| Chemicals |
Argon gas fill
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Argon is a colourless, odourless, non-flammable, non-reactive, inert gas. Argon gas fills are used to reduce heat loss in sealed units by slowing down convection inside the air space. Argon gas is extremely cost-efficient, and works well with Low-e coated glazing.
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 When we talk about insulation glass without low-e coating, we refer to glass that uses air between panes as a primary source of insulation. As air itself is a good insulator, filling the gap between the glass panes with a low-conductivity gas such as argon improves window performance by reducing conductive and convective heat transfers. This phenomenon results from the fact that the density of the gas is greater than the density of the air. Argon is the most commonly used fill gas, due to its excellent thermal performance and cost-efficiency in comparison to other gas fills.
Another factor that influences the thermal performance of the IG window is the width of the air space between the panes of glass. Tests have shown that the optimum efficiency for argon is in 12mm and 14mm IG units.
Several techniques are used to fill the IG cavity. However all techniques result in a mixture of fill gas and air. It is generally accepted that the IG unit should achieve a 90% fill gas concentration. In time this concentration will gradually evaporate, at a rate estimated from 0,5 to 1% per year. IG units filled with argon do not degrade significantly until they reach 75% concentration, which means up to 20 years of durability.
A major benefit of IGU is that it is passive, it does not require a switching-on process to work. Argon gas is a relatively inexpensive option, and quickly produces heat cost-savings that justify its cost.
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Photos: Web
Last review: June, 2005 |
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