Abstract: The invention relates to a melt composition for the production of man-made vitreous fibres and man-made vitreous fibres comprising the following oxides, by weight of composition: SiO2 39-43 weight % Al2O3 20-23 weight % TiO2 up to 1.5 weight % Fe2O3 5-9 weight %, preferably 5-8 weight % CaO 8-18 weight % MgO 5-7 weight % Na2O up to 10 weight %, preferably 2-7 weight % K2O up to 10 weight %, preferably 3-7 weight % P2O5 up to 2% MnO up to 2% R2O up to 10 weight % wherein the proportion of Fe(2+) is greater than 80% based on total Fe and is preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95% and most preferably at least 97% based on total Fe.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to effectively reduce mixing of bubbles into a spun glass fiber. A glass-melting device 10 for producing glass fibers includes; a first glass-melting tank 12 exposed to a reduced-pressure atmosphere; a second glass-melting tank 14 and a third glass-melting tank 16 arranged below the first glass-melting tank 12; an ascending conduit 18 that sends up molten glass resulting from melting in the second glass-melting tank 14 to deliver the molten glass to the first glass-melting tank 12; a descending conduit 20 that sends the molten glass down from the first glass-melting tank 12 to deliver the molten glass to the third glass-melting tank 16; a decompression housing 22; and a bushing 24. The glass-melting device 10 further includes heating means for separately heating the first glass-melting tank 12, the second glass-melting tank 14, the third glass-melting tank 16, the ascending conduit 18, the descending conduit 20 and the bushing 24.

Abstract: A glass-melting device for producing glass fibers capable effectively reducing inclusion of bubbles into glass fibers to be spun, and a method for producing glass fibers using the same are provided. A glass-melting device 100 for producing glass fibers comprises: a first glass-melting tank 12; a conduit 14 extending downward from the first glass-melting tank 12; a sucking device 18 for exposing the first glass-melting tank 12 to a reduced-pressure atmosphere; a second glass-melting tank 20 provided on a lower portion of the conduit 14 and exposed to an atmospheric-pressure atmosphere; and a bushing 22 provided at a bottom portion of the second glass-melting tank 20 and equipped with a number of nozzles 22a.

Abstract: A method of forming a needled rotary fiberglass glass insulation product is provided. The formation of the needled insulation product may be conducted in a continuous in-line process in which the fibers are rotary formed, a binder is sprayed onto the hot fibers, the fibers are collected onto a conveyor and formed into a fiberglass pack, the fiberglass pack is passed through the oven, and the cured insulation blanket is passed through a needling apparatus. The reduction in thickness and increased density caused by the needling process permits the production of lower thickness and higher density insulation products. In particular, the needled insulation product may have a thickness of less than about 0.75 inches and a density from about 1 pcf to about 10 pcf. The needled insulation product may be utilized in household appliances, water heaters, and HVAC equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming particles from a liquid, including a rotor assembly having at least one surface sized and shaped so as to define at least one capillary. Each capillary has an inner region adjacent an axis of rotation of the rotor assembly, an outer region distal from the axis of rotation, and an edge adjacent the outer region. The rotor assembly is configured to be rotated at an angular velocity selected such that when the liquid is received in the inner region of the at least one capillary, the liquid will move from the inner region to the outer region, adopt an unsaturated condition on the at least one surface such that the liquid flows as a film along the at least one surface and does not continuously span the capillary, and, upon reaching the edge, separates from the at least one surface to form at least one particle.

Abstract: Methods for forming glass compositions from cullet include providing the cullet to a submerged combustion melter and melting the cullet with the aid of heat generated upon the combustion of a hydrocarbon from landfill gas and, in some cases, a polymeric material, in the presence of an oxidant. The melted cullet is then directed to a fiberization unit to generate a glass composition, such as vitreous fiber. The glass composition can be used to form various structural components, such as glass fiber insulation. Methods and systems provided herein can be used to form low global warming potential products.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a spinning nozzle arrangement, which enables an increase, and thus an improvement, in productivity without the said drawbacks and displays as homogeneous a temperature distribution as possible in the region of the nozzle. The object is achieved by a spinning nozzle arrangement (10) for the manufacture of glass fibres, having a melting chamber (11) which is formed by side walls (12,12?), cover plates (14,14?), end plates, a base plate (1), which is provided with a multiplicity of openings or nozzles (2) aligned parallel to the side walls (12) of the spinning nozzle (10), and a feed line (13) for the glass melt (17), characterized in that the base plate (1) is provided on its top side with additional stiffening elements (4), which are connected to the cover plates (14,14?).

