Fire Retardant Insulating Panel Composite Layer Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire retardant insulating construction panels face challenges in achieving improved fire retardancy without compromising insulation value, moisture sensitivity, strength, weight, and sawability, as well as thickness, while existing solutions often result in rapid cracking of adhesive layers during fires, leading to inadequate fire resistance.
Innovation Solution
A fire retardant insulating construction panel with a composite fire retardant layer comprising a reinforcement layer with a carrier layer and a substrate layer bonded by a fire retardant adhesive, which penetrates through both layers, providing enhanced fire retardancy by anchoring the adhesive and preventing cracking, while maintaining the panel's other advantageous properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fire retardant layer is added to improve fire retardancy, then fire resistance is improved, but the thickness of the construction panel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fire retardant layer is segmented into multiple functional sublayers: a carrier layer (scrim) for structural integrity, a substrate layer for adhesive bonding, and a fire retardant adhesive layer for chemical fire resistance. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall thinness.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire retardant layer uses a composite structure combining different materials: a mesh-like carrier layer (scrim) made of heat-resistant material, a substrate layer for bonding, and a fire retardant adhesive with fire-inhibiting properties. This composite approach achieves superior fire resistance in a thin profile by synergistically combining the strengths of different materials.
2Reliability
If a thick fire retardant layer is used to improve fire resistance, then fire protection is enhanced, but the weight of the insulation panel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fire retardant protection is segmented into thin, functional layers rather than a single thick layer. The carrier layer provides structural support with minimal weight, the substrate layer provides bonding function, and the fire retardant adhesive provides chemical fire resistance. This segmentation achieves effective fire protection with minimal weight addition.
Solution Approach 2:
Each sublayer is optimized for its specific local function: the carrier layer is designed for heat resistance and structural integrity, the substrate layer for bonding capability, and the fire retardant adhesive for fire inhibition. This localized optimization ensures that each component contributes maximally to fire resistance with minimal weight.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple adhesive layer is used, then manufacturing is easier, but the adhesive cracks during fire leading to poor fire resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive system is segmented into a substrate layer and a fire retardant adhesive layer, with the carrier layer providing structural support. This segmentation prevents cracking by distributing stresses across multiple layers with different mechanical properties, while still maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a straightforward lamination process.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive system uses composite materials: a flexible substrate layer for bonding combined with a fire retardant adhesive layer that resists thermal degradation. The carrier layer (scrim) provides tensile strength to prevent cracking. This composite approach maintains ease of manufacture while dramatically improving fire resistance.
4Reliability
If a reinforcement layer is added to prevent adhesive cracking, then fire resistance is improved, but the complexity of the construction panel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement function is segmented into specific sublayers with defined roles: the carrier layer (scrim) provides structural reinforcement to prevent cracking, the substrate layer provides bonding surface, and the fire retardant adhesive provides chemical fire resistance. This segmentation makes the complexity manageable by assigning clear functions to each layer.
Solution Approach 2:
Each sublayer performs multiple functions: the carrier layer provides both structural reinforcement and heat resistance; the substrate layer provides both bonding surface and thermal stability; the fire retardant adhesive provides both adhesion and fire inhibition. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by eliminating the need for separate components.
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 significantly improves fire retardancy by preventing adhesive cracking and ensuring a durable bond across the panel's thickness, meeting legal requirements and maintaining the panel's original properties, such as insulation value and strength.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of a fire retardant adhesive on the side of the reinforcement layer remote from the insulation layer, wherein the fire retardant adhesive extends up to the insulation layer and bonds to the insulation layer
Implementation Method 2
The substrate layer prevents the formation of cracks precisely because of the relatively fine structure thereof
Implementation Method 3
the carrier layer imparts strength to the substrate layer, so that the latter will not collapse as a result of the thermal stresses that will occur because of the heat
Implementation Method 4
an insulation layer that comprises a foam
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a fire retardant insulating construction panel comprising an insulation layer that comprises a foam, which is characterised in that the construction panel also comprises at least one composite fire retardant layer bonded to the insulation layer, which fire retardant layer comprises a reinforcement layer, which reinforcement layer comprises at least one carrier layer and at least one substrate layer bonded to the carrier layer, wherein the fire retardant layer further comprises a layer of a fire retardant adhesive on the side of the reinforcement layer remote from the insulation layer.