This item is in: Welding > Metals mining and processing

Mineral wool: Production and properties

B Sirok, B Blagojevic, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and P Bullen, University of Hertfordshire, UK

 - describes the technological process of mineral wool production and the physical characteristics
 - focuses on the use of computer-aided visualisation and discusses aerodynamic characteristics of the airflow
 - essential for engineers, researchers and students to gain knowledge of experimental methods in this field

Mineral wool has a unique range of properties combining high thermal resistance with long-term stability. It is made from molten glass, stone or slag that is spun into a fibre-like structure which creates a combination of properties that no other insulation material can match. It has the ability to save energy, minimize pollution, combat noise, reduce the risk of fire and protect life and property in the event of fire.

Mineral wool: Production and properties describes the technological process of mineral wool production and the physical characteristics of the melt and theoretical bases of multiregression and dimensionless theory. This is followed by the introduction of the fibre cooling model in the blow-away flow and the influence of temperature in the melt film (on the rotating centrifuge wheels) on the thickness of forming fibres.

The second part predominantly focuses on the use of computer-aided visualisation: tools for the diagnostics of fibre and primary layer formation. Special attention is given to the study of aerodynamic characteristics of the airflow which significantly influences the quality of the final product.

Mineral wool: Production and properties is suitable for engineers, researchers and for graduate and postgraduate students who want to broaden their knowledge of experimental methods in this field.

ISBN 1 84569 406 6
ISBN-13: 978 1 84569 406 7
May 2008
192 pages  234 x 156mm  hardback  
£120.00 / US$205.00 / €150.00

Usually dispatched within 24 hours

Contents

Introduction

Melting the raw materials
 - Cupola furnace operation: Processes and chemical reactions in the cupola furnace
 - Influence of underdraft on the cupola furnace operation
 - Measuring the temperature and the concentrations in the cupola furnace

Multiple regression
 - Hypothesis testing in multiple linear regression: Coefficient of determination; Other linear and non-linear models; Computer printout

Physical characteristics of mineral wool melts
 - Density: Density of silicate melts
 - Viscosity: Viscosity of silicate melts; Methods for measuring viscosity of silicate melts
 - Surface tension: Surface tension of silicate melts; Methods for measuring surface tension of silicate melts
 - Computing algorithm for the calculation of density, viscosity and surface tension of mineral wool melt

Dimensional analysis
 - Foundations of dimensional analysis: Full set of dimensionless numbers

Fiberisation process
 - Dimensional analysis of the fiberisation process on a double-wheel spinning machine: Experimental results; Statistical analysis of experimental results
 - Simulation of chemical composition’s influence on fibre thickness magnitude
 - Regression model of mineral wool fibres on a four-wheel spinning machine: Regression model of fibre formation in a four-wheel spinning machine; Experimental results; Statistical analysis of experimental results
 - Cooling of glass fibres: Trajectories of mineral wool fibres; Numerical analysis

Visualisation method in real production processes
 - Monitoring the production process: Identifying the jet image; Detection of boundaries; Gradients at jet boundaries; Gradient establishment
 - Reconstruction of the jet and its trajectory: Observation of jet centre line between wheels; Experimental results

Applying the visualisation method to measuring the thickness of mineral wool fibres
 - Experimental results of fibre diameter on a double-wheel spinning machine

The influence of melt film temperature on the fibre diameter distribution in mineral wool produced by a double-wheel spinning machine
 - Thermovision of the spinning wheel melt film: Experimental results

Formation of the primary layer
 - Influence of blow-away velocity field on the primary layer fibre structure in the mineral wool production process
 - Velocity field measurements on the nozzles of a four-wheel spinning machine: Velocity field structure in the transition region through the perforated mesh of the collection chamber
 - Visualisation method for measuring the primary layer: Regression model of mineral wool primary layer homogeneity; Experimental results; Statistical analysis of experimental results

Numerical analysis of flow properties in the collection chamber
 - Numerical analysis: Simulation set-up; Experimental determination of boundary conditions
 - Numerical results of flow properties in the operating collection chamber
 - Numerical simulation of the modified geometry of the collection chamber
 - Local distribution and spectral analysis of the primary layer structure

Quality of the primary layer and its influence on the final product
 - Experiments: Measurement of the specific density of the final product
 - Regression model of the specific density of the final product
 - Statistical analysis of experimental results

Curing chamber
 - Measurements of mineral wool layer temperature characteristics along the curing chamber
 - Measurements of aerodynamic resistive characteristics of mineral wool layer
 - Diagnostics of local homogeneities in the mineral wool layer