초록 ▼

Several versions of ceramic bushing/s consisting local heating element/s integrated in apparatus for manufacturing mineral/basalt fibers from natural basalt rocks have been designed based on alternatives to Pt/Pt-Rd bushings approach. The ceramic bushing/s having local heating element/s concept prom

Several versions of ceramic bushing/s consisting local heating element/s integrated in apparatus for manufacturing mineral/basalt fibers from natural basalt rocks have been designed based on alternatives to Pt/Pt-Rd bushings approach. The ceramic bushing/s having local heating element/s concept promotes minimization or complete replacement of platinum group metals from the process of continuous basalt fiber manufacturing. More specifically, the invention discloses ceramic bushing/s comprising in combination apparatus are designed for manufacturing continuous mineral (basalt) fibers from 7 to 20 micrometers (μm), and also the coarse fibers from 20 μm to 100 micrometers (μm) in amorphous structural state which exhibit flexible/ductile properties. The minimization or complete replacement of the precious Pt, Rd metals allows reduce the cost of basalt fiber therefore increase its compatibility in reinforced concrete/composite applications including Three Dimension Fiber Reinforced Concrete—3D FRC and many other applications. The currently available Pt-Rd orificed bushings are applied for basalt fiber industry greatly limit both the initial raw materials composition, and the efficiency of continuous basalt fiber production increasing their cost. The ceramic bushing/s consisting local heating elements are integrated in apparatus all together capable provide operations from natural basalt rock melting, homogenous basalt glass body preparation, basalt glass body supply to the bushings positioned beneath the bottom platform of the feeder's forehead.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for manufacturing from heat softenable material to form continuous fibers, comprising: (a) at least one melting chamber for heating the heat softenable material to facilitate flow of the heat softenable material;(b) at least one sloped valley oriented for providing melted rock turbul

1. An apparatus for manufacturing from heat softenable material to form continuous fibers, comprising: (a) at least one melting chamber for heating the heat softenable material to facilitate flow of the heat softenable material;(b) at least one sloped valley oriented for providing melted rock turbulence to the flow of the heat softenable material from the at least one melting chamber;(c) a platform in a position for receiving the heat softenable material from the at least one sloped valley;(d) a collector in a position to receive the flow of the heat softenable material from the platform;(e) a feeder in a position to receive the flow of the heat softenable material from the collector;(f) a ceramic bushing in a position to receive the flow of the heat softenable material from the feeder, the ceramic bushing comprising: an upper chamber,a lower chamber,an internal crucible in the upper chamber with a bottom of the internal crucible forming a lower boundary of the upper chamber and having orifices therein to allow the heat softenable material to flow therethrough, anda heater plate having a plurality of orifices therein to allow the heat softenable material to flow therethrough, the heater plate longitudinally extending across an entire horizontal area of the lower chamber between the bottom of the internal crucible and a discharge floor;(g) the discharge floor comprising one or more ceramic orificed plates attached to said bushing at a bottom of said bushing to receive the flow of the heat softenable material and forming a lower boundary of the lower chamber; and(h) a first heater in a position to heat the heat softenable material in the upper chamber of the bushing,wherein the heater plate is configured to maintain a temperature inside the lower chamber of the bushing in a range of 1450 C to 1550 C. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a top of said bushing extends an amount above a bottom of the feeder to prevent entrance to the ceramic bushing of contaminants. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, with the temperature inside the lower chamber for basalt rock, and the apparatus further comprising:at least two of the melting chambers;the at least one sloped valley comprising at least an upper sloped valley and a lower sloped valley for each of the melting chambers, with the upper sloped valley above and connecting to the lower sloped valley that connects to the collector to allow the material to flow from the upper sloped valley to the lower sloped valley to the collector,at least two of the feeders, with each of the at least two feeders in a respective position to receive the heat softenable material flowing from the collector, andfurther comprising a plurality of the ceramic bushings, with a respective one of the plurality of ceramic bushings for each of the at least two feeders in a position for receiving the heat softenable material from its respective feeder. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, with the temperature inside the lower chamber for basalt rock,the apparatus further comprising:at least two of the melting chambers;the at least one sloped valley comprising at least an upper sloped valley and a lower sloped valley for each of the melting chambers, upper sloped valley above and connecting to the lower sloped valley that connects to the collector to allow the material to flow from the upper sloped valley to the lower sloped valley to the collector;at least two of the feeders, with each of the at least two feeders in a respective position to receive the heat softenable material flowing from the collector; andfurther comprising a plurality of the ceramic bushings, with a respective one of the plurality of ceramic bushings for each of the at least two feeders in a position for receiving the heat softenable material from its respective feeder. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first heater comprises an external induction heater disposed around an outside of the upper chamber of the bushing. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one melting chamber comprises two melting chambers in a position opposite each other on a level higher than the platform, wherein an upper surface of the platform is located above a level of the heat softenable material on the collector to thereby allow turbulence of the heat softenable material on the collector. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one valley, the platform, front walls of the collector and the feeder comprise refractory material for basalt glass body action at a temperature over 1550 C.