Patent ID: 8821625
Filing Date: 2014-09-02
Classification: C02F,C03C,C09D

Abstract:
1. A method of re-cycling washwater used to clean production components for the manufacture of mineral fiber products, the production components including at least forming hood components in which a low pH binder is used with mineral fibers to form a fibrous pack, the method comprising the steps of: collecting washwater in a hoodwall washwater recovery loop that receives hoodwall washwater from a hoodwall cleaning system for cleaning the forming hoodwall and re-cycling the hoodwall washwater for re-use in the preparation of binder dispersions; measuring the pH of the hoodwall washwater in the hoodwall washwater recovery loop; and preparing a low pH binder dispersion, wherein preparing a low pH binder dispersion comprises preparing a natural starch binder dispersion, and wherein the proportion of hoodwall washwater used to prepare the binder dispersion is determined in response to said pH measurement, such that if the pH is less than a predetermined lower limit, L, the hoodwall washwater is used exclusively; if the pH is more than a predetermined upper limit, U, the hoodwall washwater is not used and makeup water is used instead; and if the pH is between L and U, a blend of hoodwall washwater and makeup water is used.