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Insulation With the Stroke of a Brush
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The
insulating additive is available as a stand-alone
product that can be mixed into store-bought
paints, or as a pre-mixed application in
a complete line of factory-blended interior,
exterior, waterproofing, and roof coatings. |
Painting
the interior or the exterior of a house can be
quite an arduous task, but few realize that adding
a fresh splash of color to the walls and siding
of their homes can lead to reduced energy consumption
and substantial savings on utility bills. Hy-Tech
Thermal Solutions, LLC, of Melbourne, Florida,
is producing a very complex blend of ceramic
vacuum-filled refractory products designed to
minimize the path of hot air transfer through
ceilings, walls, and roofs. The insulating ceramic
technology blocks the transfer of heat outward
when applied to paint on interior walls and ceilings,
and prevents the transfer of heat inward when
used to paint exterior walls and roofs, effectively
providing year-round comfort in the home.
As a manufacturer
and marketer of thermal solutions for residential,
commercial, and industrial applications, Hy-Tech
Thermal
Solutions attributes its success to the high
performance insulating ceramic microsphere
originally developed from NASA thermal research
at Ames Research Center. Shaped like a hollow
ball so small that it looks as if it is a single
grain of flour to the naked eye (slightly thicker
than a human hair), the microsphere is noncombustible
and fairly chemical-resistant, and has a wall
thickness about 1/10 of the sphere diameter,
a compressive strength of about 4,000 pounds
per square inch, and a softening point of about
1,800 ºC.
Hy-Tech
Thermal Solutions improved upon these properties
by removing all of the gas inside and creating
a vacuum. In effect, a mini thermos bottle is produced, acting as a barrier to heat by reflecting it away from the protected
surface. When these microspheres are combined
with other materials, they enhance the thermal
resistance of those materials.
In bulk,
the tiny ceramic beads have the appearance of a fine talcum powder. Their inert, nontoxic properties
allow them to mix easily into any type of paint,
coating, adhesive, masonry, or drywall finish.
Additionally, their roundness causes them to
behave like ball bearings, rolling upon each
other, and letting the coatings flow smoothly.
When applied like paint to a wall or roof,
the microsphere coating shrinks down tight
and creates a dense film of the vacuum cells.
The resulting ceramic layer improves fire resistance,
protects from ultraviolet rays, repels insects
such as termites, and shields from the destructive
forces of nature.
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After
a decade of facing storm destruction on
Santa Rosa Island, Florida, Mark and Valerie
Sigler were awarded a Federal Emergency
Management Agency grant to build an energy-efficient,
super storm-proof structure, utilizing
the latest technological innovations. When
construction started on the dome home in 2002, the Siglers chose Hy-Tech Thermal Solutions ceramic additives and coatings to maximize energy efficiency. |
Hy-Tech
Thermal Solutions proximity
to Kennedy Space Center provides the company
with the latest advances in the fields of energy,
chemistry, and environmental study. Its president,
Al Abruzzese, worked for Lockheed Corporation
at the Cape Canaveral Air Station in the late
1960s and early 1970s, as a missile team supervisor
on nuclear submarines. This position kept Abruzzese
in close contact with the activities at Kennedy.
Years later, Abruzzeses work as a painting contractor also kept him apprised of the Centers operations. It was during this time that he was exposed to new technologies
such as specialized heat-resistant and corrosion-prevention
coating systems.
For example,
the insulating properties of Space Shuttle
tiles immediately came to mind and sparked
Abruzzeses interest. He and a coworker asked themselves if it would be possible to incorporate the heat-resistant properties of the ceramic tiles into a commercially available paint product, and thus reduce the thermal transfer of treated surfaces. The challenge was many-sided, but
Abruzzese discovered that NASA resources, including
the use of NASA and university laboratories,
were readily available to permit him to conduct
extensive research. He soon began to realize
the viability of his idea, and pushed forward
to overcome the obstacle of finding just the
right combination of materials that would provide
adequate coverage, would not be too heavy or
delicate, could be sprayed, and would not have
an adverse reaction with the paint itself.
By fusing
NASA research with his own efforts, Abruzzese
selected a variety of ceramics from around
the world to intermix
and create the Hy-Tech Insulating Ceramic Additive he now markets. The Hy-Tech Insulating Ceramic technology
is available as a stand-alone product that
can be mixed into store-bought paints, or as
a pre-mixed application in a complete line
of factory-blended interior, exterior, waterproofing,
and roof coatings. All products are tested
under the harsh conditions of Floridas east coastal region, notorious for its mildew, sulfide gas staining, and hurricane-driven
rains.
Hy-Tech
Thermal Solution paints and coatings can be
used to coat steam pipes and
fittings,
metal buildings (rust prevention),
cold storage facilities (walk-in coolers
and freezers), delivery trucks, buses, mobile
and
modular homes, and RVs and campers. Exterior
coatings of the ceramic additive have been
applied to trailers housing electronics at
Federal aviation locations. The coatings
reduce temperature, and thereby lessen the
load on
the air-conditioning systems inside the trailers.
They also provide waterproof surfaces that
cut down on moisture in the trailers, keeping
the electronic components better protected
from the environment. Similar coatings are
utilized by the U.S. Forestry Service to
insulate and coat underground cables and irrigation
systems. These applications are especially
effective in preventing rodents and other
pests
from gnawing through the cables and damaging
the underground systems, ultimately averting
costly repairs.
Abruzzese
encourages homeowners to utilize ceramic-reinforced
coatings on their roofing systems to significantly
decrease heat
inside the attic and home. According to him, This simple measure can reduce air-conditioning costs significantly. If every
home in the United States became just 10 percent
more efficient, savings in utility costs would
reach into the trillions. He also points out that the Hy-Tech Insulating Ceramics extend the life of a
paint coating, and make the painted surface
more durable.
As NASA
engineers work to improve the Space Shuttle
tiles, Abruzzese is watching
closely
to see how new advancements in this
area can continue to influence his own field
of work.
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