Method of manufacturing a moulded mineral wool product and a product of such kind
The present invention concerns a method of producing a moulded mineral wool insulation product, said method comprising the steps of providing a mixture by mixing mineral fibres with a binder composition, and providing said mixture in a mould form, and then curing the binder, wherein the binder composition comprises at least one hydrocolloid, and then removing the moulded product from the mould form.
1. A method of producing a moulded mineral wool product, said method comprising:
providing a mixture by mixing mineral fibres with a binder composition comprising at least one hydrocolloid and at least one crosslinker, wherein the at least one hydrocolloid comprises a protein;
providing said mixture in a mould form;
curing the binder composition; and
removing the moulded mineral wool product from the mould form.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the binder composition further comprises at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol.
3. The method according claim 2 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol is in form of a plant oil and/or animal oil.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol is a plant-based oil.
5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol is selected from one or more components from the group consisting linseed oil, olive oil, tung oil, coconut oil, hemp oil, rapeseed oil, and sunflower oil.
6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol is in form of an animal oil, such as fish oil.
7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol comprises a plant oil and/or animal oil having a iodine number of ≥75.
8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol comprises a plant oil and/or animal oil having an iodine number of ≤100.
9. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the content of the fatty acid ester of glycerol is 0.5 to 40 wt.-%, based on dry hydrocolloid basis.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mould form comprises a first moulding part having a first moulding shape and a second moulding part having a second moulding shape, said first moulding part and said second moulding part being closed around the mixture.
11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising compressing the mixture in the mould form between the first moulding part and the second moulding part.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the mixture is formed into a web, which is then provided into the mould form.
13. A method of producing a tubular mineral wool insulation product, said method comprising:
producing a web comprising a mixture of mineral fibres and a binder composition comprising at least one hydrocolloid and at least one crosslinker, wherein the at least one hydrocolloid comprises a protein;
applying said web around a core;
curing the binder composition; and
removing the tubular mineral wool insulation product from the core.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the binder composition further comprises at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol.
15. The method according claim 14 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol is in form of a plant oil and/or animal oil.
16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol is a plant-based oil.
17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol is selected from one or more components from the group consisting linseed oil, olive oil, tung oil, coconut oil, hemp oil, rapeseed oil, and sunflower oil.
18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol is in form of an animal oil, such as fish oil.
19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol comprises a plant oil and/or animal oil having a iodine number of ≥75.
20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol comprises a plant oil and/or animal oil having a iodine number of ≤100.
21. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the content of the fatty acid ester of glycerol is 0.5 to 40 wt.-%, based on dry hydrocolloid basis.
22. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the application of the web around a core is done by winding said web around a core mandrel.
23. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the binder composition in the mixture is uncured before the web is applied around the core.
24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the binder composition in the mixture is cured before winding the web around the core mandrel, and wherein a further binder composition comprising at least one hydrocolloid is applied to the web, e.g. by spraying, during the winding of the web around the core mandrel.
25. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising cutting the ends of the tubular mineral wool insulation product to provide the product in a predetermined length.
26. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising applying a metal foil around the tubular mineral wool insulation product.
27. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one hydrocolloid comprises gelatin.
28. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one hydrocolloid is a polyelectrolytic hydrocolloid.
29. The method according to claim 28 , wherein the at least one hydrocolloid comprises gelatin.
30. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the binder composition comprises at least two hydrocolloids, wherein one of the at least two hydrocolloids is gelatin and another one of the at least two hydrocolloids is selected from the group consisting of pectin, starch, alginate, agar agar, carrageenan, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose, arabinoxylan, cellulose, curdlan, β-glucan.
31. The method according to claim 30 , wherein the gelatin is present in the binder by an amount of 10 to 95 wt. % based on the weight of the hydrocolloids.
32. The method according to claim 30 , wherein the one of the at least two hydrocolloids and the another one of the at least two hydrocolloids have complementary charges.
33. The method according to claim 13 , wherein curing the binder composition takes place at a temperature of not more than 95° C.
34. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the binder composition is not a thermoset binder.
35. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the binder composition does not contain a poly(meth)acrylic acid, a salt of a poly(meth)acrylic acid or an ester of a poly(meth)acrylic acid.
36. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one hydrocolloid is a biopolymer or modified biopolymer.
37. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the binder composition is formaldehyde-free.
38. The method according to claim 30 , wherein the binder composition consists essentially of:
the at least two hydrocolloids;
the at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol;
the at least one crosslinker;
optionally at least one pH-adjuster;
optionally at least one anti-fouling agent;
optionally at least one anti-swelling agent; and
water.
39. The method according to claim 30 , wherein the method involves crosslinking the protein of the binder composition.
40. The method according to claim 30 , wherein curing the binder composition comprises blowing air or gas over/through the mineral wool product or increasing temperature.
41. The method according to claim 1 , wherein curing the binder composition comprises application of a vacuum.
42. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one crosslinker comprises at least one phenol containing compound, at least one quinone containing compound, or both.
43. The method according to claim 42 , wherein the at least one crosslinker comprises a tannin or an enzyme.