Foam-formed insulation material production via thin web bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing foam-formed insulation materials are inefficient due to high transport costs, slow production processes, and difficulty in manufacturing tailored materials, especially with the use of carrier liquids like water that slow down the drying process and require high investments.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the mixing of wood fibers, liquid, tensides, strength additives like starch or microfibrillated cellulose, and retention additives to form a wet foam, which is then distributed onto a moving wire, dried, and bonded together to create a thick foam-formed insulation material, utilizing existing paper/board production machines and techniques to enhance efficiency and scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If foam-formed insulation material is produced with large thickness (25-150 mm) to provide adequate insulation, then insulation performance is improved, but transport costs increase and production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the thick insulation material into multiple thin foam web layers (each 0.3-2 mm thick) that are produced separately and then bonded together. This segmentation allows the production process to work with thin, manageable layers that can be rapidly manufactured, while the final product achieves the required total thickness through layer stacking, thereby maintaining both insulation performance and high production efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If carrier liquids (water) are used in high amounts in the foam to achieve desired material properties, then material workability is improved, but drying time increases and production speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the carrier liquid (water) from the foam structure through a drying process that produces a dry foam web with minimal residual moisture. By effectively removing the water that would otherwise require extended drying time, the process achieves rapid production while maintaining the desired material properties through the foam's cellular structure and bonding mechanism.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional foam formation methods are used to produce insulation material, then material formation is achieved, but special formation methods and high investments are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a paper machine, which is existing multi-functional equipment primarily designed for paper production, to manufacture foam-formed insulation material. The paper machine's existing components (wire section for forming, drying section for water removal, pressing section for consolidation) are adapted to process foam webs instead of traditional paper pulp, thereby eliminating the need for specialized foam formation equipment and reducing investment requirements while maintaining ease of manufacture.
4Productivity
If insulation material is produced in large volumes to reduce unit costs, then economies of scale are achieved, but manufacturing tailored insulation materials becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables different foam web layers to have different local properties by varying the foam composition, thickness, or additives in each layer before bonding. This allows tailored insulation materials to be created within a high-volume production framework, as each layer can be customized for specific performance requirements (e.g., different densities, fire resistance, or thermal properties) while the overall process maintains high productivity through continuous production and automated bonding.
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 significantly increases production capacity, reduces transport costs, and allows for the creation of tailored insulation materials with varied properties, such as wind protection and fire resistance, by forming thin foam webs that can be easily bonded to achieve desired thickness and strength.
Implementation Method 1
pressing liquid out of the foam web
Implementation Method 2
distributing the wet foam on a moving wire
Implementation Method 3
drying the foam web
Implementation Method 4
tensides for making foam and increasing bulk (as it reduce fiber to fiber bonding, it increase bulk)
Implementation Method 5
foam-formed insulation material for a building construction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Method for producing a foam-formed insulation material for building constructions, wherein the method comprising the step of preparing a wet foam (3),feeding the wet foam (3) to a head box (2),distributing the wet foam (3) on a moving wire(4), such that, the wet foam (3) forms a foam web (6) on the wire (4),pressing liquid out of the foam web (6),drying the foam web (6), wherein the dried foam web has a thickness of 0.1-10mm, and bonding several foam webs (6) together to form the foam-formed insulation material, with a thickness of at least 25mm.