How Does glass wool thermal insulation Work?
Glass Wool Insulation: Benefits & Applications - Saint-Gobain
WHAT IS GLASS WOOL?
Glass wool is made by spinning or drawing molten glass into fine fibers, creating a texture similar to wool. These fibers are bound together using a binder to form rolls, slabs, or loose-fill materials. Glass wool belongs to the broader category of "mineral wools," alongside stone wool, and is widely regarded for its excellent insulating properties.
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KEY BENEFITS OF GLASS WOOL INSULATION?
- Thermal Comfort for Buildings
A study states that for every 1oC rise in temperature above 27oC, the productivity of a typical human reduces by 3%.
With a typical thermal conductivity between 0.028 and 0.045 W/m∙K, it is highly effective in reducing energy consumption. Lower the K-value, the better the thermal performance. It is generally applied in the roofs, wall to create a temperature gradient. This helps to reduce the overall heat load coming through the building envelope. - Energy Efficiency
- For Building: Typically about 50-60% of a building’s energy consumption is through HVAC system only. The high thermal performance of glass wool based duct wrap solution/Climaver duct system ensures that the air conditioning (HVAC) system is energy efficient.
- For Industrial Process: Processes such as cryogenic application requires efficient thermal insulation at sub zero temperatures. Glass wool meets the criteria and ensures the system gets superior energy efficiency.
- Acoustic Performance
Glass wool’s porous and elastic structure absorbs sound waves, providing superior acoustic insulation for various environments. This makes it ideal for applications requiring noise control, such as offices, studios, and HVAC systems.
Our range of glass wool insulation achieves up to 1.0 NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient). - Fire Resistance
Glass wool insulation is non-combustible in nature (complying to the latest National Building Code), making it a fire safe product. As the product is inorganic (low calorific value), it does not propagate fire or generate toxic smoke in the event of fire in building. - Sustainability
Glass wool is mainly made from recycled glass (up to 80%) reducing the environmental footprint. - Ease of Installation
Available in compressed rolls and sheets, glass wool is lightweight and simple to handle, store, and install. This minimizes labor time and costs. - Health and Safety
Our glass wool being EUCEB certified, it is Biosoluble, which implies it being completely safe for humans. WHO in their IARC volume 81 as well has declared glass wool to be safe (Group 3), grouping it in the same category as that of tea and coffee.
APPLICATIONS OF GLASS WOOL
Glass wool is incredibly versatile, finding applications across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors:
- Building Insulation: Used in façade, wall, roofs and underdeck to enhance energy efficiency and thermal comfort.
- HVAC: Common in HVAC systems for multiple applications such as ducting system, piping, and acoustics to reduce energy loss, control condensation and reduce noise.
- Acoustic Insulation: Ideal for soundproofing in theaters, studios, and residential buildings such as home theatres; also suitable for partition system in offices and institutions.
- Fireproofing: Applied in structures requiring enhanced fire safety standards for personnel safety and evacuation.
HOW GLASS WOOL WORKS?
The insulating properties of glass wool rely on its laminar structure of alternating gas pockets and solid fibers. These pockets trap air, a poor conductor of heat, thereby minimizing heat transfer. The absence of convection within these pockets further enhances its insulation efficiency.
For example, applying 100mm of glass wool insulation with a thermal conductivity of 0.032 W/m.K to a roof reduces temperature below up to 8oC.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Glass wool supports sustainability goals through:
- High recycled content (up to 80%) sourced from glass cullet.
- Compressed packaging leads to less carbon emission per Kg of material during transportation.
- Reduced energy consumption during production and use.
- Zero ozone-depleting potential, ensuring a lower carbon footprint.
Additionally, our range of glass wool insulation is Greenpro, GRIHA and SGBC approved.
CONCLUSION
Glass wool is a powerhouse insulation material that checks all the boxes for modern building requirements—efficiency, sustainability, fire and health safety, and performance. Whether you’re designing energy-efficient homes or large-scale industrial facilities, glass wool offers unmatched versatility and benefits, making it the go-to choice for insulation needs.
By integrating innovative manufacturing techniques and leveraging recycled materials, glass wool manufacturers like Saint-Gobain are ensuring this product remains a leader in the insulation market while supporting global sustainability efforts.
