Vertipass is the new system for the production of PIR insulation board containing rigid foam which features vertical injection of the foam prior to the compression phase in a conventional horizontal laminator
October 13, 2020
PIR insulation boards, primarily used in the construction sector, require an even distribution of foam between two paper surfaces, so its insulation performance remains unaffected.
Often, producing PIR insulation boards with traditional methods presents several problems concerning laydown and chemical distribution:
- in a multi-head pouring plant, foam sometimes presents irregularities during the polymerization phase, due to the jets overlapping
- chemical adhesion to the upper portion of the paper sheet is not optimal
To fix these problems, we designed and patented a new system featuring vertical foam injection prior to the compression phase inside a conventional horizontal laminator.
VertiPass, conceived for continuous production of flexible facing PIR insulation boards containing rigid foam, uses the upper and lower flexible facings to form a converging hopper where the liquid is poured into and transported by the movement of the two facings.
How it works
The adjustable thin gap between the dual-paper conveying systems is filled by the liquid which immediately distributes itself on the whole width, as large as the final panel. While the conveying systems rotate, the sandwich of paper – liquid PU – is delivered in a conventional continuous laminator. Here it is kept under pressure while the liquid reacts and expands.
In this way, the chemical has perfectly wetted the whole surface of both paper sheets, preventing irregularities derived from the presence of trapped air bubbles from forming, particularly of those near the top facing material.
Panel thickness can be changed simply by increasing the output of the high-pressure dosing unit and adapting the set and the speed of the conveyor.
VertiPass Advantages
- Excellent density distribution: this system allows even foam laydown over the panel’s entire width before it starts to cure
- Improved adhesion to the flexible facings materials: the liquid PU is in contact with both the paper sheets from the very beginning of the pour; the flexible facing materials are very well-wetted by the chemical, resulting in better bonding between the surfaces and less potential air bubbles
- Just one mixing head: because the PU is squeezed between the two paper sheets and thus distributed, only one mixing head is necessary, consequently improving mixing quality and process stability, and savings in terms of maintenance
