Equipment for continuously producing aerogel felt

Abstract

The utility model discloses equipment for continuously producing aerogel felts, and belongs to the technical field of aerogel felt production. The equipment for continuously producing the aerogel felt comprises a cloth releasing device, a sol dipping device, a gel aging device, a cloth collecting device and a drying device. Wherein a gelation mechanism and a first aging mechanism in the gel aging device are used for sequentially spraying a catalyst and an aging agent to the raw fiber felt soaked in the sol to obtain an aged gel fiber felt, and the cloth collecting device and the drying device are used for sequentially rolling and drying the aged gel fiber felt to obtain the aerogel felt. In the production process, different types of solvents (such as sol, a catalyst and an aging agent) are independently separated from the reaction process of the original fiber felt and are sequentially carried out, so that mutual interference of multiple reaction processes is avoided, and the reaction time of the multiple reaction processes can be respectively set, so that the original fiber felt can be fully fused and reacted with the multiple solvents; and the quality of the formed aerogel felt is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of aerogel felt production technology, and in particular to a device for continuous production of aerogel felt. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology, the application range of aerogel is becoming wider and wider. Aerogel is an ultralight material with a nanoporous network structure. It has the characteristics of high specific surface area, high porosity, strong chemical stability, low thermal conductivity, hydrophobicity and high temperature resistance. Aerogel felt made from aerogel is used as a thermal insulation material in many fields such as aerospace, construction, petrochemical, and lithium battery. Aerogel felt has the characteristics of being lightweight, high strength and high thermal insulation performance.

[0003] Currently, aerogel felt is usually made by mixing aerogel with other materials (such as fibers, adhesives, etc.) and then pressing, drying, cutting and other processes. During the production process, the hydrolyzed sol is added to a catalyst and then combined with the original fiber felt. Since the sol will turn into a gel after adding the catalyst, it is possible that the sol does not combine with the original fiber felt or the combination is insufficient before turning into a gel. This results in insufficient combination between the sol and the original fiber felt, leading to poor quality of the formed aerogel felt. Utility Model Content

[0004] This utility model provides a device for continuous production of aerogel felt. It can solve the problem of poor quality of aerogel felt in the prior art. The technical solution is as follows:

[0005] The equipment for continuous production of aerogel felt includes: a fabric feeding device, a sol impregnation device, a gel aging device, a fabric collecting device, and a drying device arranged sequentially along the direction of travel of the original fiber felt.

[0006] The fabric feeding device is used to feed the fiber felt;

[0007] The sol-impregnation device has an impregnation tank for holding sol;

[0008] The gel aging device includes a gelation mechanism and a first aging mechanism. The gelation mechanism and the aging mechanism are used to sequentially spray a catalyst and an aging agent onto the fiber felt after it has been soaked in the sol, so as to obtain an aged gel fiber felt.

[0009] The winding device is used to wind up the aged gel fiber felt.

[0010] The drying device is used to dry rolls of aged gel fiber felt.

[0011] Optionally, the gelation mechanism includes a first stirring tank, a catalyst spraying assembly, a catalyst collecting tank, a first return pipe, and a first conveying assembly;

[0012] The first stirred tank is used to prepare the catalyst;

[0013] The catalyst spraying assembly is connected to the first stirring tank and is used to spray the catalyst;

[0014] The catalyst collection tank is located on the side of the catalyst spraying assembly closest to the ground;

[0015] The inlet end of the first return liquid pipe is connected to the catalyst collection tank, and the outlet end of the first return liquid pipe is connected to the first stirring tank.

[0016] The first conveying component is used to move the fiber felt after the catalyst has been sprayed toward the aging mechanism.

[0017] Optionally, the gelation mechanism further includes a first heating roller located at the output end of the first conveying assembly;

[0018] The first heating roll includes two first heating elements and two first drive rolls arranged opposite each other, wherein the two first heating elements are respectively located inside the two first drive rolls;

[0019] Each of the first drive rollers is flat, and the two first drive rollers rotate in opposite directions.

[0020] Optionally, the gelation mechanism further includes a waste collection trough located on the side of the first heated roll closest to the ground.

[0021] Optionally, the first aging mechanism includes a second mixing tank, an aging agent spraying assembly, an aging agent collection tank, a second return liquid pipeline, and a second conveying assembly.

[0022] The second mixing tank is used to prepare the aging agent;

[0023] The aging agent spraying assembly is connected to the second mixing tank and is used to spray the aging agent;

[0024] The aging agent collection tank is located on the side of the aging agent spraying assembly closest to the ground;

[0025] The inlet end of the second return liquid pipe is connected to the aging agent collection tank, and the outlet end of the second return liquid pipe is connected to the second stirring tank.

[0026] The first conveying component is used to move the fiber felt after it has been sprayed with the aging agent toward the take-up device.

[0027] Optionally, the first aging mechanism further includes a second heating roller, which is located at the output end of the second conveying assembly;

[0028] The second heating roll includes two second heating elements and two oppositely arranged second drive rolls. The two second heating elements are respectively located inside the two second drive rolls, and the two second drive rolls rotate in opposite directions.

[0029] Optionally, the gel aging apparatus further includes a second aging mechanism located at the output end of the second heated roll;

[0030] The second aging mechanism includes a heating conveyor belt and four guide rollers. The heating conveyor belt has four corners, and the four guide rollers are located at the four corners of the heating conveyor belt.

[0031] Optionally, both the catalyst spraying assembly and the aging agent spraying assembly include an upper spraying structure and a lower spraying structure arranged opposite to each other. The lower spraying structure is located on the side of the lower spraying structure closer to the ground. The opening of the upper spraying structure faces the lower spraying structure, and the opening of the lower spraying structure faces the upper spraying structure.

[0032] Both the first conveying component and the second conveying component include two edge conveyor belts, which are arranged opposite each other along the width direction of the fiber felt, and the surfaces of the two edge conveyor belts are barbed.