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Glass wool - Wikipedia
Glass wool is an insulating material made from glass fiber arranged using a binder into a texture similar to wool. The process traps many small pockets of air between the glass, and these small air pockets result in high thermal insulation properties. Glass wool is produced in rolls or slabs, with different thermal and mechanical properties. It may also be produced as a material that can be sprayed or applied in place, on the surface to be insulated. The modern method for producing glass wool was invented by Games Slayter while he was working at the Owens-Illinois Glass Co. (Toledo, Ohio). He first applied for a patent for a new process to make glass wool in .[1]
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Principles of function
[edit]Gases possess poor thermal conduction properties compared to liquids and solids[2][3] and thus make good insulation material if they can be trapped in materials so that much of the heat that flows through the material is forced to flow through the gas.[4] To further augment the effectiveness of a gas (such as air) it may be disrupted into small cells which cannot effectively transfer heat by natural convection. Natural convection involves a larger bulk flow of gas driven by buoyancy and temperature differences, and it does not work well in small gas cells where there is little density difference to drive it, and the high surface area to volume ratios of the small cells retards bulk gas flow inside them using viscous drag.
To accomplish the formation of small gas cells in man-made thermal insulation, glass and polymer materials can be used to trap air in a foam-like structure. The same principle used in glass wool is used in other man-made insulators such as rock wool, Styrofoam, wet suit neoprene foam fabrics, and fabrics such as Gore-Tex and polar fleece. The air-trapping property is also the insulation principle used in nature in down feathers and insulating hair such as natural wool.
Manufacturing process
[edit]Natural sand and recycled glass are mixed and heated to 1,450 °C (2,640 °F), to produce glass. The fiberglass is usually produced by a method similar to making cotton candy. Molten glass is forced through a rapidly spinning metal cup, called a 'spinner'. The centrifugal force pulls the glass through small holes in the spinner. The newly created fibers cool in contact with the air.[5] Cohesion and mechanical strength are obtained by the presence of a binder that “cements” the fibers together. A drop of binder is placed at each fiber intersection. The fiber mat is then heated to around 200 °C (392 °F) to polymerize the resin and is calendered to give it strength and stability. Finally, the wool mat is cut and packed in rolls or panels, palletized, and stored for use.
Uses
[edit]Glass wool is a thermal insulation material consisting of intertwined and flexible glass fibers, which causes it to "package" air, resulting in a low density that can be varied through compression and binder content (as noted above, these air cells are the actual insulator). Glass wool can be a loose-fill material, blown into attics, or together with an active binder, sprayed on the underside of structures, sheets, and panels that can be used to insulate flat surfaces such as cavity wall insulation, ceiling tiles, curtain walls, and ducting. It is also used to insulate piping and for soundproofing.
Fiberglass batts and blankets
[edit]Batts are precut, whereas blankets are available in continuous rolls. Compressing the material reduces its effectiveness. Cutting it to accommodate electrical boxes and other obstructions allows air a free path to cross through the wall cavity. One can install batts in two layers across an unfinished attic floor, perpendicular to each other, for increased effectiveness at preventing heat bridging. Blankets can cover joists and studs as well as the space between them. Batts can be challenging and unpleasant to hang under floors between joists; straps, or staple cloth or wire mesh across joists, can hold it up.
Gaps between batts (bypasses) can become sites of air infiltration or condensation (both of which reduce the effectiveness of the insulation) and require strict attention during the installation. By the same token, careful weatherization and installation of vapour barriers is required to ensure that the batts perform optimally. Air infiltration can be also reduced by adding a layer of cellulose loose-fill on top of the material.
Health problems
[edit]Fiberglass will irritate the eyes, skin, and the respiratory system. Potential symptoms include irritation of the eyes, skin, nose, and throat, dyspnea (breathing difficulty), sore throat, hoarseness and cough.[6] Fiberglass used for insulating appliances appears to produce human disease that is similar to asbestosis.[7] Scientific evidence demonstrates that fiberglass is safe to manufacture, install and use when recommended work practices are followed to reduce temporary mechanical irritation.[8] Unfortunately, these work practices are not always followed, and fiberglass is often left exposed in basements that later become occupied. Fiberglass insulation should never be left exposed in an occupied area, according to the American Lung Association. [citation needed]
In June , the United States National Toxicology Program (NTP) removed from its Report on Carcinogens all bio-soluble glass wool used in home and building insulation and for non-insulation products.[9] Similarly, California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment ("OEHHA"), in November , published a modification to its Proposition 65 listing to include only "Glass wool fibers (inhalable and biopersistent)."[10] The United States' NTP and California's OEHHA action means that a cancer warning label for biosoluble fiber glass home and building insulation is no longer required under Federal or California law. All fiberglass wools commonly used for thermal and acoustical insulation were reclassified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in October as Not Classifiable as to carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3).[11]
Fiberglass itself is resistant to mold. If mold is found in or on fiberglass it is more likely that the binder is the source of the mold since binders are often organic and more hygroscopic than glass wool. In tests, glass wool was found to be highly resistant to the growth of mold. Only exceptional circumstances resulted in mold growth: very high relative humidity, 96% and above, or saturated glass wool, although saturated wool glass will only have moderate growth.[12][13]
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See also
[edit]- Fibreglass
- Glass fibre
- Mineral wool