La conductivite n'est pas tout le packout
A lower k-value helps, but the complete wall design, coutures, ajustement du couvercle, compression, and thermal bridges decide the actual hold time.
Cold chain insulation tool
Table des materiaux isolants pour emballage chaine du froid
Compare common insulation materials by material family, conductivité thermique, planning thickness, résistance thermique, durabilité, sensibilité à l'humidité, and typical cold-chain packaging use case before selecting a shipper structure.
10
Material families used in parcel, fourre-tout, palette, and process-side cold chain workflows.
Material families used in parcel, fourre-tout, palette, and process-side cold chain workflows.
k + R.
Thermal conductivity and quick R-value estimates from thickness.
Thermal conductivity and quick R-value estimates from thickness.
Ajuster
Shortlist by wall space, réutilisation, coût, exposition à l'humidité, and route pressure.
Shortlist by wall space, réutilisation, coût, exposition à l'humidité, and route pressure.
Table des materiaux isolants pour emballage chaine du froid
Choose the packaging pressure to see practical starting options. Final structure still needs payload, liquide de refroidissement, profil ambiant, essai de chute, and thermal qualification.
Suggested starting materials
Use these options as a starting shortlist, then validate the complete packout with the selected coolant and route profile.
Selecteur rapide d'isolation
Lower thermal conductivity usually means better insulation per millimeter. Épaisseur, joints de panneaux, compression, humidité, edge leakage, chargement de la charge utile, and outer carton design can change real hold time.
| Comparer | Matériel | Conductivité thermique | Planning thickness | R at typical thickness | Best-fit cold-chain use | Points forts | Watch points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Panneau d'isolation sous vide (VIP)
Sealed evacuated panel with a protected core. Used when wall thickness is limited. AvancéThin wall |
0.002-0.008 W/m*K
Use supplier aged / edge-adjusted value for final design.
|
10-30 mm, common planning point 20 mm. | Environ. 3.33 m²K/W at 20 mm and k 0.006. | High-performance pharma, biologique, compact payload boxes, premium pallet or parcel shippers. | Highest insulation per millimeter; helps protect payload space. | Puncture and edge thermal bridges can reduce performance. Needs protective structure and careful assembly. | |
|
Aerogel blanket
Flexible high-performance insulation used as a liner or local thermal bridge control layer. AvancéFlexible |
0.013-0.020 W/m*K
Varies by blanket grade and compression.
|
5-20 mm, common planning point 10 mm. | Environ. 0.63 m²K/W at 10 mm and k 0.016. | Thin liners, difficult corners, thermal bridge reduction, premium reusable shippers. | High insulation in a flexible format; useful where rigid panels cannot fit. | Coût, dust control, compression, and covering layer need review. | |
|
Phenolic foam board
Rigid low-conductivity foam board with strong insulation per thickness. Rigid foamLow k |
0.018-0.024 W/m*K
Confirm board grade, facing, and service temperature.
|
20-60 mm, common planning point 40 mm. | Environ. 1.90 m²K/W at 40 mm and k 0.021. | High-performance rigid panel shippers, compact controlled-temperature packaging. | Good insulation per thickness and useful fire-performance direction. | Can be brittle; supply format and edge protection matter. | |
|
Pur / PIR rigid foam
Common rigid foam direction for insulated shippers and high-performance box liners. Rigid foamÉquilibré |
0.022-0.028 W/m*K
Use aged value when available.
|
25-80 mm, common planning point 50 mm. | Environ. 2.00 m²K/W at 50 mm and k 0.025. | Pharma parcel shippers, food logistics boxes, controlled-temperature pallet liners. | Strong balance of insulation, disponibilité, and structural stiffness. | Foam ageing, joints de panneaux, and outer shell sealing affect real performance. | |
|
XPS foam board
Rigid closed-cell polystyrene board often selected for moisture resistance and panel strength. Rigid foamHumidité |
0.029-0.035 W/m*K
Density and blowing-agent history can shift values.
