Gases for Filling Insulated Glazing Units

Substitution of air for rare gases in a double glazed unit (DGU, also known as insulated glass unit, or IGU):

reduces heat transfer across a section of the building envelope by 15% compared to single paned windows
precludes condensation in the space between the glass panes
decreases noise levels (sound pressure) by 5 dB/m2 for double paned units and by 15 dB/m2 for triple paned units
improves protection from solar radiation (glazing units filled with krypton retain up to 60% of α-radiation)
ensures durability of gas medium due to higher density of krypton by comparison with air and argon

Advantages of Krypton-filled Glazing Unit Volumes

20% reduction in heat loss and the cost of AC by comparison with air-filled DGUs. Condensation inside the glass chamber is precluded. Particularly effective when used in combination with Low-E (low-emission) glass.
Light transmission of DGUs (in the visible part of the spectrum) remains constant. Consistency of optical characteristics with an increase in heat transfer resistance attests to overall energy efficiency of the design.
Durability of gas-filled construction: Higher density, viscosity and diameter of a krypton molecule by comparison with air and argon decreases gas diffusion and extends operating life of a gas-filled DGU up to 35 years and longer.
Potential savings: Application of krypton results in substantial increase of the unit's heat transfer resistance, allowing the use of double paned windows in place of the costlier triple paned ones, as well as reducing thickness, and therefore total weight of the unit, further reducing hardware load on the building envelope.
Reduced levels of solar radiation: Only krypton-filled DGUs offer 60% reduction in α-radiation penetrating the interior. Double-glazed windows filled with argon and air do not offer any protection from solar radiation. Particularly effective when used in conjunction with Low-E (low-emission) glass. Important for regions with higher natural radiation levels (Central Asia, Northern regions.) Use of low-emission glass chambers filled with krypton ensures heat transfer resistance of up to 1.0 kW/m2 and higher.

Important: Upon a customer request, Iceblick, Ltd. can readily produce and deliver krypton-argon mixtures with gas content of any percentage.

Test Results for Krypton-filled Double Glazed Units

Combined with low-emission glass, krypton-filled glazing units allow to:

discontinue use of a tripple paned units or significantly improve the units' operating parameters
reduce the thickness of a DGU by 25%
decrease the mass of a DGU by 30%
have DGUs featuring heat transfer rates of 1 kW/m2 and above

Stress testing krypton-filled DGUs demonstrated, after 60 alternating temperature and humidity cycles, gas content of the sealed chamber remained well within acceptable range—no more than 5% of rated capacity (GOST 24866-99, the current normative standard for DGUs, specifies variation of up to 10%) with useful unit lifespan estimate of 35 years, upholding claims of reliability and full compliance with stringent technological requirements.

The above is particularly applicable with high-rise construction projects calling for greater glass thickness of 8 and 10 mm.

Krypton application is relevant not only in the colder regions, but also for the hotter climatic zones heavily utilizing indoor AC.

Presently, additional energy efficiency requirements are being considered by the standardization bodies. Our company is capable of satisfying the national market demand of krypton for filling DGUs. We assist our customers in choosing equipment for filling with krypton and krypton-argon mixtures of any percentages.

Important: We supply krypton under the following conditions:
Krypton of 99.999% purity is shipped in standard 40 L cylinders under pressure of 150 bar, containing 8,000 L of gas per cylinder.