Cementitious Porous Panel Acoustic Fire Partition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing insulating systems for partitions, ceilings, and linings that use absorbent materials face issues such as increased weight, complex installation, potential material compression, vibration conduction, and risks of poor installation, which affect acoustic and fire-resisting performance.

Innovation Solution

A multi-layer panel system with an airtight material and a cementitious porous material as the inner layer, having a porosity of 80-95% and a density of 150-450 kg/m³, which eliminates the need for absorbent materials within the cavity, maintaining comparable thickness and weight to traditional systems while providing enhanced insulation and fire-resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If absorbent material is placed inside the cavity, then acoustic insulation is improved, but the system becomes heavier and installation becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacoustic insulationVSAvoidsystem weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a porous board with controlled porosity (30-70%) as the core insulating element, replacing traditional absorbent materials. The porous structure provides acoustic insulation through its inherent material properties rather than requiring additional fill materials, thereby reducing overall system weight while maintaining acoustic performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite construction with a porous board core combined with outer cladding layers (such as plasterboard or other finishing materials). This composite structure integrates multiple functions into a single assembly, eliminating the need for separate absorbent material filling and reducing installation complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If absorbent material is placed inside the cavity, then acoustic insulation is improved, but installation time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacoustic insulationVSAvoidinstallation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the acoustic insulation function directly into the panel structure itself through the use of porous boards. The insulating function is integrated into the board material and assembly process, eliminating the separate step of filling cavities with absorbent material, thereby significantly reducing installation time and labor costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The porous insulating boards are pre-manufactured with the required acoustic properties and dimensions before site installation. This preliminary preparation of insulating components eliminates on-site material handling and installation steps, reducing both installation time and potential errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If absorbent material is used, then acoustic insulation is achieved, but technical devices may compress the material reducing its effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacoustic insulationVSAvoidmaterial density
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs rigid porous boards with structured, curved, or cellular internal geometries that provide dimensional stability and resistance to compression. The board structure maintains its acoustic properties under load, preventing the density changes that would occur with compressible absorbent materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Reliability

If absorbent material is placed in the cavity, then acoustic insulation is improved, but vibration conduction from technical devices to cladding occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacoustic insulationVSAvoidvibration conduction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The porous board acts as an intermediary layer between technical devices and the cladding structure. Its porous, damped structure absorbs and dissipates vibrations, preventing direct transmission of mechanical vibrations from devices to the rigid cladding, thereby eliminating the harmful vibration conduction effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 system achieves equivalent insulation performance to traditional systems without absorbent materials, offering improved installation ease, reduced weight, and enhanced fire-resistance with a Weighted Sound Reduction Index and Integrity Insulation value, while minimizing risks associated with fibrous components.

Implementation Method 1

The acoustic behaviour of partitions is well known and usually described by mass spring mass law, where the mass is created by the board cladding and the spring by the air in the cavity. It is also known that the spring effect is dependant to the cavity thickness and the absorbent material inside the cavity.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 2

The fire-resisting behaviour of partitions is well known and usually described by the board cladding and the absorbent material in the cavity. The said board cladding and absorbent materials are usually used to insulate and prevent heat transfer from one side to another side of the partition.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP2273023B1Acoustic fire-resisting insulating partition, ceiling or lining
Publication Date: 2012.06.20 LAFARGE GYPSUM INT
  • EP2273023B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2273023B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2273023B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention concerns an insulating system having a multi layer panel on each side of a frame or on one side of a frame (C), wherein the said panel comprises - at least one airtight material (A); - and at least one cementitious porous material (B) being the most inner layer to cavity, having a porosity from 80 to 95 %, percentage in volume of air voids and water voids, and having a density from 150 to 450 kg / m3.