EP0484873B1 - Mineral fiber spray and injection method with foam transport system - Google Patents

Abstract

Fibres used for insulation and absorption purposes can be optimally processed in a dust-free manner by mixing the absorption/insulation material shortly before leaving the injection hose or the spray gun with a special foam and then discharging it as a common mass. In this case, the foam can be produced as such beforehand from water, air and a special foaming agent or from binding agent, if necessary with water and air, with or without the addition of foaming agent, and then added to the fibre material and mixed with this. It is however also possible to combine the production process of the foam with the mixing with the fibres or to influence the foam by adding air. The injection hose (3) and the spray gun (7) have, at the outlet, a double tube (8), into which the foam tube (6) leads and whose inner tube (13) is equipped with sluices (10, 11), it being possible for the outer tube (9) to have bores (14, 15) for supplying air. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method for mechanically spraying surfaces or blowing into cavities of insulating and / or insulating material, in particular mineral fibers, by evenly conveying and accelerating the insulating / insulating material up to the discharge opening of the blowing hose with the addition of a special foam and possibly fine distributed binder and joint discharge with the help of a spray gun. The invention also relates to a device for spraying or blowing in mineral fibers for insulation or insulation, with a blow-in hose connected to a pump or blower, a feed for the binder and a spray nozzle on the outlet side of the blow-in hose for carrying out the method.

Such a method and such a device are known from US-A-4 768 710.

Mineral fibers are used for insulation against heat and cold, for insulation against noise pollution, for producing fire protection and for many other purposes. These are assigned in the form of mats or molded parts to the parts to be insulated or insulated. Areas that are difficult to access, in particular cavities and narrow bodies, cannot be insulated in this way or an insulating material cannot be accommodated there. Therefore, it has gone over to blowing in the insulation or insulating material and fixing it by adding, for example, a binder, so that it cannot be compressed by vibration or the like. This ensures uniform insulation after the material has hardened. The blown-in insulation material is bonded by the binding agent in such a way that a molded shell is created that fills all cavities evenly and remains intact for a long time. For this purpose, the binder is added to the insulating / insulating material in the area of the spray gun or nozzle in such a way that it enters the blow-out stream at an angle, mixes in the process and leads to the desired wetting. The disadvantage is that too If binder is added, uniform wetting cannot always be achieved, so that dust is produced. Dust in particular arises when such mineral fibers or similar materials are to be blown without the addition of binding agents. Spraying water is not enough. From US-A1-4 768 710 a generic method is known, according to which foam is mixed shortly before the injection hose, which was previously prepared. Due to the transport routes and the influence of the foam when it is brought together, the mixture of the foam and its resistance are severely impaired.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a spraying or blowing process for insulation or insulating materials made of mineral fibers or the like, which fully guarantees the action of the special foam, and a device suitable for carrying it out.

The object is achieved in that water and a special foamer are mixed with the addition of air and at the same time mixed with the insulating / insulating material.

With such a method it is possible to produce a special foam which is mixed with the fibers in such a way that even the finest and smallest fiber particles are suspended in a foam cushion, since the mixing takes place when the fresh foam is formed. This mass can then be easily processed by making molds or filling cavities and by spraying ceilings, walls or steel parts and then smoothing them. It is particularly advantageous that this mass can be optimally processed after discharge, for example processed and shaped by hand, with the disappearance of the carrier foam during the drying process resulting in a solid molded part made of bound fibers which remains elastic and stable in the long term. It is possible to use ceramic fibers with binders for heat insulation, for example with the help of mineral wool, for fire protection or for high-temperature insulation, so that the method according to the invention can be used and implemented in a very versatile manner. It is particularly advantageous that even with the finest material, ie the smallest fiber particles and when spraying, for example onto a surface, the smallest particles are not released, but rather are applied to the surface bound in foam and are therefore harmless or environmentally friendly to process. The effort required for this is low, so that such a method must be viewed as particularly technically advanced.

The foam is fully effective because the water and the special foamer are mixed with the addition of air and at the same time are mixed with the insulation and insulating material. However, care must be taken to ensure that this does not result in excessive moistening because there is a risk that the fibers will influence the foaming process.

Depending on the application, the addition of binders is advantageous if material is used as insulation / insulating material that should have a particularly good dimensional stability, for example because it is used in safety cabinets, chimneys, steel chimneys, for device linings or the like. Then it is advantageous if the foam is generated from the binder, special foamer and air. The binder takes on the function of water here, and depending on the type of binder, the special foamer can even be dispensed with, since the binder and air together produce the foam cushion in which the insulating / insulating material can then be embedded.

