Sandwich Panel, Panel for Cleanroom Cold Room and ... - Zonsteel

Sandwich Panel: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

Nowadays sandwich panel be widely used in area of clean room, cold room and commercial & industrial building. Attribute to its high structural rigidity and excellent thermal insulation. If you are consider to use sandwich panel for your facility, ready this guide.

For more information, please visit Wiskind New Materials.

What is a Sandwich Panel?

Figure 1 Sandwich Panel Layers

Sandwich panel is a structure made of three layers: core of honeycomb or a solid filling, and a thin skin-layer bonded to each side. When combined, they form a panel sandwich and hence the name. The material used to make the sandwich panel are strong and should easily stand up to different elements. It is for this reason you can find the sandwich panel being used for various applications.

The sandwich panels are quite versatile when it comes to the applications. They are mostly used for industrial facilities, cold rooms, power plants, commercial buildings, and residential buildings. So, you can always find an application for a sandwich panel.

What are sandwich panels made of?

As suggested earlier, you will find that the sandwich panels are made of metal surfaces and a core material. For the surface materials, you will get options such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and aluminum foil. As such, you should have a wide range of options to consider.

The core materials on the other hand include EPS, rock wool, PU, PIR, XPS, MGO board, aluminum honeycomb, and paper honeycomb. Each of these core materials will have unique features. This means that you can pick the right sandwich panel based on your needs too.

The core materials can also determine the thickness of the sandwich panel. Sometimes you may have to get a specific panel because you want a thicker sandwich panel.

Where can you use sandwich panels?

Sandwich panels are known to be quite flexible. It is because of this flexibility, you can find sandwich panels having many applications in the industry right now. Below are some of the places you can use the sandwich panels.

Commercial industry

Let us say you want to set up a warehouse or any other commercial building, sometimes you can use sandwich panels for the partitioning part. Since the panels have impressive fire resistance performance plus durability, you can always a use for them in the commercial sector too.

Figure 2Commercial Industrial Sandwich Panel

Clean room industry

Clean rooms could use the sandwich panels too. These panels help a lot in maintaining the overall clean environment. Once the sandwich panels have been set up correctly, you can expect to end up with a great looking clean room generally.

Figure 3Clean Room Sandwich Panel

Cold room industry

Sandwich panels can also be used in cold room industries such as the storage of food. Just make sure that you always get the right sandwich panel type. The cam-lock PU panel and good fire rate PIR sandwich panel is specially design and used for cold room.

Figure 4Cold Room Sandwich Panel PIR Panel

What is the HS Code of a Sandwich Panel?

Figure 5 Sandwich Panel Roofs

Since sandwich panel made of skin layer and core material. The HS code could apply for core material or apply for skin layer. In China, more recognized HS code by customs is HS, which indicating the sandwich panel as a structural part.

How Much Do Sandwich Panels Cost?

Sandwich panels can cost different prices based on a few things. The first one would be how the sandwich panel was made. If it is a machine-made sandwich panel, it will cost less than when it is a manual sandwich panel.

Other things that would affect the price of the sandwich panel include the price of the insulation material. Sometimes the insulation material can double the price. A good example is when you are using PIR insulation material. It would cost more than when using rock wool insulation material.

It is best to consult with Zonsteel to get an idea of what would be the best price depending on your application.

You will also have to think about the surface materials. This is because steel and aluminum do not cost the same. Make sure that you take the time to talk to experts in the sector to understand their pros and cons before buying.

Zonsteel offers free quotation based on your detailed requirement.

What is the Most Important Property of a Sandwich Panel?

One of the biggest reasons someone would opt for a sandwich panel is because of insulation properties. It is why a sandwich panel can be used for various applications compared to some other types of panels.

Each time you want to place an order for a sandwich panel, one of the properties you would ask about include the insulation material.

Even though that is the most important property, you also have to consider the fire resistance too. Sometimes you might work in environments that might need proper protection against fire outbreaks. You would want to be sure that you can be protected in case there is a fire outbreak.

Are Sandwich Panels Structural?

Yes. The sandwich panels come with the steel surface construction that makes the whole panel strong too. So, you will not have to worry that the sandwich panel would not work great in terms of providing structural performance.

Even though the material can deliver impressive structural performance, most people would use it for making walls after the structural part has been handled. In case you want to use it otherwise, just know that it will work great.

What are the Advantages of Using Sandwich Panels?

Figure 6 Sandwich Panels Ready for Shipping

Sandwich panels stand out as some of the best materials for constructing cleanrooms and other applications. This can make someone want to know more about the benefits of using sandwich panels. Here are some of them;

1. The panels are easy and fast to install

2.  They offer the best thermal insulation

3.  They are affordable building materials

4. You can choose different color options thus they can offer the best aesthetics

5. They have a high fire resistance rating

6. They also offer great air and water tightness

7.  The sandwich panels are used for noise-free buildings

You can always discover more benefits of the sandwich panel if you continue using them for different projects.

