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2002

PR-INFO-COLD STORES USING VACUUM PANELS

	Cold stores using vacuum panels A new development of KAEFER Isoliertechnik in Hamburg has made it possible for German and Italian submarines to stay submerged for a longer period of time. On six new Class 212 submarines, vacuum panels from KAEFER are being installed in the cold stores. Due to the exceptional insulation performance, the overall thickness of the system could be reduced considerably. This new development offers benefits to the German Navy, which is currently having four submarines of this type built at the HDW-shipyards in Kiel and Emden. The Italian Navy has also decided to equip two submarines with the vacuum panels in Genoa. By applying the thinner material in a cold store - with an area 3,5 square meter only - 2,5 cubic meters are gained for additional storage. The revolutionary technology of fuel cells permits also smaller submarines maximum submersion times that are merely limited by the sailors’ need for food. The capacity increase of the cold store therefore has direct influence on the widened range of submerged service. KAEFER is very optimistic that vacuum panels will soon become a standard equipment on submarines.
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	Characters: 1156 February 2002