Insulating material with renewable resource component

Abstract

An insulated cabinet structure includes an inner liner having a plurality of walls defining a refrigerator compartment. An external wrapper includes a plurality of walls defining a refrigerator compartment receiving area. An insulation gap is formed between the walls of the inner liner and the walls of the external wrapper when the inner liner is received in the external wrapper. An insulation member is positioned within the insulation gap and includes a renewable resource component comprising about 10% to about 90% by weight of the insulation member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insulated cabinet structure comprising:
 an inner liner having a plurality of walls defining a refrigerator compartment;   an external wrapper having a plurality of walls defining a refrigerator compartment receiving area;   an insulation gap formed between the walls of the inner liner and the walls of the external wrapper; and   an insulation member positioned within the insulation gap, wherein the insulation member includes a renewable resource component comprising about 10% to about 90% by weight of the insulation member.   
     
     
         2 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation member includes one or more insulation panels. 
     
     
         3 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 2 , wherein each panel of the one or more insulation panels includes a core portion and an exterior portion surrounding the core portion. 
     
     
         4 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 3 , wherein the renewable resource component is disposed within the core portion of the insulation panel. 
     
     
         5 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 4 , wherein the renewable resource component includes an open cell structure. 
     
     
         6 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 5 , wherein the exterior portion includes a closed cell structure. 
     
     
         7 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 6 , wherein the exterior portion includes a synthetic foam material. 
     
     
         8 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 7 , wherein the renewable resource component is an organic component selected from the group consisting of rice hull ash, durian peel, palm leaves, corn cobs, corn stalks, bagasse, coconut husks and rice husks. 
     
     
         9 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 2 , wherein each panel of the one or more insulation panels includes a vacuum formed insulation panel having an internal pressure of about 100 mbar to about 1000 mbar. 
     
     
         10 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 9 , wherein each panel exhibits a thermal conductivity value from about 20 mW/mK to about 22 mW/mK. 
     
     
         11 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation member includes one or more mold-formed insulated blocks. 
     
     
         12 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more insulation blocks include the renewable resource component combined with a cross-linked polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The insulated cabinet structure of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation member includes a polyurethane foam combined with the renewable resource component. 
     
     
         14 . A method of making an insulated cabinet, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming an external wrapper having a cavity;   forming an inner liner having a refrigerator compartment;   positioning the refrigerator compartment of the inner liner within the cavity of the exterior wrapper, thereby forming an insulation gap between the inner liner and the external wrapper;   providing a renewable resource component;   forming an insulation member using the renewable resource component; and   positioning the insulating member in the insulation gap.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of providing a renewable resource component further includes:
 providing an amount of rice husk material; and   sizing the amount of rice husk material to provide rice husk particles having a diameter of about 10 to about 25 microns.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of forming an insulation member further includes:
 intermixing the rice husk particles with a binder to form a mixture.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of positioning the insulating member in the insulation gap further includes:
 pouring the mixture into the insulation gap.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of forming an insulation member further includes:
 forming a core using the renewable component; and   wrapping the core with an exterior portion having a closed cell structure to form a hybrid insulation panel insulating member.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of forming an insulation member further includes:
 intermixing the renewable resource with one of a polyol component and an isocyanate component; and   spraying the polyol component and the isocyanate component into the insulation gap to form a foam insulation.   
     
     
         20 . A method of making an insulated cabinet, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming an external wrapper having a cavity;   forming an inner liner having a refrigerator compartment;   positioning the refrigerator compartment of the inner liner within the cavity of the exterior wrapper;   forming an airtight insulation gap between the inner liner and the external wrapper by sealing a portion of the inner liner to a portion of the external wrapper;   providing a renewable resource component;   forming an insulation member using the renewable resource component;   positioning the insulating member in the insulation gap; and   drawing a vacuum in the insulation gap.