Advanced Coating Solutions, headquartered in Kirkland, WA in the US produces a thin insulation coating material that works by blocking heat transfer. Instead of using mass to work as a heat sink and absorb heat (fiberglass), the thin insulation coating works like the ‘Low E’ window concept, where thin oxide coatings diffuse infrared radiation. Thin air gaps also provide additional conductive resistance.
According to Richard Stratton, founder and Managing Director of Advanced Coating Solutions, his company sells its insulation products to ship operators to control condensation and insulate their Bering Sea processing ships, and to food plants (Del Monte, Morningstar, Stanislaus and ConAgra, etc.) to save energy and provide personnel protection from burns.
“It is basically latex paint with the primary “fillers” (titanium dioxide and calcium carbonate) mostly removed and replaced with hollow, ceramic, micro-beads,” Richard explains.
He says the coating acts to diffuse infrared-carried heat energy – similar to Low-E oxide window coatings that blocks infrared energy penetration of glass. He believes Advanced Coating Solutions’ products will most certainly work on potato storage facilities to enhance isolation, and further control condensation on processing equipment up to 200 degrees Celsius.
Richard mentions that he has seen this insulation work on cold walls by warming surfaces above the dew point to control condensation. “The fact is that it performs as insulation, it is very durable, and it works where traditional materials usually fail. Food plants can still sanitize equipment with diluted caustics and rinse it off with fire hoses.”
Richard further notes that there’s also heat reduction due to thin air gaps between layers – so-called “conductive resistance”.
Richard says his company also zeroes in on the fact that traditional insulation can’t work under wet conditions and in general has a lot of limitations.
“So, getting that last 20% of critical efficiency isn’t going to work unless you throw a lot of money at it,” he says. “People will need to use new methods and modern technology to be cost effective.”
Anyone with an interest in the coating material provided by Advanced Coating Solutions is encouraged to get in touch with Richard Stratton to discuss details about the benefits of his company’s products for potato storage and processing facilities. He is keen to connect with growers and facility managers to set up trial projects with his company’s products.
Richard Stratton can be reached at [email protected] and phone 425.785.0902 in Kirkland, WA.