[0033] Optionally, the sol-gel impregnation device includes a third stirring tank, a first outlet pipe, an impregnation tank, a transmission assembly, a level gauge, and a third return pipe;

[0034] The third mixing tank is used to prepare the sol;

[0035] The inlet of the first outlet pipe is connected to the third stirring tank, and the outlet of the first outlet pipe is connected to the immersion tank.

[0036] At least a portion of the transmission assembly is located in the immersion tank, and the transmission assembly is used to drive the fiber felt to move in the immersion tank;

[0037] The level gauge is installed in the immersion tank;

[0038] The inlet of the third return liquid pipe is connected to the bottom of the immersion tank, and the outlet of the third return liquid pipe is connected to the third stirring tank.

[0039] Optionally, the transmission assembly includes a plurality of extrusion rollers and a plurality of impregnation rollers;

[0040] The plurality of extrusion rollers are all located outside the solution in the immersion tank, while the plurality of fabric impregnation rollers are all located in the solution in the immersion tank;

[0041] The extrusion rollers and the impregnation rollers are arranged alternately along the moving direction of the fiber felt.

[0042] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by this utility model embodiment include at least the following:

[0043] A continuous production apparatus for aerogel felt is provided, comprising a fabric feeding device, a sol impregnation device, a gel aging device, a fabric taking-up device, and a drying device. The gel aging device includes a gelation mechanism and a first aging mechanism, which sequentially spray a catalyst and an aging agent onto the sol-impregnated fiber felt to obtain aged gel fiber felt. The fabric taking-up device and the drying device sequentially wind and dry the aged gel fiber felt to obtain aerogel felt. In the production process of aerogel felt, by separating the reaction processes of different types of solvents (such as sol, catalyst, and aging agent) with the fiber felt and performing them sequentially, interference between multiple reaction processes is avoided. Furthermore, the reaction times of multiple reaction processes can be set separately, allowing the fiber felt to fully fuse and react with various solvents, improving the quality of the formed aerogel felt and solving the problem of poor quality aerogel felt formed in the prior art.

[0044] Furthermore, the equipment for continuous production of aerogel felt in this embodiment of the present invention can realize continuous production of aerogel felt, and simultaneously perform processes such as unwinding, impregnation, coagulation, aging, winding and drying, which can improve production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0045] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an apparatus for continuous production of aerogel felt provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0047] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sol-gel impregnation device provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0048] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a gelation mechanism and a first aging mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the movement of a fiber felt that has adsorbed sol in a gelation mechanism and a first aging mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first heating roll provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second heating roller provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0052] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second aging mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the travel process of an aging gel fiber felt in the second aging mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a catalyst spraying structure provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0055] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a catalyst under-spray structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an edge conveyor belt provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another edge conveyor belt provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0058] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the embodiments of this utility model will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] Although the present invention can be readily embodied in various forms, only some specific embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail in this specification. It is understood that this specification should be regarded as an exemplary illustration of the principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention to what is described herein.

[0060] Therefore, a feature pointed out in this specification is used to describe one feature of one embodiment of the present invention, and does not imply that every embodiment of the present invention must have the described feature. Furthermore, it should be noted that this specification describes many features. Although certain features may be combined to illustrate possible system designs, these features may also be used in other combinations not explicitly stated. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the described combinations are not intended to be limiting.

[0061] In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, and back) used to explain the structure and movement of the various elements of this invention are relative rather than absolute. These descriptions are appropriate when these elements are in the positions shown in the drawings. If the descriptions of the positions of these elements change, these directional indications also change accordingly.

[0062] Compared to traditional thermal insulation structures (such as mineral wool and foam plastics), aerogel felt (also known as aerogel thermal insulation felt) made of aerogel has better thermal insulation performance. Furthermore, traditional thermal insulation structures may absorb water over long-term use, leading to problems such as deformation, cracking, and detachment, which affects the service life of the thermal insulation structure. Aerogel felt has good hydrophobic properties and will not deform even after long-term use, thus improving its service life.

[0063] Currently, the following problems exist in the production process of aerogel felt: (1) Usually, the hydrolyzed sol is added to the catalyst and then combined with the fiber felt. Since the sol will turn into a gel after a period of time after the catalyst is added, the sol may not be combined with the fiber felt or the combination is insufficient before turning into a gel, resulting in insufficient combination between the sol and the fiber felt, which leads to poor quality of the formed aerogel felt; (2) The recycling rate of production raw materials is low, which leads to waste of resources; (3) The fiber felt cannot fully adsorb various solvents (such as catalysts, aging agents, etc.), which leads to poor quality of the formed aerogel felt.

[0064] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an apparatus for continuous production of aerogel felt provided in an embodiment of the present invention; the apparatus for continuous production of aerogel felt may include: a fabric feeding device 11, a sol impregnation device 12, a gel aging device 13, a fabric receiving device 14, and a drying device 15 arranged sequentially along the traveling direction of the fiber felt 21.

[0065] The fabric feeding device 11 is used to feed the fiber felt 21. The fabric feeding device 11 may include a fabric feeding machine or a roll feeding roller. For example, the fiber felt 21 may include glass fiber felt, ceramic fiber felt, carbon fiber felt or pre-oxidized fiber felt.

[0066] The sol-impregnation apparatus 12 has an impregnation tank 123 for holding the sol 22. The fiber felt 21 can fully contact the sol 22 inside the impregnation tank 123, so that the fiber felt 21 can adsorb the sol 22 in the impregnation tank 123. Since no catalyst 23 is added to the sol 22 in the impregnation tank 123, the sol 22 will not gel, and the sol 22 can be fully combined with the fiber felt 21.

