Correspondingly sound and temperature are slower to move through argon than through regular air. It dampens sound and temperature conductivtity.
Argon's high density
allows it to remain in an open container with little
or no diffusion of oxygen or nitrogen into it. Because
of this, argon is easily contained between sealed
and tilted dual panes of glass until the filling
holes are plugged. It sits inside its insulating
glass container like a glass filled with water,
until the filling hole or vent hole is properly
sealed to complete the insulating glass unit.
Discovered in 1894 by Lord Rayleigh and Sir William
Ramsey, argon's presence in air was suspected by
Cavendish in 1785 because after removing all traces
of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, moisture, and
dust particulates from the air, there was still
some gas present.
Argon forms 0.934% of Earth's atmosphere, making
it the most common of the so-called "noble" or "inert
gases". Argon is recovered by fractional distillation
from air. Colorless, tasteless and odorless, argon
is a true inert gas, not forming true chemical compounds
as do the other noble gases (helium, neon, krypton
and xenon). It is about twice as soluble in water
as nitrogen. Argon is also used to exclude nitrogen
and oxygen from contact with metals during welding
or a process that would be adversely affected by
the presence of normal atmospheric gases.
Beyond improving the thermal performance of insulating
glass by reducing conductance between the panes,
argon is used in gas-filled electric light bulbs,
radio tubes, and Geiger counters, and in the production
and fabrication of metals such as titanium, zirconium,
and uranium. Argon is also used for growing crystals
of semi-conductors, such as silicone and germanium.
Insulating glass is the "critical ingredient" of
any residential window system. Window manufacturers use high-grade sealants and expensive equipment
to glue the perimeter of two or more panes of glass
together. This hermetic seal is accomplished to
form a "dead air space" of a specific dimension
between the panes. The optimum space between the
two panes is around 9/16", or .5625".
Depending on the thickness of the glass panes used,
which varies depending upon window size, the overall
glass thickness with this optimum airspace will
be around ¾" or .750". This is typical of PPG, Cardinal Glass or Guardian Glass. The three primary manufacturers of glass products.
Desiccants, a purer form of zeolite-based drying
agent than you might find in a packet inside a new
shoe or camera box for example, are a part of the
sealant system and work to "dry up" any humidity
trapped between the panes during assembly in the
factory. The resulting dry, dead air space works
remarkably well to insulate the inner pane from
the outer pane of glass. The result is a better-insulating
window than single pane windows for lower energy
use, cooler summers and warmer winters.
Over time, technical experts in the business determined
that carefully selected materials in the sealant
system reduce condensation around the perimeter
of the insulating glass unit of a window ("warm
edge spacer"). They also discovered complex coatings
on the glass that reflect and re-direct the sun's
rays and its energy (low-emissivity glass). At about
the same time, somebody wondered what would happen
to the thermal resistance of the dead air space
if we used something heavier, something "more dead"
than a "dead air space". The search included some
exotic gases, gels, and even certain liquids. Of
all the possibilities, the most popular choice has
been argon gas. Argon is by far the most popular
material for this use, due to its abundance and
availability, low cost, clarity, low conductance,
high density, and because it is generally safe to
use.
Krypton Gas is actually heavier but about three times the cost overall of Argon and it requires a smaller dead air space that's created with a triple glazed replacement window. Krypton with Triple Glazing will add about $250 to the cost of a mid ranged vinyl replacement window quickly moving it to the high end range.
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