EP2052116B1 - Method of thermal insulation by spraying a self-reinforced coating onto insulating panels of a building - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of External Thermal Insulation (ITE) of buildings.

For at least 40 years, Thermal Insulation from the Outside (ITE) has been one of the most widely used thermal insulation techniques for the walls of buildings in the world. It groups together all the wall insulation processes for which the insulation is placed outside the supporting structure.

1. a) Les murs rideaux principalement utilisés pour la construction des façades des immeubles tertiaires,
2. b) Les doubles murs très utilisés dans le nord de l'Europe (Grande Bretagne, Bénélux notamment),
3. c) Les bardages et les vêtures très utilisés pour la réhabilitation des grands ensembles de logements sociaux dans les années 80 et 90,
4. d) Et enfin les enduits sur isolant, le moins cher de tous les systèmes, souvent utilisés en complément des précédents dans le secteur du logement social mais aussi pour la réhabilitation de maisons individuelles.

According to this definition, the ITE is divided into several product families:

1. a) Curtain walls mainly used for the construction of the facades of tertiary buildings,
2. b) Double walls widely used in northern Europe (Great Britain, Benelux in particular),
3. c) Cladding and cladding used extensively for the rehabilitation of large social housing projects in the 1980s and 1990s,
4. d) And finally the coatings on insulation, the cheapest of all systems, often used in addition to the previous ones in the sector of social housing but also for the rehabilitation of individual houses.

While ITE techniques are very common in all sectors in Europe outside France, they are however very little used in the residential sector in France. In this country, the reference insulation technology is the inner lining that ultimately results in a cheaper insulated wall. However, this insulation technique reported by doubling interior walls is generally poor performance in new construction because it generates many thermal bridges. Indeed, in this case all zones that do not have the thermal blocking of an insulator then become considerably more thermally wasted than the isolated areas, thus generating real "thermal leaks" called "Thermal bridges" causing a difference in surface temperature and condensation, in addition to a significant loss of energy, a certain pathology risk during heating (mold, peeling of interior coatings for example). The most damaging thermal bridges are at the connections between external walls and floors. Thus, this interior insulation technique necessarily requires, prior to internal doubling insulation, a treatment of these generated thermal bridges (addition of breakers or specific positioning of the insulated insulation before the final floor levels are achieved). . This treatment is possible in new construction but is impossible on an existing building.

In addition, the technique of insulation from the inside is difficult to practice in rehabilitation because it significantly reduces the living space (of the order of several%) thus generating a significant heritage loss. It imposes a complete recovery of the interior decoration after work, it is too restrictive to be practiced in occupied premises and it requires the displacement of all the equipment placed along the external walls.

This shows that the technologies of ITE could claim a significant market. But the aesthetics and the cost of the current systems do not allow them to develop significantly in this market.

The problems posed by the existing systems are in fact aesthetic and economic.

The most suitable products for a high-quality façade architecture (cladding and cladding) are the most expensive in the range: at least twice as much insulation, mainly because of the cost of the products.

The least expensive products in the range (thin coatings on insulation) are still significantly more expensive than insulation techniques from the inside (mainly because of the cost of pose) and also have a very poor aesthetic because they impose a façade architecture without relief.

These problems are related to the technical principle itself realization of thin coatings on insulator. Indeed, these known components of thin coatings on insulator (see figure 1 ) are manufactured typically in 5 successive layers: a layer 10 of insulation fixed by fasteners 11 on a load-bearing wall 1, a preparation layer 12, a fiberglass mesh 14, a base layer 16 and a finishing coating 18. These components therefore require significant implementation and waiting times, with consequent constraints (such as the immobilization of scaffolds for example) that generate costs.

The first layer 10 consists of an insulator, which is generally bonded and pegged on the support wall 1 which has previously been prepared for this purpose (smoothing and deburring possible). The second layer 12, called the preparation layer, is intended to receive the third 14, a reinforcing fiberglass mesh, which will ensure the mechanical strength of the coating subjected to heavy stresses such as possible shocks in the lower part buildings and climatic variations of thermal and water natures (sunshine, cold, rain, etc ...). This climatic loading is reflected in the coating by stresses and deformations which, if they exceed the allowable values, lead to cracking at the point of the singular points of the coated / insulating system such as the angles or simply the joints between plates. insulating. The fourth layer 16, called base layer, allows to embed the mesh in the coating. The last layer 18 is the finishing layer which gives the system and the facade its final appearance.

