A method for producing mineral wool composites, including: (a) producing a first mineral wool composite by extracting a portion of circulating water to prepare a first binder composition and spraying it onto mineral fibers, while providing clean water to the circulating water; (b) performing (b1) and (b2) in any order or at the same time (b1) pausing extraction of the circulating water for preparation of the first binder composition and (b2) extracting a portion of the circulating water and storing the extracted circulating water in a first tank; (c) producing a second, different mineral wool composite by extracting a portion of the circulating water to prepare a second binder composition, and spraying it onto mineral fibers, while providing clean water to the circulating water, wherein the circulating water is used to clean a production apparatus for producing mineral wool composites and is filtered and reused in the production apparatus.

A method for producing mineral wool composites, including: (a) producing a first mineral wool composite by extracting a portion of circulating water to prepare a first binder composition and spraying it onto mineral fibers, while providing clean water to the circulating water; (b) performing (b1) and (b2) in any order or at the same time (b1) pausing extraction of the circulating water for preparation of the first binder composition and (b2) extracting a portion of the circulating water and storing the extracted circulating water in a first tank; (c) producing a second, different mineral wool composite by extracting a portion of the circulating water to prepare a second binder composition, and spraying it onto mineral fibers, while providing clean water to the circulating water, wherein the circulating water is used to clean a production apparatus for producing mineral wool composites and is filtered and reused in the production apparatus.

A method of producing a glass briquette in which reclaimed glass fines are mixed with a binder material to create a mixture. The mixture is subsequently compressed in a chamber to form a briquette having the shape of the interior of the chamber. The reclaimed glass includes glass fines of a size of smaller than 10 mm. The method is performed without melting the glass fines such that the resulting briquette contains the discrete glass fines held in the binder and may be used as a furnace ingredient for later glass product production. The glass briquette may contain other batch ingredients required in the production of glass.

A method of producing a glass briquette in which reclaimed glass fines are mixed with a binder material to create a mixture. The mixture is subsequently compressed in a chamber to form a briquette having the shape of the interior of the chamber. The reclaimed glass includes glass fines of a size of smaller than 10 mm. The method is performed without melting the glass fines such that the resulting briquette contains the discrete glass fines held in the binder and may be used as a furnace ingredient for later glass product production. The glass briquette may contain other batch ingredients required in the production of glass.

A solution is provided comprising boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) in a liquid solvent. An optical waveguide, such as an optical fiber, is contacted with the solution so as to form a layer of the solution supported on at least a portion of the optical waveguide. The liquid solvent is then removed from the layer of the solution supported on the optical waveguide in order to form a coating of the BNNTs on the optical waveguide. Further provided is a BNNT coated optical waveguide for use as a sensor.

An insulating product includes mineral fibers of aluminosilicate glass including aluminum oxide, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, in a fraction by weight of between 14% and 28%, that are sized with a sizing composition including the following constituents within the limits defined below, expressed as fractions by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition: from 80% to 98% of water, from 2% to 20% of water-soluble poly(furfuryl alcohol), which is obtained by polycondensation of furfuryl alcohol, and less than 0.5% of furfuryl alcohol, wherein a sum of the fractions by weight of the poly (furfuryl alcohol) and of the water is at least 95%, and wherein the sizing composition applied to the mineral fibres has a pH in a range from 5 to 8.

An insulating product includes mineral fibers of aluminosilicate glass including aluminum oxide, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, in a fraction by weight of between 14% and 28%, that are sized with a sizing composition including the following constituents within the limits defined below, expressed as fractions by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition: from 80% to 98% of water, from 2% to 20% of water-soluble poly(furfuryl alcohol), which is obtained by polycondensation of furfuryl alcohol, and less than 0.5% of furfuryl alcohol, wherein a sum of the fractions by weight of the poly (furfuryl alcohol) and of the water is at least 95%, and wherein the sizing composition applied to the mineral fibres has a pH in a range from 5 to 8.

The invention relates to the field of materials based on mineral fibers, in particular mineral wool such as glass wool or rock wool. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a device for recycling the water recovered in a fiberizing and shaping method when using a specific acid binder based on monomeric polycarboxylic acid, or a salt of such an acid.

A process for the manufacture of an insulating product based on mineral fibres bonded by an organic binder, includes applying a sizing composition to the mineral fibres, forming an assembly of the mineral fibres, heating the assembly of mineral fibres until the sizing composition has cured, wherein the sizing composition includes the following constituents within the limits defined below, expressed as fractions by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition: from 80% to 98% of water, from 2% to 20% of water-soluble poly(furfuryl alcohol) and less than 0.5% of furfuryl alcohol, and the mineral fibres are fibres of aluminosilicate glass including aluminum oxide, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, in a fraction by weight of between 14% and 28%.

A process for the manufacture of an insulating product based on mineral fibres bonded by an organic binder, includes applying a sizing composition to the mineral fibres, forming an assembly of the mineral fibres, heating the assembly of mineral fibres until the sizing composition has cured, wherein the sizing composition includes the following constituents within the limits defined below, expressed as fractions by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition: from 80% to 98% of water, from 2% to 20% of water-soluble poly(furfuryl alcohol) and less than 0.5% of furfuryl alcohol, and the mineral fibres are fibres of aluminosilicate glass including aluminum oxide, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, in a fraction by weight of between 14% and 28%.