Recycled CaCO3 Carpet Backing Without Sand Contamination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing carpet and carpet tiles rely on mined CaCO3 as a stabilizer/filler, which is not environmentally friendly and results in a mixture with high sand content from wastewater softening processes, making it unsuitable for use without further purification due to sand's detrimental effects on cutting tools.
Innovation Solution
A method to extract CaCO3 from wastewater by grafting it onto a grain, achieving a composition of 90% or more CaCO3, which replaces sand and is used directly in carpet backing without further purification, with optional grinding to a specific particle size distribution and chemical enhancement using NaOH or Ca(HCO3)2 to increase purity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If CaCO3 is extracted from wastewater without grain grafting, then the extraction process is simpler, but the sand content remains high making the material unsuitable for carpet backing
Solution Approach 1:
A grain material serves as an intermediary carrier that selectively adsorbs CaCO3 from wastewater. The grain acts as a mediator between the wastewater and the final product, enabling pure CaCO3 extraction without requiring complex purification processes to remove sand particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the desired CaCO3 component from wastewater by having it graft onto grain material, leaving sand and other unwanted particles behind in the wastewater. This selective extraction achieves high purity CaCO3 without extensive purification steps.
2Reliability
If sand is used as grain material in wastewater softening, then the softening process is effective, but the sand contaminates the CaCO3 making it unsuitable for carpet backing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the typically harmful sand contamination into a beneficial process feature by using grain material as a selective carrier. The grain material's properties are leveraged to achieve both effective wastewater softening and pure CaCO3 recovery, turning a potential contaminant source into a purification mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the key parameter of grain material from conventional sand (SiO2) to a specialized grain material with specific adsorption properties. This parameter change enables selective CaCO3 grafting while preventing sand contamination, allowing the material to meet carpet backing quality requirements.
3Stability of the object's composition
If mined CaCO3 is used as filler material, then the quality standard is consistent, but the mining process is not environmentally friendly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extracting CaCO3 from natural mines, the invention recovers CaCO3 from wastewater that would otherwise be discarded. This recovery process eliminates the environmental harm of mining while producing CaCO3 with consistent quality suitable for carpet backing applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The wastewater naturally contains dissolved CaCO3 that needs to be removed during softening processes. The invention utilizes this self-contained resource, allowing the system to produce pure CaCO3 from its own waste stream without external mining operations, thereby eliminating environmental damage while maintaining quality consistency.
4Quantity of substance
If CaCO3 with sand content is used in carpet backing, then the material is available, but it causes negative influence on die cutting knives and ultra sonic knives
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts pure CaCO3 from wastewater through grain grafting, completely separating it from sand particles. The resulting CaCO3 product contains minimal sand content, eliminating the harmful effects on die cutting and ultra sonic knives while maintaining adequate CaCO3 quantity for carpet backing applications.
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 produces a high-purity CaCO3 suitable for carpet backing, reducing tool wear and enabling efficient carpet tile production with improved environmental sustainability and reduced tool maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
gaining CaCO3 from the waste water during a softening process by adding a grain to the water, grafting the CaCO3 to the grain
Implementation Method 2
The process of grafting CaCO3 can be speeded up by adding NaOH or Ca(HCO3)2 into the waste water. This leads to one of the following reactions: 2 NaOH + Ca(HCO3)2 -> CaCO3 (sediment) + Na2CO2 + H2O or: Ca(OH)2 + Ca(HCO3) -> 2CaCO3 (sediment) + 2H2O
Implementation Method 3
the grain with grafted CaCO3 is grounded to a predetermined particle size and particle size distribution before it is used as a backing material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing floor covering (including carpet and carpet tiles) with recycled content, comprising the steps of gaining CaCO3 from ground or surface water during a softening process by adding a grain to the water, grafting the CaCO3 to the grain, adding the CaCO3 to the (fluid) backing material for a carpet or carpet tile (precoat or heavy coating layer), using the thus obtained backing material in a carpet or carpet tile manufacturing process, wherein the grain comprises essentially CaCO3.