US2388935A

US2388935A - Mineral wool manufacture

Info

Publication number: US2388935A
Application number: US485010A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward R Powell
Original assignee: Johns Manville
Current assignee: Johns Manville Corp; Johns Manville
Priority date: 1943-04-29
Filing date: 1943-04-29
Publication date: 1945-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1962-11-13

Description

Nov. 13, 1945. E. R. POWELL MINERAL WOOL MANUFACTURE Filed April 29, 1943 INVENTOR [bu 4m) A? an 44 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 13, 1945 v MINERAL WOOL momma Edward R. Powell, North Plainfleld', N. J.,-aasignor to Johns-Manville Corporation, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 29, 1943, Serial No. 485,010

'1 Claims. (CI. 49-1) My present invention relates to the manufacture of mineral wool and like products and more particularly to improved means for applying a binder to mineral wool fibers substantially at the time of their formation. It will be understood that the term mineral wool" is employed herein in a generic sense to include wool or fibers formed from rock, slag. glass, mixtures thereof and other suitable raw materials.

Heretofore mineral wool has been manufactured in severa1 ways, for example, by subjecting a stream of the molten material to the action of a high pressure steam jet. More recently it has been proposed to disintegrate the molten material by the use of one or more spinners or rotors rotated at high speed and upon which the material impinges and by which it is broken up into drops or masses which are thrown'from the rotor by centrifugal force and drawn into thread or fiber form. The principal object of the instant invention is the provision of a. binder addition means for use in conjunction with apparatus of the latter type and which will provide a relatively uniform distribution of the binder in fine droplet form throughout the newly formed fibers.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such binder addition means which will deliver the binder throughout substantially the entire area of fiberization.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an atomizing type binder spray head adapted to form a cloud of minute droplets of binder adjacent the peripheries of the fiberizing rotors, and further to provide a spray head of this type which may be adjusted to control the binder concentration to provide a larger amount of binder adjacent the places of maximum fiber production.

A still further object of the invention in one form thereof is the provision of means to be employed in conjunction with a binder applicator of the type referred to above, to eliminate or substantially reduce whipping and eddying the cloud of binder droplets by the windage eflects produced by the rotor.

My invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the more detailed description thereof which is to follow and to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a mineral wool apparatus illustrating the arrangement of the fiberization and binder applying apparatus in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. '2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the spray head shown in Fig. 2, the view being taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying a'further feature of the invention;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 5 with parts in section; and

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating a modified form of the spray head.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1-4 inclusive, there is shown an apparatus for melting and fiberizing suitable raw materials such as rock, slag, glass and mixtures thereof. The fiber forming elements of the apparatus may take different forms but, as illustrated, the same comprise a melting furnace III of the cupola or tank furnace type and a fiberizing means indicated generally at l2. Fiberizing means It includes one or more rotors. In-

the form illustrated, two. cylindrical rotors l4 and iii are employed having, respectively, cylindrical surfaces l5 and I1 and end surfaces l9 and 2|, whose peripheries define the cylindrical surfaces. The rotors are carried by shafts l8 and 20, respectively, and are adapted for rotation at high speed in opposite directions. The rotors are positioned so that rotor l 4 receives the stream of molten material on its cylindrical surface-the molten material being partially converted into fibers by rotor I4 and partially discharged onto the cylindrical surface of rotor it where further fiberization-takes place. Fiberizatlon is caused,

fiberizing system is shown only for purposes of illustration and that the invention is not limited to the particular number of rotors to be employed.

Behind the rotors there is provided means indicated generally at 22 for delivering a binder in finely divided form to the fibers as, or shortly after, they are formed. The binder applying device includes a spray head 24 for each rotor supported in any suitable manner behind the rotor adjacentone of its end surfaces and somewhat ofi center but preferably within the space defined by the extended cylindrical surface of the rotor, as indi- -*cated. Each sprayhead 24 comprises a pair of of the marginal area of the-members and is located opposite the shaft of the rotor where no binder spray is required. Member II is provided with an internal channel 38 into which a binder supply line 38 is connected. Channel 38 terminates in a mouth 40 opening into the space between the members and substantially at the center of the space. Where multiple rotors are employed, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the binder supply line 38 for each ofthe spray heads may be Joined to a main binder supply line 42, which in turn is connected to any suitable source of binder supply (not shown). v

Member 28 is provided with a perforation or opening opposite mouth Iii into which a pipe 44 is threaded or otherwise secured. Pipe 4 is connected to a suitable supply of a. fluid medium u'nder pressure and, where multiple rotors are employed, may form branches of a main pressure line 48 leading from a high pressure steam line, compressed air line or the like.

