VIPs in Refrigeration & HVAC Piping: Higher Efficiency, Smaller Bulk, Cleaner Install

Applications in Refrigerators and HVAC Piping

VIPs cut heat transfer through fridge walls and ease compressor load; on HVAC pipes, thin VIP wraps can reduce energy loss by well over 90% versus bare pipe, while preventing condensation and sliding neatly into space-starved plantrooms. Here is a deeper, practical view you can put straight into a specification or a board pack—no fluff.

Part A — Refrigerators and freezers: more kWh saved, more usable litres

Why VIPs help

Fridges and freezers fight a constant temperature difference against room air. Transmission load is roughly U × Area × ΔT. Replace a moderate-lambda foam wall with a single-digit mW·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ VIP layer, and the U-value collapses, so the compressor runs fewer minutes per hour at lower head pressures. That improves:

Daily kWh (lower energy cost),
Compressor life (fewer hard starts, less heat),
Food temperature stability (smaller swings during door openings).

Two practical design paths

Same outer size, more net storage.
Swapping, for example, 50 mm foam for 20–30 mm VIP across six sides can free dozens of litres of internal capacity in a standard kitchen footprint—without losing thermal performance.
Same net storage, lower energy.
Keep the internal volume and add resistance within the same wall thickness; the conduction component of energy use drops materially, especially helpful in hot kitchens or utility rooms.

Illustrative numbers (order-of-magnitude)

Fridge compartment ~ +4 °C, ambient ~ +25 °C ⇒ ΔT ≈ 21 K
Freezer ~ −18 °C, ambient ~ +25 °C ⇒ ΔT ≈ 43 K (dominant load)
Replacing foam panels with VIPs commonly halves the wall U-value (design-dependent). That can translate to double-digit percentage reductions in whole-appliance kWh over a representative duty cycle, with the largest gains in freezer sections and warm climates.

Integration notes for appliance makers

Where to place VIPs: doors, side walls, cabinet top, and the freezer liner’s warm-side faces; keep service channels for wiring and defrost plumbing.
Bridging control: minimise metallic fastener bridges across the panel; use thermally broken clips.
Defrost & moisture: warmer internal surfaces (from lower U) reduce frosting rate; tune defrost cycles accordingly.
Manufacturing: add a bonding/assembly station; VIPs arrive cut-to-size; quality-check via mass, IR imagery and pressure tests on batches.

What users notice

Faster pull-down after shopping.
Quieter operation (lower duty fraction).
More room on the same footprint (when used to reclaim wall thickness).

Part B — HVAC piping: thin wraps, huge effect

The problem in one line

Chilled- and hot-water pipes leak energy if poorly lagged. Bare steel at 6 °C in a 26 °C plantroom also condenses, wetting floors and corroding supports. In tight risers and congested ceilings, bulky lagging often gets compromised—gaps and crushed sections destroy the intended R-value.

Why VIP wraps work

A VIP sleeve has ultra-low conductivity in a few millimetres. Even at 3–5 mm, the added thermal resistance is so high that, for typical pipe sizes, heat gain/loss falls by an order of magnitude versus bare pipe—and the outer surface sits close to room temperature, so it stays above dew point.

Worked sketch (illustrative)

50 mm OD steel chilled-water pipe, fluid 6 °C, ambient 26 °C (ΔT = 20 K), h_out ≈ 8 W·m⁻²·K⁻¹
Bare pipe heat gain: ~30 W/m (convection + radiation order-of-magnitude)
With 5 mm VIP (λ ≈ 0.005 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹): combined conduction + convection ~3 W/m
→ ~90% reduction versus bare pipe, with surface temperature near ambient—condensation risk eliminated under typical RH.

(Exact values vary with size, airflow and cladding; we’ll calculate your duty precisely.)

Where to apply VIP on services

Primary risers and mains in shafts where diameter growth is penalised.
Plantroom manifolds, headers and tight valve banks where standard lagging gets nicked and taped.
Heat-pump loops and low-temp hot-water near occupied ceilings where clearance is tight.
External runs under shading cowls to cut solar gains without bulky weather jackets.

Detailing that locks in performance

Clamshells & tiles: segmented VIP “petals” or clamshells around bends and tees; no penetrations through the vacuum zone.
Fixings: perimeter bands or adhesive fields outside VIP edges; stainless or composite stand-offs that avoid bridges.
Vapour seal: on chilled water, run a continuous outer vapour barrier; with VIP the surface is warm, but joints should still be sealed.
Supports: use insulated hangers; do not crush the sleeve at saddles.
Serviceability: removable valve jackets with embedded VIP pads for maintenance areas.

Fire, hygiene and durability

Fire behaviour is an assembly property. Select VIP skins and outer jackets to meet your Euroclass or local standard for the route (e.g., escape corridors).
Cleaning: smooth jackets withstand wipe-downs; no fibre shed; good for healthcare and food facilities.
Temperature bands: we supply variants matched to your flow/return ranges and plantroom environments (humidity, salt, vibration).

How to prove the gains on your site

Piping: log kW from the chiller with and without VIP on a representative branch; spot-check with heat-flux tape and surface thermometers; confirm no condensation at peak RH.
Appliances: meter daily kWh for two identical units (one with VIP panels); track compressor duty and cabinet temperatures over a week of typical use.

A short, well-instrumented pilot makes the business case unambiguous.

Procurement & installation quick notes

Lead time: made-to-size panels and sleeves; curved and flat formats available.
Installers: standard fridge/plant contractors can fit VIP assemblies with our no-penetration guides; no special tools.
Maintenance: modules are replaceable if damaged; serialised labels aid asset management.
Documentation: U-value sketches, dew-point checks, and assembly fire notes supplied for O&M and compliance files.

Ready to specify VIP for cold appliances or services?

Contact our Customer Service Team for samples, CAD details, U-value and per-metre heat-loss sketches, plus tailored pricing.
Prefer a direct discussion? Email or phone Professor Saim Memon—we’ll review duty conditions, clearances and a measurement plan for your site.
Explore specifications, purchasing steps, videos and FAQs at www.sanyoulondon.com.

Thin insulation; big outcomes: quieter compressors, drier plantrooms, lower energy—without the bulk that steals space or the gaps that leak performance.