What are the Available Types of Sandwich Panels?

The types of sandwich panels are mostly based on the insulation material. So, these are the common types of sandwich panels you can get in the market.

1. Polystyrene(EPS)sandwich panels
2. Polyurethane(PU)sandwich panel
3. Polyisocyanurate(PIR) sandwich panel
4. Rockwool sandwich panel
5. MGO sandwich panel
6. Duct panel
7. Aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel etc.

What are the Dimensions of Sandwich Panels?

The sandwich panels can have different dimensions. Zonsteel has several options available. Below are some of them.

1. Machine made sandwich panel:width mm(effective mm), mm(effective 950mm). The length is customizable

2. Manual sandwich panel:half made by hand, half made by machine, any width and length

You can also get customized sandwich panels too. This is where you can request for specific sizes. It is understandable that not everyone would like a specific size of a sandwich panel. So, it is possible to tailor one to suit your needs.

How Many Layers Does a Sandwich Panel Have?

The number of layers a sandwich panel depends on the application. However, the basic structure includes having steel plate surfaces with an insulation material in the middle. Below are a few examples of what you can get from a Zonsteel sandwich panel.

1. (0.4-1.0mm) Steel-(40-200mm) insulation-(0.4-1.0mm) steel2
2. Steel -MGO board/gypsum board-insulation- steel3.
3. Steel -MGO board/gypsum board-insulation- MGO board/gypsum board- steel
4. Steel-insulation-aluminum foil

As you can see, it is the insulation material that changes a lot. You can play around with the insulation material depending on the sandwich panel application.

How Does Fire Rating Differ in Regards to Sandwich Panels?

The overall fire rating of a sandwich panel generally determines where it can be used best. Some panels can withstand fire for longer periods compared to others. As such, you would want to know more about such fire resistance.

The EPS/PU/PIR are all B1 rated. This means that they are flame retardant. As for rockwool, it is rated A1. This means that it is inherently non-combustible. This is the highest rating you can get for different materials. It is because of this reason, rockwool can easily withstand temperatures over degrees Celsius.

Zonsteel still has a special sandwich panel designed to offer over 240 minutes of fire resistance. Thus, your room made of this panel can be protected until the fire engines arrive to fight the fire. Such panels are mostly reserved for cases where the equipment in highly sensitive.

What Factors Affect the Choice of Sandwich Panels?

Figure 7 Stacked Sandwich Panels

Whenever you want to pick sandwich panels, you will be exposed to different options in the market. Sometimes it can be hard to make up your mind on what makes the sandwich panel great. In case you are stuck, here are a few things you can keep in mind the next time you want to buy a sandwich panel.

1. The aesthetics of your building. Sandwich panels are not structures you can remove after a few months or years. It is why you can consider the final look of the building before buying the panels. In this case, you can customize the colors and patterns to ensure you have the best sandwich panel.
2. What is the purpose of the building? You should always consider the purpose since some panels can work better in some scenarios than others. So, take your time to learn more about the panels before picking the right one.
3. Look at the U-value or thermal transmittance. This is vital to understand more about the insulation properties of the sandwich panel.
4.  The accessories you have to use with the panels are also vital. Do not pick weak accessories as they might compromise the functionality of the sandwich panel.
5. You should also consider the size too. Most manufacturers would want you to specify the size that you would want to use for the project.
6. The cost is also crucial. Some sandwich panels are costlier than others. As such, you should always consider the final cost of the sandwich panel before picking the right one.

There can be many other considerations. It all depends on the project you want to handle. In case you are stuck, it is always great to talk to Zonsteel support team for more help.

What Makes Rockwool Better at Fire Resistance?

When other insulation materials can catch fire, rockwool is different. This material is good on overall in terms of keeping the fire down. This is because it is non-combustible.

Some insulation materials might not have flames while on fire, but they can release fumes and smokes that would affect the people possibly trapped in the room. However, rockwool material does not combust and can easily withstand temperatures of over degree Celsius.

Figure 8 Rock Wool Sandwich Panel

What are the Important Sandwich Panels Accessories from Zonsteel?

Now that you have bought your sandwich panels, you should consider the accessories too. These accessories are vital to ensure you can properly install the sandwich panels. Someone would ask, what are some of the accessories that you need for sandwich panel installation and use? Below are a few examples;

1. Flashings
2. Channels
3. Connection kits
4. Corner covers
5. Edge covers
6. Ceiling hanging kits
7. Fasteners
8. Sealants
9. Gaskets etc.

Zonsteel can always supply you with the right accessories you might need whenever you are looking for sandwich panels. Make sure you ask for them so that they are priced together with the sandwich panels.

Figure 9 Sandwich Panel Accessories

How Does PIR Insulation Compare to PUR Insulation?

