Thermal Insulation

 

BARRIER ULTRA-Rtm  HIGH-PERFORMANCE INSULATION
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Barrier Ultra-R™ is Glacier Bay's high-performance superinsulation panel.  At R-50 per inch (10x the insulation value of polyurethane foam), it has the highest thermal insulation performance currently available anywhere.

Barrier Ultra-R™ is a rigid, polypropylene-encased vacuum insulation panel that is custom-made to your dimensions. It can also be purchased with an optional fiberglass facing (on one or both sides) making it an ideal high-performance insulation liner for retrofit to existing refrigerators and iceboxes. If you're building an entirely new box, use Glacier Bay Barrier Ultra-R™ panels and our superinsulated    "Ready-To-Mount" Hatches to make an easily assembled, complete "Icebox Kit".

 
Barrier Ultra-R™ offers many advantages over other thermal insulations including:
  • Highest "R" value of any currently available insulation material -
    At R-50 per inch, Barrier Ultra-R™ has 10x the insulation value of polyurethane foam and 2.5 times the that of other vacuum insulation panels.
  • Extremely long life -
    Other vacuum panel technologies require extremely high vacuum to maintain their "R" values (for more detail see VIP properties). However, Barrier Ultra-R™’s unique aerogel core attains an outstanding insulation value with a comparatively modest vacuum level. Higher pressure inside the panel means less gas permeation through the membrane. This translates into dramatically increased panel life. In fact, Barrier Ultra-R™ is the only vacuum insulation panel to carry a full 25 year warranty.
  • Outstanding "R" value even if punctured -
    Obviously, vacuum insulation panels need to have a vacuum to maintain their rated R values. But, what happens if one is accidentally punctured? That depends on the base insulation value of the core material itself. Typically, foam-based panels will fall to approximately R-3. BARRIER Ultra-R™ will still give a full R-9 (3x that of other vacuum insulation panels and nearly 2x  that of common polyurethane foam).

 
What is Barrier Ultra-R and "superinsulation"?
BARRIER Ultra-R™ is Glacier Bay's trade name for our newest vacuum super insulation panels. These panels rely on moderate vacuum and a special aerogel core material to achieve their insulation value rather than "trapped air" as do conventional insulation materials.

How is Barrier Ultra-R™ made?
The aerogel core of BARRIER Ultra-R™ is a proprietary compound of specially produced aerogel, infrared opacifiers and densifying agents encapsulated in a special gas and moisture-proof membrane under low pressure - typically .5 torr. This core assembly is then permanently encased in a tough polypropylene (or optional fiberglass) housing to provide additional rigidity and protect the membrane from damage.

How much insulation should I have?
The amount and quality of insulation will have a tremendous effect of the performance your boat's refrigerator and freezer system. Boats cruising in tropical climates should consider R-20 in the refrigerator and R-30 in the freezer to be the minimum acceptable. This equates to 4" of closed cell urethane foam in the refrigerator and 6" in the freezer. With only 1 " of Barrier Ultra-R™ you will substantially exceed these minimum requirements. For more information on insulation and the calculation of heat see our Technical Library.

 
 For prices, see the Barrier Insulation Price List.

 

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