As a rule, the proportion of special foamers should be kept low. According to the invention it is provided that it has a share of 0.5 to 6% is admixed, this essentially depends on the requirements for the foam with regard to its stability and the size of its bubbles. The size of the mineral fibers to be incorporated is also a decisive factor, it is expediently provided that the proportion of the special foamer is increased with a reduction in the fiber dimensions, in order in this way to increase the stability, especially of the foam. It is also important whether the material should then be further processed by hand, since then an appropriate optimization of the foam is advantageous. If, however, cavities are simply sprayed out, the proportion of foaming agents can also be reduced, since this essentially involves the dust-free introduction of the mineral fibers or the insulating and insulating material.

To carry out the method, a device is used in which insulation / insulating material is brought in via a blower or a pump through an injection hose in order to then binders and the like. Ä. Add and discharge the material through the spray nozzle on the outlet side. To carry out the method, such a device is expanded by the inlet hose on the outlet side and in front of the spray nozzle being designed as a double pipe into which a foam pipe feeding the special foamer opens at an angle from the outside in the conveying direction and the inner pipe of which is equipped with adjustable locks. With such a design, the foam just produced is entered into the interior of the blow-in hose or into the interior of the double tube in the double tube, where it receives the insulation / insulating material, embeds it and then discharges it together with it via the nozzle.

The air necessary for an optimal setting of the foam can still be mixed in if the outer tube of the double tube, as proposed according to the invention, has a plurality of air distribution devices arranged distributed over the circumference Has holes. Through these holes, the air enters the space as required, in order to be mixed with water, foamer or binder and processed into foam. As mentioned above, this foam is then discharged through the locks into the interior, where it is mixed with the insulating / insulating material. A kind of check valve is to be arranged in these bores, so that air is sucked in by the internal pressure in the space between the outer and inner tubes, but cannot flow the other way round.

It has already been mentioned above that either water or binding agents are used for foam production. Therefore, the structure is made easier on the one hand and the spray gun is easier to handle if the foam tube, as provided according to the invention, is connected to a binder or to a water reservoir. Appropriate valves can thus be used to supply either binder and / or water for the production of the foam, depending on the intended use for the end product, the production taking place in the machine or in the correspondingly designed foam tube. Since both the binding agent and the water are only required in relatively small amounts, a hose of small diameter can be used, so that larger distances to the blowing machine can also be bridged with the spray gun and the downstream hoses, so that the work as a whole is thereby facilitated .

Optimal mixing of the material before leaving the spray nozzle is ensured by arranging a mixing hose between the double pipe and the spray nozzle. In this mixing hose, the foam, which is produced separately and then mixed with the insulating / insulating material, is mixed again with the material in such a way that the desired, the smallest fiber particles are embedded in the spray nozzle Foam cushion emerges to fill the intended cavity or to cover the intended area.

The invention is characterized in particular by the fact that a method has been created with which, in a surprising manner, finely fibrous fiber material for insulation and insulation purposes can be processed safely and dust-free. It is not only possible to blow this material into cavities, but also to spray surfaces with it, on which this material then advantageously adheres. The special foam produced, which consists of air and water or of air and binding agent or foamer, can be discharged with a mixing or spray gun, whereby it takes these fiber particles safely and embeds them. This mass is then surprisingly easy to process further, whereby it can advantageously be filled into molds or cavities or sprayed onto ceilings, walls and steel parts in order to then be smoothed. The carrier foam disappears after a certain time, so that an optimally firm and advantageous molded part is then created, which can advantageously fulfill the intended insulation or insulation task. A range of binders are available for appropriate applications as thermal insulation with mineral wool, fire protection or high-temperature insulation with ceramic fibers, which meet the respective requirements and can be optimally processed using the method and the device. The process and the device are therefore very versatile and optimally meet the special environmental protection conditions, because the mineral fibers and other insulating / insulating materials to be processed cannot get into the environment during the processing process and because they also work optimally as a molded part after processing. It is to be regarded as particularly advantageous that only a relatively small amount of water has to be added, so that the end material can dry out quickly. Advantageous is also a significantly reduced spray loss and a low density, since the foam achieves a correspondingly favorable structure. Attention has already been drawn to the dust-free processing and the possibility of smoothing and deforming the applied material.