When you are in the market for a sandwich panel, the chances are you are likely to come across PIR and PUR insulation panels.

PUR means polyurethane and PIR means polyisocyanurate. PUR was popular in the past when it comes to making insulation panels. However, that has changed over time with PIR replacing it slowly. This can make someone want to know more about the two and how they differ.

The way to produce PUR and PIR is different. PUR is A polymer with repeating structural units of urethane segment made by the reaction of isocyanate and polyol. And PIR is a foaming material made by isocyanate reacts with polyether through catalyst.

How about fire resistance properties? Well, the PIR and PUR panels will have different fire-retardant properties. This is because PIR can withstand temperatures of 300 degrees C, while PUR can withstand temperatures of 200 degrees C.

As for insulation properties, PIR is also better. It comes with low thermal conductivity coefficient thus it would be able to keep the temperatures maintained easily within the desired range. You would not have to spend so much.

Both panels are also lightweight. This makes it easier to raise and install them. They are still both highly resistant to possible mechanical damage. Also, moisture cannot easily damage these panels making them good for various applications.

Why is PIR/PU Sandwich Panel Best Suited for Cold Room Storage?

Figure 10 Workers Installing Sandwich Panels

PIR and PU panels are the most common options for those who want to set up a cold room storage. The reason is because of their thermal insulation properties. As an example, a PIR panel has a thermal conductivity coefficient of λ = 0.019. This is better than what you get with EPS sandwich panels.

The panels are also quite strong against any mechanical damage. You will mostly like the way these panels fit and stay strong against possible damages.

Why is a Magnesium Sandwich Panel a Top Consideration Today?

MGO or magnesium sandwich panel is a common choice other than the rockwool or EPS sandwich panel. There are various reasons why this is the case. They are mentioned below.

1. The panel would have an excellent fire prevention capability. This is because it is non-flammable even at 800 degrees C.
2. You will also like the sandwich panel because it is lightweight. Carrying it around should not be much of a problem in most cases. You are likely to end up with a sandwich panel that is 60% lighter than some other common materials.
3. Other than being lightweight, you will like its strength too. It does not deform easily and thus it will leave you with a strong panel for various applications.
4. The material is also environmentally friendly. This is because it does not contain asbestos or any other harmful elements. Because of this performance, you should end up with a great sandwich panel that you like in terms of durability.
5. The sandwich panel also offers the best heat insulation too. The heat insulation should make it easier to maintain the temperature in certain rooms. It can always have some applications in the food industry too.

Can Sandwich Panels Be Used as Roofs?

Yes. Sandwich panels can be designed to be specifically good for roofing applications. It is for this reason; you can also get sandwich panel roofs. They will be designed to look like the normal roofs in the market. From a distance, you might not even know that it is a sandwich panel used as a roofing material.

Sandwich panel corrugated shape designed for water drainage convenience. Connect to the gutter system. Usually the roof end be covered by steel or aluminium profile, no insulation exposed in air.

What is the Proper Handling and Storage of Sandwich Panels?

The way you handle the sandwich panels can sometimes determine if the panels will break or remain strong over the storage period.

There are various scenarios you should look at and how best to have the sandwich panels handled. Here are some of them;

Unloading the panels with a forklift

One forklift can handle sandwich panel less than 10m, pay attention to the lifting point must be at the center of the sandwich panel bundle. And necessary to use a plywood protect the sandwich panel, place it between forklift and the bundle. The forks of the machine should be longer compared to the sandwich panel width. This helps a lot with the balance of the panels.

When sandwich panel length exceeding 10m, you are required to use 2 forklifts to work at the same time. Note that the distance between the panels center and the forklifts shall be the same.

The upper surface of the forks should be smooth and clean. This is vital to prevent any possible damages to the panel surfaces.

You should never unload too many panels at any given time.

Storage of the sandwich panels

When you move sandwich panel piece by piece and by hand. Then move it vertically not horizontally.

Storage of the sandwich panels

Now that you have unloaded the panels, next is to store them properly.

You should always place them on a smooth level and dry & rigid surface.

You can also add support packages such as wood or polystyrene. This helps a lot in keeping the sandwich panels protected from the elements on the surface.

You should also place the sandwich panels at an incline of around 5%. This is vital to allow for the drainage of water in case there is condensation or leaks in the rooms.

You should not stack too many panels on top of each other. Zonsteel would have special instructions on how many panels can be stuck onto each other.

In case you have to store the sandwich panels for several months without using them, make sure they are stored under a shelter. Advise the stack time less than two months, otherwise the appearance and quality will be effected. The shelter is important to protect the panels from the elements such as sun rays, rain, and more. Also, ensure the room also has adequate ventilation.

In case the sandwich panel stack without any shelter, then put a tarpaulin on top to protect it from raining, especially the rock wool sandwich panel.

