EP1322807A1

EP1322807A1 - Method and device for making mineral fibre felts

Info

Publication number: EP1322807A1
Application number: EP01972212A
Authority: EP
Inventors: François Bouquet; Yannick Blandin; Alain Debouzie
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Isover SA France
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Isover SA France
Priority date: 2000-09-27
Filing date: 2001-09-26
Publication date: 2003-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-26
Also published as: US20040051205A1; KR100831697B1; DE60137436D1; US7354541B2; AU2001291999B9; AU2001291999B2; AU9199901A; FR2814474A1; NO20031195L; DK1322807T3; ATE420987T1; NO20031195D0; JP2004510072A; JP4903354B2; EP1322807B1; WO2002027090A1; KR20030032026A; ES2321158T3; FR2814474B1

Abstract

A unit and process of manufacturing felts formed from crosslinked mineral fibers. The unit includes at least one pair of conveyors formed by a lower conveyor and an upper conveyor placed opposite each other and configured to compress the felt in at least one direction. A heat treating device heat treats the felt after the felt has passed through the conveyors. At least one mechanism is placed in a region between the conveyors and the heat treatment device, to prevent decompression of the felt in this region. The mechanism includes at least one cam having a profile suitable for keeping a constant and minimum distance between the conveyors and the heat treatment device, and at least one of the conveyors is rigidly connected to one element of the heat treatment device.

Description

PROCESS AND ASSEMBLY FOR MANUFACTURING FIBERS IN MINERAL FIBERS

The invention relates to the formation of felts formed from mineral fibers and designated under the generic names of glass wool, rock wool, etc.

Traditionally, mineral fiber felts are formed continuously by depositing on a conveyor the fibers which are transported by gas streams. The conveyor retains the fibers and lets the gases pass.

Before they are deposited on the conveyor, the fibers are coated with a composition applied in liquid form and intended to bond the fibers together, this in order to give its cohesion to the felt subsequently formed. The composition is then crosslinked by a heat treatment carried out on the felt which has previously been brought back to the desired thickness and density conditions.

In addition to the generally required insulating qualities, it is also sometimes necessary for the products used to have very specific mechanical qualities. This is the case for example of products supporting masonry elements and which must consequently withstand strong compressions such as the elements used for the insulation of flat roofs. This is also the case for products used for insulation from the outside, which in particular must be able to withstand the tearing forces.

To obtain products having these particular properties as well as others which we will see below, it is necessary to modify the traditional processes for forming felts.

The formation of the felts by depositing the fibers on the receiving conveyor or on a similar member leads to a tangle which is not homogeneous in all directions. It is found experimentally that the fibers have a strong tendency to be placed parallel to the receiving surface. This tendency is all the more accentuated as the fibers are longer.

This structure of the felts is favorable to their insulating properties and also to their tensile strength in the longitudinal direction. For many uses such a structure is therefore advantageous. However, we understands that such a structure is not the best suited when, for example, the product must resist compression or tearing in the direction of its thickness.

To improve the compressive strength of these felts, one solution consists in increasing their density by increasing the mass of fibers per unit area on the receiving member where the felt is made up. In addition to the fact that the mass of fibers per unit area which can be deposited is limited, the accumulation of fibers on the receiving member quickly opposing the passage of gases, and therefore the pursuit in good conditions of the formation of the felt, this does not make it possible to improve other properties such as the resistance to tearing.

Another solution proposed previously consists in ensuring that the direction of the fibers is no longer in the plane of the felt but in a plane perpendicular thereto. This arrangement is achieved for example by forming folds in the felt. These folds are obtained in particular either by placing the felt in successive more or less long layers extending in the direction of the desired final thickness, or by compressing the felt longitudinally. Under the effect of compression under the conditions envisaged, the felt forms undulations. The thermal treatment of the composition of the binder which is carried out subsequently, gives a permanent character to this pleated structure.

The direction of the fibers oriented in the thickness direction of the felt thus formed makes it possible to significantly improve the resistance to compression and tearing. This structure is however disadvantageous as regards the resistance to longitudinal traction - the felt tends to unfold - or to bending.

The arrangement of the fibers in the thickness can also result from the assembly of strips of felt whose width corresponds to the thickness of the desired felt, each strip being arranged so that the fibers are in planes perpendicular to the faces of the felt formed. . The strips are held against each other by means of a coating or a veil covering one or both sides of the felt. Optionally, the strips can also be glued directly to each other by their contacting surfaces.

