Method and apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 in which the mod ratio of the mineral fiber is within the range of from about 1.2 to about 7.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 in which the mod ratio of the mineral fiber is within the range of from about 1.7 to about 3.0

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 in which the ratio of the viscosity (poises) to the surface tension (dynes/cm) is within the range of from about 0.1 to about 25.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 in which the ratio of the viscosity (poises) to the surface tension (dynes/cm) is within the range of from about 0.25 to about 15.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 in which the ratio of the viscosity (poises) to the surface tension (dynes/cm is within the range of from about 0.4 to about 10.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7 in which the molten mineral material in said bushing at the orifices has pressure within the range of from about 0.4 psig (2,800 Pascals) to about 100 psig (690,000 Pascals).

Claim 11

The method of claim 8 in which the molten mineral material contained in said bushing is subjected to a hydrostatic pressure within the range of from about 0.7 psig (4,800 Pascals) to about 5.0 psig (34,000 Pascals).

Claim 12

The method of claim 7 comprising quenching said streams by directing a cooling fluid into contact with said streams.

Claim 13

The method of claim 7 comprising quenching said streams with fin shields.

Claim 14

The method of claim 10 in which the surface area ratio is within the range of from about 1.1 to about 5.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 in which the polar moment of inertia ratio is within the range of from about 1.1 to about 7.

Claim 16

The method of claim 13 in which the inertial balance of the mineral fibers is within the range of from about 1.1 to about 25.

Claim 21

The method of claim 16 in which the mod ratio of the mineral fibers is within the range of from about 1.2 to about 7.0.

Claim 30

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising an orificed bushing wall for discharging one or more streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said orificed bushing wall being positioned in a container for holding a body of molten mineral material and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, the orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25, and means for quenching said streams for form mineral fibers having a non-circular cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of said orifices.

Claim 31

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising an orificed bushing wall for discharging one or more streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said orificed bushing wall being positioned in a container for holding a body of molten mineral material and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, the orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25, and means for quenching said streams for form mineral fibers having a non-circular cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of said orifices.

Claim 32

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising a plurality of orifices positioned in a bushing wall for discharging one or more streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral materials, said orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25 and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form mineral fibers having a non-circular cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of said orifices.

Claim 33

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising a plurality of orifices positioned in a bushing wall for discharging one or more streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral materials, said orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25 and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form mineral fibers having a non-circular cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of said orifices.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 23 in which said means for quenching comprises fin shields.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 23 in which the mod ratio of the orifices is within the range of from about 1.7 to about 10.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 23 in which said orifices have a depth within the range of from about 0.001 in. (0.025 mm) to about 0.250 in. (6.4 mm).

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 23 in which said bushing further contains a plurality of substantially circular orifices for discharging streams of molten mineral material having substantially circular cross-sections.

Claim 38

The apparatus of claim 23 in which the surface area ratio of said orifices is within the range of from about 1.1 to about 16.

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 23 in which the polar moment of inertia ratio of the shape of the orifices is within the range of from about 1.1 to about 50.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 23 in which the inertial balance of the shape of the orifice is within the range of from about 1.1 to about 100.

Claim 41

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising a plurality of orifices positioned in a bushing wall for discharging one or more streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral material, said orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25 and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form mineral fibers having a non-circular cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of said orifices, where said means for quenching is sufficient to satisfy the equation Z≦2 where: Z=(x.sub.75 σ.sub.o /μ.sub.o r.sub.eo)*(1/v.sub.o)*1/(MR.sub.o -1) and where: x 75 is the distance from the bushing at 75 percent attenuation (cm); μ o is the initial viscosity (poise); r eo is the initial equivalent fiber radius (cm); σ o is the initial surface tension of the mineral material (dynes/cm); v o is the initial viscosity (cm/sec) through said orifices; and MR o is the initial mod ratio of said streams.

Claim 42

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising a plurality of orifices positioned in a bushing wall for discharging one or more streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral material, said orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25 and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form mineral fibers having a non-circular cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of said orifices, where said means for quenching is sufficient to satisfy the equation Z≦2 where: Z=(x.sub.75 σ.sub.o /μ.sub.o r.sub.eo)*(1/v.sub.o)*1/(MR.sub.o -1) and where: x 75 is the distance from the bushing at 75 percent attenuation (cm); μ o is the initial viscosity (poise); r eo is the initial equivalent fiber radius (cm); σ o is the initial surface tension of the mineral material (dynes/cm); v o is the initial viscosity (cm/sec) through said orifices; and MR o is the initial mod ratio of said streams.

Claim 43

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising an orificed tipless bushing wall for discharging streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral material, said orifices being tri-lobal and having a mod ratio within the range from about 1.7 to about 10 and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form mineral fibers having a non-circular cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of said orifices.

Claim 44

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising an orificed tipless bushing wall for discharging streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral material, said orifices being tri-lobal and having a mod ratio within the range from about 1.7 to about 10 and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form mineral fibers having a non-circular cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of said orifices.

Claim 45

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising a plurality of orifices positioned in a bushing wall for discharging streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral material, said orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25, said orifices being defined by orifice walls of substantially uniform height with respect to said bushing and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form non-circular mineral fibers.

Claim 46

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising a plurality of orifices positioned in a bushing wall for discharging streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral material, said orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25, said orifices being defined by orifice walls of substantially uniform height with respect to said bushing and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form non-circular mineral fibers.

Claim 47

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising a plurality of orifices positioned in a bushing wall for discharging streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral material, said orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25, said orifices being defined by orifice walls of substantially uniform temperature and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form non-circular mineral fibers.

Claim 48

Apparatus for making non-circular mineral fibers having a mod ratio greater than about 1.2 comprising a plurality of orifices positioned in a bushing wall for discharging streams of molten mineral material having a liquidus greater than about 1200° F. (649° C.), said bushing wall being positioned in a feeder containing molten mineral material, said orifices having a mod ratio within the range of from about 1.3 to about 25, said orifices being defined by orifice walls of substantially uniform temperature and the mineral material in said streams having a low enough initial viscosity that said streams would assume circular cross-sections in the absence of quenching, and means for quenching said streams to form non-circular mineral fibers.