Ideal thermal insulation

Air is the key to every insulation project. Even old inefficient systems were based on acknowledging this fact.

The worst enemy of ideal thermal insulation is moisture, or water vapor. Water, as a primary conductor of heat, destroys the insulating value of any insulation.

 

Water is the number one enemy of any insulation system. The problem is that water in its water vapor state, that is, humidity, is a constant condition in our atmosphere and therefore will enter anywhere through the air.

Hot air absorbs moisture

 

At higher air temperatures, there is a greater capacity to retain moisture. This is due to the ability of hot air to absorb vapor. When air heats up, it expands and creates “space” for more water molecules to enter, so it can “absorb” more water (like a sponge). This is called “relative humidity”.

 

When relative humidity (RH) is zero, it can absorb all the water possible, but when it is 100%, it is unable to absorb even one more drop.

 

The “dew point” is a temperature that indicates the moment when the relative humidity (RH) reaches 100%; at this point, the air can no longer hold the water, and it begins to fall, first as tiny droplets called “dew,” and then as mist (which occurs due to a sudden drop in temperature when there is a lot of humidity in the environment).

 

A temperature difference is actually a pressure difference. Nature tends to equalize this condition. Cold air is heavier than hot air. When the door of a cold room is opened, the cold, heavy air seeps in through the lower part while the hot air circulates through the upper part.

 

Hot air containing water vapor comes into contact with cold surfaces and immediately loses its capacity to hold moisture.

 

The result translates into condensation: the moisture deposits on the surface and the insulation is exposed to its disastrous effects.

 

From what has been explained above, the ideal insulation would be one composed with the maximum gas content, such as air for example, encapsulated and with no possibility of circulation.

 

These principles of insulation have been well known for many years, but it has not been until this time that we have definitively incorporated them.

The only conclusion that can be drawn from these facts is that perfect isolation must incorporate two distinctive characteristics:

1
It must incorporate the greatest amount of still air in the smallest space.
2

It must be able to withstand water ingress by absorption.

There is only one known substance that meets these requirements with absolute integrity, and this material is cork.

What is cork?

Cork is the bark of the Mediterranean cork oak “Quercus suber”, native to southern Europe and the northern African coast.

It is mainly cultivated in Portugal, Spain, and Algeria.

The cork oak is a robust tree that can reach 20-25m in height. Its bark is of a suberous type, that is, composed of cork, being relatively soft and spongy, very lightweight, and with very deep cracks. This bark protects the tree from wounds, diseases, and insects. It is a dead part that protects the living part of the tree, especially to survive drought (by protecting the internal tissues against water loss) and fires. When there is a fire, the inner part of the bark seals with the heat, preventing oxygen entry and combustion, thus protecting the tree’s internal parts and allowing it to resprout in the next season.

Cork extraction is carried out by removing the bark from the cork oak, where this material is found. Once the bark is extracted, the tree is “at rest,” and after nine years, the bark is extracted again.

A significant part of the cork industry is located in Spain (especially in Andalusia and southern Extremadura), where around 30% of the world’s production takes place.

The cork industry generates sustainable, non-polluting economic activity, offering the world market a natural and eco-friendly product.

What is sprayed cork?