Apparatus and method for controlling moisture in the manufacture of glass fiber insulation
AssigneeOwens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC
InventorsDavid R. Mirth, Steve Geiger, Scott Blackwood, Frank Bruce Inglis, Terry Burn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus, systems and methods for making a fibrous products form molten material into fibers. The fibers are sprayed with a coolant liquid to cool the fibers. A flow rate of the sprayed coolant liquid is controllable. The fibers are also sprayed with a binder dispersion. The fibers are directed toward a conveyor to form an uncured fibrous pack. A thickness of the uncured pack is measured and the flow rate of the sprayed coolant liquid is controlled based on the measured thickness of the uncured pack.
Claims25
A method of making a fibrous product comprising:
- forming molten material into fibers;
- spraying the fibers with a coolant liquid to cool the fibers, wherein a flow rate of the sprayed coolant liquid is controllable;
- spraying the cooled fibers with a binder dispersion at a constant flow rate;
- directing the fibers toward a conveyor to form an uncured fibrous pack;
- measuring a thickness of the uncured pack;
- controlling the flow rate of the sprayed coolant liquid based on the measured thickness of the uncured pack, while maintaining the spraying of the cooled fibers with the binder dispersion at a constant flow rate.
A manufacturing system for making a fibrous product, the system comprising:
- a plurality of fiberizing arrangements associated with a conveyor movable in a machine direction, each fiberizing arrangement comprising:
- a fiberizer configured to form fibers from a source of molten material;
- a blower configured to direct the fibers from the fiberizer toward the conveyor;
- a coolant fluid dispenser configured to spray the fibers with a coolant liquid to cool the fibers, wherein a flow rate of the sprayed coolant liquid is controllable;
- and
- a binder dispenser configured to spray the cooled fibers with a binder dispersion at a constant flow rate;
- a forming wall configured to direct the fibers toward the conveyor to form an uncured fibrous pack;
- a measuring device that measures a thickness of the uncured pack;
- a fluid control system that controls the coolant fluid dispenser and the binder dispenser to control the flow rate of the sprayed coolant liquid based on the measured thickness of the uncured pack, while maintaining the spraying of the cooled fibers with the binder dispersion at a constant flow rate.
A manufacturing system for making a fibrous product, the system comprising:
- a plurality of fiberizing arrangements associated with a conveyor movable in a machine direction, each fiberizing arrangement comprising:
- a fiberizer configured to form fibers from a source of molten material;
- a blower configured to direct the fibers from the fiberizer toward the conveyor;
- a coolant fluid dispensing means for spraying the fibers with a coolant liquid to cool the fibers, wherein a flow rate of the sprayed coolant liquid is controllable;
- and
- a binder dispensing means for spraying the cooled fibers with a binder dispersion at a constant flow rate;
- a forming wall configured to direct the fibers toward the conveyor to form an uncured fibrous pack;
- a measuring device that measures a thickness of the uncured pack;
- a fluid control system that controls the coolant fluid dispenser and the binder dispenser to control the flow rate of the sprayed coolant liquid based on the measured thickness of the uncured pack, while maintaining the spraying of the cooled fibers with the binder dispersion at a constant flow rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.