The felts produced according to this relatively complex technique, called "lamella-plies", are used mainly for the insulation of pipes large diameters. For this application, the bending and even winding capacity of the product obtained instead of constituting a disadvantage is particularly sought after.

A solution to this problem is described in patent EP 0 133 083 filed in the name of the Applicant. The object of this prior invention is to provide felts in which the mechanical properties, in particular the compressive and tear resistance in the thickness direction of the product, are improved without causing the drawbacks encountered previously, and consequently without forming folds, or assembling strips of felt; the mechanical and insulating properties of said felts remaining otherwise satisfactory.

To do this, we seek to obtain fibers (inside the felt) having directions as varied as possible without forming folds on the surface. According to this prior art, the felt is subjected to at least one longitudinal compression operation, and preferably to two operations of this type.

A problem linked to such fabrications lies in the homogeneity of the final felt and in particular in its homogeneity of surface. Indeed, there are cracks on the surface, incipient ruptures and / or localized swelling; as many negative faults in terms of mechanical and thermal resistance, not to mention the unsightly appearance of the whole.

This problem is mainly created in the area between the conveyor belts and the crosslinking oven.

In this area, the felt is no longer compressed so that it tends to escape. The aforementioned patent provides slides in this area to ensure a certain continuity in the maintenance of the felt. However, the slides are then additional, fragile elements, especially since they are placed in the immediate vicinity of the oven which is hot. In addition, they must be perfectly positioned to ensure the desired continuity. In practice, this solution is not viable and the slides pose more problems than they solve; this is why in practice this solution has been abandoned, in favor of another solution, which is the subject of the present request.

The present invention advantageously consists of a reliable, simple solution which perfectly solves the problem mentioned above. Thus the subject of the present invention is an assembly for manufacturing felts formed of crosslinked mineral fibers comprising at least one pair of conveyors formed of a lower conveyor and an upper conveyor arranged opposite and intended to compress said felt in at least one direction, a means of heat treatment of the felt after it has passed through the conveyors.

According to the invention, the assembly further comprises at least one means disposed between the conveyors and the heat treatment means, intended to prevent the decompression of the felt in this area, as well as any mechanical interference, said means comprising at least one profile cam adapted to maintain the distance between the conveyors and the heat treatment means substantially constant and minimum; at least one of the conveyors is rigidly connected to an element of the heat treatment means.

In particular, at least one of the conveyors is held in abutment against said cam by means such as jacks.

Specifically, the cam is rigidly linked to an element of the heat treatment means, said element being movable vertically and / or horizontally. The horizontal displacement compensates for thermal expansions. According to one of embodiments of the invention, the lower conveyor is rigidly connected to an element of the heat treatment means by means of a connection means.

According to an embodiment of the invention, said cam has a curved portion of curvature substantially identical to that of a wheel of the heat treatment means, placed opposite.

More specifically, the cam also has a straight portion arranged vertically below the curved portion and it serves as a support for the upper conveyor.

Advantageously, the upper conveyor, the cam and the element of the heat treatment means to which it is linked can be moved vertically so as to be able to manufacture felts of different thicknesses.

The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing felts formed of glued fibers, of mineral material, comprising in particular compressing the fibers in at least one direction and then heat treating the felts to stabilize them.

Typically, the method also consists in preventing the decompression of the felt between the compression step and the heat treatment step, by means of a profile cam adapted to maintain the distance between the compression means substantially constant and minimal. the heat treatment means.

Specifically, the compression means are held in abutment against said cam. By way of illustration, a longitudinal compression and / or compression is carried out in the thickness of said felt.

The present invention advantageously allows the manufacture of felts of thickness between 10 and 500 mm.

The minimum distance between the compression means and the inlet of the oven is of the order of 5 mm.

Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will appear better on reading the description which follows, given by way of illustration, and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a layout diagram of a felt manufacturing installation comprising an assembly according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a partial view of an installation comprising an assembly according to the invention;

- Figure 3 is a diagram of the assembly according to the invention in several operating cases. Figure 1 describes the overall context in which the present invention can advantageously be implemented.

This figure shows schematically a production line of felts 6 formed of mineral fibers also called rock wool or glass wool. In a known manner, such a line comprises one or more centrifugation devices 1 intended to form fibers 2 which are projected from the centrifugation device (s) 1 into a receiving chamber 3 at the base of which is a conveyor 4 on which the fibers fall.

Preferably, one or more boxes 5 in depression are located under the conveyor 4 in order to suck and pile up the fibers on the conveyor 4. A carpet or felt 6 is thus formed; it is taken up at the outlet of chamber 3 between two conveyors 7, 8 intended to compress it according to its thickness.