|
25-80 mm, common planning point 50 mm. | Environ. 1.56 m²K/W at 50 mm and k 0.032. | Chilled or frozen boxes where moisture handling and panel rigidity matter. | Low water absorption direction and good panel handling. | Not as low-k as VIP or PUR/PIR; joints and seams still matter. | |
|
EPS molded box / panneau
Widely used low-cost insulated packaging material for food, fruit de mer, and parcel cold chain. Bead foamFaible coût |
0.032-0.040 W/m*K
Higher density EPS can improve k-value and strength.
|
25-100 mm, common planning point 50 mm. | Environ. 1.39 m²K/W at 50 mm and k 0.036. | Low-cost chilled food, fruit de mer, colis gelés, short-to-medium duration shippers. | Faible coût, poids léger, broadly available molded shapes. | Crush resistance, rupture, disposal rules, and dimensional tolerances should be checked. | |
|
EPP molded foam box
Reusable molded bead foam with impact resistance for returnable cold-chain packaging. Bead foamRéutilisable |
0.035-0.045 W/m*K
Depends on density and molded structure.
|
20-70 mm, common planning point 40 mm. | Environ. 1.00 m²K/W at 40 mm and k 0.040. | Reusable grocery, kit repas, pharma return loops, last-mile chilled logistics. | Durable, lumière, résistant aux chocs, useful for repeated handling. | Thermal performance per millimeter is lower than high-performance rigid foams. | |
|
EPE / PE foam liner
Closed-cell flexible foam used as a cushion, pouch liner, séparateur, or short-lane insulating layer. Flexible foamCoussin |
0.035-0.050 W/m*K
Foam density and laminated surfaces affect apparent performance.
|
5-30 mm, common planning point 15 mm. | Environ. 0.35 m²K/W at 15 mm and k 0.043. | Livraison courte, amorti, inner separators, pouch-style cold-chain packaging. | Flexible, protecteur, easy to convert and laminate. | Usually not enough as the only insulation for long hold-time lanes. | |
|
Mineral wool / glass wool panel
Fiber insulation more common in building or industrial enclosures than direct parcel shippers. FiberIndustriel |
0.030-0.045 W/m*K
Compression and moisture can change installed performance.
|
30-100 mm, common planning point 50 mm. | Environ. 1.32 m²K/W at 50 mm and k 0.038. | Industrial cold rooms, pallet enclosures, fire-sensitive support structures. | Fire-performance direction and broad insulation availability. | Fiber shedding, humidité, compression, and food/pharma contact controls matter. | |
|
Carton ondulé / paper honeycomb
Structural or recyclable spacer layer. Useful with air gaps or liners, but not a high-performance insulator alone. PapierEntretoise |
0.045-0.090 W/m*K
Direction, flute, air cells, and moisture affect apparent value.
|
3-25 mm, common planning point 10 mm. | Environ. 0.15 m²K/W at 10 mm and k 0.065. | Entretoise, recyclable insert, carton structure, short ambient buffering with other insulation. | Recyclable direction, easy converting, useful as a structural layer. | Moisture sensitivity and low insulation per thickness. Avoid using as the only cold-chain barrier for demanding lanes. |
Comparaison des materiaux
Tick up to three materials in the table. The comparison focuses on practical packaging decisions, not only numeric k-values.
No material selected yet.
L'epaisseur protege la duree et l'espace utile
Increasing thickness raises thermal resistance, but it reduces internal payload volume. VIP or aerogel can help when internal space is the limiting factor.
La reutilisation modifie le choix du materiau
PPE, rigid shells, and protected panels often make more sense for return loops. EPS or paper structures may fit low-cost one-way shipments.
Table des materiaux isolants courants
Use this page to shortlist the insulation family and wall thickness, then continue with coolant selection, pack sizing, and route risk checks.