[0067] The gel aging apparatus 13 may include a gelation mechanism 131 and a first aging mechanism 132. The gelation mechanism 131 and the first aging mechanism 132 are used to sequentially spray a catalyst 23 and an aging agent 24 onto the fiber felt 21 after it has been soaked in sol 22, so as to obtain an aged gel fiber felt. The catalyst 23 may include an alkaline catalyst 23. The gelation mechanism 131 is used to prepare and store the catalyst 23, and spray the alkaline catalyst 23 onto the fiber felt 21 impregnated with sol 22, so that the sol 22 on the fiber felt 21 gels, thereby obtaining a gelled fiber felt. The first aging mechanism 132 is used to prepare and store the aging agent 24, and spray the aging agent 24 onto the gelled fiber felt, so that the gel on the gelled fiber felt ages, thereby obtaining an aged gel fiber felt.

[0068] The take-up device 14 is used to take up the aged gel fiber felt. The take-up device 14 may include a take-up machine or a take-up roller. The take-up device 14 can wind the aged gel fiber felt into a roll to facilitate subsequent drying operations.

[0069] The drying device 15 is used to dry the rolled aged gel fiber felt to obtain a rolled dried aerogel felt 25 (also called aerogel fiber felt). For example, the drying device 15 may have a receiving part in which the rolled aged gel fiber felt can be dried. The drying device 15 can dry the rolled aged gel fiber felt by drying methods such as atmospheric pressure drying, supercritical drying, freeze drying, microwave drying, etc.

[0070] In summary, this utility model provides a continuous production apparatus for aerogel felt, including a fabric feeding device 11, a sol impregnation device 12, a gel aging device 13, a fabric taking device 14, and a drying device 15. The gel aging device 13 may include a gelation mechanism 131 and a first aging mechanism 132. The gelation mechanism 131 and the first aging mechanism 132 are used to sequentially spray a catalyst 23 and an aging agent 24 onto the fiber felt 21 after it has been impregnated with sol 22 to obtain an aged gel fiber felt. The fabric taking device 14 and the drying device 15 sequentially wind up and dry the aged gel fiber felt to obtain an aerogel felt 25. In the production process of aerogel felt 25, by separating the reaction processes of different types of solvents (such as sol 22, catalyst 23 and aging agent 24) with the fiber felt 21 separately and proceeding in sequence, the interference between multiple reaction processes is avoided. Furthermore, the reaction time of multiple reaction processes can be set separately, so that the fiber felt 21 can be fully fused and reacted with various solvents, thereby improving the quality of the formed aerogel felt 25 and solving the problem of poor quality of aerogel felt 25 formed in the prior art.

[0071] Furthermore, the equipment for continuous production of aerogel felt in this embodiment of the present invention can realize the continuous production of aerogel felt 25, and simultaneously perform processes such as unwinding, impregnation, coagulation, aging, winding and drying, which can improve production efficiency.

[0072] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sol-impregnation device 12 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In an optional embodiment, the sol-impregnation device 12 may include a third stirring tank 121, a first liquid outlet pipe 122, an impregnation tank 123, a transmission assembly 124, a liquid level gauge 125, and a third liquid return pipe 126.

[0073] The third stirring tank 121 is used to prepare sol 22. Sol 22 can be prepared by mixing and stirring a precursor solution of silica aerogel, an acidic catalyst 23, and other additives. The precursor solution can include inorganic silicon solution (e.g., activated silicate glass, also known as water glass), organosilicon solution (e.g., tetraethyl orthosilicate, methyltriethoxysilane), or a mixture of various silicon solutions. The acidic catalyst 23 can include hydrochloric acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, etc. The additives can include deionized water, ethanol, methanol, surfactants, etc.

[0074] The third mixing tank 121 may include a third agitator 1211 and a third tank body 1212. The third agitator 1211 is located in the third tank body 1212 and is used to mix the raw materials in the third tank body 1212 evenly.

[0075] The inlet of the first outlet pipe 122 is connected to the third mixing tank 121, and the outlet of the first outlet pipe 122 is connected to the immersion tank 123. The first outlet pipe 122 is used to transfer the sol 22 in the third mixing tank 121 to the immersion tank 123.

[0076] At least a portion of the transmission assembly 124 is located in the impregnation tank 123, and the transmission assembly 124 is used to drive the fiber felt 21 to move in the impregnation tank 123; the level gauge 125 is installed in the impregnation tank 123; the inlet of the third return pipe 126 is connected to the bottom of the impregnation tank 123, and the outlet of the third return pipe 126 is connected to the third stirring tank 121.

[0077] The amount of sol 22 in the immersion tank 123 can be monitored in real time by the level gauge 125. After each process of aerogel felt 25 is completed, the third return pipe 126 can transfer the unused sol 22 to the third mixing tank 121 for storage, so as to avoid waste of raw materials.

[0078] In one optional embodiment, when the height of the third stirring tank 121 is greater than or equal to the height of the immersion tank 123, a pump and valve can be installed on the third return pipe 126 to drive the flow of the sol 22 in the third return pipe 126 by the pump, and a valve can be installed on the first outlet pipe 122 to drive the flow of the sol 22 in the first outlet pipe 122 by gravity; when the height of the third stirring tank 121 is less than the height of the immersion tank 123, a valve can be installed on the third return pipe 126 to drive the flow of the sol 22 in the third return pipe 126 by gravity, and a pump and valve can be installed on the first outlet pipe 122 to drive the flow of the sol 22 in the first outlet pipe 122 by the pump.