Abstract: Fibrous material webs and methods of making the fibrous material webs. Binderless webs can be formed in a continuous process where fiber material, such as glass is melted and formed into fibers. The fibers are formed into a web of binderless glass fibers or a web with a dry binder. The binderless web or the web with dry binder can be layered and/or the fibers that make up the web can be mechanically entangled, for example, by needling.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to uniformly disperse fibrous material such as short glass fibers so as to be distributed on a collection conveyor, without using compressed air for dispersion of the fibrous material. The present invention provides a method for collecting fibrous material, wherein the fibrous material fiberized by a spinner of a fiberizing unit is dispersed by a hollow bucket disposed just under the spinner, so as to be collected on a collection conveyor disposed below the hollow bucket, comprising: forming said hollow bucket by connecting a blasting section having an oval opening at its lower end, with a waistline section as a lower end of a hopper section having a circular shape in cross section, and deforming the inner surface of the blasting section toward said oval opening, thereby dispersing the fibrous material dropped in the hollow bucket in a width direction of the collection conveyor from the blasting section, so as to be collected on the collection conveyor.

Abstract: A device for installation for forming fiber mats, the fibers being formed from a material that can be drawn by internal centrifuging and by drawing by a gas current. The device includes a guide duct into which the fibers are designed to be channelled, with a longitudinal axis including a first portion configured to form the entrance of the duct at which the fibers are designed to be inserted into the duct, a second portion or central portion, and a third portion configured to form an exit of the duct, and an articulation mechanism to act mechanically on the third portion of the duct to cause its dimension and/or the position of at least one of its portions to vary relative to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to mineral fibres formed of a composition comprising the following oxides, by weight of composition: —SiO2 35 to 43.5% —Al2O3 18 to 22% —Fe2O3 9 to 16% —CaO 8 to 17% —MgO 7 to 15% —Na2O+K2O 1 to 5% —MnO up to 2%.

Abstract: A glass-melting device for producing glass fibers capable effectively reducing inclusion of bubbles into glass fibers to be spun, and a method for producing glass fibers using the same are provided. A glass-melting device 100 for producing glass fibers comprises: a first glass-melting tank 12; a conduit 14 extending downward from the first glass-melting tank 12; a sucking device 18 for exposing the first glass-melting tank 12 to a reduced-pressure atmosphere; a second glass-melting tank 20 provided on a lower portion of the conduit 14 and exposed to an atmospheric-pressure atmosphere; and a bushing 22 provided at a bottom portion of the second glass-melting tank 20 and equipped with a number of nozzles 22a.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to effectively reduce mixing of bubbles into a spun glass fiber. A glass-melting device 10 for producing glass fibers includes: a first glass-melting tank 12 exposed to a reduced-pressure atmosphere; a second glass-melting tank 14 and a third glass-melting tank 16 arranged below the first glass-melting tank 12; an ascending conduit 18 that sends up molten glass resulting from melting in the second glass-melting tank 14 to deliver the molten glass to the first glass-melting tank 12; a descending conduit 20 that sends the molten glass down from the first glass-melting tank 12 to deliver the molten glass to the third glass-melting tank 16; a decompression housing 22; and a bushing 24. The glass-melting device 10 further includes heating means for separately heating the first glass-melting tank 12, the second glass-melting tank 14, the third glass-melting tank 16, the ascending conduit 18, the descending conduit 20 and the bushing 24.

Abstract: A non-woven product having a core layer (32) containing dense particulate additive between adjacent layers (33) which are substantially free of additive is made by fiberizing a mineral melt on a spinner (1) comprising at least one fiberizing rotor (2, 3, 4) mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, and the resultant fibres are collected in air streams (5) as a cloud of fibres which travels towards a travelling collector (11) on which a web (14) is formed and carried out of the spinning chamber (9). Dense particles such as magnesium hydroxide are ejected from a suitable ejector (15) on to a baffle (16) by which they are deflected across the width of the chamber and lengthwise over the length of a intermediate collecting zone (B) to form the core layer (32) while the initial and final collecting zone (A and C) are substantially free of the dense particulate additive.

Abstract: Methods of melt spinning to make amorphous and ceramic materials.

