Search

EP-4558673-B1 - MINERAL WOOL INSULATION

EP4558673B1EP 4558673 B1EP4558673 B1EP 4558673B1EP-4558673-B1

Inventors

  • DHEUR, ETIENNE

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230726

Claims (15)

  1. Glass wool insulation comprising : - a collection of intermingled glass fibres in the form of glass wool, the glass wool having a structure formed from the intermingled glass fibres and air-filled interstices between the intermingled glass fibres, the glass fibres being present in the glass wool insulation in a quantity of at least 70%wt with respect to the glass wool insulation; - optionally an organic binder present in a quantity of less than 12%wt with respect to the glass fibres, the organic binder being distributed within the glass wool structure and serving to retain the collection of intermingled glass fibres in the form of glass wool; and - a fire-resistance enhancer, the fire-resistance enhancer being present in an amount of 1-15%wt with respect to the glass fibres and being distributed within the glass wool structure, preferably wherein the fire-resistance enhancer is distributed homogeneously within the glass wool structure, notably homogeneously throughout the glass wool structure, and in which the fire-resistance enhancer is selected from: i) a gas generating fire retardant, the gas generating fire retardant being a material which releases a gas at a temperature between 400°C and 900°C, notably a gas generating fire-retardant selected from the group consisting of: hydromagnesite, magnesium hydroxide, brucite, huntite, dolomite, calcium carbonate and combination thereof; and ii) a glass foaming agent, the glass foaming agent being a material which causes foaming of the glass of the glass wool when the glass wool insulation is subjected to a fire test in accordance with EN 1363-1 General requirements and the appropriate fire resistance standard selected as a function of the building structure, type of element or support surface to which the glass wool insulation is applied, notably to one of the standards selected from the EN 1364 series (notably EN 1364-1), the EN 1365 series (notably EN 1365-1, EN 1365-2, EN 1365-3 or EN 1365-4) and the EN 13381 series (notably EN 13381-3, EN 13381-4, EN 13381-5, EN 13381-6 or EN 13381-7), notably a glass foaming agent selected from the group consisting of: hydromagnesite, magnesium hydroxide, brucite, huntite, dolomite, calcium carbonate and combination thereof; and wherein the glass wool insulation is a sprayed layer of glass wool insulation and comprises the organic binder; or wherein the glass wool insulation is blowing wool, notably binder-free blowing wool.
  2. Glass wool insulation according to claim 1, wherein the glass wool insulation comprises at least one of the following features: 2.2 the fire-resistance enhancer is provided in the form of particles, preferably in the form of particles provided with a coating, more preferably in the form of particles provided with an anti-clumping coating; 2.3 the fire-resistance enhancer is magnesium hydroxide or the fire-resistance enhancer is calcium carbonate.
  3. Glass wool insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the glass wool insulation further comprises an intumescent fire-resistant component, notably present in an amount in the range 2-8%wt with respect to the glass fibres, distributed within the glass wool structure, preferably wherein the intumescent fire-resistant component is distributed homogeneously within the glass wool structure, notably homogeneously throughout the glass wool structure, notably an intumescent fire-resistant component selected from the group consisting of: expandable graphite, expandable vermiculite, expandable perlite and combination thereof; thereof preferably expandable graphite.
  4. Glass wool insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the glass wool insulation comprises at least one of the following features: 4.8 the glass wool insulation has a fire reaction classification of at least B, preferably at least A2 and more preferably A1 according to European Standard EN 13501-1; 4.9 the glass wool insulation provides a fire resistance of at least 30 minutes, preferably at least 45 minutes, more preferably at least 60 minutes in accordance with EN 1363-1 General requirements and the appropriate fire resistance standard selected as a function of the building structure, type of element or support surface to which the glass wool insulation is applied, notably to one of the standards selected from the EN 1364 series (notably EN 1364-1), the EN 1365 series (notably EN 1365-1, EN 1365-2, EN 1365-3 or EN 1365-4) and the EN 13381 series (notably EN 13381-3, EN 13381-4, EN 13381-5, EN 13381-6 or EN 13381-7).
