Process for the heat treatment of insulating material
AssigneeIsover Saint-Gobain
InventorsBernard Bichot, Bernard Louis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to the heat treatment of thermally insulating fibrous materials, in particular envisaging the use of thermosetting resins as binders. The material is subjected to a field of ultra high frequency radiation, with the water content of said material and the intensity of the radiation field adjusted to suitable levels, and to a current of hot gas. This method of treatment provides a highly advantageous energy yield and very good homogeneity of the characteristics of the product. It is particularly suitable for insulating shells based on mineral fibre felt.
Claims23
A process for the heat treatment of a material based on mineral fibers and containing a binder capable of hardening under the effect of a polymerization reaction, a polycondensation reaction, or both, and water, comprising:
- (i) subjecting said material to a field of ultra-high frequency radiation having a frequency of from 300 MHz to 30 GHz;
- simultaneously directing a gas current onto the surface of said material;
- wherein said radiation and said gas current are applied to said material at a power level of at least 2 kW per kg of material;
- wherein the water content of said material, the temperature of the gas current, and the intensity of the field of radiation are adjusted to a level sufficient to bring about heating of the material at least to the minimum temperature required to initiate said reaction within said material;
- and
- (ii) obtaining a cured product.
A process for the heat treatment of a material based on mineral fibers and containing a binder in the form of an aqueous solution capable of hardening under the effect of a polymerization reaction, a polycondensation reaction, or both, and water, comprising:
- (i) subjecting said material to a field of ultra-high frequency radiation having a frequency of from 300 MHz to 30 GHz;
- the density of the material based on mineral fibers being from 30 to 150 kg m.sup.-3, the water content of said material being from 0.7 to 5 kg m.sup.-3, the binder content of said material being from 1 to 20% by mass of said material;
- and where the intensity of the field of radiation is adjusted to a level suitable to bring about heating of the material at least to the minimum temperature required to initiate said reaction within said material, said material being subjected to power at a level of at least 2 kW per kg of material;
- and
- (ii) obtaining a cured product.
A process for the heat treatment of a material containing mineral fibers containing, water, and a binder in the form of an aqueous solution capable of hardening under the effect of a polymerization reaction, a polycondensation reaction, or a combination of a polymerization reaction and a polycondensation reaction, said process comprising:
- (i) subjecting said material to power in the form of a field of ultra-high frequency radiation having a frequency within the range of 300 MHz to 30 GHz and to a hot and dry gas, wherein said power is applied to said material at a level of at least 2 kw per kg of material, wherein the density of said material based on mineral fibers is from 30 to 150 kg m.sup.-3, the water content of said material is from 0.7 to 5 kg m.sup.-3, the binder content of said material is from 1 to 20% by mass of said material, and
- (ii) obtaining a cured product.
A process for the heat treatment of a material containing mineral fibers containing, water, and a binder in the form of an aqueous solution capable of hardening under the effect of a polymerization reaction, a polycondensation reaction, or a combination of a polymerization reaction and a polycondensation reaction, wherein said material is an insulating shell, having the form of a cylinder, said process comprising:
- (i) causing said cylinder to rotate about its major axis, wherein said cylinder has a density, based on mineral fibers, of from 30 to 150 kg m.sup.-3, a water content of from 0.7 to 5 kg m.sup.-3, and a binder content of from 1 to 20% with respect to the mass of said material, and subjecting said cylinder to power in the form of a field of ultra-high frequency radiation having a frequency of from 300 MHz to 30 GHz and a hot and dry gas, wherein said power is applied to said material at a level of at least 2 kw per kg of material and the amount of power provided by the hot and dry gas is from 1/2 to 1/4 the amount of power provided by the ultra-high frequency radiation, and
- (ii) obtaining a cured product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.