Performance of Thermal Insulation Material Produced from Lithuanian Sheep Wool

Abstract

In the current paper, the thermal insulation material from the wool of sheep grown in Lithuania is analyzed. Three types of thermal insulation material were produced: horizontal orientations, corrugated from the individual layer obtained, and corrugated from individual mats. The 50 mm thick products were prepared and their main performance characteristics were evaluated: thickness changes, thermal conductivity, tensile strength, short-term water absorption, and flammability. Changes in the thickness of the materials were determined under different loads, and dependences on the density of the material were obtained. Thermal conductivity was measured for products of different densities, evaluated separately for horizontal orientation and corrugated products, and density dependences were obtained. Tensile strength was determined along and across the direction of formation for relatively different types of products. For all types of products, the short-term water absorption of the specimens was determined by partial immersion in water, and the results were compared. During the flammability tests, the flame propagation time on the specimen surface and the fact of incineration after removal of the flame source were determined for all types of specimens.

Keywords

• sheep wool
• thermal insulation
• oriented fiber products
• corrugated products
• changes in thickness
• performance characteristics