WO2010012265A1 - Process and device for producing mineral-wool fibres - Google Patents

Abstract

Device and process for producing mineral-wool fibres, said device having a housing which is provided, on the front side, with a set of horizontally mounted rotors which rotate with respect to each other, wherein mineral melt is poured onto one of said rotors and this mineral melt is distributed over the other rotors and discarded therefrom to form fibres, having the following features: a) the device comprises two mirror-symmetrical subdevices (1, 2), b) the position of the axes of rotation of the rotors (6, 7, 8) in relation to each other can be adjusted independently of each other, c) subregions of the circumference of the rotors are provided with air nozzles (9) for the inflow of process air, d) binder distributor plates (10) are fitted on the top side of each rotor (6, 7, 8), wherein the supply of binder is continuously controllable and, in addition, the binder can be supplied in a pulse-like manner, e) the bottom edge of each subdevice (1, 2) is fitted with bottom binder nozzles (12), in which the supply of binder is controllable in each case.

Description

 Method and device for producing mineral wool fibers

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the production of

Mineral wool fibers.

There is currently an increasing demand for insulating material made of mineral wool.

To produce fibers for the production of mineral wool are mineral

Melting still used in so-called cupola furnaces, which are water-cooled shaft furnaces, are produced with coke as fuel.

From DE 38 75 616 T2 such a furnace for producing a melt for

Production of mineral wool known.

Here it is assumed that in the production of mineral wool minerals of silicon and metal oxides or carbonates and / or slag are used as raw material. This raw material, mostly stone raw material from basalt or from

A type of diabase is generally melted in a water cooled shaft furnace and the melt is fed to a spinner which houses the

Melt transformed into fibers. This is during the spinning process

Binder added, which connects the fibers together due to a thermal treatment, thus creating a dimensionally stable product.

Due to the mixed with the mineral raw material coke finds the

Melt, leaving the oven at about 145O ⁰ C, in one

Reduction atmosphere instead.

Such a melt is directed to the peripheral surface of a number, usually four, rapidly rotating rotors. The paired rotors rotate in opposite directions with each other, with the main flow of the melt each being thrown from the upper rotor until all of the melt is ejected from the rotors in the form of melt fibers. This process is commonly referred to as a cascade spinning process. In order to cool the fibers and to move them to a conveyor, an air flow is introduced along the circumference of the rotor by an air distribution unit. To over cool the melt flow between the rotors To avoid, no air is introduced into the space between the rotors. The air is fed approximately parallel to the rotor axes.

From DE 691 10 292 T3 a method and an apparatus for producing such mineral wool fibers is known.

As prior art in this document is based on a device for forming mineral wool fibers with a housing with a front side, a set of rotors (4-7), each mounted on the front of the housing for rotation about different, substantially horizontal, axes and arranged so that, with rotating rotors, mineral melt poured on the outer periphery of the uppermost rotor (4) of the set is thrown on the outer circumference of the following rotor (3) or each successive rotor (5-7) of the set and mineral wool fibers are discarded by the or each subsequent rotor.

Further, in DE 691 10 292 T3, a means for collecting the mineral wool fibers with, in association with the or each subsequent rotor, an air supply slot (8, 9, 10) extending through and close to the front of the housing that rotor for discharging an air flow close to and substantially parallel to the outer circumference of the rotor having an axial component for axially carrying away the mineral wool fibers from said outer periphery and a guide (25) for selecting the angle of the discharged air with respect to the axial direction.

The prior art described here corresponds approximately to that described in DE 26 38 412 C3. Among other things, this publication reports on what happens during the cascade spinning process in the area around a rotor. The formation of the tufts is hereafter referred to the fact that the fibers form by spinning, or during the fiber production, a continuous veil, which is entrained to some extent by the rotational movement of the rotors, by the mechanical cohesion with the melt adhering to the rotors. At the same time, the veil is ejected to some degree in the axial direction of the rotor until the veil is torn apart by the flow of air to form contiguous tufts in which the fibers are entangled or matted together. In this prior art is to be achieved that the tangential velocity of the air is optimized at different positions along the slot according to the position of each position, based on the surrounding device. To solve this problem, it is claimed that the guide is arranged at least in the slot (10) associated with the last rotor (7) in the set, at several different angles to that air which axially carries the mineral wool fibers away from the outer circumference the axial direction, which vary along the length of the slot between a larger angle of not more than 50 ° and a smaller angle which is at least 10 ° smaller than the larger angle, and wherein the air, the mineral wool fibers axially from the outer circumference carries away, having a tangential component which rotates with the rotor.

