. Configuration of the test wall containing 2x4 steel studs, R-13 fiberglass cavity insulation, and local aerogel insulation installed on the top of stud flanges.

Test results are very promising. The ORNL team is working now on a series of detailed 3-D finite difference simulations, which are utilized for thermal and economical optimizations of the roof and wall assemblies.

For more info about this project please contact Dr. Jan Kosny

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