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(11) | EP 3 323 924 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A DOUBLE OR MULTI-LAYER MINERAL WOOL INSULATION |
| (57) The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a double or multi-layer mineral
wool insulation (1). In the method, on a mineral wool manufacturing line is continuously
produced a mineral wool mat (2) having a bottom side and a top side defining the main
surfaces of the mineral wool mat, in which the fibres are located substantially in
levels parallel with said main surfaces. In the method, onto at least one of said
main surfaces is brought an additional insulation layer (3, 3') containing recycled
material, which contains shredded and/or crushed and/or pulverized mineral wool and
into which recycled material is mixed binding agent in a powdered form before it is
brought onto said at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat (2). The layer
(3, 3') of recycled material is compressed into a mat-like layer before it is brought
onto said at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat. Finally, the mineral
wool insulation (1) formed from a mineral wool mat (2) and an additional insulation
layer of recycled material (3, 3') added onto its at least one main surface is taken
to a curing treatment (8).
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[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a double or multi-layer mineral wool insulation. The invention further relates to a mineral wool insulation manufactured by the method.
[0002] Various methods for manufacturing a multilayer insulation of mineral wool are known from prior art. WO2014090670 presents a method, in which is formed a base layer of mineral wool, in which the fibres are substantially perpendicular in relation to the main surfaces of the base layer, which is cured. On top of the cured base layer is spread an uncured mineral wool layer, and the combination is taken into a curing oven, in which the surface layer is compressed at least 50%. EP1180182 presents a method, in which a thin mineral wool sheet is cut from a mineral wool mat with a horizontal cutting blade, the cut sheet being compressed between the rollers into a denser form and spread back onto the rest of the mineral wool mat, from which the sheet was cut. Finally, loose material forming a rigid surface layer is spread onto the top surface of the compressed mineral wool layer and the product obtained is coated with a thin polyester fabric and taken to a curing treatment. The object is to produce a very rigid surface layer, the density of which is at least 450 kg/m3.
[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple and easily implemented method for manufacturing a double or multi-layer mineral wool insulation utilizing recycling material, which is obtained either from the same facility, in which the mineral wool products are manufactured, or from customers as surplus material returns.
[0004] To achieve this object, a method according to the invention is characterized in that, in the method, on a mineral wool manufacturing line is continuously produced a mineral wool mat having a bottom side and a top side defining the main surfaces of the mineral wool mat, the fibres of which are located substantially in levels parallel with said main surfaces, that, in the method, onto at least one of said main surfaces is brought an additional insulation layer containing recycled material, which contains crushed and/or pulverized mineral wool and into which recycled material is mixed binding agent in a powdered form before it is brought onto said at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat, that, in the method, the layer of recycled material is compressed into a mat-like layer before it is brought onto said at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat, and that, finally, the mineral wool insulation formed from the mineral wool mat and the additional insulation layer of recycled material added onto its at least one main surface is taken to a curing treatment.
[0005] In a method according to the invention it is possible, if needed, to further compress the mineral wool insulation formed from the mineral wool mat and the additional insulation layer comprising recycled material before or in the curing oven in order to achieve a desired density (which can also be the final density).
[0006] The layer of recycled material is formed as different in at least one of its properties in comparison to the mineral wool mat layer, the property being selected from a group including fibre chemistry, fibre length, fibre orientation, binding agent, density, layer thickness, compression strength. In the method, onto the outer surface of the additional insulation layer of recycled material is preferably added a coating layer of fibreglass fabric before the mineral wool insulation is taken to the curing treatment. In the method, an additional insulation layer containing recycled material is preferably brought onto both main surfaces of the mineral wool mat. In a preferred further embodiment of the method, a second mineral wool mat is brought onto the other side of the additional insulation layer containing recycled material brought onto one main surface of the mineral wool mat, wherein the additional insulation layer of recycled material forms the middle layer of the mineral wool insulation.
