Fire Retardant Elastomer Insulation with Intumescent Layers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fire protection materials for elastomeric foams fail to achieve high flame retardancy while minimizing smoke emission and maintaining flexibility, easy mounting, and low toxicity of smoke emissions, as they often compromise on insulation properties or exhibit poor performance in prolonged heat exposure and smoke creation.

Innovation Solution

A multi-layered material comprising an outer intumescent layer, a scrim layer, and an inner char-forming layer, with chemical bonding between layers, providing a polymer-based surface with high fire resistance and low smoke creation, where the outer layer contains at least 30% intumescent agents and the inner layer is an expanded elastomer foam with low density and high thermal conductivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If intumescent coatings or protective materials are applied on expanded elastomeric insulation, then fire retardancy is improved, but smoke generation increases remarkably

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire retardancyVSAvoidsmoke generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protective system is divided into multiple functional layers: an outer intumescent layer for flame protection, a middle scrim reinforcement layer for structural integrity, and an inner layer with smoke suppression agents. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function optimally while working together to reduce overall smoke generation compared to single-layer systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite structure combining intumescent materials, scrim reinforcement, and smoke suppressant materials in a multi-layer configuration. This composite approach integrates the fire protection benefits of intumescent coatings with the structural benefits of scrim and the smoke reduction benefits of specialized additives, achieving both fire retardancy and low smoke emission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If intumescent systems with foils or fibres are applied, then fire protection is improved, but flexibility and ease of application are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire protectionVSAvoidflexibility and ease of application

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The protective coating is formulated as a flexible, thin-film intumescent composition that can conform to the contours of the elastomeric insulation substrate. The inclusion of scrim reinforcement within the coating structure provides tensile strength while maintaining flexibility, allowing the coating to bend and flex with the underlying insulation without cracking or delaminating, thus preserving ease of application and installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If complete shielding is applied rather than prolongation of fire resistance, then fire protection is improved, but smoke creation increases due to suppressed burn

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire protectionVSAvoidsmoke creation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention incorporates smoke suppressant agents within the coating formulation that convert the harmful effect of suppressed combustion into a beneficial outcome. When the intumescent layer chars and suppresses burn, the smoke suppressant agents actively reduce particulate formation and gas-phase combustion products, transforming what would normally be a smoke-generating process into a low-smoke protection mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 solution effectively provides high fire resistance, low smoke emission, and maintains flexibility and ease of mounting, while ensuring low toxicity of smoke emissions, achieving a non-combustible rating and independent fire performance from the expanded material, with enhanced mechanical strength and sound barrier functions.

Implementation Method 1

the outer layer contains at least 30% intumescent agents

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIntumescent expansion: Intumescent Materials

Implementation Method 2

an expanded elastomer or thermoplastic elastomer thermal and/or sound insulation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 3

the cell gas being air even increases their flammability

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCell structure insulation: Foam

Implementation Method 4

a scrim layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFibrous reinforcement:

Implementation Method 5

inner char-forming layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChar formation: Pyrolysis

Data Source

PatentEP2942193B1Fire retardant insulation material

Publication Date: 2018.10.17 KAIMANN

Figure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to a multi-layer material comprising expandable elastomer or thermoplastic elastomer thermal and/or sound insulation with high fire retardancy combined with significantly low smoke generation, the process for manufacturing of such material and the use of such material.