Patent Grant
8246785
Fibrous mats, webs and blankets can be made by spinning molten materials like glass, slag, rock and various thermoplastic polymers and copolymers and attenuating the fibers to a desired average or mean diameter with mechanical forces or by jet blasts of air and/or combustion gases. Such processes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,058,386 and RE030192, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, and many patents on processes similar to these patents. It is also known to make glass fiber insulation by forming primary fibers and then attenuating the primary fibers into fine insulation fibers using jet blast attenuation as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,372, the disclosure incorporated herein by reference, and in patents covering similar processes. It is also known to produce mat or webs from molten material by passing the molten through orifices, with or without nozzle tips, to form primary fibers and then to attenuate the still soft fibers by mechanically pulling or pulling with one or more rapidly moving gaseous streams to the desired diameters followed by collecting the fibers, wet or dry, onto a moving permeable belt. Also, numerous other systems and methods are known for forming fibrous mats, webs and/or blankets such as those wet or dry systems/methods used to make various kinds of paper, carding and lapping, and inclined wire wet laid nonwoven mat forming. Regardless of the system and method for forming the fibrous mat, web and/or blanket, the products usually contain some portion of very short fibers, fiber chips and other dust which tends fly off of the mat, web and/or blanket products during packaging, un-packaging, further processing, and/or use.
Normally a de-dusting agent is applied to the fibers and attenuated fibers prior to, during or after an aqueous binder is sprayed or otherwise applied onto the fibers prior to collecting the wetted fibers onto a permeable moving belt to form a thin mat, fibrous web or thick fibrous blanket, to reduce the dusting of the fibrous product. The mat, web and/or blanket is then usually passed through an oven, sometimes while being compressed by platens or a moving belt, to dry the product and to cure any binder on the fibers and in the fibrous product. The use of one or more de-dusting agents, applied in coarse particles or coarse droplets to the fibers before collection into an insulation mass is old, e.g. see U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,242, the disclosure incorporated herein by reference.
Fibrous mats are also produced by a process known as dry laid or wet laid processes in which fibers dispersed in air or water are laid onto a moving permeable belt moving over one or more suction boxes to remove the air or water to form a fibrous web. An aqueous binder and de-dusting agents are then applied to the wet or dry fibrous web in conventional ways and, after removing any excess binder and water, the wet, bindered fibrous web is carried through an oven to dry remove the water and to cure the binder in the mat. Such processes are disclosed in (add wet and dry laid mat process patents).
The purpose of the de-dusting agents is to reduce the fly of short fibers and/or dust particles, from the finished product when handling the products during packaging, during opening a bag of compressed product like insulation batts and when installing the products or working with and/or further processing the fibrous products. While the de-dusting agents are effective when present in sufficient amounts, the presence of the de-dusting agents in or on the binder can reduce the effectiveness of the binder, cause more binder to be required to achieve the desired strength in the product. Also, some of the de-dusting agent is volatilized off by the hot air and heat used to increase the temperature of the fibrous product to drive off the water, to dry the product, and particularly due to the high temperature required to cure the binder in the product. A more effective and efficient way of applying the de-dusting oil to the fibrous products is needed.
Applicant has discovered that if the de-dusting agent is applied to a fibrous product after it has been dried and any binder that may exist on the surface of the fibers in the product has been cured, less de-dusting agent is required, there is no adverse affects to the binder performance and less binder is sometimes required plus the lower amount of de-dusting agent is more effective in repressing the short fibers or dust making the finished fibrous product more user friendly and more desirable. The fibers used to make fibrous webs, mats or blankets vary in diameter and length depending upon the intended application as is well known in the art of fibrous products. In thermal insulation product webs, mats and blankets, the fiber is usually a staple product having various lengths and average fiber diameters usually below about 6 microns, more typically less than about 4 microns and even more typically less than about 3 microns. In mat products, having a thickness of less than about 50 mils, the length of the fibers are more precise varying from about 1/16 inch to about 3 inches long or longer. More typically the lengths of the fibers in the mat products are in the range of about 0.1 inch to about 1.5 inch long with 0.2 to 1.25 inch being the most used. The diameter of at least some of the fibers in mat products are substantially larger, sometimes up to 40 microns, more typically up to about 30 microns, even more typically up to about 23 microns and most often up to about 16 microns. Some fibrous mat, web and blanket products contain microfibers, very fine fibers, having average fiber diameters of less than about 2 microns, more typically less than about 1 micron and often less than about 0.6 micron. Such very fine fibers are in most thermal insulation products and are also used in mats, etc. to make filter products and products used for containment facers on laminates like gypsum wall board, foam insulation, and other similar products.
