Insulating material, electrical heating unit employing same, and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract: The present invention provides an insulating material having superior insulating performance as well as sufficient mechanical strength itself to constitute furnace walls, and for which manufacture and assembly operations are easy, resulting in reduced labor cost in furnace construction. The present invention also includes a proposal for an electrical heating unit applied and a manufacturing method therefor. The insulating material (1) includes an outer layer (2) comprising mainly refractory inorganic fibers and a core layer (3) supported within the outer layer (2). The outer layer (2) has greater mechanical strength than the core layer (3). The core layer (3) comprises a composition having a better insulating performance than the outer layer (2) and extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating material (1).

Description: The present invention relates to insulating material and an electrical heating unit employing same, which are used in heating apparatuses such as various types of industrial furnaces and experimental furnaces, and a manufacturing method therefor. Insulating material of vacuum formed ceramic fiber has a high insulating performance, is lightweight, and can also be shaped into arbitrary forms. Moreover, this insulating material has sufficient strength and is easy to handle; secondary machining is also easy. This material has been used effectively for improving the loss of heat energy from furnace walls. Electrical heating units using this insulating material are also known. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3500444 discloses a technique for economically manufacturing an electrical heating unit by embedding a heating element near one surface of such insulating material. Also, U.S. Patent No. 4575619 discloses a grooved electrical heating unit, comprising a serpentine heating element, with improved thermal radiation characteristics. These electrical heating units have the advantages that they can be formed into arbitrary shapes and they have the same superior insulating performance as the above-mentioned insulating material itself, of which they are formed. Furthermore, they have the advantage of having sufficient mechanical strength that they can alone constitute furnace walls. Consequently, because it is easy to assemble a furnace by using these in an appropriate combination, it becomes possible to greatly reduce labor in constructing a furnace and thus contributing greatly to the cost reductions of energy conserving furnaces. FR-A-2 529 541 discloses a composite structure comprising at least two parts made of different fiber materials, the first fiber material being an ordinary fiber material such as ceramic or mineral heat resistant or refractory fibers of a strip, plate or mould-like form, the second fiber material being of higher mechanical strength, characterized in that the second fiber material a) is prepared from a mixture of hundred pts.wt. of ceramic fibers or fiber mixtures, 4 to 15 pts.wt. of clay, and 2 to 8 pts.wt. of organic binder, and b) has the-form of at least one coated or poured layer or quilting in the composite structure. Since then, however, the industrial sector has become more and more strict about reducing environmental loads because of the increased attention to global environmental problems. These problems have become manifest and their resolution is an issue for all people. Making furnaces much more energy efficient is therefore a significant task. Meanwhile, the insatiable pursuit of improved insulating performance has drawn attention to the properties of microporous material such as silica aerogel, especially with its micro-spherical structure with a minute closed vacancy, smaller than the mean free path of gas. Thus, so-called microporous insulating material has been developed which has an ultimate insulating performance, i.e. ability to theoretically eliminate the convective heat transfer between voids in the insulating material. Related technologies include U.S. Patent No. 3869334 which shows how a high performance insulating material, which can be handled as an ordinary insulating material, is attained by enclosing silica aerogels in a bag made of fiberglass cloth and pressure forming same into a flat panel. The insulating performance is known to be much better than that of a vacuum formed ceramic fiber. As a result of achievements in manufacturing technologies, recently silica aerogel materials formed directly into boards are also available because the strength thereof has been improved by blending the aerogel with refractory fiber material or the like, instead of enclosing it in the abovementioned bag. These available microporous insulating materials comprising silica aerogels or the like are essentially low in strength because of the characteristic structure of silica aerogel as a constitutional element; specifically, a microspherical shell containing a hollow in it. In addition, available thickness is also limited, so it is not possible to construct the furnace walls with these alone. Hence the use of these materials as insulating material for furnaces is limited to backup material or intermediate layers of lining material. While use in such forms can ensure energy conservation, this usage has the problems of increasing the labor in constructing the furnaces and adding up costs. Also, especially when in board form, these materials are easily damaged or broken during construction and much expensive material is wasted. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved insulating material, a method for manufacturing it and an electrical heating unit in combination with it. This object is achieved with the subject-matter according to the respective claims. It is an advantage of the present invention to resolve the abovementioned problems with the conventional art. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a high performance insulating material which can greatly reduce heat loss from furnace walls in comparison to conventional ceramic fiber formed insulating material, which can be manufactured in a simple and inexpensive way, and which has sufficient mechanical strength to solely constitute furnace walls, with easy assembly, requiring less labor for constructing a furnace; to provide an electrical heating unit using same; and to provide a manufacturing method therefor. The insulating material relating to the present invention is an insulating material including an outer layer comprising mainly refractory inorganic fiber and a core layer contained within and joined to the outer layer. The outer layer has a greater mechanical strength than the core layer; the core layer comprises a composition having a higher insulating performance than the outer layer. The core layer extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating material. With the constitution of the present invention, a high strength composition comprising mainly refractory inorganic fibers becomes the outer layer. The insulating material is provided with sufficient strength by this layer with the core layer having a higher insulating performance and being completely enclosed inside and protected thereby. Because the core layer extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the heat flow and is joined with and supported within the outer layer, the insulating performance of the insulating material is superior to that of an insulating material comprising only the composition forming the outer layer. This insulating material can therefore alone constitute furnace walls with especially good insulating performance because of the combination of superior insulating properties with a mechanical strength sufficient to form furnace walls. In the insulating material of the present invention, the abovementioned core layer comprises mainly a microporous insulating material whose constitutional element is a microspherical shell containing a hollow in it. An insulating material with a high strength and an insulating performance much greater than conventional ones are thereby attained; this material can alone constitute furnace walls with an insulating performance markedly higher than conventional walls. Here, microporous insulating material means an insulating material including an essential percentage of a microporous material such as silica aerogel such that the properties derived from the micropores are reflected in the whole. For example, the insulating material can comprise 50 percent weight or more of the microporous material, with the remainder consisting of material such as reinforcing elements, opacifiers, and binders etc.. The present invention includes microporous material packed in said fiberglass bag or formed microporous material provided in the shape of boards. The electrical heating unit relating to the present invention comprises insulating material supporting a heating element, at least part of which is embedded near one surface of the outer layer, with terminals for supplying electric power to the heating element protruding from the surface opposite therefrom. This insulating material comprises an outer layer composed mainly of refractory inorganic fiber and a core layer joined to and held within the outer layer. The outer layer has greater mechanical strength than the core layer, while the core layer comprises a composition with better insulating performance than the outer layer; the core layer extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating material. In this way, the high strength composition composed mainly of refractory inorganic fiber becomes the outer layer, which completely encloses and protects the core layer having a insulating performance better than this outer layer. The insulating material is thereby provided with sufficient strength. Also, the core layer extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the heat flow and is supported within the outer layer; the insulating performance of the entire insulating material is therefore superior to that of the composition forming the outer layer. Also, the heating element and the terminals for supplying electrical power to this heating element are embedded at least partially in the insulating material near a surface of the outer layer and the opposite surface respectively, thereby supported in position with sufficient strength. Consequently, the heating unit can alone constitute highly insulated furnace walls with built-in heating elements. In the electrical heating unit relating to the present invention, the core layer comprises mainly microporous insulating material. An electrical heating unit with markedly better insulating performance is thereby attained. In the electrical heating unit relating to the present invention, it is sometimes the case that one or more grooves are formed in one surface of the outer layer and at least part of the heating element is embedded near the bottom of that groove and is supported thereby. In that case, an electrical heating unit with superior heat radiation properties, as well as insulating properties, is attained. The method for manufacturing the insulating material relating to the present invention forms the insulating material as follows: build up under compressive force a first insulating layer comprising mainly refractory inorganic fiber to a prescribed thickness; spread and position on that deposited surface a core layer which comprises a composition having insulating performance superior to the first insulating layer and which has surface dimensions smaller than the deposited surface area of the first layer; then build up under compressive force a second insulating layer comprising mainly refractory inorganic fiber to completely enclose the core layer at a prescribed position therein. It thereby becomes possible to manufacture an insulating material wherein the core