Release of CFC-11 from disposal of polyurethane foam waste

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Peter; Jensen, M.H.

2001-01-01

The halocarbon CFC-11 has extensively been used as a blowing agent for polyurethane (PUR) insulation foams in home appliances and for residential and industrial construction. Release of CFCs is an important factor in the depletion of the ozone layer. For CFC-11 the future atmospheric concentrations...... will mainly depend on the continued release from PUR foams. Little is known about rates and time frames of the CFC release from foams especially after treatment and disposal of foam containing waste products. The CFC release is mainly controlled by slow diffusion out through the PUR. From the literature...... and by reevaluation of an old reported experiment, diffusion coefficients in the range of 0.05-1.7.10(-14) m(2) s(-1) were found reflecting differences in foam properties and experimental designs. Laboratory experiments studying the distribution of CFC in the foam and the short-term releases after shredding showed...

Transient Thermal Response of Lightweight Cementitious Composites Made with Polyurethane Foam Waste

Science.gov (United States)

Kismi, M.; Poullain, P.; Mounanga, P.

2012-07-01

The development of low-cost lightweight aggregate (LWA) mortars and concretes presents many advantages, especially in terms of lightness and thermal insulation performances of structures. Low-cost LWA mainly comes from the recovery of vegetal or plastic wastes. This article focuses on the characterization of the thermal conductivity of innovative lightweight cementitious composites made with fine particles of rigid polyurethane (PU) foam waste. Five mortars were prepared with various mass substitution rates of cement with PU-foam particles. Their thermal conductivity was measured with two transient methods: the heating-film method and the hot-disk method. The incorporation of PU-foam particles causes a reduction of up to 18 % of the mortar density, accompanied by a significant improvement of the thermal insulating performance. The effect of segregation on the thermal properties of LWA mortars due to the differences of density among the cementitious matrix, sand, and LWA has also been quantified. The application of the hot-disk method reveals a gradient of thermal conductivity along the thickness of the specimens, which could be explained by a non-uniform repartition of fine PU-foam particles and mineral aggregates within the mortars. The results show a spatial variation of the thermal conductivity of the LWA mortars, ranging from 9 % to 19 %. However, this variation remains close to or even lower than that observed on a normal weight aggregate mortar. Finally, a self-consistent approach is proposed to estimate the thermal conductivity of PU-foam cement-based composites.

Cryogenic Moisture Uptake in Foam Insulation for Space Launch Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Fesmire, James E.; ScholtensCoffman, Brekke E.; Sass, Jared P.; Williams, Martha K.; Smith, Trent M.; Meneghelli, Barrry J.

2008-01-01

Rigid polyurethane foams and rigid polyisocyanurate foams (spray-on foam insulation), like those flown on Shuttle, Delta IV, and will be flown on Ares-I and Ares-V, can gain an extraordinary amount of water when under cryogenic conditions for several hours. These foams, when exposed for eight hours to launch pad environments on one side and cryogenic temperature on the other, increase their weight from 35 to 80 percent depending on the duration of weathering or aging. This effect translates into several thousand pounds of additional weight for space vehicles at lift-off. A new cryogenic moisture uptake apparatus was designed to determine the amount of water/ice taken into the specimen under actual-use propellant loading conditions. This experimental study included the measurement of the amount of moisture uptake within different foam materials. Results of testing using both aged specimens and weathered specimens are presented. To better understand cryogenic foam insulation performance, cryogenic moisture testing is shown to be essential. The implications for future launch vehicle thermal protection system design and flight performance are discussed.

Foam/Aerogel Composite Materials for Thermal and Acoustic Insulation and Cryogen Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Martha K. (Inventor); Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Weiser, Erik S. (Inventor); Sass, Jared P. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

The invention involves composite materials containing a polymer foam and an aerogel. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability, good acoustic insulation, and excellent physical mechanical properties. The composite materials can be used, for instance, for heat and acoustic insulation on aircraft, spacecraft, and maritime ships in place of currently used foam panels and other foam products. The materials of the invention can also be used in building construction with their combination of light weight, strength, elasticity, ability to be formed into desired shapes, and superior thermal and acoustic insulation power. The materials have also been found to have utility for storage of cryogens. A cryogenic liquid or gas, such as N.sub.2 or H.sub.2, adsorbs to the surfaces in aerogel particles. Thus, another embodiment of the invention provides a storage vessel for a cryogen.

Green waste cooking oil-based rigid polyurethane foam

Science.gov (United States)

Enderus, N. F.; Tahir, S. M.

2017-11-01

Polyurethane is a versatile polymer traditionally prepared using petroleum-based raw material. Petroleum, however, is a non-renewable material and polyurethane produced was found to be non-biodegradable. In quest for a more environmentally friendly alternative, wastecooking oil, a highly abundant domestic waste with easily derivatized structure, is a viable candidate to replace petroleum. In this study,an investigation to determine physical and chemical properties of rigid polyurethane (PU) foam from waste cooking oil (WCO) was carried out. WCO was first adsorbed by using coconut husk activated carbon adsorbent prior to be used for polyol synthesis. The purified WCO was then used to synthesize polyol via transesterification reaction to yield alcohol groups in the WCO chains structure. Finally, the WCO-based polyol was used to prepare rigid PU foam. The optimum formulation for PU formation was found to be 90 polyol: 60 glycerol: 54 water: 40 diethanolamine: 23 diisocyanate. The rigid PU foam has density of 208.4 kg/m3 with maximum compressive strength and capability to receive load at 0.03 MPa and 0.09 kN, respectively. WCO-based PU can potentially be used to replace petroleum-based PU as house construction materials such as insulation panels.