[0079] In one exemplary embodiment, the equipment for continuous production of aerogel felt may further include a controller, and the valves may include solenoid valves. The controller may be electrically connected to a level gauge 125, a pump body, and multiple valves. The level gauge 125 can monitor the content of sol 22 in the impregnation tank 123 in real time. When the amount of sol 22 detected is lower than a preset value, it indicates that the amount of sol 22 in the current impregnation tank 123 is low, which may cause the fiber felt 21 to not be in sufficient contact with the sol 22. At this time, the controller can control at least one of the pump body or valve on the first outlet pipe 122 to open according to the signal detected by the level gauge 125 to replenish the sol 22 in the impregnation tank 123. Until the level gauge 125 detects that the amount of sol 22 in the impregnation tank 123 reaches the preset value, it indicates that the sol 22 in the impregnation tank 123 can be in sufficient contact with the fiber felt 21, and the replenishment of sol 22 in the impregnation tank 123 is stopped.

[0080] In an optional embodiment, the transmission assembly 124 may include a plurality of extrusion rollers g1 and a plurality of impregnation rollers g2; the plurality of extrusion rollers g1 are all located outside the solution in the impregnation tank 123, and the plurality of impregnation rollers g2 are all located in the solution in the impregnation tank 123; the extrusion rollers g1 and the impregnation rollers g2 are arranged alternately along the moving direction of the fiber felt 21.

[0081] Multiple extrusion rollers g1 may include a first roller g11, a second roller g12, and a third roller g13. Multiple impregnation rollers g2 may include a first impregnation roller g21 and a second impregnation roller g22. Fiber felt 21 can enter the first roller g11 through the feeding device 11. The first roller g11 includes two symmetrical rollers that can expel air from the fiber felt 21, creating a negative pressure in the fiber felt 21. After the air is expelled, the fiber felt 21 can be immersed in the sol 22 through the first impregnation roller g21, allowing the sol 22 to penetrate more fully into the fiber felt 21 under negative pressure. The surface and interior of the fiber felt 21 can be fully impregnated with the sol 22. Then, the fiber felt that has been first impregnated with the sol 22 is... The original felt 21 is squeezed by the second roller g12 to remove excess sol 22 from the fiber original felt 21, and the sol 22 can be squeezed into the deeper interior of the fiber original felt 21, making the adsorbed sol 22 on the fiber original felt 21 more uniform, and making the bond between the sol 22 and the fiber original felt 21 stronger. Then, the fiber original felt 21 can be put back into the second impregnation roller g22 to fill the parts of the fiber original felt 21 that are not filled with sol 22. Then, the fiber original felt 21, which is filled with sol 22 for the second time, is passed through the third roller g13 to remove excess sol 22, making the adsorbed sol 22 on the fiber original felt 21 more uniform, and making the bond between the sol 22 and the fiber original felt 21 stronger. In this way, through multiple squeezing and multiple impregnation, more sol 22 can penetrate into the interior of the fiber felt 21, and the sol 22 can be more firmly bonded to the fiber felt; it can also reduce the amount of sol 22 used, as the sol 22 squeezed out during the process can be recycled back into the impregnation tank, reducing material waste.

[0082] Furthermore, the distance between the two rollers in any one of the extrusion rollers g1 is adjustable. Compared with the negative pressure system equipped in the production process of aerogel felt 25 in related technologies, the structure of the extrusion roller g1 in this embodiment of the present invention is simpler and easier to operate.

[0083] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a gelation mechanism 131 and a first aging mechanism 132 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the movement of a fiber felt 21 with sol adsorbed in a gelation mechanism 131 and a first aging mechanism 132 provided by an embodiment of the present invention. In an optional embodiment, the gelation mechanism 131 may include a first stirring tank 1311, a catalyst spraying assembly 1312, a catalyst collecting tank 1313, a first return liquid pipe 1314, and a first conveying assembly 1315.

[0084] The first stirred tank 1311 can be used to prepare catalyst 23, which may include alkaline solutions such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and ammonia. The first stirred tank 1311 may include a first tank body and a first stirrer, wherein the first stirrer is installed in the first tank body and is used to stir the catalyst 23 in the first tank body.

[0085] The catalyst spraying assembly 1312 can be connected to the first mixing tank 1311 and is used to spray the catalyst 23. The catalyst spraying assembly 1312 may include a booster pump, a regulating valve group, pipes and spray heads, etc. The two ends of the pipes can be connected to the first mixing tank 1311 and the spray head respectively, so as to spray the catalyst 23 onto the fiber felt 21 after it has been soaked in sol 22 through the spray head.

[0086] The catalyst collection tank 1313 is located on the side of the catalyst spraying assembly 1312 closest to the ground. The inlet end of the first return liquid pipe 1314 is connected to the catalyst collection tank 1313, and the outlet end of the first return liquid pipe 1314 is connected to the first stirring tank 1311. During the process of the catalyst spraying assembly 1312 spraying the catalyst 23 onto the fiber felt 21 after soaking in sol 22, some of the catalyst 23 flows from the fiber felt 21 that has adsorbed the catalyst 23 to the ground under the action of gravity. The catalyst collection tank 1313 can be used to receive and store these excess catalysts 23, and the recovered catalysts 23 can be transported to the first stirring tank 1311 for reuse through the first return liquid pipe 1314, which can reduce the waste of catalyst 23.

[0087] The first conveying component 1315 is used to move the fiber felt 21 after being sprayed with catalyst 23 toward the aging mechanism. At the same time, the fiber felt 21 after being soaked in sol 22 can be moved outside the outlet of the catalyst spraying component 1312 through the first conveying component 1315 so that the catalyst 23 can be sprayed at each position of the fiber felt 21.

[0088] In one alternative embodiment, when the height of the first stirring tank 1311 is greater than or equal to the height of the catalyst collection tank 1313, a pump can be installed on the first return pipe 1314 to drive the catalyst 23 in the first return pipe 1314 to flow; when the height of the first stirring tank 1311 is less than the height of the catalyst collection tank 1313, the catalyst 23 in the first return pipe 1314 can be driven to flow by gravity.