The measures mentioned above are just but a few things you should keep in mind. You can still do a lot more when you have the right guidelines. Consult with Zonsteel support team to get more help where necessary.

Figure 11 Forklift Handle Sandwich Panel

What is the Procedure of Cutting Panels?

Sandwich panels are mostly precut to suit your needs. However, there is no doubt that sometimes you may want to cut the panels. Like make a hole for switch, for light, or for equipment. When you have to cut the panels at the project site, you have to follow are a few tips to ensure that you do it right.

1. Use the carry-on cut-off machine to cut sandwich panel.
2. Make sure that you also protect the surface you are cutting. Use adhesive tape to protect the sandwich panel.
3. Proceed to draw an outline based on the size you want to cut. Use a felt-tip pen to see the line correctly.
4. You can now go ahead to cut the panel to its size. Always clean the shavings and chippings once you are done with cutting.
5. It is now possible to remove the remaining adhesive tape.

What Sandwich Panel Maintenance Tips Should You Keep in Mind?

Figure 12 Cutting Sandwich Panels

Sandwich panels can work great provided you also provide the right maintenance too. This is something people often leave out when they start using sandwich panels.

Sandwich panel maintenance can be divided into two phases. These phases are discussed below.

The installation period

If you want the panels to survive for long, they should always be installed based on the instructions as provided by the manufacturer. During this installation period, make sure that the metal chippings are removed from the surface of the sandwich panel. This is vital to keep them from scratching the surface.

The roof surfaces need regular cleaning. This is vital to remove metal objects such as saddle caps, nails, rivets, screws, and more.

The flashing elements are also known for holding dirt, metal chippings, metal dust, small screws, and more. Always inspect them and remove any foreign objects before applying a sealant to the elements.

Once you are done with the installation, it is best to clean the roof surfaces and gutters thoroughly. This ensures you remain with a clean sandwich panel.

The panels should be inspected for possible damages because you call it a wrap on the project. Sometimes if the installation is not done right, it can easily lead to damaged panels. In case a panel is damaged, you can always replace it.

Using the panels phase

This part is when you have been using the sandwich panels for a while. You still have to continue maintaining them if you hope to end up with a great looking sandwich panel.

This is the type of maintenance that can be done every six months. Check for any dirt and grime accumulation.

Check for any signs of leaks. Sometimes people do not seal their sandwich panels correctly. Apply additional sealant where you deem necessary.

Gutters can also be filled with multiple foreign objects. Such include plants, trash, sand, and dirt. In such a case, clean the gutters right to have a long-lasting sandwich panel.

Check the screws too. In case there are any lose screws, make sure they are re-tightened. This should leave you with sandwich panels fitting right and will not fall off easily.

How Can You Properly Dispose Sandwich Panels?

It is possible that when constructing with sandwich panels, you might end up with some waste materials. These wastes are mostly derived from cut out pieces when you want to do a proper fitting. Sometimes they can be damaged panels too.

The damaged panels are those that cannot be used anymore due to breakage or any other reason. So, how are such panels disposed?

It will depend on your location. Some countries would have specific companies that are authorized to do such a job. This ensures that there is no pollution in the end. It will be best to consider what the local laws say about disposing of the sandwich panels.

How Zonsteel Pack their Sandwich Panel?

Considering that the Zonsteel sandwich panels have to be transported to different countries, proper packaging is necessary.

Zonsteel will package the sandwich panels by protecting them with PE film. Then the packaged sandwich panels are attached to a steel pallet or a wooden pallet. In case they even have to be transported via sea, there should be enough protection for the sandwich panel to get to its destination safely.

The PE film is important to protect the surface from scratches. Once the sandwich panels are installed, the film can be removed to expose the beautiful look of the sandwich panel.

What is Zonsteel Delivery Timeline?

Sandwich panels can be delivered within 7 days. This is because Zonsteel processes the sandwich panels in bulk. So, in case you have any ongoing project, it should not delay much as the panels will be delivered within the correct timeline.

How Long is Zonsteel Sandwich Panel Warranty?

The product warranty is important for the peace of mind of any client. Zonsteel sandwich panel also come with a one-year warranty. Make sure that you always read the terms and conditions of the warranty so that you know where and how they apply.

Do not worry as the customer care team is always ready to help you with your warranty claims.

Can You Customize Sandwich Panels from Zonsteel?

Sandwich panel customization is possible than what most people think. If you want a few things changed to your linking, let us know about them.

Some of the things you can customize include the paint, sandwich panel thickness, the steel surface thickness, size, and so much more.

It is understandable you might have different projects and thus the need to have a sandwich panel that suits you. The customer care team can share with you more details on what else is possible to customize.

Does Zonsteel offer installation service?

Yes. Zonsteel can easily offer installation services at a fee. Keep in mind that the fee is different from what you pay for when buying the sandwich panels.