Mechanical Characterization of Lightweight Foamed Concrete

OpenAIRE

Marcin Kozłowski; Marta Kadela

2018-01-01

Foamed concrete shows excellent physical characteristics such as low self weight, relatively high strength and superb thermal and acoustic insulation properties. It allows for minimal consumption of aggregate, and by replacement of a part of cement by fly ash, it contributes to the waste utilization principles. For many years, the application of foamed concrete has been limited to backfill of retaining walls, insulation of foundations and roof tiles sound insulation. However, during the last ...

Spray Foam Exterior Insulation with Stand-Off Furring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herk, Anastasia [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Baker, Richard [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Prahl, Duncan [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

2014-03-01

IBACOS, in collaboration with GreenHomes America, was contracted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to research exterior wall insulation solutions. This research investigated cost-effective deep energy retrofit (DER) solutions for improving the building shell exterior while achieving a cost-reduction goal, including reduced labor costs to reach a 50/50 split between material and labor. The strategies included exterior wall insulation plus energy upgrades as needed in the attic, mechanical and ventilation systems, and basement band joist, walls, and floors. The work can be integrated with other home improvements such as siding or window replacement. This strategy minimizes physical connections to existing wall studs, encapsulates existing siding materials (including lead paint) with spray foam, and creates a vented rain screen assembly to promote drying. GreenHomes America applied construction details created by IBACOS to a test home. 2x4 framing members were attached to the wall at band joists and top plates using 'L' clips, with spray foam insulating the wall after framing was installed. Windows were installed simultaneously with the framing, including extension jambs. The use of clips in specific areas provided the best strength potential, and 'picture framing' the spray foam held the 2x4s in place. Short-term testing was performed at this house, with monitoring equipment installed for long-term testing. Testing measurements will be provided in a later report, as well as utility impact (before and after), costs (labor and materials), construction time, standard specifications, and analysis for the exterior wall insulation strategy.

Spray Foam Exterior Insulation with Stand-Off Furring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herk, Anatasia [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Baker, Richard [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Prahl, Duncan [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

2014-03-01

IBACOS, in collaboration with GreenHomes America, was contracted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to research exterior wall insulation solutions. This research investigated cost-effective deep energy retrofit (DER) solutions for improving the building shell exterior while achieving a cost-reduction goal, including reduced labor costs to reach a 50/50 split between material and labor. The strategies included exterior wall insulation plus energy upgrades as needed in the attic, mechanical and ventilation systems, and basement band joist, walls, and floors. The work can be integrated with other home improvements such as siding or window replacement. This strategy minimizes physical connections to existing wall studs, encapsulates existing siding materials (including lead paint) with spray foam, and creates a vented rain screen assembly to promote drying. GreenHomes America applied construction details created by IBACOS to a test home. 2x4 framing members were attached to the wall at band joists and top plates using "L" clips, with spray foam insulating the wall after framing was installed. Windows were installed simultaneously with the framing, including extension jambs. The use of clips in specific areas provided the best strength potential, and "picture framing" the spray foam held the 2x4s in place. Short-term testing was performed at this house, with monitoring equipment installed for long-term testing. Testing measurements will be provided in a later report, as well as utility impact (before and after), costs (labor and materials), construction time, standard specifications, and analysis for the exterior wall insulation strategy.

CFC alternatives for thermal insulation foams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shankland, I.R. (Allied-Signal Inc., Buffalo, NY (US))

1990-03-01

Low density polymeric foam materials expanded with chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) blowing agents have found widespread use as highly efficient thermal insulation materials in the construction, refrigeration appliance and transportation industries. The advent of regulations which are reducing the production and consumption of the fully halogenated CFCs for environmental reasons has prompted the development of environmentally acceptable substitutes for the CFC blowing agents. This paper summarizes the physical properties and performance of the leading alternatives for CFC-11, which is used to expand rigid polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams, and the leading alternatives for CFC-12 which is used to expand extruded polystyrene board foam. Although the alternatives, HCFC-123 and HCFC-14lb for CFC-11 and HCFC142b and HCFC-124 for CFC-12, are not perfect matches from the performance viewpoint, they represent the optimum choice given the constraints on environmental acceptability, toxicity, flammability and performance. (author).

Thermally insulating and fire-retardant lightweight anisotropic foams based on nanocellulose and graphene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Wicklein, Bernd; Kocjan, Andraž; Salazar-Alvarez, German; Carosio, Federico; Camino, Giovanni; Antonietti, Markus; Bergström, Lennart

2015-03-01

High-performance thermally insulating materials from renewable resources are needed to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Traditional fossil-fuel-derived insulation materials such as expanded polystyrene and polyurethane have thermal conductivities that are too high for retrofitting or for building new, surface-efficient passive houses. Tailored materials such as aerogels and vacuum insulating panels are fragile and susceptible to perforation. Here, we show that freeze-casting suspensions of cellulose nanofibres, graphene oxide and sepiolite nanorods produces super-insulating, fire-retardant and strong anisotropic foams that perform better than traditional polymer-based insulating materials. The foams are ultralight, show excellent combustion resistance and exhibit a thermal conductivity of 15 mW m-1 K-1, which is about half that of expanded polystyrene. At 30 °C and 85% relative humidity, the foams retained more than half of their initial strength. Our results show that nanoscale engineering is a promising strategy for producing foams with excellent properties using cellulose and other renewable nanosized fibrous materials.