This brief reminder concerning the technique of insulation by thin coating on insulator shows the complexity of its implementation. However, it only concerns the current part of the system: the one whose implementation is the simplest. But on a building facade many singular points exist: the frames of windows and doors, the angles of the walls, etc ... For each singular point, the reinforcement of the plaster must be reinforced, generally by the addition of a second layer of lattice which must be arranged with precision, its frame to be shifted compared to that of the first lattice. Thus, to limit the use of this delicate provision (so technically risky and expensive) it avoids adding singular points, especially those that would be generated by facade reliefs. This explains why façades coated with thin-walled insulation often have a smooth, architecturally and aesthetically monotonous appearance.

To circumvent this pitfall, some industrial wearers of thin coating systems on insulation offer a range of decorative profiles, usually made of cut cellular plastic, simplified shapes and whose thermal insulation performance is not necessarily as strong than that of the panels reported in the current section. These ranges require custom cutting. The elements are then glued on the flat panels already reported. These elements are often limited to simple patterns similar to overthicknesses. There are still ranges of forms in special concretes, molded and intended to be glued in fine on the coating. Thus, the search for a new aesthetic through the introduction of facade reliefs results in an additional cost of custom manufacturing from simplified forms of shapes and thus by the addition of a sixth operation and layer to the system.

Other manufacturers offer molded products made of cut-up cellular architectural foam profiles that can be put in place in addition to an ITE operation. But the shapes of these profiles, not necessarily insulating, are limited and simplified (often of longitudinal shape). Often these profiles are previously rigidified in the factory by a layer of resins or coating. As a result, they are then bonded to the flat parts already having the coating on insulation, thus inducing a new complex bonding problem, one of the difficulties of which is durability over time.

In addition the shapes are simplified for issues of extra cost: indeed these profiles are reported options for a conventional ITE operation on flat panels. The developed processes use longitudinal profiles of limited and simple forms, cut to order and artisanally arranged often around a table of windows. This limitation of form excludes any adaptation to the specific style imposed by the architecture of the existing building. As will be seen later, the mass-molded panels of the present invention allow them.

The existing techniques are constrained to adapt to conventional techniques of coating by thin coating on external insulation requiring implementation by successive operations. These decorative products must therefore in most cases (except for profiles already stiffened by coating or resin which then pose a gluing problem) must necessarily be reinforced by reinforcing grids previously implanted in the factory, to be subject, when the laying, of specific operations of junction with the current parts. In addition, these profiles with simple shapes are in no way equipped to propose a global modification of the architectural appearance of treated facades. They allow only an addition of standard shapes or limited and repetitive changes of plan, to be cut to order, thus necessarily causing a significant additional cost in terms of implementation time on an already expensive operation, which explains the very rare recourse to these techniques. They remain well modénatures limited to singular areas of the facade, as for example the framing of paintings of simplified and poor architectural form and not like elements of specific ranges making it possible to modify the complete architectural aspect of the treated envelope. Finally, they do not appear as contributing elements to the insulation performance of the entire envelope processed in the external thermal insulation operation. We can cite here the example of the patent N ° WO 2005/02356 A2 by Weber and Broutin .

The document DE 8806125 discloses a method of thermal insulation of the facade of a building comprising the step of fixing on the outer face of the façade to be treated of a building a set of thermally insulating components composed of panels that can be paired with each other presenting reliefs defining the desired final architectural appearance of the facade.

The document FR 2589903 discloses an external wall insulation device comprising rigid panels contiguous insulating material, fixed on the outer surface of the wall and covered by a thick layer of a hydraulic coating associated with means for reinforcing and hanging on the outer face of the panels.

In this context, the present invention now aims to propose new ways to improve the known techniques of thermal insulation from the outside of buildings.

This object is achieved within the scope of the present invention by a method as defined in appended claim 1.