Installation can be done around the world. It can be through onsite installation or through a video link. Our engineers are always ready to step in and help whenever necessary. So, do not worry about getting the installation done right.

Conclusion

From the guide above, you should be in a position to choose a sandwich panel knowing that it would help you handle various applications. The Zonsteel customer support team is also available to help with any queries on sandwich panels you might have. In the end, you should be able to enjoy using a product that you understand. Give us a call today for more details.

Sunnyda Cold Room Panel

You have wide choices on cold room panel. The steel of cold room panel, be PPGI or galvalume steel 0.4-0.8mm. The density of cold room panel range is 38-55 kg/m3. The thickness of cold room panel range is 50-200mm. The width of cold room panel is 980mm mm and others can be customized.

The length of cold room panel has no limit, can be cut to size as per your project needs, one order could include dozens of hundreds of lengths, but restricted by sea container 40HQ maximum length 11.85m.

Cold room panel comes to you with full set of accessories, include channels profiles and ceiling hanging materials. Yes cold room panel door, both handle and electrical doors are excellent airtight.

For freezer, floor process is very important, as per requirement put anti-water film, XPS insulation, heating wire, and concrete layer, and ditch on the ground to make cold room panel go down to prevent cold air from escaping. When finish installation, cut line on cold room panel to break the cold bridge.

Cold room panel delivery time is usually 7 days.

Order or no order, we’ll be happy to support your business!

Cold Room Panel: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

• Chapter 1: What is Cold Room Panel?
• Chapter 2: Why Should You Build a Cold Room?
• Chapter 3: What Kind of Industries Requires Cold Rooms?
• Chapter 4: What Materials can you use to make a Cold Room Panel?
• Chapter 5: What are the Different Types of Cold Room Panels?
• Chapter 6: How Long can a Cold Room Panel Last?
  
• Chapter 7: What is R-value?
• Chapter 8: What is a Thermal Bow?
• Chapter 9: What are the Important Construction Specifications of a Cold Room Panel?
  
• Chapter 10: How can you Maintain a Cold Room Panel?
• Chapter 11: How much can a Cold Room Panel Cost?
• Chapter 12: How can you Construct a Cold Room using a Cold Room Panel?
  
• Chapter 13: How do you Clean Cold Room Panels?
  
• Chapter 14: How can you Test the Quality of the Cold Room Panel?
  
• Chapter 15: How do you Insulate the Cold Room Panel?
• Chapter 16: What are the Main Components of the Cold Room Panel? What are the SIPs Panels?
• Chapter 17: What are the SIPs Panels?
• Chapter 18: How do you Prevent Mould in Cold Room Panel?
• Chapter 19: How do you Join the Cold Room Panel?

This guide, you are going to learn about the R-value, structure, type of material, features, components, and uses of cold room panels, amongst other critical aspects.

So, if you want to be an expert in cold room panels, read this guide.

What is a Cold Room Panel?

Cold room panels are unique kinds of structural insulated panels that you can use to construct cold storage units with controlled environmental temperatures.

They have better quality joints and are more insulated than standard insulation panels.

Figure 1 Cold room storage unit

Why Should You Build a Cold Room?

A cold room is a refrigeration chamber or a warehouse that you can use to store products at a specific temperature.

Usually the temperature is below that of the surrounding environment.

A cold room is necessary for the process dealing with goods that have a short shelf life under average room temperatures.

When you store these goods at a lower temperature, the rate of biological or chemical activity reduce significantly.

So does the rate of deterioration.

Figure 2 Cold room panel

What Kind of Industries Requires Cold Rooms?

Any industry that requires preservation of products at a lower temperature than the surrounding environment will need a cold room.

They include but not limited to:

• Chemical processing
• Slaughterhouses and abattoirs
• Pharmaceutical industries
• Food and drinks industries
• Retail supermarkets and restaurants
• Electronics and computer products
• Fisheries
• Agricultural and horticultural products etc.

What Materials can you use to make a Cold Room Panel?

You can choose a variety of materials to construct a cold room panel.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Sandwich Panel For Cold Rooms.

The choice of appropriate material highly depends on the application and environmental conditions where you will build the cold room will.

Figure 3 Structure of cold room panel

· The Sandwich Faces

The sandwich surfaces are the outer shell of the cold room panel and enclose the core.

You can select from the following material for constructing the sandwich panel.

· Steel

Steel is the most used material because of its high stability under different environmental conditions and diverse applications.

It is coated and galvanized against corrosion and rusting.

You can also use stainless steel when you are storing food products because it is rust free and safe for food products.

However, stainless steel is costly and is only feasible for the storage of high-value products.

· Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic

You will use this material to avoid corrosion when you store chemicals and salty materials in the cold room.

It is more fragile and prone to fracture compared to metal sheets hence only suitable for constructing the inner faces of the panel.

· Aluminium

You can use aluminium when building cold room storage for agricultural produce.

It is very resistant to salts and chemicals.