[0007] The advantage of the present invention is that there is no need to make major changes to an existing mineral wool mat manufacturing line in order to introduce the method according to the invention. The mineral wool mat is manufactured normally and it does not require special handling before the additional layer is fed onto at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat. The additional layer is fed, for example, between the belt conveyors as compressed to the desired density onto the mineral wool mat and the insulation product thus obtained is taken to a curing treatment, for example, into a curing oven, in which the binding agents in the mineral wool mat and the additional insulation layer harden under the influence of heat and the layers simultaneously adhere to each other.
[0008] In the following, the invention is described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
- Fig. 1
- shows a preferred embodiment of an apparatus suitable for performing a method according to the invention, and
- Fig. 2
- shows a diagrammatic cross-section of a mineral wool insulation manufactured by the method.
[0009] Insulation products of mineral wool, such as, for example, a raw mineral wool mat used in the manufacture of mineral wool boards and in the form of a mat, is manufactured on a basic production line by first forming mineral wool fibres from molten rock, from which, through pleating a primary mat of mineral wool, a secondary mat of mineral wool is formed. This manner of producing so-called raw wool is described, for example, in WO 94/16162, WO 2006/070055 and WO 03/008353.
[0010] In an apparatus according to Fig. 1, at the starting end (not shown) of a manufacturing line, a mineral wool mat 2 of raw wool manufactured in a per se known manner is transported between the belt conveyors 4, 5 as compressed to a desired density and further by means of the rollers 9 towards the curing oven 8. The apparatus includes a feeding apparatus attached to the manufacturing line of the mineral wool mat 2, the feeding apparatus including the belt conveyors 6, 7, between which the additional insulation layer 3 is compressed (for example, to a desired density) before it is fed onto the top surface 11 of the mineral wool mat 2. The degree of compression can be, for example, 50% or more depending on the desired density. The mat-like additional insulation layer 3 is pressed by the guide roller 10 against the top surface of the mineral wool mat. The apparatus preferably includes means for feeding an optional coating material 13 from a roll 14 onto the outer surface of the additional insulation layer in order to keep the fibre material and the binding agent of the additional insulation layer in place in the additional insulation layer in the air flow of the curing oven. As the coating material 13 is preferably used fibreglass fabric or felt. Preferably, onto both sides of the mineral wool mat 2 are added additional insulation layers 3, 3' and also onto both outer surfaces of the additional insulation layer is preferably added a coating material 13.
[0011] Fig. 2 shows as a cross-section a mineral wool insulation 1 manufactured by the method according to the invention, the mineral wool insulation having a middle layer of mineral wool mat 2 and the additional insulation layers 3, 3' formed from recycled material on both of its sides. The amount of recycled material is preferably approx. 16% of the amount of the mineral wool mat. The middle layer 2 formed from a mineral wool mat of a mineral wool insulation 1 produced according to the invention is preferably in the range of 60-80 kg/m3 in density and its thickness is, for example, 100 mm. The density of the additional insulation layer 3, 3' formed from recycled material is preferably in the range of 150-250 kg/m3, its thickness being, for example, in the range of 10-20 mm.
[0012] The material of the additional insulation layer is primarily shredded/pulverized/crushed mineral wool material, to which is added in connection with shredding/pulverizing/crushing or thereafter dry powder-like binding agent, which can be different than the binding agent used in the mineral wool mat. The recycled material can also contain other crushed/chopped materials, such as concrete/wood fractions or fire retardants or other additives. Examples of additives acting as fire retardants are plaster, slaked lime, calcium carbonate, calcium sulphate hemihydrate, dolomite, aluminium hydroxide, aluminium sulphate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, montmorillonite, bentonite. Examples of additives acting as fire retardants expanding at high temperatures are vermiculite, perlite, pumice, and expanding varieties of clay.
