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The type of insulation used in a walk-in cooler or freezer can affect the system's performance and energy consumption.
Wen buying a walk-in ooler or freezer, the inial cost of the walk-in is most always the deciding factor. The cost to operate the walk-in is rarely considered. You might think all walk-ins perform about the same; however, this mistake can be costly. You pay for the walk-in once, but if the insulation is inefficient, you will pay for that inefficiency every month for the life of the system through higher energy bills.
Walk-in coolers and freezers generally are constructed of modular panels made of an insulating material and metal or fiberglass protective skins. The purpose of the skin is to protect the insulation, which is fragile and cannot be used independently. The insulation usually is a plastic foam material that is either injected or placed between the metal skins. The insulation material allows the walk-in to resist heat flow and hold cold temperatures.
Each type of insulation has strengths and weaknesses that must be evaluated for the individual application requirements. The two factors that can affect the insulation's performance are temperature and moisture.
Temperature. Insulation performance usually is rated by its R-value - the higher the R-value, the more resistance it has to heat flow and the better it insulates. The operating temperature of the insulation can affect its performance. Some types perform better at lower mean temperatures while others perform better at higher temperatures. For example, when...