Abstract: Submerged combustion methods and systems including a melter equipped with an exhaust passage through the ceiling or the sidewall having an aggregate hydraulic diameter. Submerged combustion burners configured to create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material being melted, and produce ejected portions of melted material. An exhaust structure including a liquid-cooled exhaust structure defining a liquid-cooled exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter.

Abstract: An insulation product for a pipe or vessel having at least one aerogel insulation layer, an additional insulation layer positioned around the at least one aerogel insulation layer, and a protective cladding layer surrounding the at least one aerogel insulation layer and the additional insulation layer.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate generally to improved fit duct liner insulation for curvilinear ducts in HVAC, exhaust, or other similar gas flow systems. A duct liner insulation for a curvilinear duct may include an insulation board having a first major surface and a second major surface. The duct liner insulation further includes a plurality of rows of kerfs in the first major surface of the insulation board configured to allow the insulation board to flex in a direction of the width of the insulation board such that insulation board is foldable into a curvilinear configuration. Each of the kerfs has a v-shaped cross section with sidewalls extending from a kerf base portion at or near the second major surface of the insulation board to the first major surface of the insulation board. The sidewalls extending at an angle from 10 degrees to 20 degrees relative to each other.

Abstract: Materials and methods for mitigating passive intermodulation. A membrane for reducing passive intermodulation includes a first polymeric layer, a second polymeric layer, and a continuous metal layer encapsulated between the first and second polymeric layers. A self-adhesive radio frequency barrier tape includes a waterproof polymeric top layer, a metal-containing layer adhered by an adhesive layer to the polymeric top layer, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer adhered to the metal-containing layer, and a release liner on a bottom surface of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer. A method of mitigating passive intermodulation includes passing a probe over an area of interest, the probe being sensitive to an intermodulation frequency of interest, and identifying a suspected source of passive intermodulation when the amplitude of the probe output exceeds a threshold at the frequency of interest.

Abstract: A battery separator for a lithium-ion battery includes a nonwoven fiber mat that is composed of entangled microfibers having an average fiber diameter of less than 6 microns. The nonwoven fiber mat also includes a binder that binds the microfibers together and a polymer component that is dispersed homogeneously through or within the entangled microfibers so that the polymer component is uniformly distributed throughout the nonwoven fiber mat and so that the entangled microfibers, the binder, and the polymer component form a single layer component or product. The polymer component is configured to melt within the nonwoven fiber mat when exposed to a sufficiently high heat in order to effectively interrupt an electro-chemical process of the lithium-ion battery and thereby prevent overheating of the lithium-ion battery. The nonwoven fiber mat is typically between 0.1 and 20 mils thick.

Abstract: A vapor-barrier stop pre-treated piping insulation system including an insulation segment, a vapor-barrier stop, and a sealant. The insulation segment includes a cylindrical exterior surface, a cylindrical exterior surface, a first end surface, a second end surface, at least two ledge surfaces, and a wall extending between the cylindrical exterior surface and the cylindrical interior surface. The vapor-barrier stop is applied prior to installation of the insulation segment and extends, starting from at least the first end surface, over the cylindrical interior surface, the cylindrical exterior surface, the at least two ledge surfaces, and the first end surface along the insulation segment towards the second end surface. The vapor-barrier stop is configured to impede vapor-exchange through the vapor-barrier stop.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40° C. and 100° C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

Abstract: Methods of making prepregs are described. The methods include the steps of forming a fiber-containing substrate, and contacting the fiber-containing substrate with a resin mixture. The resin mixture may include polymer particles mixed in a liquid medium, and the polymer particles may be coated on the fiber-containing substrate to form a coated substrate. The liquid medium may be removed from the coated substrate to form the prepreg. The prepregs may be used to make fiber-reinforced articles.

Abstract: A thermoplastic prepreg includes a mat, web, or fabric of fibers and hollow glass microspheres that are positioned atop the mat, web, or fabric of fibers or dispersed therein. The thermoplastic prepreg also includes a thermoplastic polymer that is fully impregnated through the mat, web, or fabric of fibers and the hollow glass microspheres so that the thermoplastic prepreg has a void content of less than 3% by volume of the thermoplastic prepreg. The thermoplastic material is polymerized monomers and oligomers in which greater than 90% by weight of the monomers or oligomers react to form the thermoplastic material.

Abstract: A curable formaldehyde-free binding composition for use with fiberglass is provided. Such curable composition comprises an aldehyde or ketone and an amine salt of an inorganic acid. The composition when applied to fiberglass is cured to form a water-insoluble binder which exhibits good adhesion to glass. In a preferred embodiment the composition when applied to fiberglass provides a sufficient blackness required in facer products.