Then the felt 6 is compressed longitudinally by passage between pairs of upstream conveyors 9, 10 and downstream 11, 12 whose speeds are such that the speed of a pair 11, 12 is lower than the speed of the upstream pair 9, 10 (relative to the movement of the felt 6 through the conveyors).

Once compressed, the felt 6 is directly introduced into an oven 13 where a heat treatment ensures the crosslinking of the binder and the stabilization of the product. Other heat treatments can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, on leaving the oven, the felt can be cut and conditioned according to the uses envisaged.

The problem at the origin of the invention lies at the outlet of the downstream conveyors 11, 12, before the introduction of the felt 6 into the oven 13. Indeed, at this level, the felt 6 is strongly compressed, its density is commonly of the order of 100 kg / m ³ , so that it tends to escape in the interval left free between the downstream conveyors, 11, 12 and the oven 13.

As has already been said, various solutions have been proposed in order to remedy this problem. The present invention illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2 solves such a problem in a new, inventive and unexpected manner.

In this figure appear in particular the downstream conveyors 11, 12 as well as the felt 6 which is moved between the conveyors in the direction of the arrow.

The oven 13 is symbolically limited by dotted lines. Between the conveyors 11, 12 and the oven 13 is arranged according to the invention a means 14 for preventing the decompression of the felt 6 in this zone, the means 14 comprising at least one cam whose profile is adapted to maintain constant and minimum the distance between the conveyors 11, 12 and the oven 13.

To do this, the upper conveyor 12 is held in abutment against the cam 14 for example by jacks (not shown) themselves actuated by one or more motors (not shown). This arrangement makes it possible to absorb a dilation of the various elements. The cylinders also make it possible to keep the conveyor chain taut whatever the position of operation. In addition, the upper conveyor 12 is movable vertically, which makes it possible to manufacture different thicknesses of felt 6.

The cam 14 is preferably rigidly linked to a fixed element of the oven (not shown), which can however be moved vertically, depending on the thickness of the felt to be manufactured.

At the lower downstream conveyor 11, jacks (not shown) can also be provided in order to push said conveyor 11 against the cam 14 and / or to keep it at the same level as the belt located in the oven 13.

Furthermore, the lower conveyor 11 is itself rigidly linked to a fixed element of the oven, by a connection symbolized at 18.

Other characteristics of the invention will be understood on reading Figure 3 which shows the upper downstream conveyor 12 in three possible positions

(a), (b), (c). The lower downstream conveyor 11 is only slightly adjustable in height; the amplitude of its vertical movement is only intended for adjustment vis-à-vis the conveyor belt (not referenced) of the oven 13.

For positions (a) and (b) which correspond to operating positions, the cam 14 is itself in a first position shown in solid lines.

These positions correspond to the minimum and maximum thickness of the felt likely to be manufactured.

Position (c) is a maximum spacing position between the conveyors. It is a maintenance position for which the cam 14 is in position C2 and the upper roller of the oven 13 in position C1.

In all cases, the upper downstream conveyor 12 is pushed against the cam 14 which, being rigidly connected to an element such as the upper roller of the oven 13, thus allows the conveyor 12 to be kept at a constant distance from said roller . The profile of the cam 14 also makes it possible to maintain the upper conveyor 12 at a minimum distance from the oven 13 whatever the thickness of the felt 6 to be treated. This profile includes a vertical straight portion 141 surmounted by a curved portion 142 whose curvature is close to or even identical to that of the upper roller of the oven 13. The straight portion 141 may extend over the height of the end zone of the upper conveyor 12 in the low position as well as over the height of the end zone of the lower conveyor 11. Of course, this profile is given here by way of illustration and other cam profiles can be used without departing from the scope of the invention, provided that they fulfill the function set out above, of maintaining the position of minimum spacing vis-à-vis the oven 13. Still by way of illustration, the density of the felt upstream of the conveyors 11, 12 is of the order of 10 kg / m ³ . At the entrance to the oven 13, it is commonly between 10 and 200 kg / m ³ .

The thickness of the felt at the entry of the conveyors 9, 10 is between

240 mm and 1200 mm; finally, that is to say at the entrance to the oven 13, the thickness of the felt can be between 20 and 300 mm. The final product can have a thickness between 10 and 500 mm.

The fibers can be of very variable length; their diameter is between 3.5 microns and 5 microns.

The speed of the conveyor belts can be between 1.5 and 40 m / min.