According to the present invention, only the flat current portions of the facade are then made by thermal insulation panels of the same nature but of flat shape and standard thickness.

The method according to the present invention is therefore based on two new aspects. On the one hand components formed panels, typically insulating cellular plastic, shaped by molding or cutting in the mass according to a predefined range leading to a final architecture adapted to all local particularities; on the other hand a new fiber mineral coating according to characteristics which will be described below and which allows projection in a single operation on said panels reported on the facade to be treated. The role of the long fibers used subsequently described is precisely to mechanically strengthen the coating homogeneously in its plane. This means increasing the breaking strength and breaking elongation to such values that the normal use of the coating does not lead to cracking. The fibers thus make it possible to dispense with the laying of the reinforcing grid of the existing solutions previously described.

The present invention thus relates both to the components shaped in the mass and assembled according to an architectural range. global predefined, but also the specific coating for the implementation of the aforementioned method in a single projection operation, the finishing being provided by usual practices (float, scratching, ribage, etc ...).

Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention considerably simplifies the process of insulation of a building, compared to the prior art while giving it a completely new architectural appearance and previously defined by a range.

Indeed, while the thin coatings on conventional insulators require the realization of six successive operations, the present invention allows in two operations only respectively corresponding to the fastening paired thermally insulating panels, typically in cellular plastics molded in the mass, and architected according to a predefined range, then the deposit by projection of a specific fiber decorative coating, to ensure both the thermal insulation and the architectural finish of the facade of a building.

It will be understood therefore that the invention considerably reduces the operation time required for the realization of an insulation from the outside with a final architectural contribution difficult to achieve by existing techniques.

The installation and fitting phase of architectural thermal insulation panels reported on the facade according to a predefined aesthetic then represents the most important time whereas the time required for the single operation of projection coating of the fiber coating assuring the durability of the assembly according to the invention is considerably reduced.

• la figure 1 précédemment décrite représente schématiquement une technique connue d'enduit sur isolant,
• les figures 2, 3 et 4 représentent schématiquement une façade de maison individuelle selon les différents phases de réalisation de la présente invention (figure 2 : avant mise en oeuvre du procédé conforme à la présente invention ; figure 3 : pendant la mise en oeuvre de ce procédé, plus précisément après pose des composants thermiquement isolants et architecturés selon une gamme correspondant à l'esthétique finale choisie conformes à la présente invention ; figure 4 : puis après achèvement du procédé conforme à la présente invention, c'est-à-dire après application par projection de l'enduit unique renforcé spécifiquement par des fibres, à fonction de durabilité de l'ensemble, assurant le renfort de la résistance mécanique à rupture et de l'allongement à rupture de l'enduit soumis aux sollicitations climatiques extérieures),
• la figure 5 illustre schématiquement quelques exemples non limitatifs de composants thermiquement isolants moulés dans la masse selon des gammes d'architectures finales prédéfinies utilisés lors de l'étape illustrée sur la figure 3.

Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, and with reference to the appended drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples and in which:

• the figure 1 previously described schematically represents a known technique of coating on insulation,
• the figures 2 , 3 and 4 schematically represent an individual house facade according to the various embodiments of the present invention ( figure 2 before implementation of the process according to the present invention; figure 3 during the implementation of this method, specifically after laying thermally insulating components and architected in a range corresponding to the final aesthetic chosen in accordance with the present invention; figure 4 after completion of the process according to the present invention, that is to say after application by spraying the single coating specifically reinforced with fibers, durability function of the assembly, ensuring the reinforcement of the mechanical strength rupture and elongation at break of the coating subjected to external climatic stresses),
• the figure 5 schematically illustrates some non-limiting examples of thermally insulating components molded in the mass according to predefined final architectures ranges used during the step illustrated in FIG. figure 3 .

We will appreciate in the examination of figures 2 , 3 and 4 , the number of stages of advancement of the operation according to the invention, mainly limited to two, compared with the six usual operations presented to the figure 1 .