In addition, this known device comprises means for spraying a binder onto the fibers by means of a binder atomizer coaxial with the rotor (4-7).

A disadvantage of this known device can be considered that the guide is rigid, that the axial and the tangential velocity component of the air are firmly coupled by the geometry of the louver, and that the near-rotor flow field of the air is essentially determined by the invariable gap cross-section.

From EP 1 409 423 B1 a further method and a further apparatus for the production of mineral wool is known

Here, the starting point is a process for producing mineral wool with a fiberising apparatus comprising rotating rotors for forming mineral melt into fibers, wherein first and second rotors rotating toward each other form rotors of an upper pair of rotors, and wherein at least one rotor , Preferably, a pair of rotors, is disposed below the upper pair of rotors. Further, mineral melt is supplied from a melting furnace or the like in the form of a melt jet toward a first position on the mantle surface of the first rotor, and mineral melt is supplied from the mantle surface of the first rotor in the form of a drop cascade toward the mantle surface of the second rotor flung out. A first portion of mineral melt is further formed into fibers on the second rotor and blown off the rotor, and a second portion of molten metal is ejected from the second rotor in the form of a droplet cascade. Such a method of the prior art is intended, according to EP 1 409 423 B1, to be protected by the fact that at least 60% by weight of that drop cascade which is ejected from the second rotor are arranged to move in the direction of the mantle surface of the first rotor Towards a second position, downstream of the first position to be thrown on the mantle surface. Further, it is to be put under protection that a part of mineral melt is formed into fibers on the first rotor and blown off the rotor, and that on the first rotor in the upper pair of rotors, blow-off means for blowing off mineral melt formed into fibers from the mantle surface of the rotor are provided. Further, in this document, it is proposed to arrange the center of the melt jet so as to strike the mantle surface of the first fiber making rotor near the highest point of the rotor and to additionally supply mineral melt in the form of a second melt jet, both of which have different physical properties. With the described method, according to the information there, surprisingly an increase in the delivery rate is achieved with the same quality. However, this method has no features that go substantially beyond the prior art cited above.

From GB 2 319 249 A a device for manufacturing vitreous fibers is further known with a housing on the front side of a set of horizontally mounted rotors rotating against each other is arranged, wherein on one of these rotors melting material is poured and this melt material on the other rotors distributed and discarded under fiber formation of these. From this GB 2 319 249 A it is known the position of the axes of rotation of the rotors to each other in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis independently of each other to make horizontally and vertically adjustable.

Even with this device can not be achieved satisfactory fiber formation. "The invention is therefore based on the object to significantly improve the formation of fog in the area between the rotors and at the same time to ensure a good transport of mineral fibers in the axial direction and thus an increase in efficiency.

This object is achieved with a device according to claim 1 or 4 and a method according to claim 7 or 8.

In the following the invention will be described in more detail with reference to figures. They show in detail:

1 shows a perspective view of the device according to the invention

2 shows a plan view of the arrangement of the rotors

3 shows a representation of the adjustment of the rotors

4 shows a perspective view of the flow conditions at the

rotors

Fig.5: Cross section through a rotor Fig.6: an alternative embodiment of air nozzles

FIG. 1 shows two cascade spinning devices according to the invention for the production of mineral wool from the front in a perspective view on a carriage (3). Here it can be seen that the left cascade spinner (1) has a mechanical construction which is identical to that of the right cascade spinner (2), but has a mirror symmetric arrangement to the structure of the right cascade spinner.

In Figure 2 are closer details in the plan view the example of the left

Cascade spinning device (1), in particular with regard to the functioning of the

Shown rotors.

The rotor housing (4) includes 4 rotors (5, 6, 7, 8) parallel to each other

Have longitudinal axes, but different diameters, directions and functions. The smallest diameter rotor (5) is at the beginning of the process of producing the mineral wool, since the mineral melt is applied to it from above. This supply device of the mineral melt is, for reasons of clarity, not shown. The supply of the mineral melt takes place in the simplest case by the process of dripping or flowing of the hot mineral melt on this rotor (5) in the upper region of its lateral surface. By rotating this rotor, the hot mineral melt is distributed to the other, also rotating rotors (6,7,8). The mineral melt cools down and is entrained by supplying air in the axial direction of the rotors on the lateral surfaces to the front, forming filiform structures are collected in special collection devices as a layer. This fiber layer is later processed into the known mineral wool mats. To support this process, coolant and binder are simultaneously added to the air stream.

