CONTINUOUS METHOD FOR PRODUCING A FUNCTIONAL MATERIAL, A RAW MASS FOR A FUNCTIONAL MATERIAL, AND A FUNCTIONAL MATERIAL

Abstract

A method is proposed for producing a functional material, wherein in at least one mixing step (14) a pulverized rigid foam (16) and at least one binding agent (18) are mixed to form a raw mass, and wherein in at least one pressing step (22) the raw mass is pressed to form the functional material, the method proceeding in a continuous manner at least from the mixing step (14) up to and including the pressing step (22).

Claims

1. A method for producing a functional material, wherein in at least one mixing step a pulverized rigid foam and at least one binding agent are mixed to form a raw mass, and wherein in at least one pressing step the raw mass is pressed to form the functional material, the method proceeding in a continuous manner at least from the mixing step up to and including the pressing step.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in at least one method step the pulverized rigid foam is produced from polyurethane rigid foam, PUR for short, from polyisocyanurate rigid foam, PIR for short, and/or from phenolic rigid foam.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in at least one method step activated water with a mass fraction of an activator of maximally 3% is mixed into the binding agent.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the mixing step the binding agent is mixed into the pulverized rigid foam with a mass fraction of less than 10% relative to a total mass of the functional material.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in at least one method step at least one organic and/or inorganic filling material is added to the raw mass, the pulverized rigid foam and/or the binding agent.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the filling material makes the functional material difficult to ignite according to combustibility class C of DIN EN 13501-1 [German/European standard 13501-1].

7. The method according to claim 1, that wherein in the pressing step, in at least one setting of a throughput press, the raw mass is pressed by the throughput press to form a panel with a material thickness of less than 8 mm, in particular without subsequent grinding.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the pressing step the raw mass is pressed to form a panel with a material thickness whose maximally admissible tolerance is at most 1 mm, in particular without subsequent grinding.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein in at least one method step the functional material is pulverized and the pulverized rigid foam is substituted at least partially by the pulverized functional material.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein in at least one method step an open time of the raw mass is set depending on properties of the functional material that is to be produced.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein in a raw mass metering step the raw mass is applied onto a separating layer, which is removed from the functional material after the pressing step.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein in a raw mass metering step the raw mass is applied onto a cover layer, which is after the pressing step connected to the cured raw mass by substance-to-substance bond.

13. A raw mass for a production of the functional material by a method according to claim 1.

14. A functional material produced by a method according to claim 1.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0030] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the drawings. In the drawings an exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The drawings, the description and the claims contain a plurality of features in combination. Someone skilled in the art will purposefully also consider the features separately and will find further expedient combinations.

[0031] It is shown in:

[0032] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a method according to the invention, and

[0033] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of a functional material according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a sequence of a method 10 for a production of a functional material 12. The functional material 12 is produced from at least one rigid foam 16 and a binding agent 18. The rigid foam 16 is pulverized, is mixed with the binding agent 18 and is pressed to form the functional material 12.

[0035] The method 10 in particular comprises a comminution step 46. The method 10 comprises a rigid foam metering step 30. The method 10 optionally comprises a moisture measuring step 32. The method 10 preferably comprises a filling material metering step 34. The method 10 preferably comprises a binding agent pre-mixing step 36. The method 10 comprises a binding agent metering step 38. The method 10 comprises a mixing step 14. The method 10 preferably comprises a raw mass metering step 50. The method 10 in particular comprises a pre-pressing step 40. The method 10 comprises a pressing step 22. The method 10 preferably comprises a confectioning step 42. The method 10 proceeds continuously at least from the mixing step 14 up to and including the pressing step 22. Especially preferentially the method 10 proceeds continuously from the rigid foam metering step 30 up to and including the pressing step 22. In particular, the rigid foam metering step 30, the filling material metering step 34, optionally the binding agent pre-mixing step 36, the binding agent metering step 38, the mixing step 14, the pre-pressing step 40 and the pressing step 22 are executed continuously and in particular temporally in parallel to one another. The moisture measuring step 32 can be executed continuously, regularly or sample-wise. The confectioning step 42 is executed discontinuously, in particular triggered by a timing and/or by a length measurement of the functional material 12. The comminution step 42 may be carried out continuously or discontinuously. Preferably the comminution step 42 is carried out independently from the other method steps of the method 10.

[0036] The rigid foam 16 has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.037 W/Km before pulverization. In the comminution step 46 the pulverized rigid foam 16 is produced from polyurethane rigid foam, PUR for short, from polyisocyanurate rigid foam, PIR for short, and/or from phenolic rigid foam. In the comminution step 46, the rigid foam 16 is mechanically comminuted, in particular pulverized. Preferably the pulverized rigid foam 16 is temporarily stored in a powder silo. In the rigid foam metering step 30 the pulverized rigid foam 16 is continuously applied onto a continuous conveyor. The continuous conveyor transports the pulverized rigid foam 16 to a flow mixer. In the moisture measuring step 32 preferably a moisture content of the pulverized rigid foam 16 is determined, for example by means of a moisture measuring apparatus or by weighing a fix volume of the pulverized rigid foam 16 and comparison with a reference having a known moisture, in particular a reference without moisture. The moisture measuring step 32 may be carried out before or after the rigid foam metering step 30.

