Ceramic Foam Manufacturing with Segmented Facing and Insulating Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing ceramic foam products either result in high-density products with limited heat-insulating properties or lack a facing layer, restricting their application field, and are complex and difficult to implement.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method that involves preparing a slurry and foam mixture, followed by molding, drying, and burning to create multi-layered ceramic foam products with a facing layer and a porous inner layer, where the outer layers are formed from molding powder with specific pressure and dehydration, and the inner layer is mineralized with pre-pulverized powder to achieve desired thickness and properties, allowing for improved heat, sound, and waterproofing properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If ceramic foam products are manufactured using conventional slurry methods, then cellular structure is obtained which improves heat-insulating properties, but the products lack a facing layer which substantially limits the application field
Solution Approach 1:
The product is divided into distinct functional layers: an outer facing layer made from molding powder and an inner porous layer made from slurry with foam. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function (protection/finishing vs. heat insulation) while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through sequential layering in the mold.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material construction with two different materials: molding powder for the facing layer and slurry-foam mixture for the porous layer. This composite approach combines the protective and aesthetic properties of dense ceramic with the thermal insulation properties of porous ceramic foam, thereby expanding the application field without excessive complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multi-layered structure with facing layer is implemented, then application field is widened, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The facing layer is prepared in advance by forming sheets from molding powder at specific pressure (300-500 kg/cm²) and controlled thickness (0.5-5 mm) before assembly. This preliminary preparation simplifies the final assembly process where pre-made facing layers are placed over the porous layer in the mold, reducing on-site manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the facing layer formation and porous layer formation into a single integrated molding process. Both layers are formed within the same mold cavity in sequence, and both undergo drying and burning together, combining multiple operations into a unified manufacturing flow that reduces process complexity despite the multi-layer structure.
3Strength
If outer layers are produced with higher density for strength, then protection and finishing properties are achieved, but heat-insulating properties may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different density levels are assigned to different parts of the product: the outer facing layers have higher density (0.8-1.8 g/cm³) for strength and protection, while the inner porous layer has lower density (0.1-0.6 g/cm³) for heat insulation. This local quality differentiation ensures each region performs its optimal function without compromising the overall product performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The product uses a composite structure combining dense ceramic material for facing layers and porous ceramic foam material for the inner layer. This material composite approach allows the dense outer layers to provide mechanical strength and weather resistance while the porous inner layer maintains excellent heat-insulating properties, achieving both strength and energy efficiency simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces ceramic foam products with enhanced heat, sound, and waterproofing properties, expanding their application field by combining these features in a single product, with the facing layer providing protection and decoration, and the inner layer offering customizable thickness and improved thermal insulation.
Implementation Method 1
preparation of molding powder from slurry in a spray-drying tower (SDT) at a pressure of sprayed slurry from 20 to 30 atm and with counterflow of hot air of 500 - 600 °C, which must undergo dehydration to average a moisture content of up to 4 - 9 wt.% from the centre to the outer parts of powder microspheres
Implementation Method 2
hot air of 500 - 600 °C, which must undergo dehydration to average a moisture content of up to 4 - 9 wt.% from the centre to the outer parts of powder microspheres
Implementation Method 3
burning of separate layers with different density of the multi-layered structure, during which a single solid ceramic body is formed
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to methods for manufacturing ceramic foam articles for decorative purposes. Technical result: articles with improved thermal properties. In the proposed method for manufacturing ceramic foam articles, a molding powder is prepared by dehydrating a pre-prepared slurry to a moisture content of 4 - 9 wt.% and then holding for 46 - 48 hours, and articles are manufactured with outer layers, namely a facing layer and a substrate, with an air-entrained ceramic layer therebetween. The outer layers are produced from the molding powder by the formation of sheets from said powder at a specific molding pressure within a range of from 300 to 500 kg/cm2, and the inner air-entrained layer is produced from a ceramic foam mass that is mineralized with pre-pulverized molding powder until a plastic foam mass is obtained with a moisture content of 16 - 23 vol.%, from which plates with a thickness of from 10 to 50 mm are then formed. The molded outer and inner layers are then dried to zero moisture content, and the layers are laid one on top of the other at the exit from the dryers, thus forming a multi-layered structure. The layers are burned at a temperature of 1200 - 1250 °C for 50 - 100 minutes until they fuse with one another, wherein the upper facing layer is decorated prior to burning.