The present disclosure relates generally to insulation products and, more specifically, to a duct wrap with improved durability, maneuverability, and resistance to, for example, fiber transfers, fiber shedding (e.g., caused by peel-backs, insulation bunching, and the like), punctures, and/or wrinkles.
Systems for heating and/or cooling air typically include ducts for distributing the heated or cooled air where needed, for example, the rooms of a commercial or residential building.
Air ducts are often made of sheet metal and provide little (limited) insulative value. As a result of this limited insulative value, excessive heat is transferred into or out of the ducts (e.g., from or into unconditioned spaces), significantly increasing heating and cooling bills.
Heat transfer may be generally reduced by insulating and sealing the air ducts, for example, with a duct wrap insulation. Duct wrap insulation prevents heat transfer between the air flowing through the air ducts and the ambient air surrounding the air ducts. As shown in
The areas around the air ducts, where the duct wrap insulation 10 is installed, may be narrow and tightly spaced due to the close proximity of other building components (e.g., drywall and structural supports). Installing the duct wrap insulation 10 in narrow, tightly spaced areas requires the insulation to be threaded through gaps/openings that are narrower than the duct wrap's thickness, often resulting in the exposed fiberglass layer 20 shedding and/or peeling-back from (or bunching up under) the facer 30. Peel-backs (or insulation bunching) are undesirable, as they slow the insulation process and can compromise the overall effectiveness of the duct wrap insulation 10. Consequently, such peel-backs (or insulation bunching) often cause installers to do a substantial amount of rework to properly insulate the ducts.
Another issue with traditional duct wrap insulation 10 is that the facer 30 is susceptible to punctures and tears when the duct wrap insulation 10 is being maneuvered about a construction site. Sharp objects at construction sites (e.g., fasteners, knives, edges of air ducts, etc.) tend to puncture and tear the facer 30 of the duct wrap insulation 10. These punctures/tears are quite common and can slow the insulation process, as installers must spend time repairing the duct wrap insulation 10 (e.g., with tape).
Also, when storing the traditional duct wrap insulation 10 in roll form, the fiberglass layer 20 may transfer its fibers and/or binder to an adjacent side (outermost surface) of the facer 30, especially in hot and humid conditions. This undesirable transfer of the bonded fiberglass to the facer 30 negatively impacts the aesthetics of the duct wrap insulation 10 when installed, causing installers to use valuable time wiping transferred fibers off the facer 30, or finding another insulation solution altogether.
In view of the above issues related to the handling and installing of traditional duct wrap insulation 10, there is an unmet need for an improved duct wrap insulation that is able to resist fiber transfer, fiber shedding, punctures, tears, and/or wrinkles, without comprising the flexibility and maneuverability of the duct wrap insulation.
In one exemplary embodiment, an insulation product includes a first layer of a fibrous insulating material, a second layer attached to a first surface of the first layer, and a third layer attached to a second surface of the first layer. The first surface and the second surface are on opposite sides of the first layer and are parallel to one another. In some embodiments, the fibrous insulating material includes glass fibers. The glass fibers may be continuous and/or chopped glass fibers. Additionally, or alternatively, the fibrous insulating material includes organic fibers. In some embodiments, fibers of the fibrous insulating material are bonded together using a binder. In other embodiments, the fibrous insulating material is binderless. In some embodiments, the second layer includes a FSK facing. In some embodiments, the third layer includes a veil. The veil may be a fiberglass veil. Additionally, or alternatively, the third layer may include a sheet material (e.g., a slip sheet or member) selected from one or more of a plastic film, a skin coat of binder, a wax paper, and a woven fabric. In some embodiments, a thickness of the first layer is equal to or greater than a combined thickness of the second layer and the third layer. In some embodiments, the third layer has a basis weight between 0.1 g/m2 and 75.0 g/m2. In some embodiments, the fiberglass veil has a basis weight between 0.56 g/m2 and 20.0 g/m2.
In another exemplary embodiment, an insulation product includes a first layer of a fibrous insulating material, and a second layer being formed from at least one of a slip sheet material and a lubricant. The second layer is attached to a first surface of the first layer. In some embodiments, the insulation product includes a third layer formed from at least one of a slip sheet material and a lubricant. The third layer is attached to a second surface of the first layer. The first surface and the second surface are on opposite sides of the first layer and are parallel to one another. In some embodiments, the second layer and the third layer are attached to their respective surfaces using an adhesive. In some embodiments, the second layer is a fiberglass veil and the third layer is at least one of a fiberglass veil and a silicone lubricating oil. In other embodiments, the second layer is a silicone lubricating oil and the third layer is at least one of a fiberglass veil and a silicone lubricating oil. In some embodiments, the second layer may be disposed between the first layer and the third layer. In other embodiments, the third layer may be disposed between the first layer and the second layer.