  5. Glass wool insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the glass wool insulation comprises at least one of the following features: 5.10 the glass wool insulation has a density of at least 15 kg/m 3 , preferably at least 20 kg/m 3 , more preferably at least 30 kg/m 3 and most preferably at least 40 kg/m 3 ; 5.11 the glass wool insulation has a density of less than 100 kg/m 3 , preferably less than 80 kg/m 3 and more preferably less than 70 kg/m 3 ; 5.12 the glass wool insulation has a density in the range 15-80 kg/m 3 , preferably in the range 30-80 kg/m 3 , more preferably in the range 30-70kg/m 3 ; 5.13 the glass wool insulation has a thickness of at least 30 mm, preferably at least 50 mm; 5.14 the glass wool insulation has a thickness of less than 250 mm, preferably of less than 200 mm; 5.17 the glass wool insulation has a lambda value (measured at 10°C) in the range 30-38 mW/m.K., preferably in the range 30-35 mW/m.K.
  6. Glass wool insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the glass wool insulation comprises at least one of the following features: 6.15 the glass fibres have a composition comprising: 55 to 75 wt% SiO 2 , and 5 to 20 wt% of the combination of Na 2 O and K 2 O, and 5 to 20 wt% of the combination of CaO and MgO, and 0 to 5 wt% Al 2 O 3 , and 0 to 2 wt% total iron expressed as Fe 2 O 3 , and an alkali/alkaline-earth ratio which is > 1; 6.16 the glass fibres are glass fibres having a softening point which is less than 750°C, preferably in the range 600 -750°C, more preferably in the range 650-750°C, determined in accordance with International standards ISO 7884-1 and ISO 7884-2.
  7. Glass wool insulation in accordance with any preceding claim, comprising : - a collection of intermingled glass fibres in the form of glass wool, the glass wool having a structure formed from the intermingled glass fibres and air-filled interstices between the intermingled glass fibres, the glass fibres being present in the glass wool insulation in a quantity of at least 70%wt with respect to the glass wool insulation; - optionally an organic binder present in a quantity of less than 12%wt with respect to the glass fibres, the organic binder being distributed within the glass wool structure and serving to retain the collection of intermingled glass fibres in the form of glass wool; and - a material selected from the group consisting of: hydromagnesite, magnesium hydroxide, brucite, huntite, dolomite, calcium carbonate and combination thereof present in an amount of 1-15%wt with respect to the glass fibres and being distributed within the glass wool structure; and - expandable graphite present in an amount in the range 2-8%wt with respect to the glass fibres and being distributed within the glass wool structure.
  8. Glass wool insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the glass wool insulation is a sprayed layer of glass wool insulation and comprises the organic binder.
  9. Glass wool insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the glass wool insulation comprises the organic binder which is present in an amount with respect to the glass fibres of 2 to 10%wt, preferably 3 to 8%wt, more preferably 4-6%wt.
  10. Glass wool insulation according to any of claim 1-7, wherein the glass wool insulation is blowing wool, notably binder-free blowing wool.
  11. A support surface of a building having glass wool insulation according to any of claims 1-10 secured thereto.
  12. Use of a fire-resistance enhancer in glass wool insulation to enhance fire-resistance of a building, wherein the glass wool insulation is a glass wool insulation in accordance with any of claims 1 to 9.
  13. A method of providing glass wool insulation in accordance with claim 8 or in accordance with claim 9 as dependent from claim 8, the method comprising: - introducing the glass fibres, notably in the form of glass wool loose fill fibres, into an inlet of a spraying apparatus; and - simultaneously projecting the glass wool fibres, water, the fire-resistance enhancer, optionally the intumescent fire-resistant component, and the organic binder from a spraying nozzle of the spraying apparatus towards a support surface so as to provide a sprayed layer of the glass wool insulation on the support surface.
  14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the fire-resistance enhancer is carried by the binder.
  15. A package of glass wool fibres for introduction into a spraying apparatus and projection with water to form a sprayed layer of glass wool insulation in accordance with claim 8 or in accordance with claim 9 as dependent from claim 8, the package of glass wool fibres comprising: - the collection of intermingled glass fibres in the form of glass wool, the glass wool having a structure formed from the intermingled glass fibres and air-filled interstices between the intermingled glass fibres, the glass fibres being present in the package in a quantity of at least 70% wt; - the organic binder, the organic binder being distributed within the glass wool structure and serving, once sprayed with the glass fibres, to retain the collection of intermingled glass fibres in the form of glass wool; - the fire-resistance enhancer, distributed within the glass wool structure, preferably distributed homogeneously within the glass wool structure; and - optionally, the intumescent fire-resistant component distributed within the glass wool structure, preferably distributed homogeneously within the glass wool structure.