1. A method for manufacturing a double or multi-layer mineral wool insulation (1), characterized in
that, in the method, on a mineral wool manufacturing line is continuously produced a mineral wool mat (2) having a bottom side and a top side defining the main surfaces of the mineral wool mat, the fibres of which are located substantially in levels parallel with said main surfaces,
that, in the method, onto at least one of said main surfaces is brought an additional insulation layer (3, 3') containing recycled material, which contains shredded and/or crushed and/or pulverized mineral wool and into which recycled material is mixed binding agent in a powdered form before it is brought onto said at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat (2),
that, in the method, the layer (3, 3') of recycled material is compressed into a mat-like layer before it is brought onto said at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat,
and that, finally, the mineral wool insulation (1) formed from a mineral wool mat (2) and an additional insulation layer of recycled material (3, 3') added onto its at least one main surface is taken to a curing treatment (8).
that, in the method, on a mineral wool manufacturing line is continuously produced a mineral wool mat (2) having a bottom side and a top side defining the main surfaces of the mineral wool mat, the fibres of which are located substantially in levels parallel with said main surfaces,
that, in the method, onto at least one of said main surfaces is brought an additional insulation layer (3, 3') containing recycled material, which contains shredded and/or crushed and/or pulverized mineral wool and into which recycled material is mixed binding agent in a powdered form before it is brought onto said at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat (2),
that, in the method, the layer (3, 3') of recycled material is compressed into a mat-like layer before it is brought onto said at least one main surface of the mineral wool mat,
and that, finally, the mineral wool insulation (1) formed from a mineral wool mat (2) and an additional insulation layer of recycled material (3, 3') added onto its at least one main surface is taken to a curing treatment (8).
2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in
that the layer (3, 3') of recycled material is compressed to a desired density.
that the layer (3, 3') of recycled material is compressed to a desired density.
3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in
that, in the method, the layer (3, 3') of recycled material is formed as different in at least one of its properties in comparison to the mineral wool mat layer (2), the property being selected from a group containing fibre chemistry, fibre length, fibre orientation, binding agent, density, layer thickness, compression strength.
that, in the method, the layer (3, 3') of recycled material is formed as different in at least one of its properties in comparison to the mineral wool mat layer (2), the property being selected from a group containing fibre chemistry, fibre length, fibre orientation, binding agent, density, layer thickness, compression strength.
4. A method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in
that, in the method, onto the outer surface of the additional insulation layer (3, 3') of recycled material is added a coating layer (13) of fibreglass fabric before the mineral wool insulation (1) is taken to the curing treatment.
that, in the method, onto the outer surface of the additional insulation layer (3, 3') of recycled material is added a coating layer (13) of fibreglass fabric before the mineral wool insulation (1) is taken to the curing treatment.
5. A method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in
that, in the method, an additional insulation layer (3, 3') containing recycled material is brought onto both main surfaces of the mineral wool mat (2).
that, in the method, an additional insulation layer (3, 3') containing recycled material is brought onto both main surfaces of the mineral wool mat (2).
6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in
that, in the method, the density of the mineral wool mat coming from the line is 60-80 kg/m3 and the surface layer of recycled material is compressed to a density of 150-250 kg/m3.
that, in the method, the density of the mineral wool mat coming from the line is 60-80 kg/m3 and the surface layer of recycled material is compressed to a density of 150-250 kg/m3.
7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the method, the thickness of the mineral wool mat coming from the line is 80-120
mm, preferably approximately 100 mm, and the thickness of the surface layer is in
the range of 10-20 mm.
8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the method, the portion of recycled material in the final product is in the range
of 10-18%, preferably approx. 14-16%.
9. A method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in
that, in the method, a second mineral wool mat is brought onto the other side of the additional insulation layer (3, 3') containing recycled material brought onto one main surface of the mineral wool mat (2), wherein the additional insulation layer (3, 3') of recycled material forms the middle layer of the mineral wool insulation.
that, in the method, a second mineral wool mat is brought onto the other side of the additional insulation layer (3, 3') containing recycled material brought onto one main surface of the mineral wool mat (2), wherein the additional insulation layer (3, 3') of recycled material forms the middle layer of the mineral wool insulation.
10. A cured mineral wool insulation (1) manufactured by a method according to any one
of claims 1-8, having a middle layer (2) formed from a mineral wool mat and the additional
insulation layers (3, 3') formed from recycled material on both of its sides.
11. A cured mineral wool insulation manufactured by a method according to claim 9, having
a middle layer formed from recycled material and the surface layers formed from a
mineral wool mat on both of its sides.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description