Abstract: A reinforced thermoplastic product may include a main body and a fabric reinforcing sheet that is disposed within a wall of the main body. The wall of the main body may be formed of or from a cast thermoplastic material and the fabric reinforcing sheet may extend circumferentially around the main body in order to reinforce the wall. The fabric reinforcing sheet may include a plurality of fiber bundles and a thermoplastic material that impregnates each fiber bundle.

Abstract: Fiber-containing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepregs are described that include a first and second plurality of fibers. The second plurality of fibers is made from a different material than the first plurality of fibers. The PMMA prepregs also contain a polymerized resin that includes polymethyl methacrylate that has been formed from a reactive resin composition that includes methyl methacrylate. Methods of making fiber-containing PMMA prepregs are also described.

Abstract: Combustion burner panels, submerged combustion melters including one or more of the panels, and methods of making the same are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the burner panel includes a panel body having first and second major surfaces, at least one oxidant through-passage extending from the first to the second major surface, and at least one fuel through-passage extending from the first to the second major surface. Oxidant and fuel delivery conduits are positioned in the respective passages. The oxidant and fuel delivery conduits include proximal and distal ends, at least some of the distal ends positioned away from the first major surface of the panel body. In other embodiments the burner panels include a frame enclosing a porous material having through passages for fuel and oxidant. The burner panels may enable delaying combustion in a submerged combustion melter, and therefore promote burner life and melter campaign length.

Abstract: Methods of making fiber reinforced composite articles are described. The methods may include treating fibers with a sizing composition that includes a polymerization compound, and introducing the treated fibers to a pre-polymerized composition. The combination of the treated fibers and pre-polymerized composition may then undergo a temperature adjustment to a polymerization temperature at which the pre-polymerized composition polymerizes into a plastic around the fibers to form the fiber-reinforced composite article. Techniques for introducing the treated fibers to the pre-polymerized composition may include pultrusion, filament winding, reactive injection molding (RIM), structural reactive injection molding (SRIM), resin transfer molding (RTM), vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), long fiber injection (LFI), sheet molding compound (SMC) molding, bulk molding compound (BMC) molding, a spray-up application, and/or a hand lay-up application, among other techniques.

Abstract: Submerged combustion burners having a burner body and a burner tip connected thereto. The burner body has an external conduit and first and second internal conduits substantially concentric therewith, forming first and second annuli for passing a cooling fluid therethrough. A burner tip body is connected to the burner body at ends of the external and second internal conduits. The burner tip includes a generally central flow passage for a combustible mixture, the flow passage defined by an inner wall of the burner tip. The burner tip further has an outer wall and a crown connecting the inner and outer walls. The inner and outer walls, and the crown are comprised of same or different materials having greater corrosion and/or fatigue resistance than at least the external burner conduit.

Abstract: Provided is a polymer blend composition comprising linear low density polyethylene, a propylene polymer generally having rubber dispersed therein, and a combination of a propylene copolymer and an ethylene copolymer. In one embodiment, there is provided a polymer blend composition comprising 20 to 65 weight percent of a propylene polymer having from 10-60% crystallinity, 30-60 weight percent of a linear low density polyethylene, and a combination of the propylene copolymer and the ethylene copolymer comprising the remainder of the composition.

Abstract: An insulative construction product includes a polyurethane foam core and a mixture of Aerogel and carbon black that is disposed within the polyurethane foam core. The mixture of Aerogel and carbon black includes between 90 and 99 weight percent Aerogel and between 1 and 10 weight percent carbon black. The polyurethane foam core includes between 10 and 90 percent by volume of the of Aerogel and carbon black mixture and the construction product has an R-value of at least 8.0 R/inch.

Abstract: A creel, such as may be used to supply fiberglass roving to a production process, includes an enclosure and a number of rotatable axles held within the enclosure. Each of the axles is of a shape and size to be inserted into a bobbin of roving. The creel also includes a drive mechanism coupled to each of the plurality of rotatable axles, the drive mechanism synchronizing the rotation of the axles. Bobbins of roving may be stacked on the axles and connected to provide continuous roving. As roving is drawn from the creel, the rate of rotation of the axles may be selected to counteract twisting of the roving that would otherwise result.

Abstract: A thermoplastic product includes a fabric-based reinforcing sheet and a polymerized thermoplastic material. The fabric-based reinforcing sheet is wound about a mandrel to form a plurality of layers having a cross-sectional shape that corresponds to the mandrel. The fabric-based reinforcing sheet includes a plurality of fiber bundles, which may have a bidirectional orientation or configuration. A polymerized thermoplastic material is disposed within each layer of the fabric-based reinforcing sheet. The polymerized thermoplastic material bonds each layer of the fabric-based reinforcing sheet to an adjacent layer.

Abstract: A pasting carrier for a lead-acid battery. The pasting carrier includes a nonwoven fiber mat having a thickness between 5 and 50 mils, the nonwoven fiber mat being composed of a plurality of entangled glass microfibers.