Abstract: A process for making a mineral melt comprising: providing a circulating combustion chamber which contains circulating chamber gases, injecting a stream of particulate fuel into the combustion chamber through a fuel feed pipe, injecting combustion gas into the combustion chamber; mixing the stream of particulate fuel with the combustion gas and with the circulating chamber gases by injecting into the combustion chamber secondary gas, through a secondary gas inlet, wherein the secondary gas is injected adjacent to the stream of particulate fuel and the injection speed of the secondary gas is at least 100 m/s greater than the injection speed of the particulate fuel; suspending particulate mineral material in the circulating chamber gases and combusting the fuel, thereby melting the particulate mineral material and forming a mineral melt and hot exhaust gases; and separating the hot exhaust gases from the melt and collecting the melt.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method and apparatus for obtaining process information in a substrate manufacturing process using plasma. In one embodiment, a chamber is provided having one or more optical metrology modules that are positioned such that optical energy from the plasma process is detected at substantially orthogonal angles. Metrics derived from detected optical energy may be used for endpoint determination, substrate temperature, and monitoring of critical dimensions on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of making a mineral melt, the method comprising the steps of providing a circulating combustion chamber (1); injecting fuel, preheated mineral material and combustion gas into the circulating combustion chamber (1); combusting the fuel in the circulating combustion chamber (1) thereby melting the mineral material to form a mineral melt and generating exhaust gases; separating the exhaust gases from the mineral melt, collecting the mineral melt (9) and passing the exhaust gases (10) to a heat exchange system, the method being characterised in that the mineral material comprises a first mineral material and a second mineral material wherein the first mineral material has a higher sintering temperature than the second mineral material and the first and second mineral materials are provided separately to the heat exchange system, wherein the first mineral material is preheated through contact with the exhaust gases and subsequently the second mineral mate

Abstract: A device for installation for forming fiber mats, the fibers being formed from a material that can be drawn by internal centrifuging and by drawing by a gas current. The device includes a guide duct into which the fibers are designed to be channelled, with a longitudinal axis including a first portion configured to form the entrance of the duct at which the fibers are designed to be inserted into the duct, a second portion or central portion, and a third portion configured to form an exit of the duct, and an articulation mechanism to act mechanically on the third portion of the duct to cause its dimension and/or the position of at least one of its portions to vary relative to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An internal combustion burner including a combustion chamber supplied with fuel and with oxidant and at least two combustion devices supplied with oxidant and with fuel. Combining two combustion devices of distinct configurations, which respectively generate two distinct types of flames with a system for cooling the walls of the burner by introducing air along the walls, makes it possible to obtain a burner that supplies a combustion gas temperature of up to 1700° C., while at the same time being easily cooled and occupying very little space so that it can, for example, be housed in an existing installation used in the manufacture of rock wool or glass wool.

Abstract: Inorganic fibers consisting substantially of silicon, carbon, oxygen and a transition metal, having a fiber size of no greater than 2 ?m and having fiber lengths of 100 ?m or greater.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a sensor proximate to a fiberizer includes a support means for supporting a sensor, adjustment means for adjusting a position of the sensor, and attachment means for attaching the apparatus to a fiberizer. The adjustment means is coupled to the support means, and the attachment means is connected to the adjustment means.

Abstract: A method for producing zero-twist glass yarn employing a special sizing agent for sizing procedure during spinning process that enables a loss on ignition of the special sizing agent which makes up 0.8˜1.6 Wt % of the glass yarn and a moisture content less than 0.2% of the glass yarn after drying the forming package formed through spinning, sizing and winding procedure with which the zero-twist glass yarn is obtained without need of twist fixing process; moreover, the zero-twist glass yarn produced therefrom possesses the tensile strength better than that of the conventional twisted glass yarn, and, when used as weft yarn, may substantially increase the tensile strength of the glass fabric.

Abstract: Methods of melt spinning to make amorphous and ceramic materials

Abstract: Mineral wool capable of dissolving in a physiological medium, which mineral wool comprises the constituents below in the following percentages by weight: SiO2 39-55%, preferably 40-52% Al2O3 16-27%, ″ 16-25% CaO  3-35%, ″ 10-25% MgO  0-15%, ″  0-10% Na2O  0-15%, ″  6-12% K2O  0-15%, ″  3-12% R2O (Na2O + K2O) 10-17%, ″ 12-17% P2O5 0-3%, ″ 0-2% Fe2O3  0-15%, B2O3 0-8%, ″ 0-4% TiO2 0-3%, and in that MgO is between 0 and 5%, especially between 0 and 2%, when R2O≦13.0%.

Abstract: Man-made vitreous fibers have a solubility at pH 4.5 of at least 20 nm per day, a liquidus temperature of below 1300.degree. C., a viscosity at the liquidus temperature of about 300 poise, and a composition which includes at least 15% by weight Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Abstract: The invention relates to the electric melting technique, in which the melting energy is dissipated in the bath of melted glass as a result of the Joule effect by means of electrodes which dip through the surface of the bath. According to the invention, the electrodes dip into a bath of melted glass which has a height h below 800 mm and a surface S such that the ratio h/S is lower than 0.5 m/m.sup.2. According to another aspect, the exchange surface between the electrodes and the bath is above 0.075 m.sup.2 /m.sup.3 of glass.The invention is used in the manufacture of glass-based products, such as insulating materials based on glass fiber.