layer with the high insulating performance is enclosed within a high strength outer layer, and that core layer spreads in a plane substantially perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating material and is supported and joined to the outer layer at a prescribed position. This insulating material has a mechanical strength sufficient to constitute furnace walls on its own and has superior insulating properties. In the method for manufacturing an insulating material relating to the present invention, it is preferable that the first and second insulating layers be built up using vacuum forming. The material can thereby be easily manufactured in any desired shape at low cost with high quality. In the method for manufacturing an insulating material relating to the present invention, it is preferable that the principal binder be inorganic colloidal silica. An insulating material with sufficient heat resistance and strength from normal to high temperatures, and an electrical heating unit can thereby be easily manufactured. In the method for manufacturing an insulating material relating to the present invention, it is preferable that an aqueous slurry be used. Then, preparation is easy and the manufacturing process does not require special waste solution processing, thereby allowing low cost production. In the method for manufacturing an insulating material relating to the present invention, it is preferable that the core layer, essentially comprising microporous insulating material, be formed with a waterproof membrane therearound, in the case where the first and second insulating layers are formed from an aqueous slurry wherein are dispersed refractory inorganic fiber. The microporous insulating material can thereby be prevented from contacting water in the forming process; this prevents damage to the aerogel structure constituting the microporous insulating material and the superior insulating performance can be maintained. The waterproof membrane covering the core layer may be a type which disappears when heated, or oppositely, may be heat resistant. In the case of the former, the membrane can easily be removed by heating when the waterproof membrane becomes unnecessary, such as after the final drying stage following forming. In the case of the latter, the membrane can remain without alteration thereto within the product and can withstand use at high temperatures. The first and second insulating layers may be of the same material, or may be different in accordance with known technology depending on a choice made based on the heat resistance requirements on each layer. The method for manufacturing the electrical heating unit is a method wherein the abovementioned method for manufacturing the insulating material is modified such that it includes locating the heating element at a prescribed position, building up the first insulating layer, and embedding at least part of the heating element at a prescribed position near the surface of the first insulating layer. With this constitution, it is possible to manufacture an electrical heating unit with a built-in heating element and having a strength sufficient to form furnace walls on its own and superior insulating performance. Moreover, any known heating elements may be used and how they are embedded does not matter. Figure 1 shows a summary of the insulating material relating to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a summary of the method for manufacturing the insulating material relating to the present invention; this is the point where the first insulating layer is built up; Figure 3 shows a summary of the method for manufacturing the insulating material relating to the present invention; this is the point where the second insulating layer is built up; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view for explaining the electrical heating unit relating to the present invention; Figure 5 shows a summary of the method for manufacturing the electrical heating unit relating to the present invention; this is the point where the first insulating layer is built up; Figure 6 shows a summary of the method for manufacturing the electrical heating unit relating to the present invention; this is the point where the second insulating layer is built up; and Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of the electrical heating unit relating to the present invention. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the figures. The drawings shown here are approximations; the relative sizes of the portions are not accurate and should not be referenced in actual practice. First embodiment Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the insulating material 1 of the present invention. The insulating material 1 comprises an outer layer 2 and a core layer 3; the core layer 3 is embedded within the outer layer. The surface of the core layer 3 extends in the xy plane, which is a plane substantially perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating material 1 (z direction in the drawing), i.e. the direction of heat flow when the insulating material is used. The outer layer 2 is a deposited layer, comprising mainly ceramic fiber, which is attained through vacuum forming using an inorganic binder. Meanwhile, the core layer 3 is a commercially available board of microporous insulating material. In this case, the core layer 3 has an insulating performance much better than the outer layer 2. The outer layer 2 has sufficient mechanical strength and protects the core layer 3 and ensures the strength of the insulating material 1 as a whole. Consequently, the insulating material can be used alone to constitute furnace walls. The microporous insulating material can be acquired in the form of an insulating board, 10-50 mm thick with a bulk specific gravity of 0.2-0.5, comprising mainly silica aerogel. This makes the core layer 3. The outer layer 2 can be built up using a known vacuum forming method from a slurry prepared