A LAYER OF MINERAL WOOL PROVIDED WITH A SPRAYED-ON PROTECTIVE LAYER

Abstract

A layer of mineral wool having a first and a second main side (2, 3) which are opposite each other and define a thickness between each other, the layer of mineral wool further having a circumferential side which extends between the first and the second main side, at least a part of the first main side being provided with a sprayed-on protective layer (4) which is non-intumescent and relatively thin in comparison to the layer of mineral wool, the protective layer being adherent to the mineral wool, wherein the protective layer (4) exhibits at atmospheric pressure, during an increase in ambient temperature, a drop in its thermal conductivity.

Claims

1. A layer of mineral wool having a first and a second main side which are opposite each other and define a thickness between each other, the layer of mineral wool further having a circumferential side which extends between the first and the second main side, at least a part of the first main side being provided with a sprayed-on protective layer which is non-intumescent and relatively thin in comparison to the layer of mineral wool, the protective layer being adherent to the mineral wool, wherein the protective layer exhibits at atmospheric pressure during an increase in ambient temperature, a drop in its thermal conductivity.

2. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the protective layer has a porous structure and/or forms pores at elevated temperatures.

3. A layer of mineral wool according to claim 2, wherein the pores comprise pores having a diameter of less than 700 nanometers, and preferably less than 70 nanometers.

4. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the porous structure comprises clusterings of particles having a size within a range of 2 to 300 nanometers.

5. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein at least a number of the pores are formed at temperatures in the range of 180 to 500 C.

6. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the protective layer comprises opacities for reducing heat transfer by radiation.

7. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the protective layer is a fire retardant layer.

8. A layer of mineral wool according to claim 7, wherein the fire retardant layer is non-combustable in a fire reaching a temperature up to 1100 C.

9. A layer of mineral wool according to anyone of the previous claims, wherein the protective layer is within a temperature range of 50-1100 C. effectively free from shrinkage.

10. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the protective layer is within a temperature range of 50-1100 C. effectively free from thermal expansion.

11. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the sprayed-on protective layer is a layer formed by spraying a water based polymer emulsion onto the mineral wool.

12. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the protective layer is salt water resistant.

13. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the protective layer is impermeable to water and/or impermeable to gas.

14. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein also at least a part of the second main side is provided with the sprayed-on protective layer.

15. A layer of mineral wool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein also at least a part of the circumferential side is provided with the sprayed-on protective layer.

16. A sprayable emulsion suitable for forming by spraying onto a mineral wool layer a protective layer for forming a mineral wool layer according any one of claims 1-15.

Description

[0032] The present disclosure is further based on a drawing, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows schematically in cross-section an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows schematically in cross-section an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows in a perspective view an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows schematically a way of producing an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] In the description of the drawing, like parts have like references.

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a layer of mineral wool 1 having a first and a second main side 2, 3 which are opposite each other and define a thickness d between each other. The layer of mineral wool 1 has a circumferential side which is not shown in FIG. 1 but which would normally extend between the first and second main side 2, 3. See for example FIGS. 2 and 3. The first main side 2 is provided with a sprayed-on protective layer 4 which is non-intumescent and relatively thin in comparison to the layer of mineral wool 1. The protective layer 4 is adherent to the mineral wool. The protective layer 4 exhibits at atmospheric pressure during an increase in ambient temperature, a drop in its thermal conductivity. In the example shown in FIG. 1, also the second main side 3 of the layer of mineral wool 1 is provided with such a protective layer 4. In the example of FIG. 2, where the layer of mineral wool 1 is applied around a pipe 7, only one main side is provided with the protective layer.

[0039] The ambient temperature is the air temperature of the environment in which the mineral wool layer 1 is kept.

[0040] The protective layer 4 is non-intumescent, meaning that it does not puff up to form a foam when the temperature of the layer increases. The protective layer 4 can be provided by applying the so-called FISSIC coating, as commercially available from the Applicant (www.fissiccoating.com). The spayed-on layer can then be formed by spraying such a water-based polymer emulsion 6 onto the mineral wool layer 1.

[0041] The protective layer 4 has a porous structure and/or forms pores at elevated temperatures. A porous structure may be present in the particles which at least partly make up the protective layer but may also be formed at elevated temperatures, for instance by release of bonded water out of the protective layer. Pores may also have been formed by the way the protective layer is applied, i.e. by entrapping air into the layer during spraying of the water-based polymer emulsion onto the mineral wool 1. The pores may comprise pores having diameters of less than 700 nanometers. Preferably the pores comprise also pores having a diameter of less than 70 nanometers. The pore structure may comprise clusterings of particles having a size within the range of 2-300 nanometers. It is possible that a number of the pores are formed at temperatures in the range of 180-500 C. The density of the protective layer may thus be varied, depending on the number and density of the pores.

[0042] The protective layer may comprise opacities for reducing heat transfer by radiation. Opacities are known in the art, a typical example is titanium dioxide. Another typical example is carbon soot.

[0043] The protective layer 4 is preferably a fire-retardant layer.

[0044] To this end, highly suitably, borates conventionally used as fire retardants; plasticizers of the organic phosphate type such as trialkyl phosphates and triaryl phosphates, and in particular trioctylphosphate, triphenylphosphate and diphenyl cresyl phosphate; solid fire retardants such as ammonium polyphosphate, for instance Antiblaze MCO: and melamine polyphosphate (melapur 200) can be used.

[0045] The fire retardant layer is preferably non-combustible in a fire reaching a temperature up to 1100 C. The protective layer 4 is within a temperature range of 50-1100 C. effectively free from shrinkage and, preferably, free from thermal expansion. The protective layer 4 is salt water resistant, preferably even after fire. Reference is made to KIWA Netherlands report 20150421 HN/01 for the performance of the so-called FISSIC coating in this respect. The protective layer 4 is impermeable to water and/or impermeable to gas (at least when the gas pressure difference is 30 mBar).

[0046] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment where the layer of mineral wool 1 is wrapped around a pipe 7, which could be a pipe of any sort and of any type of material. The protective layer 4 is sprayed on after wrapping the layer of mineral wool 1 around the pipe 7.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a layer of mineral wool of which each side is provided with a protective layer 4.

[0048] FIG. 4 shows schematically how the protective layer 4 can be provided by spraying the water-based polymer emulsion 6 out of a nozzle 8 onto the layer of mineral wool 1.

[0049] Layers of mineral wool are widely commercially available, as can easily be assessed by searching for suppliers of mineral wool in the Internet. A sprayable emulsion suitable for spraying onto a mineral wool layer a protective layer for forming a mineral wool layer according to the present disclosure is on the day of this disclosure also available, at least via the website www.fissiccoating.com

[0050] Many applications, each making use of embodiments of the present disclosure, are easily conceivable. Not only in a maritime climate/environment but also in the building industry use can be made of embodiments of this disclosure.