Multi Layer Insulation | Multilayer Insulation

Multi-Layer Insulation

Multi-Layer Insulation is a revolutionary solution for attic insulation that differs from traditional methods. It layers materials together with space-age technology to reflect the sun's heat back to its source before it can even penetrate the layers of insulation and warm the attic up. This innovative design both keeps layers cooler and your house overall cooler, making it an efficient and cost-effective solution for any homeowner. Combining layers of radiant barriers with other layers of insulating material allows Multi-Layer Insulation to outperform traditional insulation, saving you time and money while keeping your home comfortable all year round.

Benefits of Multilayer insulation

Multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets, also known as thermal blankets, are a type of specialized insulation used on spacecraft to regulate temperature. The blankets are composed of a series of alternating layers of thin reflective film and low-heat-conducting material, topped off with radiation shields for added protection. By trapping heat, these blankets effectively help spacecraft components maintain normal temperatures despite the extremely cold environment in space. MLI blankets also reduce heat dissipation from internal components that can damage the circuits or other parts of the craft. These unique thermal insulation systems offer significant advantages for spacecraft venturing beyond our atmosphere not only do they require significantly less mass than traditional materials, but their design provides maximum heat resistance at high speeds during re-entry.

Space craft Thermal Control

Multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets are a type of advanced heat-controlling technology utilized in spacecraft to help regulate temperatures in a vacuum. These blankets are composed of multiple reflective layers of a thin film that act as an efficient insulator against the coldness of space, combined with up to 15 layers of air trapped between them. This creates a high thermal resistance for the MLI that can protect the spacecraft from losing too much heat or its surroundings from becoming too hot. All elements in this system remain passive and don't use any mechanical motion in order to work, allowing them to be lightweight and suited for space travel. Each layer resembles a quilt that is tweaked so that the outermost reflective surface handles temperature regulation, while many inner layers provide additional insulation and minimize heat loss. MLI blankets are now essential components when creating a fully-fledged Thermal Control System (TCS).

Cryogenic Process Engineering

Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) is a highly effective way to provide protection from heat for cryogenic storage and transfer systems. Normally consisting of alternating layers of reflecting material like aluminum foil or aluminized Mylar, along with a low-conductivity spacer material such as fiberglass mat, MLI is able to trap warmth between the reflective layer and prevent it from escaping thanks to the vacuum environment surrounding them. This process, known as thermal insulation, makes MLI one of the most reliable methods for protecting against temperature loss in cryogenic systems today.

Does Multilayer insulation work?

Multilayer Insulation (MLI) blankets provide a crucial shield against extreme temperatures for spacecraft, launch vehicles, and instruments in the vacuum of space. MLI blankets use a combination of thin films, foils, and fabrics to limit radiative heat transfer through multiple layers into and out of the shielded environment. AFM is one such provider of quality MLI blankets to the Aerospace community, offering components designed with precise specifications to ensure function as part of a successful heat transfer system. In space exploration as well as satellite imagery, MLI provides essential protection from extreme temperatures so that humans can explore further into space.

What is a Passive Thermal Control System?

Accurately controlling the temperature of spacecraft can be a challenging task, especially in space where it's hard to ventilate and exchange air. Fortunately, passive thermal control systems provide an excellent solution for maintaining consistent temperatures without using powered equipment or mechanical moving parts. Multilayer Insulation (MLI) blankets are one of the most utilized elements of a passive system - this insulation is formed from multiple layers of foil that functions similarly to a radiant barrier. Aside from MLI, other technologies such as coatings, sunshades, and thermal straps are also used to great effect.

What are MLI blankets, how does it work and the components used in them?

MLI blankets offer a unique level of thermal efficiency and are typically composed of multiple layers of thin-coated plastic films, often referred to as reflector layers. These films can have a variety of coatings, conductivities, and optical appearances tailored to meet the needs of whatever situation they’re used in. By having more reflector layers than traditional insulation methods, MLI blankets are much more effective at passively reflecting or absorbing incoming radiation– thus providing higher levels of thermal protection and energy efficiency. 

The most common primary component of an MLI blanket is a thin plastic sheet with a metal vapour-deposited coating. An alternative to the traditional polyimide or polyester films used in these sheets is weight-saving embossing or crinkling, which minimises contact between reflector layers. MLI blankets consist of three main parts: the outboard layer, the inner layer and the inboard layer. In between each of the inner layers lies low-conducting netting material to reduce contact between reflective levels further.