Thermal Conductivity of Foam Glass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob; Yue, Yuanzheng

Due to the increased focus on energy savings and waste recycling foam glass materials have gained increased attention. The production process of foam glass is a potential low-cost recycle option for challenging waste, e.g. CRT glass and industrial waste (fly ash and slags). Foam glass is used...... as thermal insulating material in building and chemical industry. The large volume of gas (porosity 90 – 95%) is the main reason of the low thermal conductivity of the foam glass. If gases with lower thermal conductivity compared to air are entrapped in the glass melt, the derived foam glass will contain...... only closed pores and its overall thermal conductivity will be much lower than that of the foam glass with open pores. In this work we have prepared foam glass using different types of recycled glasses and different kinds of foaming agents. This enabled the formation of foam glasses having gas cells...

IDENTIFICATION OF CFC AND HCFC SUBSTITUTES FOR BLOWING POLYURETHANE FOAM INSULATION PRODUCTS

Science.gov (United States)

The report gives results of a cooperative effort to identiry chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbon substitutes for blowing polyurethane foam insulation products. The substantial ongoing effort is identifying third-generation blowing agets for polyurethane foams to repla...

Detection and Characterization of Flaws in Sprayed on Foam Insulation with Pulsed Terahertz Frequency Electromagnetic Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Winfree, William P.; Madaras, Eric I.

2005-01-01

The detection and repair of flaws such as voids and delaminations in the sprayed on foam insulation of the external tank reduces the probability of foam debris during shuttle ascent. The low density of sprayed on foam insulation along with it other physical properties makes detection of flaws difficult with conventional techniques. An emerging technology that has application for quantitative evaluation of flaws in the foam is pulsed electromagnetic waves at terahertz frequencies. The short wavelengths of these terahertz pulses make them ideal for imaging flaws in the foam. This paper examines the application of terahertz pulses for flaw detection in foam characteristic of the foam insulation of the external tank. Of particular interest is the detection of voids and delaminations, encapsulated in the foam or at the interface between the foam and a metal backing. The technique is shown to be capable of imaging small voids and delaminations through as much as 20 cm of foam. Methods for reducing the temporal responses of the terahertz pulses to improve flaw detection and yield quantitative characterizations of the size and location of the flaws are discussed.

APPLICATION OF POLYURETHANE FOAM FOR IMPACT ABSORPTION AND THERMAL INSULATION FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS PACKAGINGS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A; Glenn Abramczyk, G; Paul Blanton, P; Steve Bellamy, S; William Daugherty, W; Sharon Williamson, S

2007-01-01

Polyurethane foam has been widely used as an impact absorbing and thermal insulating material for large radioactive materials packages, since the 1980's. With the adoption of the regulatory crush test requirement, for smaller packages, polyurethane foam has been adopted as a replacement for cane fiberboard, because of its ability to withstand the crush test. Polyurethane foam is an engineered material whose composition is much more closely controlled than that of cane fiberboard. In addition, the properties of the foam can be controlled by controlling the density of the foam. The conditions under which the foam is formed, whether confined or unconfined have an affect on foam properties. The study reported here reviewed the application of polyurethane foam in RAM packagings and compared property values reported in the literature with published property values and test results for foam specimens taken from a prototype 9977 packaging. The study confirmed that, polyurethane foam behaves in a predictable and consistent manner and fully satisfies the functional requirements for impact absorption and thermal insulation

Emission of volatiles from spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulated crawl spaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Havermans, J.B.G.A.

2014-01-01

The emission of (di)isocyantes, polyols and blowing agents from curing Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) was studied in a house having its crawl space recently insulated. Before insulation a blank measurement was made and he emission was followed up to 144 hours after the insolation application. The

Lightweight Hybrid Ablator Incorporating Aerogel-Filled Open-Cell Foam Structural Insulator, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — In previous work for NASA and DoD, Ultramet developed lightweight open-cell foam insulators composed of a carbon or ceramic structural foam skeleton filled with a...

Hybrid waste filler filled bio-polymer foam composites for sound absorbent materials

Science.gov (United States)

Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Azahari, M. Shafiq M.; Kormin, Shaharuddin; Soon, Leong Bong; Zaliran, M. Taufiq; Ahraz Sadrina M. F., L.

2017-09-01

Sound absorption materials are one of the major requirements in many industries with regards to the sound insulation developed should be efficient to reduce sound. This is also important to contribute in economically ways of producing sound absorbing materials which is cheaper and user friendly. Thus, in this research, the sound absorbent properties of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers of wood dust and waste tire rubber has been investigated. Waste cooking oil from crisp industries was converted into bio-monomer, filled with different proportion ratio of fillers and fabricated into bio-polymer foam composite. Two fabrication methods is applied which is the Close Mold Method (CMM) and Open Mold Method (OMM). A total of four bio-polymer foam composite samples were produce for each method used. The percentage of hybrid fillers; mixture of wood dust and waste tire rubber of 2.5 %, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% weight to weight ration with bio-monomer. The sound absorption of the bio-polymer foam composites samples were tested by using the impedance tube test according to the ASTM E-1050 and Scanning Electron Microscope to determine the morphology and porosity of the samples. The sound absorption coefficient (α) at different frequency range revealed that the polymer foam of 10.0 % hybrid fillers shows highest α of 0.963. The highest hybrid filler loading contributing to smallest pore sizes but highest interconnected pores. This also revealed that when highly porous material is exposed to incident sound waves, the air molecules at the surface of the material and within the pores of the material are forced to vibrate and loses some of their original energy. This is concluded that the suitability of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers to be used in acoustic application of automotive components such as dashboards, door panels, cushion and etc.

