On-Line Blending of Fatty Alcohol Foam Modifier in Cementitious Slurries
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in reducing the weight of gypsum boards while maintaining strength is that foaming agents used to create air voids are unstable, leading to inefficiencies and reduced strength due to the loss of mass.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the on-line blending of foaming agents and a fatty alcohol to form a stable foam stream, which is then integrated into the gypsum or cement slurry, enhancing the stability and control of air voids and improving the board's strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If foaming agent is introduced into the slurry to form air voids, then board weight is reduced, but foam bubbles break up easily leading to loss of mass and reduced strength
Solution Approach 1:
A foam stabilizer is introduced as an intermediary substance that acts between the foaming agent and the cementitious slurry. The foam stabilizer forms a protective film around foam bubbles, preventing them from breaking up when contacting the slurry, thereby maintaining both weight reduction and strength
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite foaming system combining multiple components: foaming agent, foam stabilizer, and their interaction with cementitious slurry. This composite approach creates a more robust foam structure that maintains stability and strength while achieving weight reduction
2Weight of moving object
If foaming agent is introduced into the slurry to form air voids, then board weight is reduced, but foam bubbles break up easily leading to waste and inefficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The foam stabilizer serves as a mediator that protects foam bubbles from breaking up in the cementitious environment, ensuring reliable foam performance and eliminating waste from bubble collapse
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the foam system by adding foam stabilizer components that modify the surface properties of foam bubbles, making them resistant to breakdown in the presence of cementitious materials
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
This approach results in a lighter gypsum board with improved strength, nail pull resistance, and controlled air void distribution, addressing the instability issues of traditional foaming agents and maintaining board integrity.
Implementation Method 1
blending a first amount of a first foaming agent, a second amount of a second foaming agent, and a third amount of a fatty alcohol to form a blended stream... inserting air into the blended stream to form foam
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method and system for blending a foam modifier with foaming agent on-line, e.g., as may be particularly useful for gypsum or cement slurries. The foam modifier comprises a fatty alcohol that is added to a gypsum or cement slurry that includes foaming agent, such as an alkyl sulfate surfactant. The fatty alcohol can be a C6-C16 fatty alcohol in some embodiments. The use of such a foam modifier can be used, for example, to stabilize the foam, reduce waste of foaming agent, improve void size control in the final product, and improve the gypsum board manufacturing process.