Refractory Specialties, Inc. completes Infrared Reflection comparative test station

Aug. 12, 2010 - Refractory Specialties, Inc. (RSI) is pleased to announce the availability of their new lightweight insulation panels specifically formulated to exhibit superior infrared reflection properties. The two new products have been tentatively named AmorSil and Q-Board.
New test equipment was constructed to evaluate the infrared reflective properties of these two products. Infrared reflection measurement has been traditionally difficult, to the point where some labs have abandoned the pursuit. The Infrared Reflection Comparative Test Station (IRC), was designed to compare the amount of infrared energy reflected from the surface of rigid insulation panels. A full disclosure of the IRC, along with typical data, is available in the RSI technical papers area of their website, "Infrared Reflection Comparison Apparatus and Methods".
"We decided to take a comparative approach to understanding how one material compares with another for infrared reflection. It is producing values that apply well to how the panel will function in the real world. It is important that the values we are seeing have good repeatability", says Greg Gorby, R&D Manager for RSI.
Using these methods, AmorSil^TM has returned values averaging 92%, and Q-Board^TM has returned values of 96%. These compare favorably with samples of Quartzel^TM a well known product of similar purpose, which returned values of 90% under identical testing.
"The information we are acquiring allows us to give solid advice to our customers about how the infrared reflective properties of one insulation panel compare with another, backed up with real numbers", says Suhas Patil, Manager of Engineering and Business Development for RSI.
"We are excited to introduce these two new materials. They offer an excellent solution for engineers and designers requiring rigid lightweight insulation boards and shapes that have very high reflection in the infrared."
AmorSil^TM is a proprietary blend of chemically and thermally treated amorphous silica fibers and inorganic binders. Q-Board^TM is a proprietary blend of fused quartz fibers and inorganic binders that is 100% made in North America.