Thermal conductivity of spray-on foam insulations for aerospace applications

Science.gov (United States)

Barrios, Matt; Vanderlaan, Mark; Van Sciver, Steven

2012-06-01

A guarded-hot-plate apparatus [1] has been developed to measure the thermal conductivity of spray-on foam insulations (SOFI) at temperatures ranging from 30 K to 300 K. The foam tested in the present study is NCFI 24-124, a polyisocyanurate foam used on the External Tanks of the Space Shuttle. The foam was tested first in ambient pressure air, then evacuated and tested once more. These thermal conductivities were compared to the thermal conductivity taken from a sample immediately after being subjected to conditions similar to those experienced by the foam while on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. To mimic the conditions experienced on the launch pad, an apparatus was built to enclose one side of the foam sample in a warm, humid environment while the other side of the sample contacts a stainless steel surface held at 77 K. The thermal conductivity data obtained is also compared to data found in the literature.

Foam is a decon waste minimization tool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, K.D.; McGlynn, J.F.; Rankin, W.N.

1991-01-01

The use of foam in decontamination operations offers significant reductions in waste generation. Initial use has confirmed its effectiveness. Issues being resolved at Savannah River Site (SRS) include compatibility of foam generating solutions with decontamination solutions, waste disposal, and operational safety

Industrial waste utilization for foam concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, Gokul; Anand, K. B.

2018-02-01

Foam concrete is an emerging and useful construction material - basically a cement based slurry with at least 10% of mix volume as foam. The mix usually containing cement, filler (usually sand) and foam, have fresh densities ranging from 400kg/m3 to 1600kg/m3. One of the main drawbacks of foam concrete is the large consumption of fine sand as filler material. Usage of different solid industrial wastes as fillers in foam concrete can reduce the usage of fine river sand significantly and make the work economic and eco-friendly. This paper aims to investigate to what extent industrial wastes such as bottom ash and quarry dust can be utilized for making foam concrete. Foam generated using protein based agent was used for preparing and optimizing (fresh state properties). Investigation to find the influence of design density and air-void characteristics on the foam concrete strength shows higher strength for bottom ash mixes due to finer air void distribution. Setting characteristics of various mix compositions are also studied and adoption of Class C flyash as filler demonstrated capability of faster setting.

A novel highly porous ceramic foam with efficient thermal insulation and high temperature resistance properties fabricated by gel-casting process

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jiahong; Wang, Guixiang; Tang, Di; Qiu, Ya; Sun, Nali; Liu, Wenqiao

2018-01-01

The design of super thermal insulation and high-temperature resistant materials for high temperature furnaces is crucial due to the energy crisis and the huge wasting. Although it is told that numerous studies have been reported about various of thermal insulation materials prepared by different methods, the applications of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic foams fabricated through tert-butyl alcohol (TBA)-based gel-casting process in bulk thermal isolators were barely to seen. In this paper, highly porous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic foams were fabricated by a novel gel-casting method using tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) as solvent and pore-forming agent. Different raw material ratio, sintering temperature and soaking time were all investigated to achieve optimal thermal insulation and mechanical properties. We can conclude that porosity drops gradually while compressive strength increases significantly with the rising temperature from 1000-1500°C. With prolonged soaking time, there is no obvious change in porosity but compressive strength increases gradually. All specimens have uniformly distributed pores with average size of 0.5-2μm and show good structural stability at high temperature. The final obtained ceramic foams displayed an outstanding ultra-low thermal conductivity property with only 200.6 °C in cold surface while the hot side was 1000 °C (hold 60 min to keep thermal balance before testing) at the thickness of 10 mm.

Naturally cured foamed concrete with improved thermal insulation properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mashkin Nikolay

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The paper is dedicated to investigation on improvement of thermal insulation properties of non-autoclaved concrete by increasing aggregate stability of foamed concrete mixture. The study demonstrates influence of mineral admixtures on the foam stability index in the mortar mixture and on decrease of foamed concrete density and thermal conductivity. The effect of mineral admixtures on thermal conductivity properties of non-autoclaved concrete was assessed through different ways of their addition: to the foam and to the mortar mixture. The admixtures were milled up to the specific surface area of 300 and 600 m2/kg using an AГO-9 centrifugal attrition mill with continuous operation mode (Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk. Laboratory turbulent foam concrete mixer was used to prepare foamed concrete. Thermal conductivity coefficient was defined by a quick method using “ИTП-MГ 4 “Zond” thermal conductivity meter in accordance with the regulatory documents. The impact of modifiers on the foam structure stability was defined using the foam stability index for the mortar mixture. The research demonstrated the increase in stability of porous structure of non-autoclaved concrete when adding wollastonite and diopside. Improvement of thermal and physical properties was demonstrated, the decrease of thermal conductivity coefficient reaches 0.069 W/(m×°C

Spray-on foam insulations for launch vehicle cryogenic tanks

Science.gov (United States)

Fesmire, J. E.; Coffman, B. E.; Meneghelli, B. J.; Heckle, K. W.

2012-04-01

Spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) has been developed for use on the cryogenic tanks of space launch vehicles beginning in the 1960s with the Apollo program. The use of SOFI was further developed for the Space Shuttle program. The External Tank (ET) of the Space Shuttle, consisting of a forward liquid oxygen tank in line with an aft liquid hydrogen tank, requires thermal insulation over its outer surface to prevent ice formation and avoid in-flight damage to the ceramic tile thermal protection system on the adjacent Orbiter. The insulation also provides system control and stability throughout the lengthy process of cooldown, loading, and replenishing the tank. There are two main types of SOFI used on the ET: acreage (with the rind) and closeout (machined surface). The thermal performance of the seemingly simple SOFI system is a complex array of many variables starting with the large temperature difference of 200-260 K through the typical 25-mm thickness. Environmental factors include air temperature and humidity, wind speed, solar exposure, and aging or weathering history. Additional factors include manufacturing details, launch processing operations, and number of cryogenic thermal cycles. The study of the cryogenic thermal performance of SOFI under large temperature differentials is the subject of this article. The amount of moisture taken into the foam during the cold soak phase, termed Cryogenic Moisture Uptake, must also be considered. The heat leakage rates through these foams were measured under representative conditions using laboratory standard liquid nitrogen boiloff apparatus. Test articles included baseline, aged, and weathered specimens. Testing was performed over the entire pressure range from high vacuum to ambient pressure. Values for apparent thermal conductivity and heat flux were calculated and compared with prior data. As the prior data of record was obtained for small temperature differentials on non-weathered foams, analysis of the different

Spray-On Foam Insulations for Launch Vehicle Cryogenic Tanks

Science.gov (United States)

Fesmire, J. E.; Cofman, B. E.; Menghelli, B. J.; Heckle, K. W.