• une étape i) schématisée sur la figure 3 qui consiste à fixer sur la façade extérieure d'un bâtiment, un ensemble de composants thermiquement isolants 10 appartenant à une gamme, dont la forme moulée dans la masse de l'isolant thermique présente des reliefs définissant l'aspect architectural final recherché de la façade du bâtiment traité selon l'invention, et
• une étape ii) schématisée sur la figure 4 qui consiste à disposer sur ces composants 10, l'enduit unique 20 à fonction de protection et de durabilité mais aussi décoratif, autorenforcé par des fibres selon l'invention.

As previously mentioned, the present invention combines two essential steps:

• a step i) schematized on the figure 3 which consists in fixing on the external facade of a building, a set of thermally insulating components 10 belonging to a range, whose shape molded in the mass of the thermal insulation has reliefs defining the desired final architectural appearance of the facade of the building treated according to the invention, and
• a step ii) schematized on the figure 4 which consists in disposing on these components 10, the unique coating 20 with protective function and durability but also decorative, self-reinforced with fibers according to the invention.

We have schematically illustrated Figures 5a to 5e a few nonlimiting examples of thermally insulating components molded in the mass and according to the present invention may be selected to rehabilitate and insulate the facade of a building.

Naturally, the present invention is in no way limited to these particular examples, in particular in terms of final architecture modification.

In practice, a complete range of components 10 (panels molded or cut into the mass and flat panels ...) allows the total modification of the final aesthetic appearance of the building according to predefined catalog forms, which may be part of a regionalized architecture for example, while isolating a building devoid of relief.

The appended figures allow to illustrate the fact that the novel aspect of the invention relies both on a specific predefined range of panels 10 molded in the mass, paired and adapted, leading to a specific final architecture chosen to modify on the one hand the final thermal performance of the building but also on the other hand its initial architecture which would be, by the existing conventional techniques remained without aesthetic relief, and a single phase of fiber coating projection 20.

Therefore, it becomes obvious to those skilled in the art that the multiple grid reinforcement operations before laying the final plaster for traditional techniques of thin coating on insulator are obsolete. The invention leads to a considerable reduction, from a ratio of 1 to 6, of the overall insulation installation time from the outside for an architectural result that is out of all proportion to the current aesthetic modification techniques in exterior insulation previously described.

• sur la figure 5a un exemple de panneau 10a moulé plan et rectangulaire, par exemple de l'ordre de 60mm x 50cm x 100cm, destiné à recouvrir la partie plane de la surface de la façade (la figure 5a représente ainsi un panneau sans relief 10a destiné à recouvrir les parties courantes lisses sans reliefs de la façade ; ce panneau 10a est réalisé dans le même matériau isolant que les autres composants 10, et présente un appareillage ou calepinage et une forme adaptés pour s'associer aux panneaux moulés à reliefs 10 ou d'autres panneaux plans 10a, en limitant ainsi les nombre de liaisons entre panneaux),
• sur les figures 5b, 5c et 5d, trois exemples de panneaux 10b, 10c et 10d moulés architecturés modifiant le relief de la façade en partie courante et venant s'appareiller à un panneau 10a de même nature traitant une surface plane et rectangulaire ou un autre panneau à reliefs10b ; 10c ou 10d par exemple, et
• sur la figure 5e, un panneau 10e formé de deux plaquettes 100 et 102 orthogonales entre elles adapté pour le traitement des angles du bâtiment selon le même principe.

We see as a non-limiting example:

• on the figure 5a an example of a flat and rectangular molded panel 10a, for example of the order of 60mm × 50cm × 100cm, intended to cover the flat part of the surface of the facade (the figure 5a thus represents a reliefless panel 10a intended to cover the plain smooth running parts of the facade; this panel 10a is made of the same insulating material as the other components 10, and has an apparatus or layout and a shape adapted to associate with the relief molded panels 10 or other flat panels 10a, thus limiting the number of connections between panels),
• on the Figures 5b, 5c and 5d , three examples of panels 10b, 10c and 10d molded architectures modifying the relief of the facade in the current part and coming to be likened to a panel 10a of the same nature treating a flat rectangular surface or other relief panel10b; 10c or 10d for example, and
• on the figure 5e , a panel 10e formed of two plates 100 and 102 orthogonal to each other adapted for the treatment of the angles of the building according to the same principle.

