Abstract: A process for forming mineral fibers by internal centrifugation using a device including a basket and a fiberizing spinner suitable for rotating jointly about an axis of rotation, the basket including an annular wall pierced by orifices and the fiberizing spinner including an annular wall pierced by orifices, the process including feeding the basket with material to be fiberized at a temperature Ta; centrifuging the material to be fiberized by joint rotation of the basket and of the fiberizing spinner. The factor F is greater than 2000, the factor F being defined by F=?adN/Q; wherein ?a is the viscosity of the material to be fiberized at the temperature Ta; d is the distance between the annular walls of the basket and of the fiberizing spinner; N is the number of orifices of the basket; and Q is the feed flow rate of the material to be fiberized.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of determination of specific points of a rotary fibre forming spinner wheel (10) used in a fibre forming device (1), said method comprising the following steps: obtaining measurements of temperatures of the fibre forming spinner wheel obtained by means of a temperature measuring device (40) adapted to take measurements of temperatures of the spinner wheel at a plurality of angular positions of said measuring device in order to supply data to at least one calculation unit (30, 45) that constructs a curve representing the temperature as a function of the angular position of a temperature measuring device; processing said measurements by effecting a calculation of the second derivative of the curve of the temperature as a function of the angular position by means of a calculation unit (30); searching for at least one specific point for which the second derivative satisfies a predefined condition.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of mineral wool can involve, first, a melting stage which makes it possible to obtain a molten glass. The chemical composition of the molten glass comprises the following constituents, in a content by weight, within the following limits: SiO2, 39-55%; Al2O3, 16-27%; CaO, 3-35%; MgO, 0-5%; Na2O+K2O, 9-17%; Fe2O3, 0-15%; and B2O3, 0-8%. The melting stage is carried out by electric melting in a furnace that has a tank made of refractory blocks and at least two electrodes immersed in the molten glass. At least one of the refractory blocks, in contact with the molten glass, is made of a material having at least 60% by weight of zirconium oxide and less than 5% by weight of chromium oxide. The molten glass is fiberized to obtain the mineral wool.

Abstract: A centrifuge to rotate about a rotation axis, the centrifuge including: an annular wall pierced with a plurality of holes, the annular wall having the rotation axis as its axis of symmetry; and a row of one continuous relief or of discontinuous reliefs, situated on an outer surface of the centrifuge, on the annular wall and/or above and close to the annular wall when the centrifuge is in a centrifuging position, the row being horizontal or inclined at an angle of more than 0° and less than 90° relative to the horizontal when the centrifuge is in the centrifuging position. The centrifuge makes it possible to improve energy consumption of a device for forming mineral fibers furnished with the centrifuge.

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: 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: Tubular pipe insulation is made from a glass fiber mat produced utilizing a rotary glass fiberization process. A spinner disc is rotated to centrifuge molten glass through fiberization holes in an annular sidewall of the spinner disc and form primary glass fibers. The primary glass fibers are attenuated and formed into a veil where the fibers are dispersed to reduce in length the fiber networks formed from the fibers. Binder is applied to the fibers and the fibers are collected into a mat that, when pulled apart by longitudinally directed, opposing forces, separates across the width of the mat into two mat sections having feathered edges with substantially no fibrous stringers extending beyond the feathered edges for a distance greater than about four inches. The leading mat section is then wound about a mandrel and the binder in the mat is cured to form the pipe insulation.

Abstract: Device intended for an installation for forming fibrous felts, the fibers being formed from a material that can be attenuated by internal centrifugation and by attenuation by means of a gas stream, the flow of fibers being in the form of a tubular veil, the device including air blowing means that expel air tangentially to the tubular veil so as to impress a rotational movement on the veil, wherein the blowing means deliver air in a direction perpendicular to the main direction of the flow of the tubular veil.