[0037] In the filling material metering step 34 the pulverized rigid foam 16 is mixed with at least one organic and/or inorganic filling material 26. The filling material 26 makes the functional material 12 difficult to ignite according to combustion reaction class C according to DIN 13501-1. The filling material 26 is in particular implemented as an expanded graphite. The filling material metering step 34 is preferably executed after the moisture measuring step 32, in particular before the mixing step 14. Especially preferentially, in the filling material metering step 34, the filling material 26 is continuously applied onto the pulverized rigid foam 16 and is in particular fed, together with the pulverized rigid foam 16, from the continuous conveyor to the flow mixer.

[0038] In the binding agent pre-mixing step 36, activated water 24 with a mass fraction of an activator of maximally 3% is mixed into the binding agent 18. Preferably a control unit controls or regulates the quantity of the added activated water 24 depending on the moisture measuring step 32 and in particular depending on a density and a material thickness 48 of the functional material 12 that are to be achieved (see FIG. 2). In the binding agent metering step 38, the binding agent 18, mixed with the activated water 24, is continuously added to the pulverized rigid foam 16, in particular within the flow mixer. Alternatively, the binding agent 18 and the activated water 24 are let into the flow mixer, in particular sprayed into the flow mixer, separately from each other.

[0039] In the mixing step 14 the pulverized rigid foam 16 and the binding agent 18, in particular together with the filling material 26 and the activated water 24, are mixed to form a raw mass 20. In the mixing step 14, the binding agent 18, with a mass fraction of less than 10% relative to a total mass of the functional material 12, is mixed into the pulverized rigid foam 16. In the raw mass metering step 50, a banking-up device that is arranged on the flow mixer transfers the raw mass 20 continuously to a further continuous conveyor, in particular to a conveyor belt. Optionally, the raw mass 20 is in the raw mass metering step 50 applied onto a cover layer, which is after the pressing step 22 connected to the cured raw mass by substance-to-substance bond. Optionally, the raw mass 20 is in the raw mass metering step 50 applied onto a separating layer, which is removed from the functional material 12 after the pressing step 22. If the functional material 12 is to comprise a cover layer, the separating layer is applied onto the further continuous conveyor, the cover layer is applied onto the separating layer and the raw mass 20 is applied onto the cover layer. An open time of the raw mass 20 is set depending on properties of the functional material 12 that is to be produced. In particular, a conveying speed of the further continuous conveyor is adjusted or regulated by the control unit depending on the properties of the functional material 12 that is to be produced.

[0040] In the pre-pressing step 40 the raw mass 20 is pre-compressed by means of a throughput device. Optionally, at least one further layer of the raw mass 20 or of a further raw mass 20 is applied onto the pre-compressed raw mass 20 and is then pre-compressed. In the pressing step 22, the raw mass 20, in particular the pre-compressed raw mass 20, is pressed to form the functional material 12. In particular, in the pressing step 22 a throughput press subjects the raw mass 20 to pressure and temperature. Preferably the temperature induced by the throughput press is lower than an activation temperature of the filling material 26, at which the filling material 26 preferably presents an intumescence behavior. In the pressing step 22, the throughput press vaporizes the activated water 24. During the pressing step 22, the throughput press encloses the vaporized water for the most part in the raw mass 20, in particular until the binding agent 18 has been cured. The functional material 12 continuously discharges the vaporized water 24, in particular via an outlet of the throughput press for the functional material 12 out of the throughput press. In the pressing step 22, in at least one setting of the throughput press, the raw mass 20 is pressed by the throughput press to form a panel 28 with a material thickness 48 of less than 8 mm, in particular without subsequent grinding. The panel 28 implemented of the functional material 12 is exemplarily shown in FIG. 2. In the pressing step 22 the raw mass 20 is pressed to form the panel 28 with the material thickness 48, whose maximally admissible tolerance is at most 1 mm, in particular without subsequent grinding. In the confectioning step 42 the panel 28 is separated, in particular cut and/or sawn, off the functional material 12 which continuously exits the throughput press.

[0041] A usage 44 of the panel 28 that is implemented of the functional material 12 takes place, for example, as a heat insulation and/or as a construction material. The panel 28 implemented of the functional material 12 is recyclable by means of the method 10, in particular after the usage 44. In particular, an offcut of the panel 28 resulting before or during the usage 44 is recyclable. The functional material 12 is pulverized, such that the pulverized rigid foam 16 can be substituted at least partly by the pulverized functional material.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0042] 10 method [0043] 12 functional material [0044] 14 mixing step [0045] 16 rigid foam [0046] 18 binding agent [0047] 20 raw mass [0048] 22 pressing step [0049] 24 activated water [0050] 26 filling material [0051] 28 panel [0052] 30 rigid foam metering step [0053] 32 moisture measuring step [0054] 34 filling material metering step [0055] 36 binding agent pre-mixing step [0056] 38 binding agent metering step [0057] 40 pre-pressing step [0058] 42 confectioning step [0059] 44 usage [0060] 46 comminution step [0061] 48 material thickness [0062] 50 raw mass metering step