by dispersing commercially available aluminosilicate bulk ceramic fiber in water and adding a colloidal silica binder thereto. The bulk specific gravity of the outer layer 2 is about 0.2. An insulating material can thereby be made by completely surrounding and joining the core layer 3 with the outer layer 2. Before vacuum forming, the core layer is placed and sealed in a plastic bag in advance to prevent it from contact with water. This becomes the waterproof membrane 4. If silica aerogel came in contact with water, the micropore structure would be destroyed because of surface tension generated during drying; as a result, the desired insulating effects could not be attained. The procedures of the method for manufacturing the insulating material are explained with reference to Figures 2 and 3. In the following explanation, the material undergoing vacuum forming is called the insulating layer; the material which as been completely formed and then dried and hardened is called the insulating material. As shown in Figure 2, a first insulating layer 2a, of the prescribed thickness, is built up within the mold 5 using vacuum forming method. At this time suction, specifically vacuum suction force, is applied only to a bottom screen 5a. This becomes part of the outer layer 2. This layer is built up usually to a thickness of 15-80 mm. Next, the surface of the core layer 3, the dimensions of which are somewhat smaller than the deposited surface of the first insulating layer 2a, is covered with a waterproof membrane 4. This core layer 3 is positioned at a prescribed location on the deposited surface and a second insulating layer 2b of a prescribed thickness is formed as shown in Figure 3, again with vacuum forming. At this time, a side screen 5b is used in addition to the bottom screen 5a; suction is applied through both these screens. The built up thickness here is usually 80-15 mm. This becomes another part of the outer layer 2 and the entirety, i.e. the first insulating layer 2a, core layer 3, and the second insulating layer 2b, is compressed together to form the insulating material 1. The vacuum forming process itself and subsequent processes are known to person having ordinary skill in the art, but these are discussed in general below. Vacuum forming is based on the principle where suction generates a flow of slurry toward the screens 5a, 5b in the mold and the screens 5a, 5b strain out the fiber component, which builds up and is compressed on the surface of the mold 5. The filtrate is recirculated and reused. The approximate shape of the insulating material 1 is formed during the flow of slurry through screens 5a, b. Of course the exterior shape is determined by the shape of the mold used. Also, a removable top plate 5c is attached on the mold 5. The top plate 5c has an opening in the center and regulates the shape of the side of the upper surface of the insulating layer built up during vacuum forming. After removal from the mold 5, the deposited insulating layer is dried in an oven. After drying, the outer layer gains sufficient strength due to the effects of the binder. Next, the outer shape is machined to its final form. The new surface created in the final machining is further dipped in a binder solution and then dried again and hardened. An insulating material 1, having superior insulating performance and a strength sufficient to constitute furnace walls on its own, can be manufactured easily and inexpensively by the abovementioned processes. Because the object is to prevent the core layer 3 from contact with moisture during the abovementioned forming process, the plastic bag used as the waterproof membrane 4 may be removed after most of the moisture is removed from the insulating material in the final drying process. It is economical to remove the waterproof membrane 4 successively by increasing the temperature after drying is complete. Comparative testing was performed to verify the effects of the present invention. The insulating material according to the present invention, prepared with a core layer of a silica aerogel board with thickness 25 mm and bulk specific gravity 0.3, and a separate vacuum formed insulating material comprising conventional ceramic fiber were used to constitute a separate furnace wall, respectively. The furnace was operated at internal temperature of 1000°C. And surface temperatures were measured after the furnaces reaching a steady state, and heat loss was calculated from the results of the measurement. The tests were performed for furnace wall thicknesses of 100 mm and 125 mm, respectively. Tables 1 and 2 show the results. Furnace wall thickness of 100 mm Type Insulating layer thickness (mm) Heat loss (%) First outer layer Core layer Second outerlayer Conventional 100 - - 100 Invention 20 25 55 71.5 Furnace wall thickness of 125 mm Type Insulating layer thickness (mm) Heat loss (%) First outer layer Core layer Second outerlayer Conventional 125 - - 100 Invention 80 25 20 75.5 As clear from these results, this case showed improvements in insulating performance of 25-30% better than the conventional case, regardless of the thickness of the insulating layer and the position of the embedded core layer, meaning the proportions of the first and second layers in the constitution. Consequently, varying the ratio of core layer to outer layer makes it possible to attain an even better insulating performance with the present invention. Second embodiment Figure 4 shows the electrical heating unit 6 relating to the present invention. Heating coils 8a are embedded near the surface 7a perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating material 1. These heating coils 8a are secured in the insulating material 1 and constitute an electrical heating unit 6. Also, terminals 8b for supplying power to the heating coils 8a protrude from the opposite surface 7b in the direction of the thickness of the insulating material 1. The insulating material 1 of the electrical heating