2011-01-01

Spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) has been developed for use on the cryogenic tanks of space launch vehicles beginning in the 1960s with the Apollo program. The use of SOFI was further developed for the Space Shuttle program. The External Tank (ET) of the Space Shuttle, consisting of a forward liquid oxygen tank in line with an aft liquid hydrogen tank, requires thermal insulation over its outer surface to prevent ice formation and avoid in-flight damage to the ceramic tile thermal protection system on the adjacent Orbiter. The insulation also provides system control and stability with throughout the lengthy process of cooldown, loading, and replenishing the tank. There are two main types of SOFI used on the ET: acreage (with the rind) and closeout (machined surface). The thermal performance of the seemingly simple SOFI system is a complex of many variables starting with the large temperature difference of from 200 to 260 K through the typical 25-mm thickness. Environmental factors include air temperature and humidity, wind speed, solar exposure, and aging or weathering history. Additional factors include manufacturing details, launch processing operations, and number of cryogenic thermal cycles. The study of the cryogenic thermal performance of SOFI under large temperature differentials is the subject of this article. The amount of moisture taken into the foam during the cold soak phase, termed Cryogenic Moisture Uptake, must also be considered. The heat leakage rates through these foams were measured under representative conditions using laboratory standard liquid nitrogen boiloff apparatus. Test articles included baseline, aged, and weathered specimens. Testing was performed over the entire pressure range from high vacuum to ambient pressure. Values for apparent thermal conductivity and heat flux were calculated and compared with prior data. As the prior data of record was obtained for small temperature differentials on non-weathered foams, analysis of the

Mechanical Characterization of Lightweight Foamed Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Kozłowski

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Foamed concrete shows excellent physical characteristics such as low self weight, relatively high strength and superb thermal and acoustic insulation properties. It allows for minimal consumption of aggregate, and by replacement of a part of cement by fly ash, it contributes to the waste utilization principles. For many years, the application of foamed concrete has been limited to backfill of retaining walls, insulation of foundations and roof tiles sound insulation. However, during the last few years, foamed concrete has become a promising material for structural purposes. A series of tests was carried out to examine mechanical properties of foamed concrete mixes without fly ash and with fly ash content. In addition, the influence of 25 cycles of freezing and thawing on the compressive strength was investigated. The apparent density of hardened foamed concrete is strongly correlated with the foam content in the mix. An increase of the density of foamed concrete results in a decrease of flexural strength. For the same densities, the compressive strength obtained for mixes containing fly ash is approximately 20% lower in comparison to the specimens without fly ash. Specimens subjected to 25 freeze-thaw cycles show approximately 15% lower compressive strengths compared to the untreated specimens.

Foaming and Antifoaming in Radioactive Waste Pretreatment and Immobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasan, Darsh T.

2002-01-01

Radioactive waste treatment processes usually involve concentration of radionuclides before waste can be immobilized by storing it in stable solid form. Foaming is observed at various stages of waste processing like sludge chemical processing and melter operations. Hence, the objective of this research was to study the mechanisms that produce foaming during nuclear waste treatment, to identify key parameters which aggravate foaming, and to identify effective ways to eliminate or mitigate foaming. Experimental and theoretical investigations of the surface phenomenon, suspension rheology, and bubble generation and interactions that lead to the formation of foam during waste processing were pursued under this EMSP project. Advanced experimental techniques including a novel capillary force balance in conjunction with the combined differential and common interferometry were developed to characterize particle-particle interactions at the foam lamella surfaces as well as inside the foam lamella. Laboratory tests were conducted using a non-radioactive simulant slurry containing high levels of noble metals and mercury similar to the High-Level Waste. We concluded that foaminess of the simulant sludge was due to the presence of colloidal particles such as aluminum, iron, and manganese. We have established the two major mechanisms of formation and stabilization of foams containing such colloidal particles: (1) structural and depletion forces; and (2) steric stabilization due to the adsorbed particles at the surfaces of the foam lamella. Based on this mechanistic understanding of foam generation and stability, an improved antifoam agent was developed by us, since commercial antifoam agents were found to be ineffective in the aggressive physical and chemical environment present in the sludge processing. The improved antifoamer was subsequently tested in a pilot plant at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and was found to be effective. Also, in the SRTC experiment, the irradiated

Viscous Control of the Foam Glass Process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob; Smedskjær, Morten Mattrup

The production of foam glass as heat insulating material is an important industrial process because it enables low-cost recycling of glass waste from a variety of chemical compositions. Optimization of the foaming process of new glass waste compositions is time consuming, since many factors affect...... the foaming process such as temperature, particle size, type and concentration of foaming agent. The foaming temperature is one of the key factors, because even small temperature changes can affect the melt viscosity by several orders of magnitude. Therefore, it is important to establish the viscosity range...... in which the foaming process should take place, particularly when the type of recycled cullet is changed or several types of cullet are mixed in one batch. According to recent glass literature, the foaming process should occur at viscosity 103 to 105 Pa s. However, no systematic studies have hitherto been...

