Kukpyowon Announces Draft National Standard for Aerogel Blanket Insulation Material
Proposed International Standard to ISO in 2016... International Standard Expected Early Next Year
[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chae-seok] The government announced that it will establish a national standard (KS) for the 'aerogel blanket insulation material' used in liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship cargo tanks and take the lead in international standardization.
The National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 17th that the related KS draft will be officially notified in the government gazette by August 10.
This standard presents methods and criteria for evaluating the performance of aerogel blanket insulation materials, including thermal conductivity, absorbency, moisture absorption, and flexibility.
The draft standard will be finalized as a KS around October after industry public hearings and technical review meetings in August and September.
Previously, in September 2016, the government proposed the international standard draft for aerogel blanket insulation materials to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
After the international standard draft (DIS) voting and the final international standard draft (FDIS), it is expected to be established as an international standard as early as next year.
Aerogel blanket insulation materials achieve the same or better insulation performance with only half the thickness compared to conventional insulation materials. They are also fire-resistant.
Known as the "solid like air," this next-generation insulation material enhances insulation efficiency while reducing volume.
The National Institute of Technology and Standards expects this insulation material to be effectively used in the LNG ship sector, where South Korea leads the global market.
Through the institute’s "National Standard Technology Enhancement Project," the Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL) has led the establishment of this national standard and international standard draft.
The institute explained that national and international standardization of aerogel blanket insulation materials will not only ensure stable quality for domestic companies but also expand their entry into the global market.
The domestic market for aerogel blanket insulation materials is about 30 billion KRW as of this year. With recent mass production of domestically produced products, standardization is expected to lead to quality improvement.
The global market for this insulation material is rapidly growing due to worldwide efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and energy reduction policies.
This is why continuous growth of Korean companies that secure the standard first can be expected.
Lee Seung-woo, head of the National Institute of Technology and Standards, said, "Although demand for ultra-low and ultra-high temperature insulation materials such as LNG ship cargo tanks is increasing, there has been no international standard. Since the global market in this field is more than 20 times larger than the domestic market, we will successfully complete the remaining international standard establishment work to accelerate the overseas expansion of our companies."
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