unit 6 has the same constitution as the first embodiment and comprises an outer layer 2 and core layer 3. Here the heating coils 8a and terminals 8b are both positioned and secured in the outer layer 2 of the insulating layer of the electrical heating unit 6. With such constitution, the electrical heating unit 6 relating to the present invention can have a mechanical strength sufficient to construct furnace walls on its own and the same insulating performance as explained in the first embodiment. Consequently, using this electrical heating unit 6 makes it possible alone to construct furnace walls with superior insulating performance and built-in heating elements. This electrical heating unit 6 is also manufactured using vacuum forming process. This is summarized as follows with reference to Figures 5 and 6. As shown in Figure 5, the heating coils 8a and terminals 8b are located at the desired position in the mold 5 and a first insulating layer 2a is built up to the prescribed thickness. At this time, the thickness of the first insulating layer 2a is greater than the thickness of the heating coils 8a. This forms the basic structure wherein the first insulating layer 2a supports the heating coils 8a. Afterwards the method in the first embodiment may be followed, but the terminals 8b are partially embedded within the second insulating layer 2b, as shown in Figure 6, when building up the second insulating layer 2b at the end of those processes. This forms the basic structure wherein the second insulating layer 2b supports the terminals 8b. Afterwards exactly the same processes used in the first embodiment are carried out. The electrical heating unit 6 can be efficiently and inexpensively manufactured by this method. The shape of the heating element embedded at least partially in the first insulating layer 2a may be a compressed coil, serpentine shape, or other shape, as well as the abovementioned round coil shape. Third embodiment This embodiment preferably has the form shown in Figure 7. In this embodiment, a groove 9 is formed in the first insulating layer 2a, a serpentine heating element 10 is placed near the bottom of that groove 9, and a bottom-forming member 11 is embedded in the bottom of the groove 9 below the heating element. This constitution is shown in detail in U.S. Patent No. 5847368. Installing the bottom-forming member 11 helps to prevent the serpentine heating element 10 from being buried in the insulating layer 2a. The exposure of the serpentine heating element 10 can be made as great as possible. It is also possible to modify the bottom-forming member 11 to include microporous insulating material. If that is the case, the insulating performance to the rear of the heating element is further improved and an electrical heating unit with still better radiation characteristics and insulating characteristics can be manufactured. Furthermore, the examples explained above were of a panel-shaped insulating material and electrical heating unit, but products in other shapes, such as ones having part of cylindrical or spherical surface, can be manufactured with the same method as above. The embodiments explained above used aluminosilicate ceramic fiber as the refractory inorganic fiber forming the principal component of the outer layer 2, but other types of ceramic fiber may also be used. Also, the bulk specific gravity of the outer layer 2 after vacuum forming is not restricted as that was explained in the embodiments. For example, the bulk specific gravity can be varied by adjusting the length of the fiber. Also, other types of fillers may be used in addition to the fiber without affecting the scope of the present invention. It is also possible to use other microporous insulating material than that used as the core layer 3 in the present embodiment. For example, a type of silica aerogel insulating material compressed in a flexible, heat resistant cloth bag, with the trade name 'Microtherm' (from Micropore International Ltd.), may also be used as the core layer 3. Material having previously undergone hydrophobic treatment can be acquired and so may also be used as the core layer 3. Microporous insulating material with heat resistance up to 1000-1200 °C are currently available. Its insulating property is 2-3 times better than that of other insulating material which is gained by vacuum forming conventional ceramic fiber. However, this does not mean that heat resistance over 1000 °C and insulating performance 2-3 times better are necessary. To that degree, the material can be found to be effective in practice when used as the core layer 3 in the insulating material 1 of the present invention. In this way, the use of a material with still better insulating performance is allowed. A higher insulating performance for the core layer 3 necessarily results in a better insulating performance for the insulating material 1 and electrical heating unit 6 of the present invention. It is unnecessary to limit the invention to one core layer 3 and a plurality may be used. The insulating material of the present invention is of sufficient strength to constitute alone a whole furnace wall insulating layer, easy to handle, and of especially good insulating characteristics. For these reasons, the present invention simplifies furnace construction and can greatly reduce furnace construction costs. Moreover, the present invention can contribute greatly to reducing the load on the global environment due to its superior energy saving effects. In addition to all the effects of the abovementioned insulating material, the electrical heating unit of the present invention can alone constitute furnace walls with built-in heating elements. For these reasons, the present invention can further simplify furnace construction and reduce furnace construction cost. With the manufacturing method of the present invention, this high performance insulating material and electrical heating unit can be manufactured easily and at low cost.