Fig. 1

eine Darstellung der Einblasmaschine mit Zubehör,

Fig. 2

die Spritzpistole in Seitenansicht und

Fig. 3

die Spritzspistole im Bereich des Doppelrohres im Schnitt.

Further details and advantages of the subject matter of the invention emerge from the following description of the associated drawing, in which a preferred exemplary embodiment is shown with the necessary details and individual parts. Show it:

Fig. 1

a representation of the blowing machine with accessories,

Fig. 2

the spray gun in side view and

Fig. 3

the spray gun in the area of the double pipe in section.

1 shows a blow-in machine 1 in a simple design, the intake hose 2 and the blow-in hose 3 being connected to the blow-in machine 1 via connections on the front. Furthermore, plug connections 4 can be seen, via which the various binders or water supply hoses can be connected to the accumulators accommodated in the blowing machine 1. Furthermore, plug connections 4 are also provided for the electrical supply of the blowers accommodated in the housing of the blowing machine 1. 5 indicates a spray nozzle or the connection provided therefor, 7 the spray gun, details of FIG. 2 being shown.

The device shown in FIG. 2 serves as the spray gun 7, it also being a piece of pipe into which the injection hose 3 opens and the foam pipe 6 on the other. The spray nozzle 5 is at the front of the syringe provided, via which the material is discharged after the mixing process.

In the middle of the spray gun 7 there is a double pipe 8, into which the foam pipe 6 also opens. The outer tube 9 of the double tube 8 has a significantly larger diameter than the inner tube 13 equipped with the locks 10, 11. Fig. 3 shows that the locks 10, 11 are arranged distributed over the circumference of the inner tube 13 and can be partially or completely closed via slide 12. The quantity can be regulated using adjusting screws. The foaming process can optionally be supplemented in the space 17 between the inner tube 13 and outer tube 9, in order then to bring a suitably constructed foam through the locks 11, 12 into the interior 18. The supply of water / binder and air pressure can also be varied during foam production. This means that the foam can be adjusted at any time to suit the application conditions.

If air is to be added to influence the foam, this is done via the bores 14, 15 in the outer tube 9. These bores 14, 15 can be secured by check valves in order to reliably prevent the foam from escaping and to ensure that this material is used exclusively via the Locks 11, 12 is brought into the interior 18. It is also conceivable to process binders with water and air as well as foaming agents to form a suitable foam.

The mass mixed in the interior 18 is then conveyed into a mixing hose 16, the location and design of which is shown and indicated in FIG. 2. In this mixing hose 16 there is a further and final mixing of foam and fibers, so that only optimally embedded fibers can leave the spray gun 7 via the spray nozzle 5. This mass can, as already mentioned, can be processed easily.

The advantage is around 50% less water consumption, less spray loss (negligible), a low density of the mass and above all completely dust-free spraying and other processing of the mass.

Claims (8)

1. Process for spraying surfaces by machine or injecting damping and/or insulating material, in particular mineral fibres, into cavities by means of uniform transport and acceleration of the damping/insulating material up to the discharge opening of the injection pipe, with the addition of a special foam and optionally a finely dispersed binding agent, and discharging these in combination by means of a spray gun, characterised in that water and a special foaming agent are mixed with air and at the same time mixed with the damping/insulating material.
2. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that the special foam is formed from the binding agent, foaming agent and air.
3. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that the special foaming agent is added in a proportion of 0.5 to 6%.
4. Process according to Claim 3, characterised in that the proportion of special foaming agent is increased as the dimensions of the fibres decrease.
5. Apparatus for spraying or injecting mineral fibres for damping or insulation purposes, with an injection pipe (3) connected to a pump or blower, a supply pipe for the binding agent and a spray nozzle (5) on the outlet side of the injection pipe (3), for implementation of the process according to Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the injection pipe (3) is provided on the outlet side and upstream of the spray nozzle (5) in the form of a double pipe (8), into which a foam pipe (6) carrying the special foaming agent feeds obliquely from outside in transport direction, and the inner pipe (13) of said double pipe (8) is provided with adjustable valves (10, 11).
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterised in that the outer pipe (9) of the double pipe (8) has several holes (14, 15) distributed over its periphery for the supply of air.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterised in that the foam pipe (6) is connected to a storage means for binding agent or water.
8. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterised in that a mixer pipe (16) is disposed between the double pipe (8) and a spray nozzle (5).

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