However, it has high thermal expansion and cost more compared to mild steel.

· The Core

The core is the part of a cold room panel that offers thermal insulation.

You can construct the core using different materials with different thickness depending on the requirements of your application.

· Polyurethane (PU)

This material is a high-performance insulation material formed after mixing an isocyanate with a polyol blend.

Rigid polyurethane has excellent thermal insulation properties and very light in weight.

Polyurethane has very low thermal conductivity and high thermal resistance (R-value) at a given thickness.

They are perfect for preventing energy loss and co2 emission.

PU fire rate B2, density 40kg/m3.

· Polyisocyanurate (PIR)

This material is an improved version of PU.

During manufacturing, the reaction of MDI and polyol happens at elevated temperatures compared to that for the production of PU.

The ratio of MDI to polyol is higher in PIR than PU, and the higher the ratio, the better the thermal insulation properties.

Generally, this material has superior insulation properties compared to PU. It can also withstand elevated temperatures for elongated periods compared to PU because it has excellent fire rating values than PUR.

As a result, you will spend more money on PIR compared to PU.

PIR fire rate B1, and density 42kg/m3.

What are the Different Types of Cold Room Panels?

Figure 4 Cold room panel structure

There are three types of cold room panels.

• Celling/Roof panel
• Wall panel
• Floor panel

What are the Features of Good Material for Constructing Cold Room Panel?

A suitable material for constructing a cold room panel should possess the following features:

• Lightweight
• Poor heat transfer
• Great mechanical strength
• High thermal resistance
• Excellent dimensional stability over a wide range of temperature
• Resistant to corrosion
• Resistant to biodegradation
• High fire resistance
• Repellant to mould growth
• Easy to process and coat
• Weather fast

How Long can a Cold Room Panel Last?

The shelf life of a cold room panel will depend on the quality of materials used for its construction, environmental conditions, application, and maintenance services.

With proper care and regular maintenance services, then the cold room panels can last more than ten years before the need for replacement.

What is R-value?

R-value, also known as resistance value, is a rating system for grading materials used for insulation.

It uses thermal resistance to grade the products.

Materials with better insulation properties have a higher R-value rating.

The value is affected the material thickness, type, and density.

When you are using a multilayered insulator installation, you can determine the R-value through the addition of the value of each layer.

What is a Thermal Bow?

The thermal bow is a force that develops as a result of the temperature difference between the external and internal surfaces of the insulating materials.

You have to appropriately fix the cold room panels during installation to distribute these forces evenly and avoid undesired deformities.

To prevent deformities, you can adopt the following recommendations when the panel length exceeds 26 feet:

• Select a thicker material
• Construct a thermal cut or expansion joint in the panel
• Use a white-coloured panel
• Use repetitive patterns on the exposed outer shell.
• Liberate temperatures by reducing tension on fixing screws
• Construct the panel under a shade

What Specification Should You Consider when Buying a Cold Room Panel?

Figure 5 Structure of cold room panel

Before purchasing any cold room panel, you must consider specific construction requirements at the site of cold room placement.

These considerations include;

· Dimensions of the Cold Room

Dimensions of the cold room will influence the length and thickness of the cold room panels.

You should understand the environmental temperature and humidity before selecting the most appropriate panel thickness for your cold room construction.

You will need thicker panels when you want to construct cold rooms, which can maintain very low temperatures.

· Insulation

You can choose to use either PIR or PU as your core material, depending on the application requirements.

You will calculate the appropriate panel thickness depending on the average environmental temperature, cold room operating temperature, and heat inflow.

· Vapour Barrier

You must install a water vapour, which is a vapour resistant membrane, on the hottest side of the cold room to prevent the entry of air containing vapour.

Air vapour can foam ice and destroy the insulation chamber if the cold room is operating below the freezing point.

The impermeability of the vapour barrier depends on the environmental temperatures, operating temperatures, and relative humidity.

· Thermal Requirements

The thermal requirement depends on the properties of the core material you are using and helps calculate the most appropriate panel thickness to use.

· Air Chamber

You will install the chamber over the cold room enclosure for panel protection.

You need to ensure that materials for making air chambers are authentic and free from damages.

· Seal

You have to seal the joints to protect against heat loss and moisture entry on both the interior and exterior sides.

You can either use silicone or butyl or any other suitable material for sealing.

What are the Important Construction Specifications of a Cold Room Panel?

You should have the following information when placing an order for cold room panels for proper construction of the desired design.

• Location where you will build the cold room
• Kind of materials the cold room will be preserving
• Size of cold room
• Total amount of products the cold room will be holding
• Temperatures of the incoming products
• Desired operating temperature of the cold room
• Amount of time you need to lower the product temperature to the desired temperatures
• Size of the cold room door

How can you Maintain a Cold Room Panel?

Proper maintenance of cold room panels will ensure longevity and efficiency in cold room storage.

