The thermo barrier coatings of reflective metal must perform better than white. Look at the inside of a Thermos container and it looks like a mirror.
I suppose white is easier to look at than a mirrored roof. And then black would perform well if you are trying to warm up the building as it would absorb the UV rays.
I suppose white is easier to look at than a mirrored roof. And then black would perform well if you are trying to warm up the building as it would absorb the UV rays.
Heat reflective coatings are nothing new, but the technology continues to evolve. I used to read building operations magazines at work and heat reflective surface coatings (especially for roofs) were a big topic.
If you want to see white roofs, go to Bermuda. I spent two lazy weeks there. People are always repainting their roofs, and always cleaning and sweeping them too. Turns out the roofs not only keep the houses cooler, but also supply fresh water too. There's no natural source of fresh water in Bermuda, so it's a necessity.
If you want to see white roofs, go to Bermuda. I spent two lazy weeks there. People are always repainting their roofs, and always cleaning and sweeping them too. Turns out the roofs not only keep the houses cooler, but also supply fresh water too. There's no natural source of fresh water in Bermuda, so it's a necessity.
My RV roof is a poured white membrane, we camped in the Mohave desert a few years ago. I can't imagine how that trip would have gone with anything but a white roof!
Metal oxides will reflect better directionally, while white paint reflects better in a distributed pattern. A solar farm uses mirrors whereby a growing environment will use white.
At least that was the case back when I had to know these things. I am no longer up to date with coatings and reflectivity.
At least that was the case back when I had to know these things. I am no longer up to date with coatings and reflectivity.
All that white will get a lot darker from the dust and soot in the air. But, valid to use a white roof coating instead of black. Even better if the roof coating was a PV array. If you don't think those buggers are reflective, talk to a pilot. But the do shade what is below the and harvest a few watts while they are at it.
There are also coatings that are more emissive, and more non-emissive. Jet Hot coatings and similar. Makes me wonder why high end amps don't have their heat sinks coated.
I've seen heat sinks coated with flat black; especially smaller heatsinks (like for TO-220 devices).
Back in the day radiators were often spray painted flat black; especially by hot rodders. You can still get the paint.
https://www.eastwood.com/ew-radiato...kedid=555900045761&wickedsource=google&wv=3.1 It's low viscosity so it goes on real thin.
No reason you couldn't coat a heatsink yourself with a spray can like this.
Reflecting and radiating and absorbing are all different with regards to heat.