[0089] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first heating roller 1316 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In an optional embodiment, the gelation mechanism 131 may further include a first heating roller 1316, which is located at the output end of the first conveying assembly 1315. The first heating roller 1316 includes two first heating elements r1 and two oppositely arranged first transmission rollers g3. The two first heating elements r1 are respectively located inside the two first transmission rollers g3. Either of the first transmission rollers g3 is flat, and the two first transmission rollers g3 rotate in opposite directions. The fiber felt 21, after adsorbing the sol 22 and catalyst 23, can be located between the two first transmission rollers g3. The first heating roller 1316 with heating function can make the sol 22 and catalyst 23 on the fiber felt 21 react fully, thereby gelling the sol 22.

[0090] Since the first drive roller g3 is flat, when the fiber felt 21, after adsorbing sol 22 and catalyst 23, is conveyed by the first conveying assembly 1315 to the space between the two first drive rollers g3, the two first drive rollers g3 can apply pressure to the fiber felt 21 adsorbing sol 22 and catalyst 23 to remove excess catalyst 23, and at the same time further compress the catalyst 23 into the interior of the fiber felt 21, so that the sol 22 and catalyst 23 on the fiber felt 21 can combine more effectively and react. The heating function of the first heating roller 1316 can improve the gelation rate. The first drive rollers g3, located on the upper and lower sides of the fiber felt 21 respectively, can uniformly heat the upper and lower sides of the fiber felt 21, so that the quality of the gelled fiber felt is consistent at different positions. In addition, the flat first drive roller g3 has a certain length in the direction of travel of the fiber felt 21, which can fully gel the sol 22 on the fiber felt 21.

[0091] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 In an optional embodiment, the gelation mechanism 131 may further include a waste collection tank 1317 located on the side of the first heated roll 1316 closest to the ground. The waste collection tank 1317 collects waste material extruded from the first heated roll, which may include the sol 22, catalyst 23, and gel fragments formed after gelation. The waste collection tank 1317 may have an outlet c1 on its side through which the waste material can be discharged.

[0092] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4In one optional embodiment, the first aging mechanism 132 may include a second stirring tank 1321, an aging agent spraying assembly 1322, an aging agent collection tank 1323, a second return liquid pipe 1324, and a second conveying assembly 1325.

[0093] The second stirring tank 1321 can be used to prepare the aging agent 24. For example, the aging agent 24 may include alcohols (e.g., ethanol), silica aerogel felt precursor solutions, acetone, acid-base catalysts, surfactants, etc. The second stirring tank 1321 may include a second tank body and a second stirrer, wherein the second stirrer is installed in the second tank body and is used to mix the aging agent 24 in the second tank body.

[0094] The aging agent spraying assembly 1322 is connected to the second mixing tank 1321 and is used to spray the aging agent 24. The aging agent spraying assembly 1322 may include a booster pump, a regulating valve group, a pipeline and a spray head, etc. The two ends of the pipeline can be connected to the second mixing tank 1321 and the spray head respectively, so as to spray the aging agent 24 onto the gelled fiber felt through the spray head.

[0095] An aging agent collection tank 1323 is located on the side of the aging agent spraying assembly 1322 closest to the ground. The inlet end of the second return liquid pipe 1324 is connected to the aging agent collection tank 1323, and the outlet end of the second return liquid pipe 1324 is connected to the second mixing tank 1321. The first conveying assembly 1315 is used to move the fiber felt 21 after spraying the aging agent 24 toward the fabric collection device 14. The inlet end of the second return liquid pipe 1324 is connected to the aging agent collection tank 1323, and the outlet end of the second return liquid pipe 1324 is connected to the second mixing tank 1321. During the process of the aging spraying assembly spraying the aging agent 24 onto the gelled fiber felt, some of the aging agent 24 flows from the gelled fiber felt to the ground under the action of gravity. The aging agent collection tank 1323 can be used to receive and store this excess aging agent 24, and the recovered aging agent 24 can be transported to the second mixing tank 1321 for reuse through the second return liquid pipe 1324, which can avoid the waste of the aging agent 24.

[0096] The gelled fiber mat can be moved outside the outlet of the aging agent spraying assembly 1322 via the second conveying assembly 1325 so that the aging agent 24 can be sprayed at each position of the gelled fiber mat.

[0097] In one alternative embodiment, when the height of the second mixing tank 1321 is greater than or equal to the height of the aging agent collection tank 1323, a pump body can be installed on the second return liquid pipe 1324 to drive the aging agent 24 in the second return liquid pipe 1324 to flow; when the height of the second mixing tank 1321 is less than the height of the aging agent collection tank 1323, the aging agent 24 in the second return liquid pipe 1324 can be driven to flow by gravity.

[0098] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second heating roller provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In an optional embodiment, the first aging mechanism 132 may further include a second heating roller 1326, which is located at the output end of the second conveying assembly 1325. The second heating roller 1326 may include two second heating elements r2 and two opposing second transmission rollers g4. The two second heating elements r2 are respectively located inside the two second transmission rollers g4, and the two second transmission rollers g4 rotate in opposite directions. The first aging mechanism 132 can age the gelled fiber felt that has adsorbed the aging agent 24. The gelled fiber felt that has adsorbed the aging agent 24 can be located between the two second transmission rollers g4. The second heating roller 1326 with heating function can make the gel and the aging agent 24 in the gelled fiber felt react fully, thereby aging the gel.

[0099] When the gelled fiber felt containing the aging agent 24 is conveyed by the second conveying assembly 1325 between the two second drive rollers g4, the two second drive rollers g4 can apply extrusion pressure to the gelled fiber felt containing the aging agent 24 to remove excess aging agent 24, and at the same time, can squeeze the aging agent 24 into the interior of the gelled fiber felt, so that the gel and aging agent 24 on the gelled fiber felt can be more effectively combined. The heating function of the second heating roller 1326 can increase the aging speed. The second drive rollers g4 located on the upper and lower sides of the gelled fiber felt can uniformly heat the upper and lower sides of the gelled fiber felt, so that the quality of the formed aged gelled fiber felt is consistent at different locations.

