Insulation containing inorganic fiber and spherical additives
The present invention provides thermal insulation products such as loose fill, batts and boards, such as duct boards and duct liner. The insulation products include randomly distributed inorganic fibers, which are supplemented with at least about five weight percent microspheres, macrospheres, or both, and preferably include hollow microspheres, which boost the insulation value of the fiberglass thermal insulation by at least about 0.5R.
1. An insulated attic, comprising:
a plurality of joists, and a loose fill insulation between said joists, said loose fill insulation consisting of about 50-95 weight percent glass fibers which are randomly distributed with included air within spaced apart portions of said glass fibers, and about 5-50 weight percent insulating hollow microspheres and a binder, which provide a thermal insulation layer;
said microspheres being settled so as to concentrate in a lower region of said thermal insulation layer; and
said binder binding together respective said glass fibers to comprise a fiberglass insulation layer having said glass fibers and said included air, and said binder binding together said microspheres which are settled in said lower region with corresponding said glass fibers which are in said lower region.
2. The insulated attic of claim 1 , wherein said microspheres comprise glass or plastic.
3. The insulated attic of claim 1 , wherein said microspheres comprise soda-lime borosilicate glass, or recycled amber glass.
4. The insulated attic of claim 1 , wherein said microspheres comprise a diameter of about 12-300 microns.
5. The insulated attic of claim 1 , wherein said microspheres comprise a density of about 0.125-0.60 g/cc.
6. The insulated attic of claim 1 , wherein said microspheres comprise a diameter of about 12-300 microns and a density of about 0.125-0.6 g/cc.
7. The insulated attic of claim 1 , wherein said glass fibers and said microspheres are mixed.
8. The insulated attic of claim 1 wherein said microspheres are distributed with said randomly distributed glass fibers in said lower region.