Water spray applied loose-fill insulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10259001-B2
Application number	US-201414248069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2014
Priority date	Apr 8, 2014
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity is provided. The method includes blowing loose-fill insulation particles into a cavity of a structure to install the loose-fill insulation within the cavity and thereby insulate the structure. The method also includes applying water (e.g., water mist) to the loose-fill insulation particles so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 2% and 20%. The water aids in retaining the loose-fill insulation particles within the cavity without requiring the use of an enclosure member that encloses the cavity and the loose-fill insulation is substantially free of a water soluble adhesive material that adheres the loose-fill insulation particles together within the cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity comprising:
providing a loose-fill insulation blowing apparatus having:
a hopper configured to house the loose-fill insulation material, the loose-fill insulation material comprising fibers with a diameter between 0.5 and 5 microns;
a shredder configured to break compressed loose-fill insulation material into a plurality of insulation nodules;
a blower/air lock assembly configured to blow the loose-fill insulation nodules into the cavity, the blower/air lock assembly being positioned proximally to the shredder;
a hose member connected to the blower/air lock assembly; and
a nozzle attached to a distal end of the hose member through which the loose-fill insulation nodules are blown during application of the loose-fill insulation material within the cavity;
blowing the loose-fill insulation nodules through the nozzle and into the cavity via the blower/air lock assembly; and
applying a water mist to the loose-fill insulation nodules as the insulation nodules are blown through the nozzle and into the cavity so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 2% and 20%, the applied water mist aiding in retaining the loose-fill insulation nodules within the cavity without requiring the use of an enclosure member that encloses the cavity, the loose-fill insulation material being free of an aqueous or powdered adhesive material that adheres the loose-fill insulation nodules together within the cavity such that the installed loose-fill insulation is free of an adhesive material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 3% and 10%.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the loose-fill insulation comprises at least one of:
fiberglass;
slag wool;
mineral wool;
rock wool;
ceramic fibers;
carbon fibers; and
composite fibers.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the loose-fill insulation comprises fiberglass.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water mist is applied to the loose-fill insulation nodules under pressure between 300 and 1500 lbs/in 2 .

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water mist is applied to the loose-fill insulation nodules by spraying the water mist onto a first side of the loose-fill insulation nodules via a first spray tip and by simultaneously spraying the water mist onto a second side of the loose-fill insulation nodules via a second spray tip, the second side being opposite the first side, wherein the first spray tip and the second spray tip couple to an exterior surface of the nozzle to coat the loose-fill insulation nodules with the water mist after the loose-fill insulation nodules exits the nozzle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water or loose-fill insulation nodules comprise one or more additives selected from the group consisting of:
an antifreeze agent;
a mold resistant agent;
an anti-corrosion agent;
a dye; or
a surfactant.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a surfactant to the loose-fill insulation nodules as the insulation nodules are blown through the nozzle and into the cavity.

9. A method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity comprising:
breaking, via a shredder, compressed loose-fill insulation material into a plurality of loose-fill insulation nodules, wherein loose-fill insulation material comprises fibers with a diameter between 0.5 and 5 microns;
blowing, via a blower mechanism, the loose-fill insulation nodules through a nozzle positioned at a distal end of a hose and into a cavity of a structure to install the loose-fill insulation within the cavity and thereby insulate the structure, the hose being connected at a proximal end to the blower mechanism with the shredder positioned proximally to the blower mechanism; a
applying water to the loose-fill insulation nodules after the loose-fill insulation nodules exit the nozzle, so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 2% and 20%, the water aiding in retaining the loose-fill insulation nodules within the cavity without requiring the use of an enclosure member that encloses the cavity and the loose-fill insulation being free of a water soluble or powder adhesive material that adheres the loose-fill insulation nodules together within the cavity such that the installed loose-fill insulation is free of an adhesive material.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 3% and 10%.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the loose-fill insulation nodules comprise glass fibers.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the loose-fill insulation material comprises fiberglass.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the water mist is applied to the loose-fill insulation nodules under pressure between 300 and 1500 pounds per square inch.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the water mist is applied to the loose-fill insulation nodules by spraying the water mist onto a first side of the loose-fill insulation nodules via a first spray tip and by simultaneously spraying the water mist onto a second side of the loose-fill insulation nodules via a second spray tip, the second side being opposite the first side, wherein the first spray tip and the second spray tip couple to an exterior surface of the nozzle.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the water or loose-fill insulation nodules comprise one or more additives selected from the group consisting of:
an antifreeze agent;
a mold resistant agent;
an anti-corrosion agent;
a dye; or
a surfactant.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising applying a surfactant to the loose-fill insulation nodules.

17. A system for applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity comprising:
a hopper configured to receive an insulation material comprising fibers with a diameter between 0.5 and 5 microns;
a loose-fill forming component attached to the hopper, the loose-fill forming component configured to break the fiberglass insulation material into a plurality of loose-fill insulation nodules;
a blower/air lock assembly configured to blow the loose-fill insulation nodules into the cavity, the blower/air lock assembly being positioned proximally to the loose-fill forming component;
a hose member connected at a proximal end to the blower/air lock assembly;
a nozzle attached to a distal end of the hose through which the loose-fill insulation nodules are blown during installation of the loose-fill insulation nodules within the cavity; and
a water mist application component coupled to an exterior surface of the nozzle near the distal end thereof, the water mist application component being configured to apply water mist to the loose-fill insulation nodules after the insulation particles exit the nozzle so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation nodules is between about 2% and 20%, the water mist aiding in retaining the loose-fill insulation nodules within the cavity without requiring the use of an enclosure member that encloses the cavity, the loose-fill insulation nodules being free of an aqueous or powdered adhesive material that adheres the insulation nodules together within the cavity such that the installed loose-fill insulation is free of an adhesive material.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation nodules is between about 3% and 10%.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the insulation material comprises fi

Assignees

• Johns Manville

Inventors

• Zhang Mingfu
• Fellinger Thomas John
• Near Daniel Elden

Classifications

• B05B7/00 Primary

  Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas (B05B3/00, B05B5/00 {, B05B11/06} take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B7/149

  with separate inlets for a particulate material and a liquid to be sprayed · CPC title

• E04F21/085 Primary

  for filling building cavity walls with insulating materials · CPC title