Application of Vacuum Insulation Panels in the cold chain – Analysis of viability

•The effect of VIPs embedded in the walls of appliances was modelled.•Refrigerating and freezing appliances were modelled with and without VIPs.•The potential energy savings and payback times were calculated.•Average payback times for refrigerated applications were 9.7 years.•Average payback times for freezer applications were 4.5 years.

Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) have already found application in some specialist applications where minimal energy consumption is important and space is at a premium. This paper investigates the feasibility of widespread application of VIPs in the cold chain by embedding them into the polyurethane (PU) foamed walls of traditional refrigerator and freezer cabinets.Thermal modelling of the insulation of a range of typical refrigerator and freezer cabinets as used throughout the cold chain was carried out both with and without VIPs embedded in the insulating walls. The potential energy savings and payback times were then calculated; for refrigerators the average payback was 9.7 years, for freezers it was 4.5 years.