Abstract: A thermal insulation product based on mineral wool, characterized in that the fibers have a micronaire of less than 10 l/min, preferably less than 7 l/min and especially between 3 and 6 l/min, and in that the material has a thermal conductivity of less than 31 mW/m·K, especially less than 30 mW/m·K. The parameters for obtaining this product are in particular the pressure of the burner, the rotation speed of the fiberizing spinner and the daily fiber output per spinner orifice.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing mineral fibers includes rotating an orificed spinner and supplying molten mineral material to the spinner to centrifuge streams of molten mineral material. A downward annular flow of attenuating gases is directed to attenuate the streams of molten mineral material into mineral fibers. A mixture of combustion air and combustion gas is supplied to an annular burner positioned around the spinner. Heat from the annular burner is directed toward the spinner and the streams of molten mineral material to heat the spinner and assist in attenuating the streams of molten mineral material into mineral fibers. A pressure sensor senses the pressure of the combustion air prior to the introduction of the combustion air to the burner. The pressure of the combustion air is controlled in response to the sensed pressure to maintain the pressure of the combustion air at a specific pressure.

Abstract: A method of reducing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions in a rotary glass fiberization process utilizes a fiberizing spinner with fiberizing holes through which molten glass is passed by centrifugal force to form primary fibers which pass through an annular heat bath region and attenuation fluid emitting apparatus that forcefully emits an attenuating fluid to attenuate the primary fibers into finer diameter fibers. Oxygen is introduced into the annular heat bath region to oxygen enrich the annular heat bath region and is combusted in the annular heat bath region to materially reduce carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon emissions produced by the process.

Abstract: An apparatus for making mineral fibers is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotary fiberizer capable of receiving molten mineral material and centrifuging the molten mineral material into mineral fibers. A fiberizer burner is connected to the rotary fiberizer. The fiberizer burner is configured to receive a first flow of combustion gas and burn the first flow of combustion gas to support the making of the mineral fibers. A gas supply assembly is configured to supply the fiberizer burner with the first flow of combustion gas. The gas supply assembly comprises a pilot assembly having a pilot burner. The pilot burner is operable to burn a pilot flame from a second flow of combustion gas. The pilot flame is operable to ignite the first flow of combustion gas flowing to the fiberizer burner. A flame sensor is operable to detect a change in the pilot flame and communicate the change in the pilot flame.

Abstract: A method of forming fibers from molten mineral material is provided. The method comprising the steps of: rotating a spinner having an orificed peripheral wall, the orificed peripheral wall having a top row of orifices, introducing molten mineral material to the spinner to create a fan of primary glass fibers, creating an annular combustion flow of heated gas and directing the annular combustion flow of heated gas substantially through the primary fibers, creating an annular flow of attenuating air with an annular blower, the annular flow of attenuating air being sufficient to attenuate the primary fibers into secondary fibers, directing the annular combustion flow of heated gas and the annular flow of attenuating air so that they are radially spaced apart at the level of the top row of orifices, and directing the annular combustion flow of heated gas and the annular flow of attenuating air so that they are brought together at a position below the top row of orifices.

Abstract: A method of reducing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions in a rotary glass fiberization process utilizes a fiberizing spinner with fiberizing holes through which molten glass is passed by centrifugal force to form primary fibers which pass through an annular heat bath region and attenuation fluid emitting apparatus that forcefully emits an attenuating fluid to attenuate the primary fibers into finer diameter fibers. Oxygen is introduced into the annular heat bath region to oxygen enrich the annular heat bath region and is combusted in the annular heat bath region to materially reduce carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon emissions produced by the process.

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 process and an apparatus for producing glass fibers by centrifugal force are provided. Molten glass is fed into a hollow cylinder of rotating member which rotates at high speed by means of a driving device and is heated. The molten glass is ejected to an outside of a peripheral wall by centrifugal force generated by high speed rotation of the rotating member through orifices, each of which has different diameter, and which are provided alternately in a circumferential direction of the peripheral wall. A primary steam of molten glass is ejected. The primary streams is introduced into flame flow ejecting from drawing burners located at outside of the peripheral wall to form secondary fibers. A compressed gas flow is ejected to a direction at an acute angle through an ejecting outlet of an ejecting nozzle to collide the compressed fluid with the secondary fibers to thereby produce glass fibers by continuously.

Abstract: A method of controlling process variables, for a fiberizing assembly including a rotary fiberizing disk in the manufacture of fibers from a high temperature, molten, clear or translucent, thermoplastic, fiberizable material, utilizes an optical sensor assembly. The optical sensor assembly includes a water-cooled optical fiber sensor probe which, in effect, only gathers light emitted from the external sidewall surface of the rotary fiberizing disk. The light is conducted from the probe to an electronic unit that converts the light energy into a temperature value. This temperature value is used to monitor the process and to make any changes in process variables, such as but not limited to heat input to the fiberizing disk, rate of rotation of the fiberizing disk, burner air/fuel ratio, required to produce fibers having desired fiber properties.