The system of the invention comprises conventional systems for making fibrous mats, webs and/or blankets plus a de-dusting application system comprising one or more atomizing liquid de-dusting agent spray nozzles or generators located above or below the hot or cooled dried and cured fibrous mat, web or blanket after exiting the drying/curing oven and one or more suction tubes or boxes located close to the side of the of the fibrous mat, web or blanket opposite the spray nozzles or generators, or close to a permeable chain or belt carrying the fibrous mat, web or blanket, optionally with one or more fans, to pull air suspended fine droplets of one or more de-dusting agents through the fibrous mat, web or blanket and onto the fibers therein. The air pulled through the mat, web or blanket can optionally be recycled back to the one or more atomizing nozzles and/or droplet generators to be used over and over to carry the fine de-dusting droplets through the moving fibrous mat, web and/or blanket to maximize the material efficiency of the de-dusting agent(s).
The atomizing nozzle system(s) or droplet generators convert the liquid de-dusting agent(s) to droplets having a diameter of less than about 3 microns to sub-micron or nano droplets and when such droplets strike the fibers, the de-dusting agent droplets spread out onto the fibers. More typically the majority of the droplets are less than 2 microns or less than 1 micron in diameter and are most effective when the mean diameter is in the range of less than or equal to about 200 nanometers (nm) to as large as about 700-900 nm. Any device for creating droplets of the sizes disclosed above is suitable for use in the system and method of the invention, e.g. a suitable device is a piezoelectric ultrasonic atomizer.
The invention also includes a method of making of a fibrous mat, web and/or blanket comprising;
Suitable de-dusting agents used in the invention include known de-dusting silicone compounds and/or oils, hydrocarbon oils, vegetable oils, and other known organic fluids used in the fiber industry as de-dusting agents, with hydrocarbon oils and vegetable oils being possibly the most effective, especially when added in amounts of about 0.3 wt. % to about 2.2 wt. %, based on the dry weight of the fibrous mat, web or blanket prior to the addition of the de-dusting agent(s). More details on the de-dusting agents used in the invention are found below.
Some advantages of the systems and methods of the invention include:
When the word “about” is used herein it is meant that the amount or condition it modifies can vary some beyond that stated so long as the advantages of the invention are realized. Practically, there is rarely the time or resources available to very precisely determine the limits of all the parameters of one's invention because to do so would require an effort far greater than can be justified at the time the invention is being developed to a commercial reality. The skilled artisan understands this and expects that the disclosed results of the invention might extend, at least somewhat, beyond one or more of the limits disclosed. Later, having the benefit of the inventors' disclosure and understanding the inventive concept and embodiments disclosed including the best mode known to the inventor, the inventor and others can, without inventive effort, explore beyond the limits disclosed to determine if the invention is realized beyond those limits and, when embodiments are found to be without any unexpected characteristics, those embodiments are within the meaning of the term “about” as used herein. It is not difficult for the artisan or others to determine whether such an embodiment is either as expected or, because of either a break in the continuity of results or one or more features that are significantly better than reported by the inventor, is surprising and thus an unobvious teaching leading to a further advance in the art.
The very small diameter, e.g. having a mean diameter of less than about 6 microns, typically less than about 4 microns and more typically less than about 2-3 microns, are then further cooled and optionally, but typically coated with a liquid binder with one or more spray nozzles 16. In prior art systems and processes, de-dusting agent would either be included in the liquid binder or would be sprayed onto the very small diameter fibers 14 separately, usually after the liquid binder was applied, but in the system and method of the invention, the de-dusting agent(s) are applied much later in the system and process.
The very small diameter fibers 18 are collected to form a web or blanket 20 on a moving permeable belt or chain 22, usually with the aid of a conventional suction fan (not shown) pulling air from a forming chamber 24, containing the very small diameter fibers 14 and fiber treating equipment. The nonwoven fibrous web or blanket 20 is carried out of the forming chamber 24 and into a drying oven 26. The oven 26, in a downstream end 28, after the water or other cooling liquid has been removed, can reach a sufficient temperature to also cure any binder that is present in the dried fibrous web or blanket 29.
The dried fibrous web or blanket is then carried on the same permeable belt 22, or more typically, transferred onto a second permeable belt 30 or carried on a roller conveyor and carried, through the de-dusting application system 31 of the invention. The de-dusting system 31 comprises an atomization chamber 32, an air suspension of particles or droplets generator, containing one or more atomizing nozzles or atomizers 34 that convert the one or more de-dusting agents into very fine droplets of the size described in the Summary above and producing an air suspension of the droplets 33 (see
While
How the fibers are made is not critical to the system and method of the invention. For example,
The cooled fibers 72 are then collected into a web or blanket 75 on a moving, permeable belt 74 and carried onto another permeable belt, chain belt or platen belt and carried through a dryer 78 where water is removed and any binder in the web or blanket 75 is cured to form a fibrous web or blanket 80 that is then fed through the de-dusting system 31 of the invention to form an insulation product 81 containing the desired amount of one or more de-dusting agents that is ready for conventional trimming and/or packaging.
The dry mat 88 is turned upwardly, or can be turned downwardly, by a roll 90 and moved in tension towards a second turning roll 92 and through the de-dusting agent application system 31 of the invention to form the finished fibrous mat 100. A conventional take-up roll 94 mounted on a vertical movable shaft 95 again turns the finished fibrous mat 100 180 degrees towards a final turning roll 96. The fibrous mat 88 and the finished fibrous mat 100 is maintained in slight tension throughout the de-dusting agent application, take-up and winding portion of the system.
Fibrous mats, webs and thinner blankets are often made in several different processes, all using needling to intertwine the fibers together to provide bonding in the product without using binder, or with the use of a much smaller amount of binder. The needling breaks some of the fibers and creates short fibers and chips and/or particles, i.e. dust.
Next, chopped fibers or chopped strands, each chopped strand containing a plurality of fibers, are randomly dropped onto the moving rovings 150. Again, one or more roving packages 146 feed one or a plurality of roving strands 152 into a conventional fiber strand chopper 153 that separates the roving strands into pieces of desired length, usually a length in the range of about 12 to about 75 mm long. The thickness of the chopped fiber or chopped fiber strand layer can be varied by varying the speed of the conveyor belt 142, by adding multiple choppers or any combination of these. When formation of the web, mat or thinner blanket is complete, one or more consolidating rollers 154 compresses the web, mat or blanket 162 sufficiently that the consolidated web will stay together across a gap 155 between the tail end of the conveyor belt 142 and a supporting roller 156. Another optional consolidating roller (not shown) like the roller 154 can be mounted above the supporting roller 156 to further strengthen the consolidated web 163, etc. to span another gap 157 between the supporting roller 156 and a conventional needling machine 158. The needling machine 158 comprises an upper needle board 159 comprising a plurality of conventional barbed needles 160 and a lower needle board 161, also containing a plurality of barbed needles 160. In a conventional manner, the upper needle board 159 and the lower needle board 161 oscillate up and down to cause the needles 160 to penetrate the consolidated web 163 to push fibers down through the web on the penetrating strokes and then on the withdrawal strokes the barbs on the needles 160 pull different fibers in an opposite direction in the web to cause densification of the web and intertwining and locking of the fibers as is well known. When the needle boards and needles are withdrawn from the web, the consolidated mat is pulled, with a down stream puller (not shown) an incremental distance for the next needling stroke. In this manner a needled web, mat or thinner blanket 164 is produced. According to the invention, this needled fibrous web, mat or thinner blanket is pulled through the de-dusting application system 131, same as 31 in
The fibrous mats 164 are made of one or more of a wide variety of fibers including natural fibers, synthetic polymer fibers, ceramic fibers glass fibers, carbon fibers and any combination thereof. The diameter of the fibers are not critical, but usually have mean or average fiber diameters of less than about 30 microns, normally less than about 23 microns, typically less than about 17 microns including less than 6 microns, and for thermal insulation and filtration mats, less than about 3 microns including submicron average or mean diameters.