Large-Scale Liquid Hydrogen Testing of Variable Density Multilayer Insulation with a Foam Substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, J. J.; Hastings, L.

2001-01-01

The multipurpose hydrogen test bed (MHTB), with an 18-cu m liquid hydrogen tank, was used to evaluate a combination foam/multilayer combination insulation (MLI) concept. The foam element (Isofoam SS-1171) insulates during ground hold/ascent flight, and allowed a dry nitrogen purge as opposed to the more complex/heavy helium purge subsystem normally required. The 45-layer MLI was designed for an on-orbit storage period of 45 days. Unique WI features include a variable layer density, larger but fewer double-aluminized Mylar perforations for ascent to orbit venting, and a commercially established roll-wrap installation process that reduced assembly man-hours and resulted in a roust, virtually seamless MLI. Insulation performance was measured during three test series. The spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) successfully prevented purge gas liquefaction within the MLI and resulted in the expected ground hold heat leak of 63 W/sq m. The orbit hold tests resulted in heat leaks of 0.085 and 0.22 W/sq m with warm boundary temperatures of 164 and 305 K, respectively. Compared to the best previously measured performance with a traditional MLI system, a 41-percent heat leak reduction with 25 fewer MLI layers was achieved. The MHTB MLI heat leak is half that calculated for a constant layer density MLI.

Investigation of foaming during nuclear defense-waste solidification by electric melting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blair, H.T.; Lukacs, J.M.

1980-12-01

To determine the cause of foaming, the physical and chemical composition of the glass formers that are added to the waste to produce a borosilicate melt were investigated. It was determined that the glass-forming frit was not the source of the foam-causing gases. Incomplete calcination of the waste, which results in residual hydrates, carbonates and nitrates, and the relatively high carbon and sulfate contents of the waste glass composition were also eliminated as possible sources of the foam. It was finally shown that the oxides of the multivalent ions of manganese and iron that are in the defense waste in high concentrations are the source of the foaming. Nickel oxide is also present in the waste and is suspected of contributing to the foaming. In investigating methods to reduce the foam, the focus was on the chemistry of the materials being processed rather than on the mechanical aspects of the processing equipment to avoid increasing the mechanical complexity of the melter operation. Reducing the waste loading in the host glass from 28 to 14 wt. % produced the most significant reduction in the foam. Of course this did not increase the rate at which waste can be processed. Adding carbonaceous additives or barium metaphosphate to the waste/frit mixture (batch) reduced the foaming somewhat. However, if too much reducing agent was added to the batch, iron-nickel alloys separated from the melt. Likewise, melting the batch in an inert or a reducing atmosphere reduced the foaming but produced a heterogeneous product. Finally, initial attempts to control foaming by adding reducing agents to the liquid waste and then spray-calcining it using an inert atomizing gas were not successful. The possibilities for liquid-waste treatment need to be investigated further

Rigid Polyurethane Foam Thermal Insulation Protected with Mineral Intumescent Mat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirpluks Mikelis

2014-12-01

Full Text Available One of the biggest disadvantages of rigid polyurethane (PU foams is its low thermal resistance, high flammability and high smoke production. Greatest advantage of this thermal insulation material is its low thermal conductivity (λ, which at 18-28 mW/(m•K is superior to other materials. To lower the flammability of PU foams, different flame retardants (FR are used. Usually, industrially viable are halogenated liquid FRs but recent trends in EU regulations show that they are not desirable any more. Main concern is toxicity of smoke and health hazard form volatiles in PU foam materials. Development of intumescent passive fire protection for foam materials would answer problems with flammability without using halogenated FRs. It is possible to add expandable graphite (EG into PU foam structure but this increases the thermal conductivity greatly. Thus, the main advantage of PU foam is lost. To decrease the flammability of PU foams, three different contents 3%; 9% and 15% of EG were added to PU foam formulation. Sample with 15% of EG increased λ of PU foam from 24.0 to 30.0 mW/(m•K. This paper describes the study where PU foam developed from renewable resources is protected with thermally expandable intumescent mat from Technical Fibre Products Ltd. (TFP as an alternative to EG added into PU material. TFP produces range of mineral fibre mats with EG that produce passive fire barrier. Two type mats were used to develop sandwich-type PU foams. Also, synergy effect of non-halogenated FR, dimethyl propyl phosphate and EG was studied. Flammability of developed materials was assessed using Cone Calorimeter equipment. Density, thermal conductivity, compression strength and modulus of elasticity were tested for developed PU foams. PU foam morphology was assessed from scanning electron microscopy images.

Application of Spray Foam Insulation Under Plywood and Oriented Strand Board Roof Sheathing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grin, A. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Smegal, J. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Lstiburek, J. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2013-10-01

Unvented roof strategies with open cell and closed cell spray polyurethane foam insulation sprayed to the underside of roof sheathing have been used since the mid-1990's to provide durable and efficient building enclosures. However, there have been isolated moisture related incidents reported anecdotally that raise potential concerns about the overall hygrothermal performance of these systems. This project involved hygrothermal modeling of a range of rainwater leakage and field evaluations of in-service residential roofs using spray foam insulation. All of the roof assemblies modeled exhibited drying capacity to handle minor rainwater leakage. All field evaluation locations of in-service residential roofs had moisture contents well within the safe range for wood-based sheathing. Explorations of eleven in-service roof systems were completed. The exploration involved taking a sample of spray foam from the underside of the roof sheathing, exposing the sheathing, then taking a moisture content reading. All locations had moisture contents well within the safe range for wood-based sheathing. One full-roof failure was reviewed, as an industry partner was involved with replacing structurally failed roof sheathing. In this case the manufacturer's investigation report concluded that the spray foam was installed on wet OSB based on the observation that the spray foam did not adhere well to the substrate and the pore structure of the closed cell spray foam at the ccSPF/OSB interface was indicative of a wet substrate.