The further rotors (6, 7, 8) usually rotate in opposite directions, the mineral wool being formed in the space area of the respective cascade spinning device in front of the three largest rotors (6, 7, 8).

The air streams necessary for the process of spinning the forming mineral wool threads emerge from air nozzles (9) which are located in each case in the region of a rotor bearing (14) of the rotor housing (see also FIG. 5). The air nozzles (9) are distributed on the circumference in the Fig.2 each on the rotors (6), (7) and (8). The air nozzles (9) can in this case be distributed over the entire circumference of the respective rotor or else in partial areas. They are individually remotely controllable, which also includes that whole groups of air nozzles (9) can be switched on or off, so that the air flow flowing along the respective rotor detects only partial areas of the lateral surface of the rotor. It is thus achievable by the possibility of separate remote control of each air nozzle (9) to set any combination of flow-active air nozzles (9) on each of the rotors (6,7,8) in operation.

The air flow can be changed in addition to each air nozzle (9) not only in its intensity but also pulse-controlled remotely stepless. At a Pulsed operation on an air nozzle (9), it is additionally possible to vary the pulse - pause ratio.

For this possibility of separate activation of each individual air nozzle (9) of each rotor (6, 7, 8), each of these air nozzles can be set separately with regard to the direction of their outflow opening (cf., also FIG.

By means of the combination of the possibilities described, of controlling the intensity and the direction of the air flow at each of the air nozzles (9) separately, it is possible to adapt the process of forming the mineral wool to changed operating parameters. Here are, for example, the composition and the temperature of the mineral melt, their viscosity, the temperature of the operating room or the prevailing air pressure to call. The number of such adaptations may either be based on changes in the operating parameters that are considered significant, or on sensors that detect the quality of the produced mineral wool in real time and report relevant changes to a control unit for further signal processing.

As sensors for detecting the quality of the mineral wool produced, for example, optical sensors come into consideration, which detect the density of the mineral wool produced by fluoroscopy. As sensors, infrared sensors are suitable or, for example, sensors based on ultrasound. Since changes in the production process of mineral wool may also be noticeable by a changed odor, olfactory measuring methods may also be considered for detection. That is, the occurrence of certain gas concentrations, which correlate with changes in the production process, is recorded in preliminary tests of individuals, tabulated and serves as a basis for metrological monitoring.

Furthermore, in FIG. 2, in each case, 6 coolant outlet openings (11) are shown in plan view on each of the rotors (5, 6, 7, 8). Through these openings (11) is additionally injected for cooling the mineral melt, a coolant in the process of fiber formation. The number of these coolant openings is merely exemplary. Here, too, the access of coolant at each coolant outlet opening can be set remotely individually and, in the same way as in the case of the air nozzles (9), operated in a pulse-like manner. If necessary, a change in the direction of radiation of the coolant can also be considered as a further development. The supply of binder necessary for the formation of mineral wool takes place through one or more channels in the longitudinal direction of each of the rotors (6, 7, 8). In this case, the outflowing binder bounces on the underside of the binder distributor surface (10) shown in FIG. 2, is radially accelerated by the rotation of the respective cylinder (6, 7, 8), is driven to the edge of the binder distributor surface (10) , caught there by the passing air, and spun into the mineral wool threads. On the underside, or the apparatus side, of the binder-distributor surface, substantially radially extending, vortex-like structures can be attached, which, in conjunction with the rotation of the respective rotor, impart an additional twist to the outflowing binder. In addition, further lower binder nozzles (12) are shown in FIG. 2 at the lower edge of the cascade spinning device, which are arranged in a wavy line delimiting the rotors (7, 8). These lower binder nozzles (12) can also be controlled separately, can be remotely controlled in the direction of radiation, and can eject binder-like impulses separately.

