Investigation of thermal insulation panels made of wood shavings

Natural insulations made from by-products available in large quantities are growing in importance. In the wood processing industry, among other materials, wood chips and shavings are available in large quantities. The aim of this research was to determine the optimal density of thermal insulation panels made of different wood shavings. Planer and drill shavings of spruce (Picea abies) were used as raw material. The same amount of both types of shavings was compacted. The thermal conductivity of both types of shavings asymptotically approached a value between 0.05 and 0.06 W/mK. After a preliminary experiment, panels were manufactured with densities from 55 to 400 kg/m3 with urea formaldehyde and with methyl diphenyl diisocyanate glue. The thermal conductivity and the bending strength of the panels increased with increasing density. The bending strength of the panels glued with methyl diphenyl diisocyanate was much higher than for the others with the same densities.