es behindrotor u, but it will be understood that it is equally applicable to rotor IL As will be Supply lines 38, ll, 42 and 48 may serve as the' and 2B and escapes from said space at high velocity through the annular port 33. At the same time the binder material is supplied by

lines

42 and 38, preferably under pressure, and enters through mouth into the space between the

members

26 and 28. Entry of the binder into the space will be aided by the aspirating action of the steam or other fluid escaping through port 33. The binder is atomized and driven through the orifice in the form of fine droplets or particles by the escaping steam. Due to the fact that the binder is sprayed out through a substantially circular orifice it will be directed adjacent the periphery of the end surface of the rotor. and will contact the newly formed fibers throughout the entire flberizing area. Where it is found that the fiber yield is higher at certain points than at others, as is usually the case, the amount of binder may be increased at these points and correspondingly decreased at others by localized adjustment of the width of the annular orifice. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner. For example, as shown in Fig. "I, at least one of the members or discs defining the orifice may be made of relatively light weight material, whereby the orifice may be varied at desired locations by forcing the edges of the members closer together or farther apart, as the case requires.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, a further feature of the invention is disclosed for use in conjunction with the binder applying device and rotors described above. This feature comprises a bailie 50 preferably of somewhat conical shape located behind the rotor and between it and the binder applying device and supported as by bracket 52 secured to any suitable fixed portion of the apparatus. A baffle has been shown mountunderstood, rotors of the type of I4 and It, when driven' at the high speeds employed. say, 8800 to 4600 R. P. M., create a windage which tends to whip the cloud of binder particles and set up eddy currents therein which interfere to a considerable extent with the proper distribution of the binder. Also a portion of the binder is whipped into contact with the rotor where it has an undesirable cooling effect. In the case of certain types of binders, contact with the rotors causes rapid burning or flashing of the binder. If a heat-setting binder is employed it tends to be set up by contact with the rotors and to build up thereon to an undesirable extent. 7

These various difficulties are avoided by no! fie ill which does not attain a temperature comparable with that of the rotor, as it is not contested by the molten material and hence has no harmful effect on the binder. Also the bailie plrevents interference with the binder distribu- The apparatus of the instant invention may be employed with any suitable binding material. For example, heat-setting binders such as Bakelite resins, drying oils and the like have been found to be suitable. Thermoplastic binders such as thermoplastic resins, asphalts, waxes and the like may also be employed.

Having thus described my invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that these-details need not be strictly adhered to, but that various changes and modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subioined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a mineral wool apparatus, means for disand and surfaces having peripheries defining said cylindrical surface, and means for applying a binder to said fibers, said last-named means comprising a spray head supported adjacent one end surface of the rotor and having a substantially continuous annular port positioned for directing a binder spray adjacent the periphery of said one end surface.

2. In a mineral wool apparatus, means for disintegrating a stream of molten material into fibers, said means comprising a rotor having a cylindrical surface on which said stream impinges and end surfaces having peripheries defining said cylindrical surface, and means for applying a binder to said fibers, said last-named means comprising a sprayhead adjacent one end surface of the rotor and within the space defined by the extended cylindrical surface of the rotor and having a substantially continuous annular port for directing a binder spray adjacent the periphery of said one end surface.

3. In a mineral wool apparatus, means for disintegrating a stream of molten material into nbers, said means comprising a rotor having a cylindrical surface on which said stream impinges and end surfaces having peripheries defining said cylindrical surface, and means for applying a binder to said fibers, said last-named means comprising members having spaced, substantially fiat siu'faces defining an annular port within the space defined by the extended cylindrical surface of the rotor, means for supplying a binder matcrlal to the space between said flat surfaces and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said last-named space whereby said fluid escaping through said port draws the binder therewith and sprays the binder onto said fibers.

4. In a mineral wool apparatus, means for disintegrating a stream of molten material into fibers, said means comprising a rotor having a cylindrical surface on which said stream impinges and end surfaces having peripheries defining said cylindrical surface, and means for applying a binder to said fibers, said last-named means comprising a pair of circular plates, each having a cylindrical surface and a substantially flat end face with said end faces of said plates in adjacent relationship to define a circular port, a passageway within one of said plates extending from the cylindrical surface thereof to a mouth substantially centrally of its said end face, means connecting said passageway to a binder supply, a passageway in the other of said plates terminating in a mouth in its said end face substantially opposite to said mouth in the first-mentioned plate, and means for supplying a fluid under pressure to said passageway in said second-mentioned plate.

5. In a mineral wool apparatus, means for disintegrating a stream of molten material into fibers, said means comprising a pair of rotors in substantial tangential relationship, each having a cylindrical surface and end surfaces including peripheries defining said cylindrical surface, and means for applying a binder to said fibers adjacent the periphery of an end surface of each of said rotors, said last-named means comprising spray heads supported adJacent one end surface of each rotor and within the space-defined by the extended cylindrical surface thereof and having a substantially continuous annular port, and a binder supply line and a supply line for a fluid under pressure connected into each of said spray heads.

6. In a mineral wool apparatus, means for disintegrating a stream of molten material into fibers, said means comprising a rotor having a cylindrical surface on which said stream impinges and end surfaces having peripheries defining said cylindrical surface, a fixed baflle plate overlying one end surface of the rotor and substantially co-extensive therewith, and means for applying a binder to the fibers substantially as they are formed by said rotor, said last-named means comprising a spray head supported adjacent said baffie plate and within the space defined by the extended cylindrical surface of the rotor and having a substantially continuous annular port.

7. In a mineral wool apparatus, means for disintegrating a stream of molten material into fibers, said means comprising a rotor having a cylindrical surface on which said stream impinges and end surfaces having peripheries defining said cylindrical surface, a conical baiile plate, means for supporting said baifle plate adjacent one end surface of the rotor, said baffle plate being substantially co-extensive therewith, and means for applying a binder to the fibers substantially as they are formed by said rotor, said last-named means comprising a spray head supported adjacent said baifle plate and within the space defined by the extended cylindrical surface of the rotor and having a substantially continuous annular port, and a binder supp y line and a supply line for a fluid under pressure connected to said spray head.

EDWARD R. POWELL.