Patent ID: 11873259
Assignee: CERTAINTEED GYPSUM, INC.
Field: Materials, metallurgy (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  B  E  Y | IPC B  C  E

Claim 0:
1. A method of producing lightweight gypsum board, the method utilizing a board production line including a mixer, a forming table, and dryers, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of starch pellets, the pellets being of a uniform size and being only slightly soluble at temperatures below approximately 130° F., the pellets being more soluble at elevated temperatures;
adding the pellets to a gypsum slurry in a pellet to gypsum slurry ratio of between approximately 5/100 to 50/100 by volume;
blending the gypsum slurry and pellets within the mixer whereby the pellets become fully encapsulated within the slurry;
supplying a first facing sheet to the forming table prior to the mixer;
discharging the blended gypsum and pellets from the mixer and onto the first facing sheet;
supplying a top facing sheet over the blended gypsum and pellets to form a composite panel;
drying the composite panel within the dryers to a temperature in excess of approximately 130° F., the drying causing the pellets to dissolve and the residual moisture to be removed from the board, whereby the dissolved pellets provide starch to the gypsum slurry and create voids within the set gypsum.