Figure 4 shows in perspective the upper downstream conveyor 12. This conveyor is shown alone, and on the side intended to supply felt to the oven, the latter not being shown. This conveyor comprises a metallic mesh belt 41 which comes directly into contact with the felt to convey it, said belt itself being driven by a cake not visible in FIG. 4 but which can be seen under the carpet and placed in the 'axis X-X', said cake comprising toothed wheels, one of which is driven by a transmission chain 42, said chain itself being driven by a motor 44 fixedly connected with the chassis 45 of the conveyor. Two cylindrical support rollers 43 (which may for example have a diameter of 120 mm) are fixed to the chassis and on either side of it. The circumference of each roller can freely rotate around the axis of the roller (that is to say the axis XX '). These are the rollers which are intended to come into contact with cams 14 according to the invention. The fact that the circumference of the rollers is free to rotate limits friction when the position of the conveyor is changed in the vertical direction and while the rollers are in contact with the respective cams.

FIG. 5 represents in perspective a part of the device intended to receive the felt coming from the downstream conveyors and a part of which has been represented by FIG. 4. FIG. 5 only shows the part left of the upper roller for receiving the oven. You have to imagine that there is an equivalent and symmetrical right part of the left part. For the sake of simplicity, in the context of the present application, the end part of the conveying device receiving the felt from the downstream conveyors is called a roller. As seen in Figure 5, perforated metal pallets (in English: perforated lamellas) 51 receive the felt to entrain it in the oven. These pallets are driven by a cake which is not visible in the figure but which can be seen under the pallets and in the axis of the roller, said cake comprising toothed wheels 52 driving a chain with links 53 and rollers 54, the pallets being fixed. to said chain. We see in Figure 5 a cam 14 according to the invention and intended to receive the support rollers 43 seen in Figure 4. This cam is fixed and fixedly connected to the frame of the oven. Another cam, placed symmetrically to it exists on the right part of the device not shown in FIG. 5. This other cam is intended to receive the left support roller 43 shown in FIG. 4. As example, these cams may have a width (“x” in FIG. 5) 40 mm.

Claims

1. assembly for manufacturing felts (6) formed of crosslinked mineral fibers comprising at least one pair of conveyors formed by a lower conveyor (11) and an upper conveyor (12) arranged opposite and intended to compress said felt (6) in at least one direction, means (13) for heat treatment of the felt (6) after it has passed through the conveyors (11, 12) characterized in that it further comprises at least means (14) disposed between the conveyors (11, 12) and the heat treatment means (13), intended to prevent the decompression of the felt (6) in this zone, said means comprising at least one profile cam (14) adapted to keep the distance between the conveyors (11, 12) and the heat treatment means (13) constant and minimum, and in that at least one of the conveyors is rigidly connected to an element of the treatment means (13) thermal.

2. Assembly according to claim 1 characterized in that at least one of the conveyors (11; 12) is held in abutment against said cam (14) by means such as jacks.

3. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the cam (14) is rigidly connected to an element of the means (13) of heat treatment, said element being movable vertically and / or horizontally.

4. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower conveyor (11) is rigidly connected to an element of the means (13) of thermal treatment by means (18) of connection.

5. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cam (14) has a curved portion (142) of curvature substantially identical to that of a wheel of the heat treatment means (13), placed opposite to face.

6. The assembly of claim 5 characterized in that the cam (14) further has a straight portion (141) disposed vertically below the curved portion (142) and in that the cam (14) serves as a support to the upper conveyor (12).

7. An assembly according to any one of claims 3 to 6 characterized in that the upper conveyor (12), the cam (14) and the element of the means (13) of heat treatment to which it is linked can be moved vertically in order to be able to manufacture felts (6) of different thicknesses.

8. Method for manufacturing felts (6) formed of glued fibers, in mineral material, consisting in particular of compressing the fibers in at least one direction and then heat treating the felts in order to stabilize them, characterized in that it also consists in prevent decompression of the felt

(6) between the compression step and the heat treatment step, by means of a cam (14) of profile adapted to maintain constant and minimum the distance between the compression means (11; 12) and the heat treatment means (13).

9. Method according to claim 8 characterized in that at least one of the compression means (11; 12) is held in abutment against said cam (14).

10. Method according to any one of claims 8 or 9 characterized in that one performs a longitudinal compression and / or compression in the thickness of said felt (6).

11. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 9 for the manufacture of felts (6) of thickness between 10 and 500 mm.

12. Method according to one of claims 8 to 11 characterized in that the minimum distance between the compression means (11, 12) and the inlet of the oven

(13) is of the order of 5 mm.