[0100] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second aging mechanism 133 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the travel process of an aged gel fiber felt 211 in the second aging mechanism 133 provided by an embodiment of the present invention. In an optional embodiment, the gel aging device 13 may further include a second aging mechanism 133, which is located at the output end of the second heating roller 1326. The second aging mechanism 133 may include a heating conveyor belt 1331 and four guide rollers. The heating conveyor belt 1331 has four corners, and the four guide rollers are respectively located at the four corners of the heating conveyor belt 1331.

[0101] Because a short aging reaction time may cause incomplete aging of the aged gel fiber felt 211, resulting in poor quality of the aged gel fiber felt, a certain amount of time is required to complete the aging process. In this embodiment of the invention, the gelled fiber felt is initially aged by the first aging mechanism 132 to obtain the aged gel fiber felt 211, and the aged gel fiber felt 211 is then aged a second time by the second aging mechanism 133 to improve the quality of the aged gel fiber felt 211. Both the first aging mechanism 132 and the second aging mechanism 133 have heating functions, which can improve aging efficiency and shorten aging time.

[0102] For example, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the four guide rollers may include a first guide roller 1332, a second guide roller 1333, a third guide roller 1334, and a fourth guide roller 1335. The aged gel fiber felt 211, after initial aging, can be conveyed from the second heated roller 1326 onto the first guide roller 1332, and then enters between the first guide roller 1332 and the heated conveyor belt 1331, moving with the heated conveyor belt 1331. During this movement, it can sequentially pass through the second guide roller 1333, the third guide roller 1334, and the fourth guide roller 1335 before exiting the second aging mechanism 133. All four guide rollers and the heated conveyor belt 1331 can have heating functions to shorten the aging time of the aged gel fiber felt 211. Furthermore, all four guide rollers can cooperate with the heated conveyor belt 1331 to apply a certain pressure to the aged gel fiber felt 211 during aging, allowing the aging solution and gel in the aged gel fiber felt 211 to bond more fully.

[0103] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 9 and 10 , Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a catalyst spraying structure p1 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a catalyst lower spray structure p2 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. In an optional embodiment, both the catalyst spray assembly 1312 and the aging agent spray assembly 1322 may include an upper spray structure and a lower spray structure arranged opposite to each other. The lower spray structure is located on the side of the lower spray structure closer to the ground. The opening of the upper spray structure faces the lower spray structure, and the opening of the lower spray structure faces the upper spray structure.

[0104] In this embodiment of the present invention, the structure of the catalyst spraying assembly 1312, which includes an upper catalyst spraying structure p1 and a lower catalyst spraying structure p2, is described as an example. The upper catalyst spraying structure p1 may include a second outlet pipe p11, a catalyst booster pump p12, an upper spraying conveying pipe p13, a first total flow meter p14, a first total regulating valve p15, multiple upper spraying pipes p16, multiple upper nozzles p17, multiple first partial flow meters p18, and multiple first partial regulating valves p19. The two ends of the second outlet pipe p11 are respectively connected to the first mixing tank 1311 and the upper spraying conveying pipe p13. The catalyst booster pump p12 is installed at the second outlet pipe. On pipe p11, the first total flow meter p14 and the first total regulating valve p15 are both installed on the upper spray conveying pipe p13. One end of each of the multiple upper spray pipes p16 can be connected to the upper spray conveying pipe. The length direction of the multiple upper spray pipes p16 can be perpendicular to the length direction of the upper spray conveying pipe, and the multiple upper spray pipes p16 can be arranged along the length direction of the upper spray conveying pipe. Multiple first branch flow meters p18 and multiple first branch regulating valves p19 are all installed one-to-one on the connecting end of the multiple upper spray pipes p16 (the connecting end refers to the end where the upper spray pipe p16 is connected to the upper spray conveying pipe). Multiple upper spray heads p17 are installed on any one of the upper spray pipes p16.

[0105] During the process of spraying catalyst 23 through catalyst spraying structure p1, catalyst 23 can be transported from the first stirring tank 1311 to catalyst booster pump p12 through the second liquid outlet pipe p11, and then flow from catalyst booster pump p12 into upper spray delivery pipe p13, and then into multiple upper spray pipes p16, and sprayed onto the front surface of the fibrillar felt that has adsorbed sol 22 through multiple upper nozzles p17. By setting multiple upper spray pipes p16 and multiple upper nozzles p17 in catalyst spraying structure p1, catalyst 23 can be evenly sprayed onto the surface and interior of fibrillar felt that has adsorbed sol 22, and the amount of catalyst 23 sprayed can be increased, which can promote the contact between catalyst 23 and sol 22 on fibrillar felt 21, so that catalyst 23 reacts with sol 22. The catalyst 23 in the pipeline is pressurized by the catalyst booster pump p12. Under pressure, the catalyst 23 can penetrate deep into the interior of the fibrillar felt that has adsorbed the sol 22, improving the uniformity of the catalyst 23 on the surface and inside of the fibrillar felt. During production, the operator can adjust the parameters of the alkaline catalyst booster pump p12 as needed to improve the applicability of the equipment. Furthermore, by installing a first main regulating valve p15 and a first main flow meter p14 at the connection end of the upper spray conveying pipeline p13 and the second outlet pipeline p11, the operator can adjust the flow rate of the catalyst 23 in the catalyst upper spray structure p1 according to the production situation. The flow rate of the catalyst 23 on each upper spray pipe p16 can also be adjusted by the first branch regulating valve p19 and the first branch flow meter p18.