In yet a further exemplary embodiment, the insulation product has a coefficient of friction of 0.35 to 0.40. In some embodiments, the third layer (e.g., the fiberglass veil) of the insulation product has a coefficient of friction of 0.35 to 0.40. In some embodiments, the coefficient of friction of the fiberglass veil side of the insulation product is about 0.37. In other embodiments, the coefficient of friction is about 0.38.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
These and other features of the present disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:
The general inventive concepts will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of the various aspects and implementations of the disclosure. This disclosure should not be taken to limit the general inventive concepts to the specific aspects or implementations, which are being provided for explanation and understanding only.
Referring now to the drawings, which are for purposes of illustrating several exemplary embodiments of the general inventive concepts, and not for limiting the same,
As shown in
It should be appreciated that the first layer 20 may be formed of other fibers, such as, for example, mineral fibers of rock, slag, or basalt, as well as organic fibers, such as, for example, polymer fibers (e.g., polypropylene, polyester, and polysulfide).
The fiberglass layer 20 may be formed by fiberizing molten material and depositing the fibers on a collecting conveyor. A binder material may also be used to bond the fibers together where they contact each other, forming a lattice or network. In some embodiments, the binder material may be a thermosetting resin that cures as the fiberglass layer 20 moves through an oven. One type of binder material commonly used with fiberglass insulation is a urea phenol-formaldehyde binder. Additionally, or alternatively, the fiberglass layer 20 may be binderless. “Binderless” means the absence of binder materials or the presence of only small amounts of such binder materials. In the case of a binderless insulating layer 20, the fibers may be mechanically entangled together.
The fiberglass layer 20 may have a density within the range of 0.75 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) to 1.5 pcf, although other densities may be used.
The facer 30 may be attached to a first surface (i.e., first major face) of the fiberglass layer 20 in any suitable manner, such as by an adhesive layer, drops, or strips. For example, a hot melt adhesive may be applied in liquid form to a surface of the fiberglass layer 20 (e.g., the first surface) and/or a side of the facer 30 that contacts the fiberglass layer 20. In some embodiments, the adhesive may be applied to the facer 30 while manufacturing, for example, the duct wrap 100. Additionally, or alternatively, the adhesive may be pre-applied to the facer 30 (i.e., prior to the manufacturing the duct wrap 100.)
The facer 30 may then be pressed into forceful contact with the first surface of the fiberglass layer 20, for example, by the action of one or more pressing rolls, for attaching the facer 30 to the first surface of the fiberglass layer 20. It should be appreciated that one or more of the pressing rolls may be heated for purposes of creating a bond between the facer 30 and the fiberglass layer 20.
The duct wrap 100 of
The third layer 110 may be attached and/or bonded to the second surface of the fiberglass layer 20 in any suitable manner, such as by an adhesive layer or strip, heat lamination, and/or chemical bonding. In some embodiments, an adhesive in an amount of 10 g/m2 to 100 g/m2, including from 15 g/m2 to 50 g/m2, and also including from 25 g/m2 to 35 g/m2 may be used to attach and/or bond the third layer 110 to the second surface of the fiberglass layer 20.
In some embodiments, the third layer 110 may be bonded to the fiberglass layer 20 in a manner similar to how the facer 30 is attached to the fiberglass layer 20 (e.g., by applying a resin to the third layer 110). Additionally, or alternatively, the third layer 110 may be bonded to the fiberglass layer 20 using the binder material that bonds the fibers of the fiberglass layer 20 together. For example, before the binder mixture bonding the fibers is cured via an oven, the third layer 110 may be placed onto a surface of the fiberglass layer 20 and/or onto an uncured binder mixture of the fiberglass layer 20 and then heated via the oven. The heat from the oven may enable some of the binders bonding the fibers to connect or otherwise join the fiberglass layer 20 to the third layer 110.
In some embodiments, the binder may be a no-added formaldehyde binder or a formaldehyde-free binder. However, it should be appreciated that other binders (e.g., a phenolic binder) may be used for joining the fiberglass layer 20, and/or for adhering one or more additional layers to the fiberglass layer 20.
In some embodiments, the third layer 110 may be formed from one or more sheet materials (e.g., slip sheet materials). Types of slip sheet materials may include, for example, fiberglass veils, wax papers, skin coats of binders (e.g., an excess quantity of binder materials applied to the second surface and further processed to form the third layer 110), woven fabrics, and/or plastic films.
Similar to the duct wrap 100 of
In some embodiments, the lubricant 130 may be a silicone lubricating oil, although other oils may be used (e.g., a mineral oil, which may be derived from a crude oil, and/or a synthetic oil, which may be derived from a synthetic hydrocarbon). Additionally, or alternatively, the lubricant 130 may be a dry solid lubricant (e.g., a graphite, talc, and/or cornstarch).
In some embodiments, for example, where the third layer 110 is formed from a slip sheet material, the slip sheet material may have a basis weight between 0.1 g/m2 and 75 g/m2. Additionally, or alternatively, in embodiments where the third layer 110 is a fiberglass veil 120 (
In some embodiments, the fiberglass veil 120 may have a basis weight between 0.56 g/m2 and 32.0 g/m2 (e.g., 25 g/m2 or 27 g/m2). Additionally, or alternatively, the fiberglass veil 120 may have a thickness between 0.14 mm and 0.18 mm (e.g., 0.16 mm). It should be appreciated that the fiberglass veil 120 thickness should have little to no effect on the flexibility of the duct wrap product. The duct wrap product (inclusive of the third layer 110) must maintain its flexibility, for example, to allow the duct wrap 100 to be manipulated between narrow duct spaces.