It is shown in FIG. 3 that the rotors (6), (7) and (8) can each be adjusted in the horizontal and / or vertical direction with respect to their longitudinal axis. This means that the distance of the rotors from each other and in relation to the housing dimensions is adjustably applied in order to be able to react, inter alia, to changes in the viscosity of the mineral melt. Furthermore, both the rotational speed of the individual rotors (5,6,7,8) can be set separately remotely controlled by remote control, as well as their direction of rotation can be changed remotely.

In this way, the flow conditions of the mineral melt can be adapted to all conceivable changes in the operating parameters. Here are, for example, the composition and temperature of the mineral melt, their amount, their viscosity, the temperature of the operating room or the prevailing air pressure to call. ^

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the flow conditions on the rotors. Here, the outflowing coolant at the coolant outlet openings (11) of the rotors (5, 6, 7, 8) and the leaving binder at the rotors (5, 6, 7) are shown in the manner of a flow simulation.

In Fig. 5 the cross section is represented by a rotor. Here is an example of one of the rotors (6,7,8) shown in cross section. This rotor is mounted in a bearing (14) which is fixedly connected to the rotor housing (4). In the region of the rotor bearing (14) air nozzles (9) are shown on both sides, which are connected on opposite sides by hemispherical domes on the one hand with the bearing (14) and on the other hand with a control device (13). For example, piezoelectric actuators can be used for the control. The binder feed (15) runs, for example, in the central axis of the illustrated rotor and opens in the middle of the binder distributor plate (10) shown in cross section. The coolant supply (16) can also be seen in this view.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of air nozzles. Thus, under A is a normal nozzle as a purely controllable connecting element and under B a so-called Laval nozzle with guide grooves for the air flow can be seen.

In order to ensure a satisfactory production of mineral wool and to prevent dripping of mineral melt, different settings of the adjustable elements are tested in preliminary tests at different operating parameters. These preliminary test results enter the control program of the plant as control parameters. Thus, the program is able to detect deviations in the quality of mineral wool by means of appropriate sensors and automatically respond by automatic adjustment of the radiation directions and / or intensities of corresponding nozzles. To increase the efficiency, it makes sense, in view of the diverse control options of the device according to the invention to install several devices one above the other. Because in this way several sub-devices can easily be matched in principle and the entire operating result can be optimized. So arise, for example, in the ^

Doubling a plant according to Fig.1 a total of 4 plants working in the network. If only one sub-device (1) or (2) is added, this results in an overall arrangement in the form of a triangle which can be expected to result in a particularly harmonious flow distribution of the overall system. However, even the operation of a subdevice offers a wide field of optimizations of the prevailing operating parameters.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

I 1) left cascade spinning device (dividing device 1)

(2) right cascade spinning device (dividing device 2)

(3) carriage

(4) Rotor housing

(5) 1st rotor (melt entry)

(6) 2nd rotor (distribution and spinning and forwarding)

(7) 3. Rotor (Distribution and Spinning and Forwarding)

(8) 4. Rotor (distribution and spinning)

