Pirta has successfully tested the performance of its revolutionary climate "cooling paint" using a world-renowned solar simulator. The Yorkshire firm visited TS Space Systems' purpose-built site in Marlow, UK, to carry out a range of performance tests.
Pirta’s unique paint formula has since been validated by the University of Leeds with provisional results indicating exceptionally high emissivity, or ability to release heat, reducing the surface temperature by up to 64°C (114.4°F).
Energy-dependent cooling systems
The technology holds immense commercial potential as a passive cooling agent, supporting billion-dollar market segments, including construction, shipping, logistics, agriculture, and energy industries, looking to slash emissions from energy-dependent cooling systems in order to mitigate the current climate crisis.
Pirta R&D Director, Robert Atkin said the initial performance tests helped propel the firm to open-air testing overseas. “This was a fascinating way to begin our testing journey,” he said. “Solar simulators are able to replicate intense UV rays experienced in the troposphere extending 11 km above sea level."
Reflectivity and emissivity scores
Pirta’s tests have proved peak reflectance of 99.82% across visible and UV spectrums
Pirta R&D Director, Robert Atkin said, "For our tests, we tuned-up the simulator to deliver a variety of light intensities experienced at terrestrial sea-level where our product will initially be applied. It proved to be a vital learning curve and influenced our next stage of field tests in the UK and in India, delivered in collaboration with Leeds University and the Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala.”
In recent months, Pirta’s lab tests have demonstrated a peak reflectance of 99.82% across visible and ultraviolet light spectrums. Its overall performance returned a Figure of Merit of 0.934, which was calculated using both reflectivity and emissivity scores.
Greater reflectance and emissivity
Meanwhile, the paint formula’s SRI, recognized in the USA as an industry standard for measuring material thermal properties, was valued at 116.8. Most materials have an SRI between 1 and 100, with higher values indicating greater reflectance and emissivity and an improved ability to passively cool a structure.
Pirta has received support from UK Government backed authorities, investment arms and innovation accelerators including Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, Innovate UK Edge and the Center for Process Innovation (CPI).