Polyimide-Foam/Aerogel Composites for Thermal Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Martha; Fesmire, James; Sass, Jared; Smith, Trent; Weoser. Erol

2009-01-01

Composites of specific types of polymer foams and aerogel particles or blankets have been proposed to obtain thermal insulation performance superior to those of the neat polyimide foams. These composites have potential to also provide enhanced properties for vibration dampening or acoustic attenuation. The specific type of polymer foam is denoted "TEEK-H", signifying a series, denoted H, within a family of polyimide foams that were developed at NASA s Langley Research Center and are collectively denoted TEEK (an acronym of the inventors names). The specific types of aerogels include Nanogel aerogel particles from Cabot Corporation in Billerica, MA. and of Spaceloft aerogel blanket from Aspen Aerogels in Northborough, MA. The composites are inherently flame-retardant and exceptionally thermally stable. There are numerous potential uses for these composites, at temperatures from cryogenic to high temperatures, in diverse applications that include aerospace vehicles, aircraft, ocean vessels, buildings, and industrial process equipment. Some low-temperature applications, for example, include cryogenic storage and transfer or the transport of foods, medicines, and chemicals. Because of thermal cycling, aging, and weathering most polymer foams do not perform well at cryogenic temperatures and will undergo further cracking over time. The TEEK polyimides are among the few exceptions to this pattern, and the proposed composites are intended to have all the desirable properties of TEEK-H foams, plus improved thermal performance along with enhanced vibration or acoustic-attenuation performance. A composite panel as proposed would be fabricated by adding an appropriate amount of TEEK friable balloons into a mold to form a bottom layer. A piece of flexible aerogel blanket material, cut to the desired size and shape, would then be placed on the bottom TEEK layer and sandwiched between another top layer of polyimide friable balloons so that the aerogel blanket would become

Design of foam-buffered high gain target with Fokker-Planck implosion simulation for thermal insulation and imprint mitigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeda, T.; Mima, K.; Norimatsu, T.; Nagatomo, H.; Nishiguchi, A.

2003-01-01

It is proposed that a thick foam layer on a plastic capsule of fusion pellet is effective not only for reducing the initial imprint, but also for solving the melting problem of cryogenic deuterium-tritium layer, in a reactor chamber. Investigated are the dependences of gain, thermal insulation for preventing the melting, and imprint mitigation of a foam-buffered target on the foam layer thickness. The imprint mitigation, the Rayleigh-Taylor growth factor and the fusion gain of a foam-buffered target are evaluated by the hydrodynamic implosion code HIMICO [A. Nishiguchi et al., Phys. Fluids B 4, 417 (1992)], which includes a Fokker-Planck transport code. As the result, it is found that high gain can be achieved by the foam-buffered target together with thermal insulation and imprint mitigation

Polyester Apparel Cutting Waste as Insulation Material

OpenAIRE

Trajković, Dušan; Jordeva, Sonja; Tomovska, Elena; Zafirova, Koleta

2017-01-01

Polyester waste is the dominant component of the clothing industry waste stream, yet its recycling in this industry is rarely addressed. This paper proposes using polyester cutting waste as an insulation blanket for roofing and buildings’ internal walls in order to reduce environmental pollution. The designed textile structures used waste cuttings from different polyester fabrics without opening the fabric to fibre. Thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, fire resistance and biodegradation o...

Design and development of polyphenylene oxide foam as a reusable internal insulation for LH2 tanks

Science.gov (United States)

1975-01-01

Material specification and fabrication process procedures for foam production are presented. The properties of mechanical strength, modulus of elasticity, density and thermal conductivity were measured and related to foam quality. Properties unique to the foam such as a gas layer insulation, density gradient parallel to the fiber direction, and gas flow conductance in both directions were correlated with foam quality. Inspection and quality control tests procedures are outlined and photographs of test equipment and test specimens are shown.

Properties of concrete containing foamed concrete block waste as fine aggregate replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Muthusamy, K.; Budiea, A. M. A.; Zaidan, A. L. F.; Rasid, M. H.; Hazimmah, D. S.

2017-11-01

Environmental degradation due to excessive sand mining dumping at certain places and disposal of foamed concrete block waste from lightweight concrete producing industry are issues that should be resolved for a better and cleaner environment of the community. Thus, the main intention of this study is to investigate the potential of foamed concrete block waste as partial sand replacement in concrete production. The foamed concrete waste (FCW) used in this research that were supplied by a local lightweight concrete producing industry. The workability and compressive strength of concrete containing various percentage of foamed concrete waste as partial sand replacement has been investigated. Prior to the use, the foamed concrete waste were crushed to produce finer particles. Six concrete mixes containing various content of crushed foamed concrete waste that are 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% were used in this experimental work. Then the prepared specimens were placed in water curing until the testing age. Compressive strength test and flexural strength tests were conducted at 7, 14 and 28 days. The result shows that integration of crushed foamed concrete waste as partial sand replacement in concrete reduces the mix workability. It is interesting to note that both compressive strength and flexural strength of concrete improves when 30% crushed foamed concrete waste is added as partial sand replacement.

