This code provides guidelines for the thermal insulation of cold storages to ensure energy efficiency and maintain required low temperatures. It covers the selection of insulating materials, calculation of required insulation thickness, and recommended application practices, including the installation of vapor barriers.
Provides a code of practice for the thermal insulation of cold storage facilities.
Quick Reference Values
Maximum permissible heat gain10 W/m² (8.6 kcal/m²h)
Thermal conductivity (k-value) of Expanded Polystyrene (15 kg/m³)0.033 W/m.K
Recommended storage temperature for frozen fish-23 to -29 °C
Recommended storage temperature for fresh vegetables0 to 7 °C
Design ambient dry-bulb temperature for Delhi43 °C
Key Formulas
t = k/q * (T_o - T_i) — Simplified formula for calculating insulation thickness (t), where k is thermal conductivity, q is permissible heat gain, and (To-Ti) is the temperature difference across the insulation.
Practical Notes
The integrity of the vapour barrier is the most critical aspect of cold storage insulation. It must be installed on the warm side of the insulation to prevent moisture ingress, which degrades performance.
Pay close attention to sealing all joints, corners, and penetrations for pipes/conduits to avoid thermal bridges, which are major sources of heat gain.
This 1981 code is dated; modern insulation materials (like PIR) and manufacturer-specified k-values often provide better performance than the values listed in Table 2. Always use current data.