Aerogel - Spaceloft Insulation for Fridge / Freezer

[senormechanico]

We're going to use it this winter for a box rebuild.
Film at 11.

[Celestialsailor]

Is this the same as Areogel? I just received a sample from a distributor. 3/8" thick has an r factor of 10.4. So just an inch of it would be R 30+

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I have read, on Mr. Kollman's site that the Spaceloft material is that the base Aerogel is relatively hygroscopic… that is to say it absorbs moisture like a desiccant… so, if this property is carried through to the Spaceloft derivative, we are going to have to be very careful to provide appropriate moisture barriers.

I have e-mailed Aspen Aerogels for comment. I shall post any relevant comms here.

ASTM C 1104 Water Vapor Sorption of Unfaced Insulation, Procedure A < 0.5%

ASTM C 1511 Liquid Water Retention after Submersion in Water (Water Repellency) < 2%

This is from Aspen and looks like the opposite is true. The manufacturer I'm talking to told me it was hydrophobic.

[senormechanico]

http://www.aerogel.com/Aspen_Aerogels_Cryogel_Z.pdf
Near the bottom of the page it says Cryogel is hydrophobic.

[Celestialsailor]

Yes...right...That's what I was told also. He told me the only thing I would have to do is encapsulate the material but I see Cryogel does that with the self adhesive backed aluminum that they use for roofing sometimes. My plan was to by a long 58" wide sheet that I can triple pack it to my box. I calculated around $200 to insulate it.

[Bluemansailor]

Celestialsailor - anxious to hear how you make out with it.

[SV Demeter]

So it looks like you can buy the stuff here:

Standard Length Aerogel Insulation : Pacor Inc., Insulation Specialists

Not sure what the differences are and Im still looking to hear from someone who is using this stuff in an icebox on a boat that can comment on it. I would really like to know if the R-10 is really achievable and if it does not degrade over time. Im contemplating a combination of blue board and this stuff. Was thinking I might laminate a layer between two pieces of blue board and then glass both sides but until I see some testimonials from cruisers Im reluctant to do anything other than the blue board foam.

[Celestialsailor]

Why even use the blue board if the R factor is way better with the Aerogel mat? I hear you when you say you want more info from end users though. might end up being one of those. The sales person at the company I was talking to told me that one report he received from an end user on a boat stated that after the box was turned off, it continued to drop in temperature for 5 more hours. Just telling you what he said...

[SV Demeter]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Why even use the blue board if the R factor is way better with the Aerogel mat? I hear you when you say you want more info from end users though. might end up being one of those. The sales person at the company I was talking to told me that one report he received from an end user on a boat stated that after the box was turned off, it continued to drop in temperature for 5 more hours. Just telling you what he said...

Tearing apart my galley to rebuild the ice box is not a job I intend to do more than once on this boat. I'll let someone else be the guinea pig. Im just too skeptical when it comes to stuff like this. But hey at the rate my projects are progressing im not going to get to the building phase on the ice box till probably april so maybe by then we will have some solid testimonials. I guess my biggest concerns are does it work as well as claimed and will it continue to work. If the stuff does not absorb moisture then I would imagine it remains stable.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

http://www.aerogel.com/Aspen_Aerogels_Cryogel_Z.pdf
Near the bottom of the page it says Cryogel is hydrophobic.

A link with videos:


ASPEN AEROGELS | Industrial Insulation

[Weyalan]

I, too, raised the issue of hygroscopic / hydrophobic. My supplied said (and I paraphrase) that while the base material was not great in this case, it was treated to make it hydrophobic. Nevertheless, we, too, were advised to use foil barrier layers as moisture barriers (as well as fully glass & epoxy barriers at the inside and outside of the insulating space. I'm a bit of a "belt & braces" guy, so we would have done this anyway.

[Celestialsailor]

Probably not a bad idea. I was told it is hydrophobic naturally but since it's natural tendency is to "chalk", it was thought best to encapsulate the outside in fiberglass. I will use the adhesive backed foil sheeting used on roof flashing's, for the surface against the refer box. I agree that it would be too chancy laying it up against moisture.

[Weyalan]

We are going to use 80mm (3.15") of Spaceloft insulation. The "outside" of the insulated space is either hull or 10mm (3/8") ply. We have added a layer of glass & epoxy to that ply. The inside of the insulated space (i.e. the fridge/freezer "box") is 4mm ply, with glass and epoxy both inside and out. We will put at least 3 layers of foil in, possibly 4 layers, probably 1 layer inside the 10mm ply & hull, 1 layer inside the first inch of Spaceloft, 1 layer after the 2nd inch of Spaceloft, and 1 layer on the outside of the box.

[Celestialsailor]

I know in Kollmans book he states that after R 30, there is minimal effect.

[garymcg]

I reinsulated my fridge with alternate layers of Spaceloft and Cryogel-z. Unfortunately I can't test it until next spring as it's too cold here in Michigan.

I have 27 sq ft. of 10mm Cryogel Z (Spaceloft with foil vapor barrier) left over, 70 " x 57 ". I'm willing to sell it for $5 a sq. ft., so $135 plus shipping from Ann Arbor, MI. PM me if interested.

Gary