In some embodiments, the fiberglass veil 120 may have a binder content between 9% and 20% (e.g., 10% to 15%), and a porosity between 350 l/m2/s and 5,750 l/m2/s (e.g., 5,250 l/m2/s). In some embodiments, a longitudinal tensile strength (Tensile MD) of the fiberglass veil 120 may be between 9 lbf/2 inches and 20 lbf/2 inches (e.g., 18 lbf/2 inches). Additionally, or alternatively, a transverse tensile strength (Tensile CMD) of the fiberglass veil 120 may be between 5 lbf/2 inches and 15 lbf/2 inches (e.g., 11 lbf/2 inches).
It should be appreciated that including the third layer 110, and in particular, the fiberglass veil 120 (e.g., as illustrated by the chart of
As shown in
In some embodiments, the fiberglass veil 120 (e.g., as illustrated by the graphs of
As shown in
As shown in
Because installation of duct wrap products usually requires the duct wrap product to slide over metal ducts, the friction between the duct wrap product and the metal ducts is a significant component of the force needed to move the product into place. The friction component becomes more significant when installation requires squeezing the product through narrow gaps created by adjacent building components. Reducing the friction between the duct wrap product and the metal duct can reduce the physical strain on installers and decrease the likelihood of damage to the duct wrap product.
To measure COF, a duct wrap specimen (e.g., measuring about 3″×3″×10″) is slid through a narrow gap of about 1 inch, and the following formula:
is applied, where Ffriction is the frictional force and F⊥ is the normal force required to compress the specimen to the desired gap width.
The following procedure was then followed to determine the duct wrap specimen's COF: (a) measuring the normal force, F⊥, required to compress a specimen to a desired thickness using a load cell; and (b) measuring the force, Ffriction required to pull a specimen at a constant speed through a narrow gap having an upper and lower surface made of metal (e.g., stainless steel), and a thickness corresponding to the desired thickness in Step (a). In Step (b), the instrument's maximum crosshead speed of 20 inches per minute was used to better mimic the typical speeds at which a duct wrap product is slid across duct work. In Step (c), the COF was calculated according to the above COF Equation.
It should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the fiberglass veil 120 (e.g., as illustrated by the graphs of
As shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the A-3 product releases dust particles equal to or less than 0.02 grams, during installation. In some embodiments, and to account for differences in the product sample area, the A-3 product releases dust particles equal to or less than 0.02 grams/4 ft2=0.005 g/ft2, during installation.
It should be appreciated that dust may be emitted by most light density fiberglass products during installation and is a well-known complaint of duct wrap installers. To test the propensity of fiberglass to emit dust, a slotted tube vacuum method was employed. In this method, a vacuum is applied to the specimens (e.g., 15″×24″ specimens (
As shown in
It should be appreciated that fiber transfer (also referred to as “sticking”) occurs when insulation from the duct wrap product (i.e., the insulating layer 20) transfers to the foil facer when the duct wrap product is being unrolled for installation. This can occur when the binder holding the fibers together is under-cured, or exposed to environmental conditions (like high temperatures and humidity) that would cause it to become tacky. Fiber transfer is a significant source of wasted material and labor for insulation contractors, as installers are forced to either discard severely affected products or use valuable installation time to carefully clean off mild to moderately affected products.
Unlike traditional duct wrap products, the A-3 product significantly, if not completely, blocks fiber transfer to the adjacent foil surface as it is unrolled for installation. To quantify the efficacy difference shown in
Step (k) includes reweighing the specimen from step (b); and Step (1) includes calculating the amount of fiber transfer by subtracting the weight in step (b) from the weight in step (k).
With continued reference to the drawings, in some embodiments, a combined thickness of the second layer 30 and the third layer 110 may be less than a thickness of the fiberglass layer 20 (See
Additionally, or alternatively, and for example, if a combination of slip sheet materials is used for forming the third layer 110, a thickness of the third layer 110 with combined slip sheet materials may be equal to or greater than a thickness of the second layer 30.
With continued reference to the drawings, and now with reference to
As shown in
As shown in
With continued reference to the drawings,
It is to be understood that the detailed description is intended to be illustrative, and not limiting to the embodiments described. Other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Moreover, in some instances, elements described with one embodiment may be readily adapted for use with other embodiments. Therefore, any products, methods, and/or systems described herein are not limited to the specific details, the representative embodiments, and/or the illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general aspects of the present disclosure. The term “about” as used herein means approximately, in the region of, roughly, or around. When the term “about” is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term “about” is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by 10%.
Additionally, the components and materials described hereinafter as making up the various embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. It should be appreciated that many suitable components and materials that would perform the same or a similar function as the materials described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of embodiments of the present disclosure.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/279,627, filed Nov. 15, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in full.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63279627 | Nov 2021 | US |