You can implement the following tips and good practices to ensure efficient panel function.

• Regularly inspect and repair tension of ceiling fastening.
• Check general detailing and slip joints of the cold room panel and repair accordingly before they develop into major concerns.
• Insect performance of the sealants at panel base to ensure water is not entering the panels.
• Put in place measures to reduce panel damages during routine stock handling inside and around the cold room.
• Install walkways to help with movements around the roof during maintenance.
• Schedule regular panel cleaning and not exceeding six months. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on how to clean the panels using the correct concentration of cleaning detergents.
• Inspect the panels for any visible bulging, which is an indication that water has entered into the panel.

Water ingression can happen through slips joints with poor seals, a damaged panel, and a gap formed between the panel and bottom channel. Identify the point of ingression and repair immediately.

How much can a Cold Room Panel Cost?

The price of a cold room panel significantly varies to the material used in construction and the thickness of the cold room panel.

You will pay more for panels manufactured using PIR compared to those constructed using PU panel.

Similarly, if you use stainless steel, then the price will be higher compared to other types of shelling material.

Figure 6 PU Panel

How can you Construct a Cold Room using a Cold Room Panel?

Here are some of the key factors you should consider about the cold room panel:

· Wall and Roof Panels

You can construct a cold room by joining together different panels.

For wall and roof panels, you can choose the male and female interlocking panels, cam locks, or the hooked panels.

After joining them, you can enhance insulation by sealing the joints using silicon, butyl, or foam.

· Floor Preparation

Ensure that the floor is level before installation. You can use different techniques to prepare the floor depending on the nature of your application

When making a floor for freezers, you will have to protect the floor against freezing.

You can achieve protection through channelling in natural air for ventilation, using electric resistance or tubes with glycol water.

When preparing a floor for general purpose cold room, then you can organize the structure as follows:

• At the lowest section, place hollow vaults of brick tubes.
• Follow it with concrete filling.
• Third, place vapour barrier consisting of a bituminous
• Install insulating plates, stuck and interposed sealant (bituminous adhesive)
• Put an impermeable material to insulate against water originating from the concreate
• Follow it with a reinforced concrete of about 120 mm thick and has a thermal resistance of 200 Kg/cm2. Install an armature electrically soldered grating composed of rods measuring 150 mm in length and 5 mm diameter.
• Finally, place a retracting seal which has a depth equal to one third the thickness of the reinforced concrete and between 5 -10 mm thick.
• Ensure that you install a smooth flowing anti-vapour barrier that does not leave any hollow space and allow for ingression of water vapour.

What Factors can Affect the Performance of a Cold Room Panel?

The preservation of stored products to the desired quality can be affected by several factors which include:

• Properties of packages, containers, and products stored.
• The placement or the filling method used in the cold store
• The structure and surface area of the evaporator
• The temperature difference between the surface of evaporator and room temperature
• Air dispersion/movement inside the cold room
• The enclosure shape and cold storage temperature range

How do you Clean Cold Room Panels?

You should schedule regular cleaning of cold room panels to maintain high standards of hygiene, especially when you are dealing with food products.

Follow these tips for proper cleaning of a cold room panel.

• Use clean water to thoroughly rinse the surface of the panel from top to bottom to remove dirt and avoid bacteria and mould multiplication.
• Use less aggressive cleaners, solution, and detergents for cleaning the panels. Concentrated and harsh cleaners will damage the surfaces of the panel.

Dilute the concentration of the cleaners to less than 5% and keep its pH range of between 4 and 9.

You can use white spirit to remove grease and oil stains then rinse with clean water.

• Take extra care when using hoses for high-pressure cleaning.

Maintain at least a distance of 30 cms between the hose and panel surface and a maximum pressure of 50 bars.

Incline the hose so that the water does not hit the panel at a right angle.

Maintain fluid with temperatures between 30°C and 50°C because using a cleaning solution with more than 70°C will damage the panels.

• When cleaning the panel joints, point the high-pressure cleaner downwards to prevent water from getting into the joints and damaging them.

Remove dirt traces suing nonabrasive cleaners.

• Ensure that you immediately rinse any washing solutions from the surface of a panel using clean water to avoid oxidation.

As a rule of thumb, the detergents should not take more than 5 minutes before rinsing.

How can you Test the Quality of the Cold Room Panel?

You can test the quality of a cold room panel according to laid down procedures for testing the quality of thermal insulation materials.

These procedures vary from one test to the other and from one international or national standard to the other.

The following are some of the necessary quality tests and associated standards that you must perform on cold room panels.

• Thermal conductivity test (EN ).
• Dimensiaonal stability test (EN , EN and EN )
• Water performance test: Water absorption (EN , EN and EN ), and vapour transmission (EN and EN ).
• Mechanical test: compression (EN 826), bending (EN ), shear (EN ), creep (EN ), and tensile (EN and EN ).
• Acoustic tests: Dynamic stiffness (EN -1) and sound absorption (ISO 354)

How do you Insulate the Cold Room Panel?