[0106] The catalyst under-spray structure p2 may include a third liquid outlet pipe, a catalyst booster pump, a lower spray delivery pipe p23, a second total flow meter p24, a second total regulating valve p25, multiple lower spray pipes p26, multiple lower nozzles p27, multiple second partial flow meters p28, and multiple second partial regulating valves p29. It is understood that in this embodiment of the invention, the catalyst under-spray structure p2 may have a structure similar to or symmetrical to the catalyst upper spray structure p1. The catalyst under-spray structure p2 is used to spray the catalyst 23 onto the back of the fibrillar felt that has adsorbed the sol 22. The structure of the catalyst under-spray structure p2 will not be described in detail here.

[0107] In one exemplary embodiment, the second liquid outlet pipe p11 and the third liquid outlet pipe can be integrated on the same liquid outlet pipe, and the catalyst booster pump p12 and the aging agent booster pump can be integrated on the same booster pump.

[0108] It is understood that the structure of the aging agent spraying assembly 1322 in this embodiment of the present invention may be the same as or symmetrical to the structure of the catalyst spraying assembly 1312, and this embodiment of the present invention will not elaborate on this.

[0109] In this embodiment of the present invention, both the catalyst spraying assembly 1312 and the aging agent spraying assembly 1322 include an upper spraying structure and a lower spraying structure arranged opposite to each other, which can spray the catalyst 23 and the aging agent 24 onto both sides of the fibrillar felt or gelled fiber felt that has adsorbed the sol 22, making the catalyst 23 and the aging agent more evenly distributed on the surface and inside of the fibrillar felt.

[0110] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 11 and Figure 12 , Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an edge conveyor belt b1 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another edge conveyor belt b1 provided in an embodiment of the present utility model. The first conveying component 1315 and the second conveying component 1325 can each include two edge conveyor belts b1. The two edge conveyor belts b1 are arranged opposite each other along the width direction of the fiber felt 21, and the surfaces of the two edge conveyor belts b1 are barbs b11.

[0111] In this embodiment of the present invention, the first conveying component 1315 is used as an example for description. The first conveying component 1315 can drive the fibrillated felt that has adsorbed the sol 22 to move between the upper spray structure p1 and the lower spray structure p2 of the catalyst, and the direction of movement can be parallel to the length direction of the upper spray conveying pipe p13.

[0112] In one exemplary embodiment, the gel aging apparatus 13 may further include a fifth guide roller g5, located between the sol impregnation apparatus 12 and the first conveying assembly 1315. The fibril felt adsorbed with sol 22 can be conveyed via the fifth guide roller g5 to the first conveying assembly 1315, and then via the first conveying assembly 1315 to the area between the catalyst upper spray structure p1 and the catalyst lower spray structure p2 for catalyst 23 spraying. The height of the fifth guide roller g5 is lower than the two edge conveyor belts b1 in the first conveying assembly 1315 to tighten the fibril felt adsorbed with sol 22, thereby improving the connection stability between the fibril felt adsorbed with sol 22 and the first conveying assembly 1315. The width of any one of the edge conveyor belts b1 ranges from 5cm to 30cm. For example, the width of any one of the edge conveyor belts b1 can be 5cm, 10cm, 15cm, 20cm, 25cm, or 30cm, so that most of the area of ​​both sides of the fibrillar felt that has adsorbed the sol 22 can be exposed between the catalyst spray structure p1 and the catalyst spray structure p2, so that the fibrillar felt that has adsorbed the sol 22 can more fully contact and adsorb the catalyst 23. The barbs b11 on the surface of the edge conveyor belt b1 can further improve the stability of the first conveying assembly 1315 when moving the fibrillar felt that has adsorbed the sol 22.

[0113] It is understood that the second transmission component 1325 in this embodiment of the present invention has the same or similar structure as the first transmission component 1315, therefore, this embodiment of the present invention will not elaborate on this.

[0114] Please refer to Figure 2 In one exemplary embodiment, the gel aging device 13 may include a device housing 16 and a first upper baffle d1, a second upper baffle d2, a first lower baffle d3, and a second lower baffle d4 located within the device housing 16. The gelation mechanism 131 and the first aging mechanism 132 are also located within the device housing 16. Specifically, the first upper baffle d1 and the first lower baffle d3 are both located between the catalyst spraying assembly 1312 and the first heating roller 1316, serving to block the catalyst 23 sprayed from the catalyst spraying assembly 1312. Furthermore, the first lower baffle d3 also serves to separate the catalyst collection tank 1313 and the waste collection tank 1317. Similarly, the second upper baffle d2 and the second lower baffle d4 are both located between the aging agent spraying assembly 1322 and the first heating roller 1316, serving to block the aging agent 24 sprayed from the aging agent spraying assembly 1322. Furthermore, the first lower baffle d3 also serves to separate the aging agent collection tank 1323 and the waste collection tank 1317.

[0115] It is understood that the embodiments of this application also include structures such as pumps, connecting pipes, and device housings, so that the equipment for continuous production of aerogel felt can operate stably. The embodiments of this application will not elaborate on these aspects.

[0116] In summary, this utility model provides a continuous production apparatus for aerogel felt, comprising a fabric feeding device 11, a sol impregnation device 12, a gel aging device 13, a fabric taking-up device 14, and a drying device 15. The gel aging device 13 may include a gelation mechanism 131 and a first aging mechanism 132. The gelation mechanism 131 and the first aging mechanism 132 sequentially spray a catalyst 23 and an aging agent 24 onto the fiber felt 21 after it has been impregnated with sol 22 to obtain an aged gel fiber felt. The fabric taking-up device 14 and the drying device 15 sequentially wind up and dry the aged gel fiber felt to obtain an aerogel felt 25. During the production of aerogel felt 25, by separating the reaction processes of different types of solvents (such as sol 22, catalyst 23, and aging agent 24) with the fiber felt 21, interference between multiple reaction processes is avoided. Furthermore, the reaction times of multiple reaction processes can be set individually, allowing the fiber felt 21 to fully fuse and react with various solvents, thereby improving the quality of the formed aerogel felt 25.