Claims: An insulating material (1) including an outer layer (2) comprising mainly refractory inorganic fiber and a core layer (3) supported within and joined to the outer layer (2), wherein the outer layer (2) has greater mechanical strength than the core layer (3), the core layer (3) comprises a composition having a (much) greater insulating performance than the outer layer (2), and the core layer (3) extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the thickness of the insulating material (1), wherein the core layer (3) comprises mainly a microporous insulating material whose constitutional element is a microspherical shell containing a hollow in it. An electrical heating unit (6) comprising a heating element (8a) embedded at least partially near one surface (7a) of the outer layer (2) of the insulating material (1), according to Claim 1, so that the heating element (8a) is supported by and joined with the insulating material (1); and terminals (8b) for supplying power to the heating element (8a) protruding from the opposite surface (7b). An electrical heating (6) unit wherein one or more grooves (9) are formed in one surface (7a) of the outer layer (2) of the insulating material (1), according to Claim 1, and at least part of the heating element (10) is embedded in the bottom of the groove (9), so as to be joined and supported therewith. A method for manufacturing an insulating material (1) as a single unit comprising the steps of: building up under compressive force to a prescribed thickness a first insulating layer (2a) comprising mainly refractory inorganic fiber; positioning on the deposited surface a core layer (3) with a better insulating performance than said first insulating layer (2a) and having dimensions smaller than the deposited surface of the first layer (2a), said core layer (3) comprising mainly a microporous insulating material whose constitutional element is a microspherical shell containing a hollow in it, and building up under compressive force a second insulating layer (2b) comprising mainly refractory inorganic fiber so that the core layer (3) is completely enclosed and supported at a prescribed position therein. The method for manufacturing an insulating material (1), according to Claim 4, wherein the first and second insulating layers (2a,2b) are built up by vacuum forming process. The method for manufacturing an insulating material (1), according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the principal binder component is inorganic colloidal silica. The method for manufacturing an insulating material (1), according to any one of Claims 4-6, wherein the first and second insulating layers (2a,2b) are formed using aqueous slurry wherein refractory inorganic fiber is dispersed. The method for manufacturing an insulating material (1), according to any one of Claims 4-7, wherein vacuum forming is carried out after the core layer (3) is covered with a waterproof membrane (4). A method for manufacturing an electrical heating unit (6) as a single unit comprising the steps of: positioning the heating element (8a,10) at a prescribed location, building up the first insulating layer (2a), and at least partially embedding the heating element (8a,10) at a prescribed position near the surface (7a) of the first insulating layer (2a), in the method for manufacturing an insulating material (1), according to any one of Claims 4-8.

Inventors: HANAYA HIROYUKI, KITAMURA KOICHI, UEDA MASAAKI, HANAYA, HIROYUKI, KITAMURA, KOICHI, UEDA, MASAAKI
Applicants: KOYO THERMO SYS CO LTD, KOYO THERMO SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: F27D1
IPC codes: F27D1, H05B3