Pirta has successfully tested the performance of its revolutionary climate ‘cooling paint’ using a world-renowned solar simulator.
Pirta tests revolutionary cooling paint at world-renowned solar simulator. Image Credit: Pirta
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 surface temperature by up to 64 °C (114.4 °F).
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 11km above sea level. 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.
Meanwhile, the paint formula’s SRI, recognised 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 Centre for Process Innovation (CPI).