Hydrophobic Thermal-Insulation Moulding Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for producing hydrophobic thermal-insulation mouldings face challenges such as inhomogeneous material distribution, mechanical instability, and additional processing steps, particularly when hydrophobization occurs before or after the press process, leading to difficulties in achieving stable and uniformly hydrophobic products.
Innovation Solution
A process where a hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding, composed of silica, IR opacifier, and fibre material, is brought into contact with a hydrophobizing agent in vapour form, followed by a press process and subsequent reaction, ensuring uniform hydrophobization and controlled density, thereby producing a hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding with improved stability and homogeneity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hydrophobizing agent is added to the pulverulent thermal-insulation mixture before the press process, then the hydrophobization is achieved, but the density of the silicas increases in a manner that is difficult to control during the press process, leading to inhomogeneity of material distribution and variations in mechanical stability of the mouldings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by bringing the hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding into contact with the hydrophobizing agent in vapour form before the press process. This allows the hydrophobizing agent to be adsorbed onto the silica surfaces in advance, ensuring uniform distribution throughout the material. The vapour phase contact enables thorough penetration and homogeneous coating of all silica particles before compaction, avoiding the inhomogeneity that occurs when agents are mixed with pulverulent materials.
2Device complexity
If hydrophobization is carried out after the press process, then additional processing steps are avoided during pressing, but an additional step is necessary and penetration of the pressed material is non-uniform and incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs hydrophobization as a preliminary action before the press process by contacting the hydrophilic moulding with hydrophobizing agent vapour. This approach integrates hydrophobization into the forming process itself, eliminating the need for a separate post-pressing hydrophobization step. The vapour phase contact ensures complete and uniform penetration of the agent throughout the pressed material, achieving both process integration and uniform hydrophobicity.
3Quantity of substance
If processes operate at superatmospheric pressure during hydrophobization, then the hydrophobizing agent penetrates the material, but adverse effects on the material are observed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the hydrophobizing agent from liquid to vapour phase, and operates at atmospheric or subatmospheric pressure rather than superatmospheric pressure. The vapour phase allows the hydrophobizing agent to penetrate the porous structure of the thermal-insulation moulding effectively through diffusion and adsorption, without requiring high pressure that could damage the delicate fibrous structure or cause material degradation.
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 process results in hydrophobic thermal-insulation mouldings with controlled density and uniform hydrophobicity, minimizing the disadvantages of previous methods by ensuring complete and uniform hydrophobization, and allowing for continuous production.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding composed of a thermal-insulation mixture comprising a fine-particle silica, IR opacifier and fibre material is brought into contact with a hydrophobizing agent in vapour form with formation of a thermal-insulation moulding coated with hydrophobizing agent
Implementation Method 2
this is then subjected to a press process and during the press process and/or after the press process is reacted with the hydrophobizing agent with formation of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding
Data Source
AI summary
Process for the production of a hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding, where a hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding is brought into contact with a hydrophobizing agent in vapour form with formation of a thermal-insulation moulding coated with hydrophobizing agent, and this is then subjected to a press process and during the press process and/or after the press process is reacted with the hydrophobizing agent with formation of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding, wherea) the density of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding after the press process and after the reaction with the hydrophobizing agent is from 100 to 250 kg/m3, andb) the density of the hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding on contact with the hydrophobizing agent is from 50% to less than 100% of the density of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding.