Exterior cementitious panel with multi-layer air/water barrier membrane assembly and system and method for manufacturing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019003176-A1
Application number	US-201816000357-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	Jan 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of a system and a method for manufacturing a cementitious panel can be used to produce a cementitious panel having a multi-layer air/water barrier membrane assembly. The layers of the membrane can be built up via a series of applicator stations applying a fluid composition using roll coating, for example. Between applicator stations the applied layer of fluid composition can be subjected to drying conditions via infrared heating. To help protect from the deleterious effects of infrared heating, the cementitious panel can be conveyed through a cooling tunnel after each drying section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for manufacturing a cementitious panel, the cementitious panel including a cementitious core, a cover sheet contiguous with the cementitious core, and an air/water barrier membrane assembly integrally connected to the cover sheet such that the cover sheet is interposed between the cementitious core and the air/water barrier membrane assembly, the air/water barrier membrane assembly including a plurality of layers in a stacked arrangement, the system comprising:
a conveyor, the conveyor adapted to convey the cementitious panel along a machine direction from a first applicator station to a stacking position, the conveyor including a first dryer section, a second applicator station, and a second dryer section disposed along the machine direction between the first applicator station and the stacking position; a first applicator, the first applicator positioned at the first applicator station and adapted to apply a first layer of fluid composition to the cover sheet; a first dryer, the first dryer positioned downstream of the first applicator station along the machine direction at the first dryer section, and the first dryer having a first infrared emitter system adapted to dry the first layer of fluid composition to form a first membrane layer; a second applicator, the second applicator positioned at the second applicator station downstream of the first dryer section along the machine direction and adapted to apply a second layer of fluid composition over the first membrane layer; a second dryer, the second dryer positioned downstream of the second applicator station along the machine direction at the second dryer section, the second dryer having a second infrared emitter system adapted to dry the second layer of fluid composition to form a second membrane layer; wherein the first dryer section includes a first zone and a second zone, the second zone disposed downstream of the first zone along the machine direction, and the first infrared emitter system having a first infrared emitter subassembly disposed in the first zone and a second infrared emitter subassembly disposed in the second zone, the first infrared emitter subassembly having a first power density maximum operational value, and the second infrared emitter subassembly having a second power density maximum operational value, the second power density maximum operational value being different from the first power density maximum operational value.

2 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 1 , wherein the first power density maximum operational value is greater than the second power density maximum operational value.

3 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 2 , wherein the first infrared emitter subassembly is adapted to generate a medium-wave infrared emission spectra, and the second infrared emitter subassembly is adapted to generate a long-wave infrared emission spectra.

4 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 3 , wherein the first infrared emitter subassembly comprises an electric infrared heater, and the second infrared emitter subassembly comprises a gas catalytic infrared heater.

5 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 2 , wherein the second infrared emitter system has a third power density maximum operational value, and the third power density maximum operational value is less than the first power density maximum operational value.

6 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first cooler, the first cooler positioned along the conveyor between the first dryer and the second applicator along the machine direction, and the first cooler adapted to reduce the surface temperature of the cementitious panel.

7 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 6 , wherein the first cooler comprises a convective cooling chamber having a fan adapted to direct a flow of air impinging across the first membrane layer.

8 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a second cooler, the second cooler positioned along the conveyor adjacent a downstream end of the second dryer along the machine direction, and the second cooler adapted to reduce the surface temperature of the cementitious panel.

9 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 8 , wherein the conveyor includes a third applicator station and a third dryer section, disposed along the machine direction between the second dryer station and the stacking position, the system further comprising:
a third applicator, the third applicator positioned at the third applicator station and adapted to apply a third layer of fluid composition over the second membrane layer; a third dryer, the third dryer positioned downstream of the third applicator station along the machine direction at the third dryer section, and the third dryer having a third infrared emitter system adapted to dry the third layer of fluid composition to form a third membrane layer; wherein the second infrared emitter system has a third power density maximum operational value, and the third infrared emitter system has a fourth power density maximum operational value, the third power density maximum operational value and the fourth power density maximum operational value being both less than the first power density maximum operational value; wherein the first infrared emitter subassembly is adapted to generate a medium-wave infrared emission spectra, and the second infrared emitter subassembly, the second infrared emitter system, and the third infrared emitter system are each adapted to generate a long-wave infrared emission spectra.

10 . The system for manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim claim 9 , further comprising:
a third cooler, the third cooler positioned along the conveyor adjacent a downstream end of the third dryer along the machine direction, and the third cooler adapted to reduce the surface temperature of the cementitious panel.

11 . A method of manufacturing a cementitious panel, the cementitious panel including a cementitious core and a cover sheet contiguous with the cementitious core, the method comprising:
applying, at a first application station, a first layer of fluid composition to the cover sheet; subjecting the first layer to drying conditions via infrared heating in a first drying section with a first power density profile to form a first membrane layer; applying, at a second application station, a second layer of fluid composition over the first membrane layer, the second application station being disposed in spaced relationship to the first application station with the first drying zone interposed therebetween; subjecting the second layer to drying conditions via infrared heating in a second drying section with a second power density profile to form a second membrane layer, the second power density profile being different from the first power density profile.

12 . The method of manufacturing a cementitious panel according to claim 11 , further comprising:
between subjecting the first layer to drying conditions via infrared heating in the first drying section and applying the second layer of fluid composition over the first membrane layer at the second application station, subjecting the cementitious panel to cooling conditions in a first cooling section to reduce a surface temperature of the cementitious panel, wherein cooling conditions in the first cooling section are produced via convective cooling via a flow of air impinging across th

Assignees

• United States Gypsum Co

Inventors

• Donelan Jeffrey William
• Richmond Steven
• Lee Chris C
• Shake Michael P
• Omodt Jenner
• Zelepouga Serguei
• Peng Yanfei

Classifications

• C04B41/009

  characterised by the material treated · CPC title

• E04C2/528

  Impervious or hermetic panels not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• C04B41/483

  Polyacrylates · CPC title

• C04B2111/27

  Water resistance, i.e. waterproof or water-repellent materials · CPC title

• B28B11/24 Primary

  for curing, setting or hardening (processes for influencing or modifying the setting or hardening ability of mortars, concrete or artificial stone compositions, in general C04B40/00) · CPC title