Abstract: Glass fiber insulation products, and methods of manufacturing small diameter glass fibers with fewer stress-rising defects. The insulation products can provide the same thermal resistance or R-value with reductions in fiber density of at least about 20% or more while achieving acceptable recovery of the nominal thickness following compression. The methods can produce fine diameter glass fibers with fewer defects through a combination of lower attenuating gas velocities and the use of spinners having more and smaller holes. A preferred method uses a device for internal centrifugation of mineral fibers including a centrifuge equipped with a peripheral bland perforated with orifices distributed in a plurality of annular zones arranged on top of each other, assuming that the centrifuge is in centrifugation position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the internal centrifugation of fine mineral fibres, a method for forming fine mineral fibres, and paper containing fine mineral fibres.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method of forming fibers from a fiberizable material, a molten fiberizable material is introduced into a rotating fiberizing rotor and passed through a plurality of holes in an annular peripheral sidewall of the fiberizing rotor to form primary fibers from the fiberizable material. The primary fibers are introduced into hot combustion gases and pressurized air in a fiberization zone adjacent an outer surface of the annular peripheral sidewall of the rotary fiberizing rotor to attenuate and form the primary fibers into fibers of the desired diameter and length. The hot combustion gases are discharged from an annular air cooled burner and the pressurized air, which is discharged from an annular air ring, is the same pressurized air used to cool the annular air cooled burner.

Abstract: A spinner disc for a rotary fiberization process, includes a base plate and an annular peripheral sidewall extending upward from the base plate which has a plurality of rows of fiberizing holes therein for fiberizing molten thermoplastic fiberizable materials by centrifugal force. The base plate has: a central bore therein on a rotational axis of the spinner disc for mounting the spinner disc on a drive shaft; an outer annular portion for receiving molten thermoplastic fiberizable materials to be fiberized; and an inner annular portion intermediate the central bore and, the outer annular base plate portion.

Abstract: Relatively viscous glass is fiberized in a rotary fiberization process at relatively high disk speeds and through relatively large diameter holes to form long, fine diameter glass fibers which preferably are rapidly solubilized in biological fluids. The method of forming the long, fine diameter glass fibers includes maintaining a ratio of the velocity of the external surface of the peripheral wall of the fiberizing disk to the velocity of the glass passing through the fiberizing orifices within a specific range (the disc/glass velocity ratio); maintaining a ratio of the velocity of the air exiting the air ring to the velocity of the glass passing through the fiberizing orifices within a specific range (the air-ring/glass velocity ratio); and maintaining a ratio of the BTU content of the fuel expended forming the hot attenuating combustion gases to the BTU content of a pound of molten glass being fiberized within a specific range (the attenuating combustion gases/glass heat content ratio).

Abstract: A method of making a fibrous pack includes centrifuging at least two sets of mineral fibers from molten mineral material using at least two rotary mineral fiber spinners that are arranged in a machine direction along a collection surface, directing each set of the mineral fibers into a downwardly moving veil beneath one of the mineral fiber spinners, generating a downwardly moving array of aligned organic fibers from at least one orificed die that is spaced apart from each of the mineral fiber spinners and directing the array into contact with the mineral fibers, and collecting the mineral fibers and organic fibers as a fibrous pack.

Abstract: The present invention furnishes a method for producing mineral wool wherein a molten mineral material is fed into a spinner (1) the peripheral wall (2) of which comprises a multiplicity of orifices with small diameters wherethrough the mineral molten material is centrifuged to form filaments which are subjected to a supplementary attenuating effect of a gas flow flowing along and heating the peripheral wall (2) of the spinner (1) and generated by a concentric annular burner (8) arranged concentrically to the spinner (1), and wherein the exit area of the burner (8) is subdivided into an annular radially inner hot zone and an annular radially outer cooling zone of substantially lower temperature; the invention moreover concerns an apparatus for implementing the method.

