Thermal performance measurement and application of a multilayer insulator for emergency architecture

Lightness coupled with a quick assembly method is crucial for emergency architecture in post-disaster area where accessibility and action time play a huge barer to rescue people. In this prospective, the following work analyses the potentiality (technological and thermal performances) of multilayer insulator for a new shelter envelope able to provide superior thermal comfort for the users. The thermal characteristics are derived experimentally by means of a guard ring apparatus under different working temperatures. Tests are performed on the multilayer insulator itself and on a composite structure, made of the multilayer insulator and two air gaps wrapped by a polyester cover, which is the core of a new lightweight emergency architecture. Experimental results show good agreement with literature data, providing a thermal conductivity and transmittance of about 0.04 W/(m °C) and 1.6 W/(m2 °C) for the tested multilayer. The composite structure called Thermo Reflective Multilayer System (TRMS) shows better insulation performances, providing a thermal transmittance set to 0.85 W/(m2 °C). A thermal model of an emergency tent based on the new insulating structure (TRMS) has been developed and its thermal performances have been compared with those of a UNHCR traditional emergency shelter. The shelter model was simulated (Trnsys v.17 environment) in the winter season considering the climate of Belgrade and using only the casual gains from occupant and solar radiation through opaque wall. Numerical simulations evidenced that the new insulating composite envelope reduces required heating load of about two and four times with respect to the traditional insulation. The study sets a starting point to develop a lightweight emergency architecture made with a combination between multilayer, air, polyester and vulcanized rubber.