Vacuum window glazings for energy-efficient buildings
Vacuum window glazings for energy-efficient buildings
The technical feasibility of a patented, laser-welded, evacuated insulating window was studied. The window has two edge-sealed sheets of glass separated by 0.5-mm glass spheres spaced 30 mm apart in a regular array. A highly insulating frame is required and several designs were analyzed. The vacuum window's combination of high solar transmittance and low thermal conductance makes it superior to many other windows in cold climates. In the US Pacific Northwest, the vacuum window could save about 6 MJ of heating energy annually per square meter of window in comparison to conventional, double-glazed windows. A large, vacuum laser-welding facility was designed and installed to conduct glass welding experiments and to fabricate full-sized vacuum windows. Experiments confirmed the feasibility of laser-sealing glass in vacuum but identified two difficulties. Under some circumstances, bubbles of dissolved gases form during welding and weaken the seal. Glass also vaporizes and contaminates the laser beam steering mirror. A novel moving metal foil mirror was developed to circumvent the contamination problem, but it has not yet been used to complete welding experiments and fabricate full-sized vacuum windows. 63 refs., 53 figs., 19 tabs.
- Western Illinois University United States
- University of North Texas System United States
Thermodynamic Properties, 360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture, Economics, Laser-Welding 320107* -- Energy Conservation, Interfaces, Testing, Thermal Insulation, Measuring Methods, Welding Vacuum Window Glazings, Optical Properties, Energy Conservation, Commercial Sector, Seals, Thermal Conductivity, Joining, Heat Transfer, Mirrors, Stellar Radiation, Vacuum Systems, Solar Radiation, Windows, Laser-Welding, Design, Consumption, Surface Properties, R Factors, Vacuum Furnaces, Pumps, Fabrication, Contamination, Coatings, Orientation, Comparative Evaluations, Vacuum Window Glazings, Laser Welding, Pressure Effects, 36 Materials Science, Fiberglass, Energy-Efficient Buildings, Economic Analysis, Physical Properties, Energy Transfer, Insulation, Residential Sector, Feasibility Studies, & Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes, Irradiation, Glass, 320303 -- Energy Conservation
Thermodynamic Properties, 360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture, Economics, Laser-Welding 320107* -- Energy Conservation, Interfaces, Testing, Thermal Insulation, Measuring Methods, Welding Vacuum Window Glazings, Optical Properties, Energy Conservation, Commercial Sector, Seals, Thermal Conductivity, Joining, Heat Transfer, Mirrors, Stellar Radiation, Vacuum Systems, Solar Radiation, Windows, Laser-Welding, Design, Consumption, Surface Properties, R Factors, Vacuum Furnaces, Pumps, Fabrication, Contamination, Coatings, Orientation, Comparative Evaluations, Vacuum Window Glazings, Laser Welding, Pressure Effects, 36 Materials Science, Fiberglass, Energy-Efficient Buildings, Economic Analysis, Physical Properties, Energy Transfer, Insulation, Residential Sector, Feasibility Studies, & Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes, Irradiation, Glass, 320303 -- Energy Conservation
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