• Quest advanced vapor cooled, vacuum shell technology insulates LH2 tanks for aircraft
  • Quest Discrete Spacer Technology supports thin, lightweight vacuum shell for Mars surface operation
  • Quest IMLI insulates part of Roman Space Telescope
  • Quest IMLI enables Lunar Environmental Monitoring Station to survive cold lunar night
  • Quest IMLI insulates cryogenic receiver dewar for NASA RRM3, first in-space cryogenic fluid transfer
  • Quest IMLI insulates the detector for Lucy spacecraft heading to Jupiter Asteroids
  • Quest IMLI insulation on the NASA GPIM spacecraft
  • Quest Load Bearing Insulation helps make NASA Reduced Boil-Off test a success

Terrestrial Insulation Demonstration Program

Quest Thermal insulation has predominately been designed for aerospace application. Quest’s Load Responsive MLI was engineered to operate both in-air (for terrestrial use) and on-orbit, and uses a dynamic spacer that compresses to support external pressure for in-air use and disconnects for higher thermal performance once in the vacuum of space.  While LRMLI does operate in-air, a new version of Quest superinsulation is currently being designed with Discrete Spacers specifically engineered for full-time in-air operation.  The Full Time Load (FTL) spacer will optimize strength versus heat flux for IMLI use for terrestrial insulation.

Quest engineers believe a careful balance of strength to support a vacuum shell load, low heat leak for good thermal performance, and lost cost can be achieved.

This Quest insulation system would be ideal for insulating refrigerator/freezers, water heaters and Vacuum Insulated Panels.  Our LRMLI insulation already shows excellent performance: a 0.25” thick panel provides the same insulation as 16” of polyurethane foam.  Typical insulation on refrigerator/freezers and water heaters is 1” of foam, so the energy savings possible with Quest superinsulation is quite apparent.

Engineering design work on the new FTL spacer has already begun, with fabrication and testing of FTL-IMLI panels next.

Quest Thermal Group has had some early talks with home appliance manufacturers, and once prototype performance data is available expects to be able to have more in depth discussions with potential customers.