[0117] In addition, the equipment for continuous production of aerogel felt also includes a catalyst collection tank 1313 and an aging agent collection tank 1323, which allows the solvent to be recycled and reused, avoiding material waste. Furthermore, the equipment improves the ability of the fiber felt 21 to adsorb various solvents through processes such as solvent spraying, multiple extrusion, and multiple impregnation, making the combination of various solvents with the fiber felt 21 more uniform and sufficient, thereby improving the quality of the formed aerogel felt 25 and solving the problem of poor quality of aerogel felt 25 formed in the prior art.

[0118] It should be noted that the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated in the accompanying drawings for clarity. Furthermore, it is understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on" another element or layer, it can be directly on the other element, or there may be intermediate layers. Additionally, it is understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "below" another element or layer, it can be directly below the other element, or there may be more than one intermediate layer or element. Furthermore, it is also understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being "between" two layers or two elements, it can be the only layer between the two layers or two elements, or there may be more than one intermediate layer or element. Similar reference numerals throughout indicate similar elements.

[0119] In this invention, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The term "multiple" refers to two or more unless otherwise expressly defined.

[0120] The above description is only an optional embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An apparatus for continuous production of aerogel felt, characterized by, The application relates to a sol-gel fiber felt production device. The device comprises a cloth feeding device, a sol immersion device, a gel aging device, a cloth collecting device and a drying device arranged in sequence along the running direction of the fiber felt. The cloth feeding device is used for feeding the fiber felt. The sol immersion device is provided with a liquid immersion tank for containing sol. The gel aging device comprises a gelation mechanism and a first aging mechanism. The gelation mechanism and the first aging mechanism are used for spraying a catalyst and an aging agent to the fiber felt soaked with the sol in sequence to obtain an aging gel fiber felt. The cloth collecting device is used for winding the aging gel fiber felt.

2. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 1, wherein, The drying device is used for drying the wound aging gel fiber felt. The gelation mechanism comprises a first stirring tank, a catalyst spraying assembly, a catalyst collecting tank, a first liquid return pipeline and a first conveying assembly. The first stirring tank is used for preparing the catalyst. The catalyst spraying assembly is communicated with the first stirring tank and is used for spraying the catalyst. The catalyst collecting tank is located at the side of the catalyst spraying assembly close to the ground. The liquid inlet end of the first liquid return pipeline is communicated with the catalyst collecting tank, and the liquid outlet end of the first liquid return pipeline is communicated with the first stirring tank.

3. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 2, wherein, The first conveying assembly is used for moving the fiber felt after spraying the catalyst towards the aging mechanism. The gelation mechanism further comprises a first heating roller located at the output end of the first conveying assembly. The first heating roller comprises two first heating elements and two oppositely arranged first transmission rollers.

4. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 3, wherein, The first transmission rollers are in plate shape, and the rotating directions of the two first transmission rollers are opposite.

5. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 2, wherein, The gelation mechanism further comprises a waste collecting tank located at the side of the first heating roller close to the ground. The first aging mechanism comprises a second stirring tank, an aging agent spraying assembly, an aging agent collecting tank, a second liquid return pipeline and a second conveying assembly. The second stirring tank is used for preparing the aging agent. The aging agent spraying assembly is communicated with the second stirring tank and is used for spraying the aging agent. The aging agent collecting tank is located at the side of the aging agent spraying assembly close to the ground. The liquid inlet end of the second liquid return pipeline is communicated with the aging agent collecting tank, and the liquid outlet end of the second liquid return pipeline is communicated with the second stirring tank.

6. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 5, wherein, The first conveying assembly is used for moving the fiber felt after spraying the aging agent towards the cloth collecting device. The first aging mechanism further comprises a second heating roller located at the output end of the second conveying assembly.

7. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 6, wherein, The second heating roller comprises two second heating elements and two oppositely arranged second transmission rollers. The second aging mechanism is located at the output end of the second heating roller. The second aging mechanism is used for aging the aging gel fiber felt. The second aging mechanism comprises a heating conveying belt and four guide rollers, the heating conveying belt has four corners, and the four guide rollers are respectively located at the four corners of the heating conveying belt.

8. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 5, wherein, The catalyst spraying assembly and the aging agent spraying assembly each comprise oppositely arranged upper and lower spraying structures, the lower spraying structure is located on a side close to the ground, the opening of the upper spraying structure faces the lower spraying structure, and the opening of the lower spraying structure faces the upper spraying structure. The first conveying assembly and the second conveying assembly each comprise two edge conveying belts, the two edge conveying belts are oppositely arranged along the width direction of the fiber mat, and the surfaces of the two edge conveying belts each have barbs.

9. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 1, wherein, The sol impregnation device comprises a third stirring tank, a first liquid outlet pipeline, an impregnation tank, a transmission assembly, a liquid level meter and a third liquid return pipeline. The third stirring tank is used for preparing the sol. The liquid inlet of the first liquid outlet pipeline is in communication with the third stirring tank, and the liquid outlet of the first liquid outlet pipeline is in communication with the impregnation tank. At least part of the transmission assembly is located in the impregnation tank, and the transmission assembly is used for driving the fiber mat to move in the impregnation tank. The liquid level meter is installed in the impregnation tank. The liquid inlet of the third liquid return pipeline is in communication with the bottom of the impregnation tank, and the liquid outlet of the third liquid return pipeline is in communication with the third stirring tank.

10. The apparatus for continuous production of aerogel batts of claim 9, wherein, The transmission assembly comprises a plurality of extrusion rollers and a plurality of impregnation rollers. The plurality of extrusion rollers are located outside the solution in the impregnation tank, and the plurality of impregnation rollers are located in the solution in the impregnation tank. The extrusion rollers and the impregnation rollers are alternately arranged along the moving direction of the fiber mat.

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