Description
In 2000, the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) proposed the creation of a new European certified reference material for the thermal conductivity measurements IRMM-440. A specific production batch of high density (64–78 kg/m3) resin-bonded glass fiber boards was manufactured and characterized by a group of six leading European laboratories with long-standing expertise in thermal conductivity measurements, including four national measurements institutes. The IRMM-440 has since been used as the European certified reference material for thermal conductivity measurements on thermal insulation covering temperatures between –10°C and 50°C, and most frequently to calibrate Heat Flow Meter apparatus making measurements at 10°C.
The aim of this article is to present an international interlaboratory comparison of thermal conductivity measurements made on IRMM-440 at temperatures between –170°C and 20°C. This is the first step to define an insulation reference material for low temperature applications. Indeed, there is currently no reference material available with certified thermal conductivity values for temperatures below –10°C.
Furthermore, a legal requirement for European conformity marking (CE) was introduced in the European Economic Area in August 2012 for thermal insulation products intended for use in building equipment and industrial installations. The manufacturers of these products are required to declare a “curve” of thermal conductivity against temperature for the whole temperature range at which the product is intended to be used. The values used to produce these “curves” need to be verified by an independent notified laboratory.
The data presented in this article comes from a report from the European Commission (2015): “Certification of a Resin-Bonded Glass Fibre Board for Thermal Conductivity between –10ºC and 50ºC, IRMM-440” (European Commission, 2000), which gives the thermal conductivity values of Dipartimento di Fisica Tecnica (DFT) from Italy. It also includes additional measurements made by National Physical Laboratory (NPL) from UK, Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d’Essais (LNE) from France, Forschungsinstitut für Wärmeschutz (FIW) from Germany and Instytut Mechanizacji Budownictwa i Górnictwa Skalnego (IMBiGS) of Poland. These last four laboratories have each made measurement on their own specimens of the IRMM-440 certified reference material. All measurements were carried out using Guarded Hot Plate apparatus designed for low temperature measurement and following specifications given in the (International Organization for Standardization [ISO] 8302).
Keywords
thermal conductivity, insulation material, mineral wool, low temperature
DOI
10.5703/1288284315550
Included in
International Comparison of Guarded Hot Plate Facilities at Low Temperature on Mineral Wool Insulation Material
In 2000, the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) proposed the creation of a new European certified reference material for the thermal conductivity measurements IRMM-440. A specific production batch of high density (64–78 kg/m3) resin-bonded glass fiber boards was manufactured and characterized by a group of six leading European laboratories with long-standing expertise in thermal conductivity measurements, including four national measurements institutes. The IRMM-440 has since been used as the European certified reference material for thermal conductivity measurements on thermal insulation covering temperatures between –10°C and 50°C, and most frequently to calibrate Heat Flow Meter apparatus making measurements at 10°C.
The aim of this article is to present an international interlaboratory comparison of thermal conductivity measurements made on IRMM-440 at temperatures between –170°C and 20°C. This is the first step to define an insulation reference material for low temperature applications. Indeed, there is currently no reference material available with certified thermal conductivity values for temperatures below –10°C.
Furthermore, a legal requirement for European conformity marking (CE) was introduced in the European Economic Area in August 2012 for thermal insulation products intended for use in building equipment and industrial installations. The manufacturers of these products are required to declare a “curve” of thermal conductivity against temperature for the whole temperature range at which the product is intended to be used. The values used to produce these “curves” need to be verified by an independent notified laboratory.
The data presented in this article comes from a report from the European Commission (2015): “Certification of a Resin-Bonded Glass Fibre Board for Thermal Conductivity between –10ºC and 50ºC, IRMM-440” (European Commission, 2000), which gives the thermal conductivity values of Dipartimento di Fisica Tecnica (DFT) from Italy. It also includes additional measurements made by National Physical Laboratory (NPL) from UK, Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d’Essais (LNE) from France, Forschungsinstitut für Wärmeschutz (FIW) from Germany and Instytut Mechanizacji Budownictwa i Górnictwa Skalnego (IMBiGS) of Poland. These last four laboratories have each made measurement on their own specimens of the IRMM-440 certified reference material. All measurements were carried out using Guarded Hot Plate apparatus designed for low temperature measurement and following specifications given in the (International Organization for Standardization [ISO] 8302).