Method of making mounting mats for mounting a pollution control panel

A method of making intumescent mounting mats for use in a pollution control device comprising the steps of:

• (i) supplying inorganic fibers through an inlet of a forming box having an open bottom positioned over a forming wire to form a mat of fibers on the forming wire, the forming box having a plurality of fiber separating rollers provided in at least one row in the housing between the inlet and housing bottom for breaking apart clumps of fibers and an endless belt screen;
• (ii) supplying an intumescent material into the forming box so as to be included in and distributed in the mat of fibers, with the amount of supplied intumescent material being enough to produce an intumescent mat of fibers;
• (iii) capturing clumps of fibers on a lower run of the endless belt beneath fiber separating rollers and above the forming wire;
• (iv) conveying captured clumps of fibers on the endless belt above fiber separating rollers to enable captured clumps to release from the belt and to contact and be broken apart by the rollers;
• (v) transporting the intumescent mat of fibers out of the forming box by the forming wire;
• and
• (vi) compressing the intumescent mat of fibers and restraining the intumescent mat of fibers in its compressed state thereby obtaining an intumescent mounting mat having a desired thickness suitable for mounting a pollution control element in the housing of a pollution control device.