Method and system for on-line blending of foaming agent with foam modifier for addition to cementitious slurries
AssigneeUnited States Gypsum Company
InventorsAnnamaria Vilinska, Alfred C. Li, Weixin D. Song
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method and system for blending a foam modifier with foaming agent online, e.g., as may be particularly useful for gypsum or cement slurries. The foam modifier comprises a fatty alcohol that is added to a gypsum or cement slurry that includes foaming agent, such as an alkyl sulfate surfactant. The fatty alcohol can be a C6-C16 fatty alcohol in some embodiments. The use of such a foam modifier can be used, for example, to stabilize the foam, reduce waste of foaming agent, improve void size control in the final product, and improve the gypsum board manufacturing process.
Claims12
A method of making a foamed cementitious board comprising:
- (a) blending a first amount of a first foaming agent, a second amount of a second foaming agent, and a third amount of a fatty alcohol to form an aqueous blended stream, wherein the first, second, and third amounts are in a first weight ratio, and wherein the aqueous blended stream consists of at least one alkyl sulfate, at least one alkyl ether sulfate, a fatty alcohol, and water;
- (b) controllably changing the first, second, and/or third amounts to form a second weight ratio, which is different than the first weight ratio;
- (c) inserting air into the blended stream to form foam;
- (d) mixing at least water, cementitious material, and the foam to form a slurry;
- (e) disposing the slurry between a first cover sheet and a second cover sheet to form a board precursor;
- (f) cutting the board precursor into a board;
- and
- (g) drying the board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.