The panels 10b, 10c and 10d shown on the Figures 5b, 5c and 5d each comprise a planar and rectangular base plate 120 and a raised rib 122 formed integrally with the plate 120.

Note on Figures 5a to 5e that the panels 10 according to the present invention have on their thickness a form of interlocking rabbet facilitating the perfect and intimate assembly of the various panels 10 between them. More precisely each panel 10 is thus provided on two sides of its edge, a groove or groove 110, and on its other two sides of its edge, a rib 112 complementary grooves or said grooves 110.

Of course, the embodiments illustrated on the Figures 5a to 5e are in no way limiting. In practice a much wider range will be realized to meet all the architectural requirements.

For example and not limited to the range of panels 10 may include a large panel, for example 60mm x 50cm x 100cm, molded in the mass and intended to create a canted (non-limiting) frame shape of the window panel depending on the architectural range chosen.

The median portion joining and dimensioning such a table can be obtained by cutting to finish the lintel framing. The result leads to the desired architectural modification without resorting to the modenature techniques described above.

At no time in the new reported insulation technique according to the present invention, there is therefore recourse to a reinforcing grid installation operation at singular points such as angles.

Once the architectural appearance has been modified by placing the molded panels 10, as shown in figure 3 , the projection operation of the fiber coating 20 can take place to treat at once the entire insulated facade surface thus obtained as shown in FIG. figure 4 .

By way of nonlimiting example, the insulating components 10 according to the present invention may be made from foams of cellular plastic material, either expanded or extruded.

The plastic foam components 10 may be shaped by any suitable technique, for example by size, especially hot wire cutting, in a large block. According to the present invention, the components 10 are however preferably obtained by direct molding to the desired geometry.

Such components may be formed in particular based on polyurethane foams or polystyrene foams, without being limited to these particular compositions.

The thermally insulating components are fixed on the facade by any appropriate means, in particular and without limitation by mechanical means anchored in the facade or preferably by gluing or both.

As previously discussed, the inventors have determined that an essential element of the present invention resides in the coating of thermally insulating components with a fiber reinforced finish.

The finishing coating is obtained based on inorganic or organic compounds and suitable adjuvants. It is preferably obtained on a base of mineral coating. It is preferably colored using selected pigments.

By way of non-limiting example, the coating 20 is based on a mixture of cement, siliceous fillers, adjuvants and a resin based on vinyl copolymer.

More specifically, the inventors have determined that the fibers play a major role in the behavior of the coating over time, given the aggressions suffered by the facade of any building (strong variations in temperature and hygrometry in particular).

In the context of the present invention, the coating 20 deposited by projection on the components 10 preferably has a thickness of between 8mm and 25mm, typically between 10 and 20mm, very advantageously of the order of 16mm.

The fibers may be formed from any suitable material.

It is preferably glass-based fibers or silica.

However, in the context of the present invention, it is also possible to use fibers based on thermoplastic material, for example fibers based on polyamide, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, etc., or even based on carbon, aramid, etc. ...

In the context of the present invention, the fibers used in the coating 20 preferably have a length of between 4 mm and 20 mm, very advantageously between 6 and 18 mm, typically of the order of 12 mm. Their diameter is in turn preferably between 80μm and 200μm.

The inventors have found very interesting results when the coating contains fibers of two different lengths, for example 6mm and 12mm.

The percentage by mass of fibers in the coating is advantageously between 1 and 5%, very preferably between 2 and 2.5%.

A typical basic composition, by weight, of a fresh coating according to the present invention is as follows: water content of 20 to 35% depending on the binder and adjuvant, fiber mass ratio of 2%, plus lime, cement , limestone fillers, siliceous fillers, admixtures, aggregates in variable proportion.

The coating 20 is advantageously applied, by projection, in a single pass.

The method according to the present invention which combines two technologies, that of the attachment of shaped thermally insulating components and pre-defined architectural appearance 10, and that of the laying of a finishing coating 20, makes it possible to transform the operation. insulation in an architecture modification operation much more attractive than the simple treatment of external thermal insulation and decoration limited to a few singular points.

