Case study: Poliuretan Spray S-383-HFO

The insulation project at the historic Château de Bourscheid in Luxembourg required a very modern solution for insulating the floor and had to comply with strict environmental regulations in place in Luxembourg.

Thermilux, a Synthesia Technology contractor, was commissioned to undertake the insulation work at the chateau, and a new technology was put to the test: the new F-Gas compliant Poliuretan Spray S-383-HFO system by Synthesia Technology, which benefits from Honeywell’s Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA).  

1. The historic Château De Bourscheid: 

The chateau, which dates from medieval times, is situated above the River Sûre, enclosed by a circular wall with 11 watchtowers. Over the years, the chateau has been extended and under renovation works.

The latest development involved the conversion of an annexe for public events, such as wedding receptions, which, in contrast to the chateau’s considerable age, required a very modern solution for insulating the floor, in line with strict environmental regulations in place in Luxembourg. HFCs have been banned in the country since 2017, six years ahead of the mandated European prohibition under F-Gas Regulations.

2. The insulation project with Poliuretan Spray S-383-HFO system

The project required a 130 mm thick insulation layer to be sprayed on the concrete floor of the space in the medieval castle, followed by a layer of mortar and a final covering of tiles or wood parquet.  The room will be used for public events, such as wedding receptions.

In all, 600 m² of foam were applied. The product used was the the F-Gas compliant Poliuretan Spray S-383-HFO system, which benefits from Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA), and it was sprayed by Thermilux, a contractor based in Bastogne in Belgium.

The two components – polyol and isocyanate – were preheated to 30 °C at a mix pressure of 80–100 bar and sprayed at a density of 40kgm3 to achieve a compression value of 230 kPa.

The outcomes of the project were the following:

• The core technical criteria covering compression set, surface flatness and dimensional stability were met.
• Performance of the HFO sprayed polyurethane foam was equivalent to HFC for reaction time, density distribution and lambda values.
• The HFO-based foam delivered the same performance in the field as in controlled factory conditions.
• Solstice LBA in combination with the right catalysts, was shown to be a suitable replacement for HFC blowing agents, with no equipment modification required.

Frederic Chiffoleau, Sales Manager of Synthesia Technology for North France, Belgium and Luxembourg, was very satisfied with the solution used and its results:

“In this instance, the use of the Honeywell Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent ensured our sprayed polyurethane foam technology not only satisfied the strict regulatory environment in Luxembourg, but also delivered thermal performance for our contractor partners Thermilux that was equivalent to our predecessor HFC-based system.”

 

3. The product: Poliuretan Spray S-383-HFO system

As aforementioned, the solution used for this insulation project was the F-Gas compliant Poliuretan Spray S-383-HFO system.

When the F-Gas regulation mandated a ban on HFC blowing agents from 2023 onwards, Synthesia started to develop a regulatory compliant alternative, which would also help meet the corporate commitments regarding sustainability and environmental impact.

Therefore, the HFC blowing agent blend used in previous polyurethane closed-cell spray foam had to be replaced for a F-Gas compliant blowing agent with ultra-low GWP that provided equivalent thermal and application performance to HFC blown systems.

To this aim, Synthesia and Honeywell worked closely to develop the new cc ultra-low GWP polyurethane spray system. The system benefits from Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA), a hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) with an ultra-low global warming potential (GWP) of 1, 99.9 % lower than the HFC blowing agents it replaces (typically HFC-245fa and HFC-365mfc blends), and it’s non-ozone depleting.

According to Sergio Balcells, General Manager at Synthesia Technology:

“Synthesia believes in innovation that helps us develop sustainable products. Our new sprayed polyurethane foam, using the environmentally-friendly Solstice® Liquid Blowing Agent, means we are one of the first companies in Europe to embrace this technology, and the market is very enthusiastic about it.”

What does Poliuretan Spray S-383-HFO system offer?

• Complete suppression of thermal bridges. It is a continuous form of insulation that has no joints or gaps.
• It has strong adhesion, so there is no need to use adhesives or glues to install the product.
• It can insulate and waterproof in a single process thanks to its closed-cell and watertight structure.
• It can be moved to a construction site quickly, with no need for transporting or storage.
• Seals gaps, muffling the passage of sound, including spots that are difficult to reach.
• Low COV emissions fulfilling all current requirements, with an A+ rating under French regulations.

Pol Beaujean, Administrateur Délégué of Thermilux, stated:

“This successful test underlines the potential for the Synthesia product in flooring insulation and in external, internal and cavity walls for both new and renovation projects. Thermilux will shortly start work on insulating 2000 m2 of low budget housing in Luxembourg using the HFO Synthesia system.”

To learn more about the insulation project and the product used, download the complete case study or download the video of the project.