Application of Spatial Analysis to Determine the Effect of Insulation Thickness on Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings for Cold Storage

Abstract

Cold storage facilities consume a considerable amount of energy, especially in hot climates, which can be decreased using thermal insulators to maintain a stable temperature. The primary aim of this research study was to determine the effect of insulation thickness on the energy efficiency and cost savings of exterior walls for cold storage facilities in all climatic zones of Türkiye. To this end, data from the meteorological databases of 81 provinces were analyzed, and four insulation materials (expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, rock wool, and polyurethane) were selected for different cold storage reference temperatures. The spatial distributions of optimal insulation thickness, energy savings, and payback periods were derived using a geographic information system (Ordinary Kriging). The optimum insulation thickness and energy savings were found to be 0.020–0.137 m and 0.030–6.883 USD/m2, respectively. Depending on the insulation material and base temperature, the shortest payback periods (1.498–3.457 years) were obtained in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions. In addition, rock wool provided the highest energy savings and the shortest payback period among all the insulation materials studied. The results from this study can help investors to improve their design considerations for cold storage wall insulation.