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Only new BF data sheets valid

This is just to remind on time, at the beginning of 2014, that old BF-data sheets “Psi-values for windows” with representative Psi-values simulated from individual material values have lost their validity. According to a decision of the BF Working Group “Warm Edge”, from now on only data sheets with Psi-values determined with the measured equivalent thermal conductivity of the spacer are valid.

My recommendation: Do not save data sheet copies locally on your computer. In case of need just download the data sheets always newly from the website of the BF Bundesverband Flachglas. This will ensure that you are always up-to-date.

You can find the link on my literature list, or directly here.

Final report now available in english

The final report of the research project “Equivalent thermal conductivity warm edge” is now available in english. You can download it for free from the websites of ift Rosenheim here.

English versions of ift-guidelines “Thermally improved spacers” delayed

According to latest information from Rosenheim, the translations of the new ift-guideline WA-17/1 dated February 2013 and of the revised guideline WA-08/2 dated July 2013 still are a long time in coming. Further delays will make them available not before end of August.

Come around regularily, I will keep you informed at this point.

ift guideline to thermally improved spacers Part 1 updated

As reported in previous articles, a research project (see article here) has given a new, measured basis for the BF data sheets ‘Psi-values for windows’ (for more info about those data sheets see this article). ift Rosenheim has published a description of the measurement method in a second guideline for thermally improved spacers, WA-17/1 (see article here).

End of July, part 1 of the ift-guideline to this matter, WA-08 “Thermally improved spacers – Part 1: Determination of representative Ψ-values for profile sections of windows was updated and published with the number WA-08/2. With the revision, the determination of the „all-inclusive“-input value for spacer including desiccant and butyle, the so-called λeq,2B-value (2-Box-Lambda-value) was incorporated in the guideline. Now, this measured value determination is an admissible method for the simulation of the representative Ψ-values for the BF data sheets.

The ift-guideline can be ordered here in German language. An English version will follow soon.

BF-Webinars 2nd half of 2013

With the following webinar topics, I am again included in the seminar program fall/winter 2013 of the BF Bundesverband Flachglas:

October 10th, 2013
Spacers / Warm edge – Basics
October 17th, 2013
Spacers / Warm edge – Thermo-technical properties
November 7th, 2013
Spacers / Warm edge – Practice
November 21st, 2013
Glass failure – Basics
December 19th, 2013
Glass failure – Specifics/Concentration

These online tutorials are all held in German language. They take approximately one hour each and shall give a first overview about the topics. More in detail and furthermore available in english language as well are my on-site-workshops.

Information about the BF-Webinar-program is available here (in German):
https://www.bundesverband-flachglas.de/veranstaltungen/webinare/technik/webinare.html

Research project “Equivalent thermal conductivity warm edge”

As reported before, another research project was carried out at ift Rosenheim, sponsored by the German Center of Competence in Civil Engineering (Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik DIBt) and co-financed by the working group Warm Edge. Results were the update of the BF data sheets ‘Psi-values for windows’ (see this article here) und a new ift-guideline (info here).

In the meantime, the research report of December 2012 is published as well. Interested parties may download the report in German or English language from the homepage of ift Rosenheim here.

Psi data sheets for windows updated

The revised data sheets with Psi values for windows have been published just now. You can download them for free on the BF website (German Glass Association Bundesverband Flachglas) here.

The updated data sheets can be recognised  by the release index “April 2013”. Different from the first data sheet versions, where the representative Psi-values for windows have been calculated from individual thermal conductivity values of all the materials composing a spacer, now the Psi-values are determined on the basis of a measured equivalent thermal conductivity value of the complete spacer system including desiccant and butyle. An ift-Rosenheim guideline gives a detailed description of the measurement method – here.

Manufacturers of warm edge systems are allowed to still use old data sheet versions for their products, but they will expire latest 31.12.2013. Coexistence of old and new data sheet version for one and the same spacer system is not allowed. A research project of the BF working group “warm edge” served as a basis for the revision of the data sheets. First information about this research project can be found here (in German language). More will follow in the relevant specialist publications.

As usual, I will keep you informed here in this place.

New ift-guideline Thermally improved spacers

Further to my previous announcement, ift Rosenheim, Germany, has published another ift-guideline about warm edge: WA 17/1 “Thermally improved spacers – Part 2: Determination of the equivalent thermal conductivity by means of measurement”. This guideline is a result from the latest research project of the working group “Warm Edge” of the German association Bundesverband Flachglas (BF). The guideline explains how to determine the so-called equivalent thermal conductivity value λeq,2B of a spacer and how to use it for the simulation of Ψ-values of windows according to EN ISO 10077-2, instead of a detailed geometrical spacer model with a multitude of individual conductivity values of the spacer constituents.

In comparison, this is a simple and pragmatic solution for obtaining of spacer input data for individual simulations. It helps to avoid mistakes with the modelling of rather complex spacer geometries. Furthermore, from now on, the “representative Ψ-values”, published on the BF data sheets “Psi-values for windows” will be determined according to this guideline.

The ift-guideline can be ordered in German language here. An English version will follow soon.

News from the Working Group “Warm Edge”

During yesterday’s meeting in Rosenheim, the Working Group “Warm Edge” of the BF Bundesverband Flachglas agreed to update the data sheets “Psi-values for windows”. As a result of the latest research project of the Working Group, the representative Psi-values stated on the data sheets shall be simulated on the basis of measured equivalent thermal conductivity values of the warm-edge systems, and not as before with individual values of the sometimes complex product components.

The measurement method is described in a new guideline of ift Rosenheim, which will be published soon. Within the next weeks, the new data sheets will be available for free download on the BF websites. Warm-Edge manufacturers may utilize the old data sheets for their products until December 31st, 2013, after that deadline they will expire. You can find a first info (in German) about the research project here. More will follow in the relevant technical press – I will let you know here in my blog and in my literature list.

The Working Group “Warm Edge” consists of well-known manufacturers of warm-edge-systems, representatives from glass industry and members from higher education and research.

Do you have wishes or suggestions for the Working Group? If so, let me know!

BF-Webinars 1st half of 2013

With the following webinar topics, I am included in the seminar program spring/summer 2013 of the BF Bundesverband Flachglas:

March 21st, 2013
Spacers / Warm edge – Basics
April 4th, 2013
Spacers / Warm edge – Thermo-technical properties
April 11th, 2013
Glass failure – Basics
May 23rd, 2013
Glass failure – Specifics

These online tutorials are all held in German language. They take approximately one hour each and shall give a first overview about the topics. More in detail and in english language are my on-site-workshops.

Information about the BF-Webinar-program is available here (in German):
https://www.bundesverband-flachglas.de/veranstaltungen/webinare/technik/webinare.html