Lightweight Fire Protection Board Composition for Thinner Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire protection boards for tunnels, such as calcium silicate, cement, and magnesia boards, face challenges with high density, handling difficulties, dustiness, and hydrophilic nature, making them cumbersome and unsafe to install, while requiring thick layers to pass fire resistance tests.
Innovation Solution
A self-supporting board composed of low biopersistence inorganic fibers, amorphous silica, and optional binders, with a density range of 350 to 790 kg/m³, achieving low shrinkage and thermal conductivity, allowing thinner configurations that meet fire resistance tests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fire protection boards (calcium silicate, cement, magnesia) are used, then fire resistance is achieved, but density is high making handling and installation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system combining calcium silicate fibres (providing structural framework and fire resistance) with perlite granulate (providing lightweight insulation). This composite approach achieves the required fire resistance performance while significantly reducing density to 690-980 kg/m³, resolving the contradiction between reliability and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The incorporation of perlite granulate creates a porous structure within the board that reduces overall density while maintaining fire protection capabilities. The porous nature of perlite provides thermal insulation, allowing the board to meet fire resistance standards at lower densities compared to solid conventional materials.
2Reliability
If conventional fire protection boards are used, then fire protection is provided, but the material is dusty and hydrophilic causing safety and comfort issues
Solution Approach 1:
The controlled porous structure using perlite granulate reduces dust generation compared to fine powder-based conventional boards. The larger, more stable perlite particles are less prone to becoming airborne dust, while the porous structure maintains fire protection performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by using calcium silicate fibres as the primary component instead of hydrophilic calcium silicate cement. This parameter change fundamentally alters the material's hygroscopic properties, making it hydrophobic and eliminating the harmful hydrophilic effects of conventional boards.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If thick boards are used to pass fire resistance tests, then fire protection duration is sufficient, but installation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes key material parameters including density (reducing to 690-980 kg/m³), thermal conductivity (optimizing through perlite content), and compositional ratios (fibres to granulate). These parameter changes improve thermal insulation efficiency, allowing thinner board configurations to achieve the same fire protection duration, thereby reducing installation complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure of calcium silicate fibres and perlite granulate creates a material with superior thermal insulation properties per unit thickness. This allows the board to achieve required fire protection durations at reduced thicknesses compared to conventional homogeneous materials, simplifying installation while maintaining safety performance.
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 provides fire protection with reduced weight and mechanical strength, enabling thinner boards that meet fire resistance standards, reducing installation complexity and costs, and offering improved thermal insulation.
Implementation Method 1
the board having a density in the range 350 to 790 kg/m3... achieving low shrinkage and thermal conductivity
Data Source
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AI summary
A self supporting board for use in fire protection, at least part of the board being formed from material comprising in wt%: inorganic fibres 35 to 70% silica 30 to 65% 5 binder 0 to 10%.