JBee
Well-known member
- First Name
- JB
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- Nov 22, 2019
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- Australia
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- Cybertruck
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- . Professional Hobbyist
So to be clear glass is a better thermal "conductivity" insulator than stainless or aluminium, but is mostly IR transparent, meaning heat can radiate out through the glass from anything that is warm inside. There are three forms of heat transfer, convection (air flow etc), conduction (material transfer) and radiation. All three forms need to be addressed for proper insulation.
So in the case of the stainless and aluminium they will block or reflect heat radiation, depending on their surface preparation, with smoother and shinier surface being more reflective of light and lower frequency heat radiation. The glass will let the heat through unless it has a filter like low e glass in households, but even then it will have residual emissivity that can and should be blocked with a shiny foil backed insulated window cover, to stop heat radiadiating out from black surfaces inside the CT. Especially on the CT where about 40% of the exposed area is glass. And another reason for a light interior colour.
Thermal conductivity of glass is actually pretty good in general compared to metals. Glass is 1, Stainless 14 but Aluminium is 237. That will essentially get the heat through the CT skin, where convection of air on the outside will either add or remove heat to the interface layer on the outside of the vehicle. The amount of heat exchanged at the surface depends on the mass flow (wind) and temperature difference to the inside.
Air (which is mostly nitrogen) is a good insulator (0.02) so even just trapping air against the glass helps reduce conductivity. Rockwool insulation mats work on the same principle in that stopping microcirculation of air through a otherwise hollow mesh of material, also means that heat convection is minimised. So the thermal conductivity of the air in the spaces is actually creating the insulation properties, not the insulation matt material itself. It's just used as a container to hold the air still, to stop convection. This is also why you will see mats with a reflective layer for blocking radiation.
So the ideal insulator is actually aerogel (lighter than air solid with microbubbles of air), AI it offers the best thermal resistance for its thickness. It's also used for catching micro asteroids without destroying them.
I've often also wondered if Tesla will integrate heat recovery ventilation to reduce HVAC consumption and improve air quality.
So in the case of the stainless and aluminium they will block or reflect heat radiation, depending on their surface preparation, with smoother and shinier surface being more reflective of light and lower frequency heat radiation. The glass will let the heat through unless it has a filter like low e glass in households, but even then it will have residual emissivity that can and should be blocked with a shiny foil backed insulated window cover, to stop heat radiadiating out from black surfaces inside the CT. Especially on the CT where about 40% of the exposed area is glass. And another reason for a light interior colour.
Thermal conductivity of glass is actually pretty good in general compared to metals. Glass is 1, Stainless 14 but Aluminium is 237. That will essentially get the heat through the CT skin, where convection of air on the outside will either add or remove heat to the interface layer on the outside of the vehicle. The amount of heat exchanged at the surface depends on the mass flow (wind) and temperature difference to the inside.
Air (which is mostly nitrogen) is a good insulator (0.02) so even just trapping air against the glass helps reduce conductivity. Rockwool insulation mats work on the same principle in that stopping microcirculation of air through a otherwise hollow mesh of material, also means that heat convection is minimised. So the thermal conductivity of the air in the spaces is actually creating the insulation properties, not the insulation matt material itself. It's just used as a container to hold the air still, to stop convection. This is also why you will see mats with a reflective layer for blocking radiation.
So the ideal insulator is actually aerogel (lighter than air solid with microbubbles of air), AI it offers the best thermal resistance for its thickness. It's also used for catching micro asteroids without destroying them.
I've often also wondered if Tesla will integrate heat recovery ventilation to reduce HVAC consumption and improve air quality.
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