Fibrous Web Spray Treatment for Fire-Retardant Fiber Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for imparting fire retardancy to natural and synthetic fibers, such as the use of finely ground powders and immersion processes, are inefficient and costly, failing to meet stringent regulatory standards due to inadequate penetration and high energy requirements.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the formation of a fibrous web, treatment with a continuous liquid spray of fire retardant solution, compression, and drying, followed by blending, to ensure uniform distribution and adherence of fire retardant chemicals within the fiber matrix, reducing equipment needs and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the immersion process is used to apply fire retardant chemicals to fibers, then a high level of fire retardancy is achieved, but much equipment and energy are required to remove excess liquid and the process becomes expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional immersion process with a spray application system that uses a moving spray bar to apply fire retardant chemicals to fibers as they pass through the treatment zone. This substitution eliminates the need for large immersion tanks and subsequent drying equipment, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective fire retardant application
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes a spray bar system that delivers fire retardant chemicals through hydraulic or pneumatic spray nozzles directly onto the moving fiber web. This method allows for precise chemical application without requiring the fibers to be submerged, thereby avoiding the energy-intensive drying step required in immersion processes
2Reliability
If the immersion process is used to apply fire retardant chemicals to fibers, then a high level of fire retardancy is achieved, but much equipment is required leading to high maintenance costs and capital requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional immersion process with a spray application system that uses a moving spray bar to apply fire retardant chemicals to fibers as they pass through the treatment zone. This substitution eliminates the need for large immersion tanks and subsequent drying equipment, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective fire retardant application
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the unnecessary components of the traditional immersion process, specifically the large tanks and drying equipment. By using a spray bar system that applies chemicals directly to moving fibers, the patent removes redundant equipment while maintaining treatment effectiveness
3Ease of manufacture
If finely ground powder is applied to unwoven fiber in a willow machine, then the process is inexpensive and simple, but the powder does not penetrate or fuse to individual fibers consistently and fails to meet current fire retardant standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the fire retardant application from dry powder to liquid spray form. This parameter change allows the chemical to be applied in a controlled manner that ensures consistent penetration and adhesion to individual fibers, meeting modern fire retardant standards while maintaining process simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the willow machine powder distribution system with a spray bar liquid application system. This substitution maintains the simplicity and low cost of the original process while dramatically improving the effectiveness of fire retardant application through better fiber penetration and adhesion
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 method effectively imparts fire-resistant qualities to fibers, meeting or exceeding regulatory standards while minimizing equipment and energy costs, resulting in a more economical and efficient production process.
Implementation Method 1
the web is then subjected to a continuous liquid spray of a fire retardant solution upon the upper surface of the web
Implementation Method 2
the web is subsequently compressed by a set of calendar rolls to compress the web and facilitate the distribution of the fire retardant material throughout the matrix of fibers in the web
Implementation Method 3
The web fibers are then transported through an oven, or a suitable heat source, to remove a desired amount of moisture from the web
Data Source
AI summary
A continuous process for achieving specific levels of fire retardant properties for either natural fibers or synthetic fibers. Selected fibers are mixed and opened to be formed into a web that is continuously weighed and transported to a spray station to be sprayed by a selected fire retardant solution. The sprayed web is compressed between calendar rolls and transported to a dryer; the dried web is blended to form a selected fiber having a predetermined fire retardant characteristic to meet regulatory standards. An intermediate product results from the use of the process.