Description

This invention relates to mineral wool insulation, in particular mineral wool insulation which provides both thermal insulation and fire-resistance, notably for building applications. Where mineral wool insulation is intended to provide both thermal insulation and fire-resistance, the use of rock wool (also known as stone wool) is traditionally preferred over glass wool. For example, where it is desired to enhance the fire resistance of a building structure, for example the concrete ceiling of an underground car park or a structural metal beam, stone wool, for example stone wool insulation panels or a sprayed layer of stone wool insulation is commonly used. The higher softening point of rock wool fibres compared to glass wool fibres renders rock wool insulation better suited to withstand exposure to high temperatures and/or fire conditions. Fire tests often require exposure of mineral wool insulation to temperatures of at least 850°C or at least 1000 °C; such temperatures are below the softening point of typical stone wool fibres but above the softening temperature of typical glass wool fibres. US 2007/0105467 A1 discloses dispersion of a fire retardant agent which contains carbon black and a metal hydroxide (preferably magnesium hydroxide or aluminium trihydroxide) in a binder used to form a glass fibre veil (referred to in the document as a "fiberglass mat"). The glass fibre veil incorporating the fire retardant agent is bonded to a fiberglass insulation batt, for example a fiberglass duct liner or fiberglass HVAC equipment liner so that the fiberglass insulation batt forms a self-supporting glass wool insulating panel having the glass fibre veil (incorporating the fire retardant agent) provided as a facing. In this arrangement, the fire retardant agent is present only in the glass fibre veil which forms the facing of the glass wool insulation and not within the glass wool structure of the glass wool insulation. US 2007/0105467 A1 teaches that, in its arrangement, the magnesium hydroxide exhibits flame retardant properties by releasing water through endothermic decomposition at 330 °C, about 100°C higher than the decomposition temperature of aluminium trihydroxide. Accordingly, it teaches that magnesium hydroxide is preferred over aluminium trihydroxide when the processing temperature associated with the manufacture of the fire retardant glass fibre veil fiberglass batt on which the veil is provided as a facing are above 230°C. The use of glass fibre veils to provide a facing for glass wool duct liners is well known; the teaching of US 2007/0105467 A1 to provide a fire retardant agent in such a facing is consistent with a desire to reduce risks of initiation and propagation of flames in duct liners. The requirements for duct liners are incomparable with the requirements for enhancing the fire enhancement of building structures. Furthermore, it would be thought that once the facing disclosed in US 2007/0105467 A1 had be raised to a temperature above that of the endothermic decomposition of its flame retarding agent then the technical effect of its flame retarding agent would be exhausted. Examples of thermal insulation products including infrared radiation absorbing material are disclosed in WO02/092528. Examples of fibre batt products having an additive material are disclosed in WO99/51536. One aim of the present invention is to provide improve mineral wool insulation which provides both thermal insulation and fire-resistance, notably for building applications. In accordance with one of its aspects, the present invention provides glass wool insulation as defined in claim 1. Additional aspects of the invention are defined in independent claims. The dependent claims define preferred and/or alternative embodiments. One aspect of the present invention is based on the realisation that the fire resistance of glass wool insulation can be significantly improved by the incorporation of the fire-resistance enhancer(s) disclosed herein. This can be done to such an extent as to allow the enhanced glass wool insulation to be used, for example, in applications for which traditional glass wool is inappropriate. The enhanced glass wool insulation can provide improved thermal conductivity (lambda (λ)) and/or reduced density compared with equivalent stone wool insulation. As used herein, the term "glass wool insulation" means a collection of intermingled glass fibres in the form of glass wool, the glass wool having a structure formed from the intermingled glass fibres and air-filled interstices between the intermingled glass fibres, the glass fibres being present in the glass wool insulation in a quantity of at least 70%wt with respect to the glass wool insulation. The glass wool insulation of the present invention is thus not comparable with, for example, glass fibre veils, glass fibre reinforced resins, glass fibre reinforced plasterboard or glass fibre reinforced wood boards. The glass wool insulation preferably compris