Assessment of Physical Properties of Spacer Fabric

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Abstract

At the Saxion University of Applied Sciences there is a department that initiates projects in co-operation with the business sector and the Twente University. In 2014 a project was initiated with the intention to start using spacer knittings in the building industry. However, it was unknown what the thermal properties of spacer knittings are and what variables can be of influence on these properties. For measuring thermal conduction there are various methods available. For this study a measuring method in conformity with ISO 8990 was chosen. The measurement set-up was specifically built and implemented for this study. The various kinds of spacer knittings were made on a circular weft knitting machine. The 8 spacer knittings differ from each other in terms of stitch size, yarn type and thickness. It turned out that the thermal resistance is low, so that an application as insulating material is unfit. As a cause that this thermal resistance is low it can be assumed that the airflows through the spacer knitting conduct the heat. After studying the measuring results and theoretical models a possible relationship has eventually been found between the different parameters. Further research is needed to determine whether this relationship between stitch density, thickness of the spacer knittings and the yarn type used for the knitting, can be widely applied. The developed measurement set-up has the advantage that one side of the material to be tested is accessible. This offers the possibility to be able to start investigating airflows through the knitting.

Keyword(s)

heat transfer ; spacer knitting

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