(9) Air nozzle

(10) Binder - distributor plate

(I I) Coolant - outlet (12) lower binder nozzle

(13) Control device for an air nozzle

(14) Rotor bearing

(15) Binder Delivery

(16) Coolant Supply

Claims

claims Claim 1: Apparatus for producing mineral wool fibers with a housing, on the front side of which a set of horizontally mounted, rotating rotors is arranged, wherein on one of these rotors mineral melt is poured and this mineral melt is distributed to the other rotors and discarded with fiber formation of these, with the following features: a) the device consists of two mirror-symmetrically constructed sub-devices (1,2), wherein the respective rotors of this overall device in each case run in the opposite direction, b) the position of the axes of rotation of the rotors (6,7,8) to each other is perpendicular in a plane c) the rotors have in the region of their circumference air nozzles (9) for inflow of process air, wherein the direction of the air nozzles (9) and the intensity of the air flow separately remotely controlled and continuously adjustable and in addition a remote-controlled pulse operation is possible, d) on the top of each rotor (6,7,8) are each binder - distribution plate (10) attached to the edge of entrained binder is entrained by the process air and wherein the supply of binder is steplessly remotely adjustable and in addition pulse-like, e) at the bottom of each Teilvor direction (1,2) lower binder nozzles (12) are mounted, in which the supply of binder in each case infinitely adjustable remotely adjustable, can also be fed in pulses and wherein each of the Radiation direction of each nozzle (12) remotely controlled steplessly. Claim 2: Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an additional identical device is arranged above or below the existing device, wherein the supply of Mineraischmelze done via separate lines. Claim 3: Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an additional sub-device (1) or (2) is arranged above or below the existing device, wherein the supply of Mineral melt takes place via a separate line Claim 4: Device for the production of mineral wool fibers with a housing on the front side of a set of horizontally mounted rotors rotating against each other is arranged, wherein on one of these rotors mineral melt is poured and this mineral melt is distributed to the other rotors and dropped with fiber formation of these, with the the following features: a) the position of the axes of rotation of the rotors (6, 7, 8) relative to each other is horizontally and vertically independently adjustable in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, b) the rotors have air nozzles (9) for the inflow of process air in the region of their circumference on, wherein the direction of the air nozzles (9) and the intensity of the air flow separately remotely controlled and continuously adjustable and in addition a remote controlled pulse operation is possible, c) on the top of each rotor (6,7,8) are each binder - distribution plate ( 10) attached to the edge escaping Binder is entrained by the process air, the supply of binder is infinitely adjustable remotely controlled and can also pulse-like, d) at the bottom of the device lower binder nozzles (12) are mounted, in which the supply of binder is infinitely adjustable remotely adjustable in addition pulse-like manner can be supplied and wherein each of the radiation direction of each nozzle (12) is remotely controlled steplessly. Claim 5: Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air nozzles (9) are shaped in the manner of Laval nozzles. Claim 6: Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that sensors are provided for detecting all relevant operating parameters of the machine equipment and the production result, wherein photometrically oriented sensors, ultrasonic sensors and / or sensors for detecting gas concentrations come into question. Claim 7: A method for the production of mineral wool fibers using a housing on the front side of a set of horizontally mounted rotors rotating against each other is arranged, wherein on one of these rotors mineral melt is poured and this mineral melt is distributed to the other rotors and dropped with fiber formation of these, with the following features: a) the method is carried out with two mirror-symmetrically constructed sub-devices (1, 2), wherein the corresponding Run rotors of this overall device opposite to each other in the direction of rotation, b) the position of the axes of rotation of the rotors (6,7,8) to each other is adjusted horizontally and vertically independently of each other in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, c) the rotors are in partial areas of its circumference Air nozzles (9) provided for the inflow of process air, wherein the direction of the air nozzles (9) and the intensity of the air flow separately remotely controlled and continuously adjusted and in addition, a remote-controlled pulse operation is possible. d) on the top of each rotor (6,7,8) are each binder - distribution plate (10) attached to the edge of entrained binder is entrained by the process air, the supply of binder is infinitely remotely controlled and can also pulse-like, e) at the bottom of the device lower binder nozzles (12) are mounted, in which the supply of binder is adjusted continuously controlled by remote control, in addition pulse-like can be supplied and wherein each of the radiation direction of each nozzle (12) is remotely controlled steplessly. Claim 8: A method for the production of mineral wool fibers using a housing on the front of a set of horizontally mounted rotors rotating against each other is arranged, wherein on one of these rotors mineral melt is poured and this mineral melt is distributed to the other rotors and dropped with fiber formation of these, with the following features: a) the position of the axes of rotation of the rotors (6, 7, 8) relative to each other is adjusted horizontally and vertically independently of one another in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, b) the rotors are provided in partial areas of their circumference with air nozzles (9) for the inflow of process air, the direction of the air nozzles (9) and the intensity of the air flow separately remotely controlled and continuously adjusted and also a remote controlled pulse operation is possible. c) on the top of each rotor (6,7,8) are each binder - distribution plate (10) attached to the edge of entrained binder is entrained by the process air, the supply of binder is infinitely remotely controlled and can also pulse-like, d) at the bottom of the device lower binder nozzles (12) are mounted, in which the supply of binder is continuously adjusted remotely controlled, can also be fed in pulses and wherein each of the direction of radiation of each nozzle (12) is steplessly steplessly changed. Claim 9: Method according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that sensors are provided for detecting all relevant operating parameters of the machine equipment and the production result, wherein photometrically oriented sensors, Ultrasonic sensors and / or sensors for detecting Gas concentrations come into question. Claim 10: Computer program with a program code for carrying out the method steps according to one of claims 7 to 9, when the program is executed in a computer. Claim 11 Machine-readable medium containing the program code of a computer program for carrying out the method according to one of Claims 7 to 9, when the program is executed in a computer.