Apparatus and method for preparing aerogel blanket

An apparatus for preparing an aerogel blanket, the apparatus comprising:

• a bobbin around which a blanket is wound;
• a main body provided with a gelling tank enclosing a gelling chamber inside the gelling tank in which the bobbin is accommodated, the gelling tank having a U-shaped cross-sectional shape of which an upper portion is covered by a cover that can be opened, a lower portion having a curvature corresponding to the blanket wound around the bobbin, and having a first wall and an opposite second wall;
• a driving member configured to transmit power to the bobbin accommodated in the gelling tank to rotate the bobbin;
• and
• a silica sol supply tank in which a precursor solution and a catalyst solution are mixed to prepare a silica sol, the silica sol supply tank connected to the gelling tank to deliver the silica sol into the gelling tank via an inflow inlet at an upper end of the gelling tank to the blanket and lower portion of the gelling tank to impregnate the blanket rotating by the bobbin,
• wherein the bobbin comprises:
• a winding rod around which the blanket is wound in a roll shape;
• and
• a support plate coupled to each end of the winding rod to support a side portion of the blanket wound around the winding rod, each support plate comprising a plurality of opening holes through which the silica sol delivered to the gelling tank can be introduced into the side portion of the blanket wound around the winding rod,
• wherein the winding rod comprises:
• an inner portion comprising a hollow;
• a plurality of connection holes in an outer circumferential surface of the winding rod and connected to the hollow through which the silica sol injected into the gelling tank is introduced into the hollow;
• and
• an outer portion comprising a plurality of connection holes, through which the silica sol introduced into the hollow is discharged to the outside of the winding rod so as to impregnate the inside of the blanket wound around the winding rod.