The atomizing nozzles or generators can be any device capable of converting a de-dusting agent into particles or droplets having an average diameter in the range of less than about 3 microns, typically less than 2 microns, more typically less than 1 micron and most typically less than to in the range of about 200 to about 700, 800 or 900 nanometers (nm). Typical devices most suitable for atomizing the de-dusting agent into particles or droplets of the most desired size are piezoelectric ultrasonic atomizers such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,465,913, 7,090,028 and 7,129,619 and in published patent application 2008/0283048 A1, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Depending upon the rate of the surface area of the fibers in the web, mat and/or blanket passing the atomizer chamber 32, one or a plurality of droplet or particle nozzles or generators will be used to project a stream of particles or droplets into the air suspension generating chamber 32, normally a plurality. Nanomizers™ of various types capable of generating particles or droplets of the disclosed size can also be used.
Any de-dusting agent or combination of agents can be used in the invention. Normally, the de-dusting agent(s) will be liquid, but can also be solid particles. Some suitable de-dusting agents include known de-dusting silicone compounds and/or oils, hydrocarbon oils, vegetable oils, and other known organic fluids used in the fiber industry as de-dusting agents, with hydrocarbon oils and vegetable oils being possibly the most effective, especially when added in amounts of about 0.3 wt. % to about 2.2 wt. %, based on the dry weight of the fibrous mat, web or blanket prior to the addition of the de-dusting agent(s).
Silicone containing de-dusting agents include, but are not limited to, silicone containing surface active agents including any and all silicone containing materials that includes those that have one or more hydrophobic groups and demonstrate surface active properties. Particularly preferred are silicone polymers which include alkoxylate groups such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and mixtures thereof. Examples of silicone surface active agents which may be selected for use in the present composition are disclosed in U.S. patents including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,104,647, 5,017,216, 5,145,978, 5,145,977 and world patent No. WO 94/22311, which patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Some suitable hydrocarbon oils include Paraffinic process oils Catenex S 721, S 732, S 745, S 779, and Hydro-treated Paraffinic process oils Catenex T 121, T129 and T 145 available from Shell Oil company. Also, Sunpar 107, a severely solvent refined light paraffinic petroleum oil available from Sunoco, Inc. of Philadelphia, Pa., and Agri-Pure® Gold Blown vegetable oil and Experimental Blown vegetable oil (Synonyms: 186-942), both fats and glyceridic oil, vegetable, polymd, oxidized, available from Industrial Oils & Lubricants of Chicago, Ill., are suitable. In general, the amount of de-dusting agent or agents applied to the fibrous web, mat and/or blanket more typically are in the range of about 0.6 wt. % to about 0.9 wt. %, based on the weight of the dry web, mat and/or blanket. Less can be used, but some undesirable dusting of the fibrous product will occur and a greater amount can be used, but with no appreciable additional dust suppression resulting. The most typical de-dusting agents used is/are those available from Shell Oil and/or Sunoco Oil Co. having the designation Sunpar bright stock or Shell Catenex™ 779 and being a bright stock oil.
Although the air suspension generator, atomization generator 32 is depicted in the figures as being just above the fibrous web, mat and/or blanket, as is the most desirable, it is to be understood that it can be located in any location, except inside the fibrous mat, web and/or blanket, in the circulating system shown as optional in the system shown in the figures, note particularly
Different embodiments employing the concept and teachings of the invention will be apparent and obvious to those of ordinary skill in this art and these embodiments are likewise intended to be within the scope of the claims. The inventor does not intend to abandon any disclosed inventions that are reasonably disclosed but do not appear to be literally claimed below, but rather intends those embodiments to be included in the broad claims either literally or as equivalents to the embodiments that are literally included.
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 12/706,903, filed Feb. 17, 2010 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,118,973. This invention involves a system and method of applying de-dusting agents to dry or nearly dry fibrous mats, webs and blankets and the products produced by these methods.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20120103551 A1 | May 2012 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12706903 | Feb 2010 | US |
| Child | 13349406 | US |
