What Is Thermal Reflective Foil?
Thermal reflective foil is a material used in housing and body insulation to reduce radiant heat transfer.
This material works by cutting off some of the electromagnetic waves (radiant heat) from the sun, similar to the cooler feeling experienced when moving from sunlight to shade.
Of the three types of heat transfer (radiation, conduction, and convection), thermal reflective foil primarily cuts out radiant heat. This results in comfortable, cooler environments in summer and warm interiors in winter without heat escaping the room.
When applied to high-temperature equipment:
- It prevents heat escape from exterior walls, leading to reduced energy input, quicker start-up, energy savings, and increased productivity.
- It creates a more comfortable environment by lowering body temperature, offering heat stroke countermeasures, and reducing air conditioning costs.
Uses of Thermal Reflective Foils
Applications include roofs, walls, and tents in buildings, various industrial furnaces, high-temperature piping, control panels, and outdoor air conditioning units in factories.
- Application to Buildings: Radiant heat is the majority of heat transferred through buildings.
Factors influencing thermal comfort include 40% radiant heat, 30% air temperature, and 20% humidity. Suppressing radiant heat is crucial.
For indoor environments, body temperature is calculated as the average of room air temperature and ambient surface temperature.
Building Example:
Advantages include heat control, reduced air conditioning costs, and prevention of stored product deterioration.
Example of Factory Equipment:
Benefits include heat control, air conditioning cost reduction, and productivity improvement in various equipment like nonferrous metal furnaces, large-scale coating drying furnaces, and food baking furnaces.
Control panels and switchboards near equipment exposed to direct sunlight or high temperatures also benefit.
Others:
Applications extend to schools, kindergartens, nurseries, elderly facilities, public buildings, stores, warehouses, temporary tents, plant factories, animal farms, and mushroom cultivation.
Principle of Thermal Reflective Foils
Difference From Thermal Insulation:
Thermal reflective foils repel heat, reducing indoor temperature rises and air conditioner usage. Thermal insulation, however, stores heat, which slowly enters the room, requiring air conditioning to cool down.
Thermal Barrier Effect (Technical Explanation):
Applying thermal reflective foils to equipment with a surface temperature of 70 °C can significantly reduce heat loss from convection and radiation.