It also allows a much faster and much more economical implementation than the known thin-on-insulator processes illustrated in FIG. figure 1 , which require the implementation of 6 successive layers.

Thus, thanks to the present invention, the decoration is integrated in the insulation system from the outside.

• EHI ISOFARGE (Lafarge)
• REKALIT (Weber & Broutin),

tandis que les fibres renforçant cet enduit peuvent être formées à partir des fibres disponibles dans le commerce sous les références suivantes :

• CEM FIL 62.2 (Verre) Vetrotex
• RUREDIL PVA FR 350 (Polyvinyle Alcool)
• HARBOURITE de 6, 12 et 18mm (polypropylène).

In the context of the present invention, by way of nonlimiting examples, the base composition of the coating 20 can be formed from the commercially available compositions under the following references:

• EHI ISOFARGE (Lafarge)
• REKALIT (Weber & Broutin),

while the fibers reinforcing this coating can be formed from commercially available fibers under the following references:

• CEM WIRE 62.2 (Glass) Vetrotex
• RUREDIL PVA FR 350 (Polyvinyl Alcohol)
• HARBOURITE of 6, 12 and 18mm (polypropylene).

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments which have just been described but extends to any variant within its spirit.

The present invention does not exclude the subsequent deposition of an additional external layer or coating on the single fiber-reinforced coating of the present invention, for example for renovation or modification of the decoration, in particular to amend the apparent outer color or grain and make them different from those of said coating 20.

The present invention encompasses such a variant since the additional outer layer or coating does not fulfill a function of reinforcing the mechanical strength and / or protection and / or durability as provided by the coating 20 ".

Claims (16)

1. Method for thermally insulating the façade of a building, comprising the step which consists in:

   i) fixing to the external face of the façade to be treated of a building, a series of thermally insulating components (10) composed of monolithic panels, in accordance with predefined general architectural ranges and able to be mated with each other, having reliefs defining the desired final architectural appearance of the façade, characterised in that it further comprises the step consisting in:

   ii) spraying a single coating (20), self-reinforced with fibres, onto these mated components (10).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the thermally insulating components (10) are shaped by moulding or cutting in the mass.
3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised by the fact that at least some of the thermally insulating components (10) include a flat base plate (120) and a rib in relief (122) integral with the plate (120).
4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that it implements thermally insulating components (10) made from foams of cellular plastic materials.
5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised by the fact that it implements thermally insulating components (10) with a polyurethane or polystyrene base.
6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised by the fact that it implements thermally insulating components (10) with an expanded or extrude material base.
7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised by the fact that the reinforcing fibres of the coating (20) include glass or silica fibres.
8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised by the fact that the reinforcing fibres of the coating (20) include fibres made of thermoplastic material, in particular fibres selected from the group consisting of fibres with a polyamide, polypropylene, polyacrilonitrile, carbon, aramid base.
9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised by the fact that the length of the fibres reinforcing the coating (20) is between 4mm and 20mm, more preferably between 6 and 18mm and typically 12mm.
10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised by the fact that the diameter of the fibres reinforcing the coating (20) is between 80µm and 200µm.
11. Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterised by the fact that the percentage in mass of the fibres in relation to the total mass of the coating is between 1 and 5%, advantageously between 2 and 2.5%.
12. Method according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterised by the fact that the coating (20) has a thickness between 8mm and 25mm, more preferably between 10 and 20mm, very advantageously of a magnitude of 16mm.
13. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterised by the fact that the components (10) include on their thickness a rebate shape for nesting (110, 112) allowing for the assembly of different components (10) together.
14. Method according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterised by the fact that the coating (20) is set in place via spraying onto the thermally insulating components (10) in a single layer.
15. Use of a combination of thermally insulating components (10) comprising monolithic reliefs and a single coating self-reinforced with fibres with a length between 4mm and 20mm for the implementation of the method in accordance with one of claims 1 to 14.
16. Combination of thermally insulating components (10) comprising monolithic reliefs and a single coating self-reinforced with fibres with a length from 4mm to 20mm for the implementation of the method in accordance with one of claims 1 to 14.

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