Figure 7 Insulated cold room panel

The first step in insulating a cold room panel is choosing the most appropriate core material.

Also, the insulating material must be anti-rot, odour-free, fire, and vermin resistant and impermeable to water vapour ingression.

You can choose to use either polystyrene, polyurethane, or Styrofoam FR.

The thickness of the material will vary depending on the desired cold house operating temperature, the heat conductivity of the material, and the ambient air dew point.

Avoid heat bridges when fitting the cold room panel and insulate pipes that carry liquids or low-pressure refrigerants at low temperatures.

Seal the joints and provide an efficient vapour barrier to avoid ingression of water into the cold room.

The cold room door should be insulated at the same standard to that of the wall and fitted with door heater to prevent jamming of the seal with ice.

What are the Main Components of the Cold Room Panel?

A cold room panel consists of two main parts, the core, and the exterior/sandwich board.

Figure 8 Parts of cold room

· Core

You can use a variety of materials to construct the core of the cold room panel.

The core performs the actual thermal insulation.

Besides, the most commonly used materials are polyurethane (PUR) and polyisocyanurate (PIR) foams.

Also, the materials vary in insulation properties and fire tolerance.

· Sandwich Board/Face

Depending on the application, you can construct the exterior of a cold room panel using different materials such as metal sheets, oriented standard boards, etc.

The outer shell is composed of several layers to help protect the panel from environmental effects.  The layers include:

• Topcoat
• Primer-coat
• Pretreatment
• Galvanization
• The material, e.g., steel
• Galvanization
• Pretreatment
• Back-coat

The topside and backside pretreatment and coating will differ depending on the environmental conditions and application.

For example, the exterior face should be treated to protect against UV while the interior can be pre-coated against corrosion if storing chemicals.

Also, in cold rooms used for storing food materials, the surface should be coated using approved food safe materials or constructed using stainless steel.

You can select standard outer shells with predetermined factory size or request for a custom size sheets with preferred thickness level.

Thicker outer shells are more stable compared to thin shells.

What are the SIPs Panels?

Figure 9 SIP Wall

SIPs are Structural insulated panels used to construct walls, floors, and roofs of commercial and residential buildings.

SIPs consist of an insulating layer of rigid core sandwiched between two structural boards or facings.

You can use SIPs to make buildings/structures that are cost-effective, strong, and energy-efficient compared to conventional construction materials.

How do you Prevent Mould in Cold Room Panel?

The cold room environment can provide a suitable condition for the rapid multiplication of mould.

It results in contamination of stored products and health problems, which may arise from inhalation of spores or consumption of contaminated food products.

You can ensure that your cold room is free form mould by:

· Cleaning

Ensure that you clean the cold room at least once a month. Use appropriate disinfectant to wipe the surfaces.

Avoiding dusting or sweeping as these can dislodge spores into the air.

Instead, wipe the surfaces using wet nonabrasive materials then wipe dry with a dry cloth.

Check for any water leaks and repair them immediately.

Also, wipe out any liquid spills as soon as possible since liquids are known to support the exponential multiplication of mould.

· Material Storage

You should also correctly store organic and perishable products in cold rooms to discourage mould growth.

Place these products in plastic, and metal containers then store.

Avoid using cardboards because they have cellulose, which will facilitate faster mould multiplication.

You should avoid keeping porous materials and paper products in the cold room.

If you must store these materials in the cold room, then place them in non-porous containers and seal.

Construct the storage shelves using stainless steel.

You can also consider using wire shelving that promotes air circulation.

Always keep the cold room door closed to avoid entry of mould spores and water vapour from outside.

Avoid direct storage of items on the floor or in direct contact with the wall.

You should minimize access to cold rooms only to authorized staff.

How do you Join the Cold Room Panel?

Figure 10 Joining cold room panel

You will use different processes to join panels depending on the type of interlock the panel has.

For vertical and roof fittings, the panels can have either male and female interlocks, cam locks or tongue and groove type interlocks.

Again, for and female types, join the panels by pressing one panel against the panel next to it.

For the hooked panel, turn the eccentric hook using a square key to hook onto the metallic axle. The hooks have two positions.

That is, the first one is used to pull the hook into place and the second one to tighten.

The access holes on the opening and closing hexagons will be pressure-covered by a plastic stopper once you hook the panels.

Accurately fitted panels provide sufficient insulation at the joints. You can also seal the joints at the installation site for enhanced insulation.

You can use silicone to seal against water and air, butyl for water and vapour or foam seal if you want to maintain negative temperatures.

As we come to the end of this guide:

Probably you could be having more questions about cold room panels.

Or, you would like to import cold room panels for your applications.

For more information, please visit PU Insulated Panel.