Hybrid High-Temperature Insulation for Lower-Cost Flame Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-temperature insulation products like stone wool and slag wool are not widely adopted in the USA due to their high cost, despite offering superior flame retardancy, thermal performance, wind resistance, noise attenuation, and moisture resistance compared to fiberglass, which is primarily driven by price sensitivity in the market.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid insulation product combining high-temperature fibers such as stone wool or slag wool with conventional fiberglass, produced using a cost-effective process that incorporates renewable energy sources, such as waste energy from biomass or garbage, to achieve a cost-effective high-temperature insulation with enhanced thermal characteristics and flame attenuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stone wool or slag wool is used for high-temperature insulation, then flame retardancy and thermal performance are improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a hybrid insulation product combining stone wool fibers (providing flame retardancy and high-temperature resistance) with fiberglass (providing cost-effectiveness and insulating performance). This composite approach allows the product to achieve the flame retardancy and thermal performance of pure stone wool while reducing the overall cost by incorporating more affordable fiberglass materials.
2Temperature
If stone wool or slag wool is used for high-temperature insulation, then thermal performance at high temperatures is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid insulation product combines stone wool fibers (providing high-temperature resistance and flame retardancy) with fiberglass (providing cost-effectiveness and insulating performance). This composite approach allows the product to achieve the thermal performance and high-temperature resistance of pure stone wool while reducing the overall cost by incorporating more affordable fiberglass materials.
3Ease of manufacture
If hybrid insulation combining stone wool and fiberglass is created, then cost-effectiveness is improved, but product complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges stone wool fibers and fiberglass into a single hybrid insulation product that can be installed as one material. This combining approach simplifies the installation process and reduces the need for separate handling of different insulation materials, thereby managing product complexity while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
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 hybrid insulation product achieves improved thermal performance and flame retardancy at a lower cost than traditional high-temperature insulation products, effectively addressing the market's price sensitivity while maintaining the desirable attributes of stone wool and slag wool.
Implementation Method 1
Plasma Power, LLC (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) using thermal plasma technology
Implementation Method 2
The plasma system heats and melts feedstock materials to produce high-temperature fibers
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid insulation product, and a related system and method of producing the hybrid insulation product in a cost-effective manner are disclosed. The insulation product has superior insulating and flame-retarding properties when compared to fiberglass insulation. The product can be used in blown-in applications, batts production, and board production.