Abstract: Glass compositions displaying decreased far infrared radiation transmission, high biosolubility, and excellent moisture resistance are capable of fiberization by the rotary process, and may be used to prepare thermal insulation products exhibiting high thermal insulation efficiency as reflected by low thermal index values. The insulation products also exhibit excellent stiffness and recovery properties.

Abstract: A method of processing material for use in production of rock wool, comprises providing the material in finely divided form; mixing the finely divided material with a fibrous binding agent; and forming the mixture into solid blocks. The resulting blocks (lacking fines) are in a form suitable for use in the production of rock wool, and may be fed to a smelting furnace, together with other ingredients as appropriate, for processing in conventional manner. In one preferred embodiment, the material is waste rock wool, such as spent hydroponic growth medium or shot. By use of the invention, shot which has hitherto constituted a waste material can be recycled and reused in the production of rock wool, thus obviating the waste disposal problem and improving the overall efficiency of the rock wool production process. The invention also covers the resulting solid blocks and a method of producing rock wool using the blocks.

Abstract: The production of mineral fibers by centrifuging on rollers (3, 4, 5, 6) with horizontal axes from a stream (1) of molten material includes determining the relative position of the stream (1) of molten material in relation to the first roller (3), and controlling this position by use of CCD cameras (8, 11, 40). A camera (11) observes the periphery of a fiber-drawing roller (4).

Abstract: Man made vitreous fibers are made using a cascade of rotors (4, 5, 6, 7) from melt poured onto the top rotor (4) wherein the melt has a low viscosity (not more than 18 poise) at 1400.degree. C. and has a viscosity of not more than 10 poise on the top rotor (4), the top rotor has an acceleration field of at least 30 km/sec.sup.2, and the second rotor (5) is arranged with its center on a line with the center of rotor (4) which makes an angle C of 0-20.degree. and has an acceleration field of 50 to 150% of the field of the rotor (4), and the subsequent rotors (6, 7) have an acceleration field of 120 to 250% of the acceleration field of the rotor (4).

Abstract: Glass compositions displaying decreased far infrared radiation transmission, high biosolubility, and excellent moisture resistance are capable of fiberization by the rotary process, and may be used to prepare thermal insulation products exhibiting high thermal insulation efficiency as reflected by low thermal index values.

Abstract: In a process for producing insulating materials with environmentally safe binding components, a long-chain starch is used as binder, besides silicone. The starch is heated up to 50.degree. to 60.degree. C., held at this temperature and sprayed on the glass fibers separately from the silicone; 6 to 8% binder, consisting of starch and silicone, are used, then a spun-glass mat or slab may be shaped and dried at about 180.degree. C. A spun-glass mat (16), insulating mat or slab or adsorber is thus obtained which surprisingly is water-proofed and held together exclusively by starch, resin and silicone, which may be used without any problems and has a uniform bulk density throughout. In the plant (1) provided for that purpose, supply rings for water (9), for starch (10) and for silicone (11) are provided. The nozzles (13) for the supply ring 10 have a larger opening and separation edges. The premixing container (17) and the supply pipe (15) are heatable or heat-insulated.

Abstract: The invention relates to fiberizing apparatus for forming mineral wool and a process using that apparatus. The apparatus comprises a set (1) of at least three rotors mounted for rotation about respective horizontal axes. Melt is poured onto the top rotor (4) and thrown onto subsequent rotors in turn (5, 6 and 7) with the result that fibres are thrown off. The rotors all rotate to give an acceleration field of at least 50 km/s.sup.2, and are spacially arranged in respect to one another so that a line drawn from the axis of the first rotor (4) to the axis of the second rotor (5) makes an angle (C) of 0-20.degree. below the horizontal.

Abstract: The initial stages in the manufacture of a glass-like mineral fiber suitable for a multiplicity of industrial uses are essentially conventional; a charge of raw minerals (igneous rock, basalt, slag from a blast furnace or other metal working furnace, phosphate slag, etc.) is melted, then spun and collected to produce a fibrous mineral "blanket". The "blanket" is chopped up, separated, and screened, producing a prilled material constituting a multiplicity of mineral fiber pellets of given average size. These pellets are subjected to brief, rapid acceleration, as by contact with a high-speed toothed rotary wheel, to accelerate and stress the pellets into an industrially usable material constituting a multiplicity of shredded, flake-like mineral fiber elements, at least one such element for each pellet.