Abstract: A rotary fiberizer includes a spinner for centrifuging fibers from molten material along a path generally coplanar with the spinner, and a pair of opposed annular blowers positioned on opposite sides of the path of the centrifuged fibers, with the blowers having an interior face which is oriented toward the path of the centrifuged fibers, and the blowers having an exterior face which is oriented away from the path of the centrifuged fibers. An induced air conduit associated with each of the blowers is adapted to supply air to the path of centrifuged fibers, and the exterior faces of the blowers contain blower openings to discharge attenuation gasses into the induced air conduits to attenuate the centrifuged fibers.

Abstract: A method of producing a fibrous product is disclosed. Molten material is introduced into a rotating spinner which includes a peripheral wall having a plurality of orifices. The molten material is centrifuged through the orifices to create fibers. The fibers are directed generally downwardly and away from the spinner. The fibers are intercepted on a folded conveyor so that the fibers are draped over the folded conveyor. The fibers form first and second suspended portions which are oriented generally vertically. The folded conveyor and intercepted fibers are moved away from the spinner. The first and second portions of the suspended fibers are raised to a generally horizontal orientation by unfolding the conveyor, thereby producing a generally planar fibrous product.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a mineral fiber product includes centrifuging mineral fibers with a spinner, forming a veil of the mineral fibers moving in the direction of the axis of the spinner, directing toward the veil, from a position within the veil, organic material to cause intermingling of the organic material and the mineral fibers, and, collecting the intermingled organic material and mineral fibers to form a mineral fiber product.

Abstract: A method for producing mineral fibers includes centrifuging mineral fibers from one or more rotary mineral fiber spinners to establish one or more downwardly moving veils of mineral fibers positioned above a collecting surface, centrifuging organic fibers from molten organic material using one or more rotary organic fiber spinners to establish one or more downwardly moving veils of organic fibers positioned above the collecting surface, the veils of mineral fibers being generally colinear with the veils of organic fibers, the veils of organic fibers alternating with the veils of mineral fibers to integrate the organic material and the mineral fibers, and collecting the integrated organic material and mineral fibers on the collecting surface.

Abstract: A method for producing mineral wool of a material which is highly fluid at an elevated liquidus temperature in particular above 1,200.degree. C., with a viscosity of less than 5,000 poises at liquidus temperature, is proposed wherein the molten mineral material, after having destroyed all nuclei of crystallization, is supplied into a spinner (1') the peripheral wall (19) of which comprises a multiplicity of orifices with small diameters wherethrough said molten material is centrifuged to form filaments which, in a given case, are subjected to a supplementary attenuating effect of a preferably hot gas flow flowing along said peripheral wall (19) of said spinner (1') and generated by a concentric annular external burner (13). If fiberization of such a material is effected in the traditional way, a great proportion of unfiberized particles in the product will result.

Abstract: A method for fiberizing mineral material with organic material includes centrifuging mineral fibers from molten mineral material with a first rotating spinner, changing the direction of the mineral fibers to form a downwardly moving veil of mineral fibers, establishing a flow of molten organic material moving toward a second rotating spinner positioned within the veil, dividing the flow of molten organic material into a plurality of streams, directing, by means of conduits, individual ones of the plurality of streams toward the peripheral wall of the second rotating spinner, the conduits shielding the molten organic material from heat from the first rotating spinner, and centrifuging organic fibers from the molten organic material.

Abstract: A method for fiberizing mineral material with organic material includes centrifuging mineral fibers from molten mineral material with a first spinner rotating about an axis, changing the direction of the mineral fibers to form a downwardly moving veil of mineral fibers, establishing a flow of molten organic material moving downwardly in a first conduit positioned within the veil, and directing the flow of molten organic material to a position beneath the spinner, dividing the flow of molten organic material into a plurality of streams, directing, by means of individual conduits, individual ones of the plurality of streams radially outwardly away from the first conduit, rotating the individual conduits about the axis, centrifuging organic fibers from the molten organic material by means of nozzles at the radially outward ends of the individual conduits, and directing the organic fibers into contact with the veil of mineral fibers.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a mineral fiber product comprises centrifuging mineral fibers with a spinner, forming a veil of the mineral fibers moving in the direction of the axis of the spinner, directing toward the veil, from a position within the veil, polymeric material to cause intermingling of the polymeric material and the mineral fibers, and, collecting the intermingled polymeric material and mineral fibers to form a mineral fiber product.