Iranian Firm Optimizes Energy Consumption by Indigenizing Aerogel Technology
“Aerogels perform significantly better in terms of heat transfer. The heat transfer coefficient of these materials is about 6 times lower than traditional insulation, which means that to achieve the same efficiency, we need 6 times the thickness and 10 times less volume,” said Hassan Bargozin, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
Noting that these materials are extremely hydrophobic, while moisture absorption in traditional insulation can cause them to degrade and lose their performance, he said, “This is not the case with these insulations.”
“In fact, moisture absorption in traditional insulation can increase the heat transfer coefficient of the insulation by more than fifty times, which can be a problem in sensitive industries, while the use of aerogels has solved this problem,” Bargozin said.
He explained that aerogels perform very well at very low and high temperatures, adding, “These insulations can work from minus 20 degrees to 650 degrees Celsius, making them very suitable for use in temperature-sensitive industries such as firefighting suits, gloves and mountaineering equipment.”
Aerogels, as the latest generation of thermal and refrigeration insulators, with features like low heat transfer coefficient and the ability to operate at very high and low temperatures, are widely used in energy-intensive industries such as refineries, power plants, and the construction industry.
In a relevant development in May, an Iranian nanotechnology company had managed to make special aerogel blankets made of silica which can be used as thermal insulator in the aerospace industry.
The product made by ‘Pakan Atieh Nanodanesh’ company is an aerogel blanket made of a silica matrix on a flexible substrate through which the mechanical shortcoming of the mesoporous structure is alleviated.
Application of nanostructures in the aerogel blanket leads to satisfactory dimensional stability, high specific surface area and porosity, comparatively low relative density and thermal conductivity, high transparency, and extremely low dielectric constant.
The silica aerogel blankets can be utilized as thermal insulator in semi-transparent glass and ceilings, catalysts owing to their high specific surface area, hydrophobic characteristic, thermal insulator in the aerospace industry, transportation, industrial equipment and power generation, and fire-resistant components.
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