Light weight ceramic aggregates made by agglomerating ceramic fibers
AssigneeUnifrax I LLC
InventorJens Decker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of agglomerating bulk ceramic fibers includes mixing the bulk ceramic fibers with water to form wet fibers; mixing the wet fibers with a binder including an organic binder and/or an inorganic binder to form agglomerates; and drying the agglomerates. The agglomerates may be mixed with additional binders and fillers to form an insulating mix that may be used to insulate a furnace or other heat source. A foaming nozzle may be used for the application of agglomerates. A foaming agent and water are air atomized within the foaming nozzle and the resulting foam is mixed into pneumatically conveyed agglomerates, which result results in a lightweight refractory material layer on a target substrate.
Claims23
A method, comprising:
- mixing bulk ceramic fibers with a binder comprising an organic binder and/or an inorganic binder to form agglomerates;
- supplying the agglomerates to a spray nozzle via a first supply hose;
- supplying a foam to the spray nozzle via a second supply hose that is different from the first supply hose;
- mixing the foam with the agglomerates within the spray nozzle to form a foam and agglomerates mixture;
- and
- using the spray nozzle, spraying the foam and agglomerates mixture onto an object.
A method for installing a foam and agglomerates mixture, comprising:
- mixing bulk ceramic fibers with a binder comprising an organic binder and/or an inorganic binder to form agglomerates;
- supplying the agglomerates to a spray nozzle via a first supply hose;
- mixing a foaming agent and water to form a foaming mixture;
- supplying the foaming mixture to a foaming nozzle via a second supply hose that is different from the first supply hose;
- supplying atomizing air to the foaming nozzle at a pressure between 0.5 and 2 bar;
- foaming the foaming mixture in a foaming tube of the foaming nozzle to create a foam, wherein the supply of atomizing air facilitates the foaming of the foaming mixture, and wherein the foaming tube contains a metal wool that facilitates the foaming of the foaming mixture;
- supplying the foam from the foaming nozzle to the spray nozzle via a foam outlet hose of the foaming nozzle that is different from the first supply hose;
- splitting the supply of foam from the foam outlet hose to the spray nozzle into first and second foam hoses to facilitate distribution of the foam to the spray nozzle;
- mixing the foam with the agglomerates within the spray nozzle to form a foam and agglomerates mixture;
- and
- using the spray nozzle, spraying the foam and agglomerates mixture onto an object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.