Inorganic fiber insulation product

Abstract

Insulation formed by blowing nodules of inorganic fiber insulation coated with a water or other liquid activated binder in intimate contact and having a low moisture content in the just installed insulation of less than about 20 wt. percent is disclosed. The majority of the nodules have a maximum dimension of about 0.5 inch and have particles or a fiber web of a water or other liquid activated adhesive on their outer surface producing a high tack value with a very low moisture content. The insulation can be used to insulate building structures, including vertical wall cavities of buildings, without having to use any insulation securing means. The high tack value permits the sprayed-on insulation to stick to even the most stick-resistant sheathing product. The low moisture content of less than 20 wt. percent and a density of less than about 3 lbs. per cubic foot permits rapid drying of the installed installation and a lower elapsed time before the wallboard can be installed, and the insulation has a low density to produce conventional R values of at least R 13. Methods of making dry nodules coated with the reactivatable adhesive are disclosed as are methods of using the dry nodules to insulate building cavities.

1 . Just installed thermal and acoustical insulation comprising from about 0.5 to about 10 wt. percent of a water or other liquid activated adhesive on nodules comprising inorganic fiber having an average fiber diameter of about 2.5 microns or less, the majority of the nodules having a maximum dimension of about 0.5 inch, the nodules being in intimate contact with each other to form the just installed insulation, the just installed insulation having a liquid content of no more than 20 wt. percent, and the insulation having an R value of at least 13 and a density of less than about 3 PCF after drying. 
   
   
       2 . The insulation of  claim 1  wherein the inorganic fibers comprise virgin glass fibers, the liquid content of the just installed insulation is in the range of about 7 to about 17 wt. percent. 
   
   
       3 . The insulation of  claim 1  wherein the nodules comprise glass fibers bonded together with a cured resin at one or more of the locations where two or more of the fibers cross one another, the liquid content of the just installed insulation is in the range of about 7 to about 15 wt. percent and the nodules have less than about 5 wt. percent, on a dry basis, of water activated adhesive on their surface portion. 
   
   
       4 . The insulation of  claim 1  wherein at least about 70 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       5 . The insulation of  claim 1  wherein at least about 80 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       6 . The insulation of  claim 1  wherein at least about 90 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       7 . The insulation of  claim 2  wherein at least about 70 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       8 . The insulation of  claim 2  wherein at least about 80 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       9 . The insulation of  claim 2  wherein at least about 90 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       10 . The insulation of  claim 3  wherein at least about 70 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       11 . The insulation of  claim 3  wherein at least about 80 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       12 . The insulation of  claim 3  wherein at least about 90 percent of the nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
   
   
       13 . The insulation of  claim 1  wherein the activated adhesive is a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       14 . The insulation of  claim 2  wherein the activated adhesive is a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       15 . The insulation of  claim 3  wherein the activated adhesive is a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       16 . The insulation of  claim 5  wherein the activated adhesive is a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       17 . The insulation of  claim 7  wherein the activated adhesive is a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       18 . The insulation of  claim 10  wherein the activated adhesive is a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       19 . Dry nodules of inorganic fibers having an average diameter of about 2.5 microns or less, the major portion, by weight, of the nodules being no more than about 0.5 inch in diameter, comprising up to about 10 wt. percent of a water or other liquid reactivatable adhesive on the surface portion. 
   
   
       20 . The dry nodules of  claim 19  wherein the adhesive is a water activatable hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       21 . The dry nodules of  claim 19  wherein the adhesive is a water reactivatable adhesive. 
   
   
       22 . The dry nodules of  claim 19  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is present in an amount of less than about 7 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       23 . The dry nodules of  claim 19  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is present in an amount of less than about 5 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       24 . The dry nodules of  claim 20  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is present in an amount of less than about 7 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       25 . The dry nodules of  claim 21  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is present in an amount of less than about 7 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       26 . The dry nodules of  claim 19  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is present in an amount of less than about 4 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       27 . The dry nodules of  claim 20  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is a hot melt adhesive present in an amount of less than about 5 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       28 . The dry nodules of  claim 20  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is present in an amount of less than about 4 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       29 . The dry nodules of  claim 21  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is present in an amount of less than about 5 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       30 . The dry nodules of  claim 21  wherein the reactivatable adhesive is present in an amount of less than about 4 wt. percent of the nodules. 
   
   
       31 . The dry nodules of  claim 19  wherein at least 70 wt. percent of the nodules have a diameter of less than about 0.5 inch. 
   
   
       32 . The dry nodules of  claim 20  wherein at least 70 wt. percent of the nodules have a diameter of less than about 0.5 inch. 
   
   
       33 . The dry nodules of  claim 21  wherein at least 70 wt. percent of the nodules have a diameter of less than about 0.5 inch. 
   
   
       34 . The dry nodules of  claim 27  wherein at least 70 wt. percent of the nodules have a diameter of less than about 0.5 inch. 
   
   
       35 . The dry nodules of  claim 29  wherein at least 70 wt. percent of the nodules have a diameter of less than about 0.5 inch. 
   
   
       36 . A method of insulating cavities in a building comprising blowing pieces of fibrous insulation comprising a water reactivatable adhesive through a hose while suspended in an air flow spraying water onto the pieces of fibrous insulation at the end of the hose or in a nozzle at the end of the hose and directing the wetted pieces of fibrous insulation into a building cavity to form just installed insulation, the improvement comprising using as the pieces of fibrous insulation dry nodules comprising inorganic fibers having an average diameter of about 2.5 microns or less, the major portion, by weight, of the nodules being less than about 0.5 inch in diameter, and wherein the amount of water sprayed onto the dry nodules is such that the moisture content of the just installed insulation is less than about 20 wt. percent and wherein the reactivatable adhesive is coated on the surface portion of the nodules and is present in an amount of 0.5 to about 10 wt. percent of the dry nodules. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the amount of water sprayed onto the dry nodules is such that the moisture content of the just installed insulation is less than about 17 wt. percent and the amount of reactivatable adhesive on the nodules is about 2 to about 5 wt. percent. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the water activatable adhesive is a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the water activatable adhesive is a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       40 . A method of making dry nodules comprising inorganic fibers having an average diameter of about 2.5 microns or less, the major portion, by weight, of the nodules being no more than about 0.5 inch in diameter, and a water or other liquid reactivatable adhesive on the surface portion of the nodules comprising the steps of;
 1) feeding virgin fiber or fiber bonded together with a dried and cured resin into a nodulating machine,   2) spraying, spreading or slinging the water or other liquid reactivatable adhesive onto the surface portion of the nodules while the nodules are free falling or tumbling in a mixer to produce nodules having a coating 0.5 to about 10 wt. percent of the water or other liquid reactivatable adhesive, and   3) drying or cooling the coated nodules to solidify the coating of activatable adhesive to produce dry nodules,   
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  comprising a further step of compressing and packaging the dry nodules in moisture proof containers. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40  wherein at least 70 wt. percent of the nodules have a diameter of no more than about 0.5 inch. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 41  wherein at least 70 wt. percent of the nodules have a diameter of no more than about 0.5 inch. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the coating comprises about 2 to about 5 wt. percent of the dry nodules. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 43  wherein the coating comprises about 2 to about 5 wt. percent of the dry nodules.