THERMAL INSULATION USING FIBRE BOARDS

Introduction

The primary purpose of building’s thermal insulation is to control heat transfer and thereby protect a building from excessive heat loss during cold seasons and heat gain during hot seasons. This comfort effectively reduce the amount of energy required by a building’s heating and cooling equipment to maintain condition for human comfort.

Requirements for insulation
Insulations main function is to keep the heat in. To be effective, insulation must be the following:
resistant to heat flow

able to feel the space evenly and completely
Durable, and

For some location able withstand exposure to heat for moistures

Several different insulation materials may be used at different locations in the house envelope, depending on the space available for the insulation, ease of access and other installation requirements.
One of the type of these materials is fibre board, which often used for thermal insulation.

Section of the basement wall, with vertical metal supports for fibre board and soil sloped away from the wall .

Fibre boards are often used for the basement insulation treatment.Exterior basement insulation can play a number of roles within the basement envelope system.
Since heat-loss control and ground-water management are the critical roles that any exterior insulation must play.

Properties:
High heat resistance
Low density
Low thermal conductivity
Low heat storage
Structural strength
Excellent electrical insulation
Excellent sound absorption
Fast and simple installation

Glass Fibre Board

Glass fibre board is also a semi-rigid draining fibrous insulation, but it is less dense than the mineral fibre product, and shows more compression under the same load. The manufacturer compensated for this by providing additional R-value in the uncompressed state, to achieve a claimed R-value for in-ground placement where it would be compressed.

The in-situ thermal performance of this product was similar to that of adjacent products that experienced less compression. Substantial water movement at the outer face of the insulation was documented, confirming that drainage was taking place.

Types of glass fibre board:





Mineral Fibre Boards
Mineral fibre board is a dense, semi-rigid material that provides a drainage function because of the stratification of fibres and the voids between these fibres. The research showed substantial water movement at the board's outer face, which was in contact with the ground during periods of heavy rain and thaw.

The steady thermal performance of the board throughout these periods of water movement suggests that only the outer fibres of the insulation are involved in managing the water.

Advantages of fibre board :

Non-combustible.
Good insulation properties
High temperature resistance
Thermal stability and high mechanical strength.
Easily fabricated.
Cost effective
Non-corroding
Electrical resistance at high temperature.

Uses of fibre board



1 Fill air spaces particular in frame walls, floor and roofs

2 Wall sheathing or cavity fill, to increase strength as well as reduce heat loss:rigid roof insulation, perimeter slab insulation

3 Fill wall cavities and flat areas above ceilings.

Insulation boards reduce overheating


Mineral fibre or plastic board and glass fibre insulation boards add considerable thermal mass to a lightweight construction, preventing or reducing overheating in summer.
Insulation is designed to prevent heat loss from a building, but it can do more than this. They do this by acting as a thermal sink that absorbs heat and and prevents overheating on warm days.