Enhancement in insulation and mechanical properties of PMMA nanocomposite foams infused with multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Jui-Ming; Chang, Kung-Chin; Peng, Chih-Wei; Lai, Mei-Chun; Hwang, Shyh-Shin; Lin, Hong-Ru; Liou, Shir-Joe

2011-08-01

In this study, PMMA/CNTs composite materials with carboxyl-multi walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWNTs) or untreated MWNTs were prepared via in-situ bulk polymerization. The as-prepared PMMA/CNTs composite materials were then characterized by Fourier-Transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The molecular weights of PMMA extracted from PMMA/CNTs composite materials and bulk PMMA were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with THF used as the eluant. The PMMA/CNTs composite materials were used to produce foams by a batch process in an autoclave using nitrogen as foaming agent. The cellular microstructure, insulation and compressive mechanical properties of PMMA/CNTs composite foams were also investigated in detail. Compared to neat PMMA foam, the presence of CNTs increases in cell density and reduces cell size. The insulation and compressive mechanical properties of PMMA/CNTs composite foams were found to improve substantially those of neat PMMA foam. In particular, 22.6% decrease in thermal conductivity, 19.7% decrease in dielectric constant and 160% increase in compressive modulus were observed with the addition of 0.3 wt% carboxyl-multi walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWNTs).

Foam nests provide context-dependent thermal insulation to embryos of three leptodactylid frogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Méndez-Narváez, J; Flechas, S V; Amézquita, A

2015-01-01

The choice of adequate breeding habitat and its associated thermoregulatory conditions are thought to be important in the evolution of amphibian reproductive strategies. Among leptodactylid frogs, there is a terrestrial cline in the oviposition sites chosen to build foam nests for eggs. Although several functions have been attributed to foam nests, their role in temperature regulation for embryos is unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that foam nests buffer embryos from variation in air temperature. We examined the degree of terrestrial nest sites in three species, finding a terrestrial cline of sites in terms of distance from water. We tested whether this nest-insulation effect varied among these species that differ in the degree of terrestrial nest sites and whether translocating nests impacted embryonic mortality. Our results demonstrate a negative effect of translocating aquatic nests to land, inferred from the highest hatching success in natural nests sites. All nests attenuated environmental thermal variation, but more terrestrial nests buffered embryos from a greater range of temperatures than did aquatic ones. Altogether, our data indicate that foam nests insulate embryos from daily temperature fluctuations among leptodactylid frogs with different degrees of terrestrial nests, which may well have contributed to the evolution of this reproductive strategy.

Production of lightweight foam glass (invited talk)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob; Yue, Yuanzheng

The foam glass production allows low cost recycling of postconsumer glass and industrial waste materials as foaming agent or as melt resource. Foam glass is commonly produced by utilising milled glass mixed with a foaming agent. The powder mixture is heat-treated to around 10^3.7 – 10^6 Pa s, which...... result in viscous sintering and subsequent foaming of the glass melt. The porous glass melt is cooled down to room temperature to freeze-in the foam structure. The resulting foam glass is applied in constructions as a light weight material to reduce load bearing capacity and as heat insulating material...... in buildings and industry. We foam panel glass from old televisions with different foaming agents. We discuss the foaming ability and the foaming mechanism of different foaming systems. We compare several studies to define a viscous window for preparing low density foam glass. However, preparing foam glass...

49 CFR 178.358 - Specification 21PF fire and shock resistant, phenolic-foam insulated, metal overpack.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Specification 21PF fire and shock resistant, phenolic-foam insulated, metal overpack. 178.358 Section 178.358 Transportation Other Regulations Relating... Class 7 (Radioactive) Materials § 178.358 Specification 21PF fire and shock resistant, phenolic-foam...

Potential of Hollow Glass Microsphere as Cement Replacement for Lightweight Foam Concrete on Thermal Insulation Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahidan Shahiron

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Global warming can be defined as a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere. A lot of research work has been carried out to reduce that heat inside the residence such as the used of low density products which can reduce the self-weight, foundation size and construction costs. Foamed concrete it possesses high flow ability, low self-weight, minimal consumption of aggregate, controlled low strength and excellent thermal insulation properties. This study investigate the characteristics of lightweight foamed concrete where Portland cement (OPC was replaced by hollow glass microsphere (HGMs at 0%, 3%, 6%, 9% by weight. The density of wet concrete is 1000 kg/m3 were tested with a ratio of 0.55 for all water binder mixture. Lightweight foamed concrete hollow glass microsphere (HGMs produced were cured by air curing and water curing in tank for 7, 14 and 28 days. A total of 52 concrete cubes of size 100mm × 100mm × 100mm and 215mm × 102.5mm × 65mm were produced. Furthermore, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM and X-ray fluorescence (XRF were carried out to study the chemical composition and physical properties of crystalline materials in hollow glass microspheres. The experiments involved in this study are compression strength, water absorption test, density and thermal insulation test. The results show that the compressive strength of foamed concrete has reached the highest in 3% of hollow glass microsphere with less water absorption and less of thermal insulation. As a conclusion, the quantity of hollow glass microsphere plays an important role in determining the strength and water absorption and also thermal insulation in foamed concrete and 3% hollow glass microspheres as a replacement for Portland cement (OPC showed an optimum value in this study as it presents a significant effect than other percentage.

Recovery Act. Advanced Building Insulation by the CO₂ Foaming Process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Arthur [Industrial Science and Technology Network, Inc., Lancaster, PA (United States)

2013-12-30

In this project, ISTN proposed to develop a new "3rd" generation of insulation technology. The focus was a cost-effective foaming process that could be used to manufacture XPS and other extruded polymer foams using environmentally clean blowing agents, and ultimately achieve higher R-values than existing products while maintaining the same level of cost-efficiency. In the U.S., state-of-the-art products are primarily manufactured by two companies: Dow and Owens Corning. These products (i.e., STYROFOAM and FOAMULAR) have a starting thermal resistance of R-5.0/inch, which declines over the life of the product as the HFC blowing agents essential to high R-value exchange with air in the environment. In the existing technologies, the substitution of CO2 for HFCs as the primary foaming agent results in a much lower starting R-value, as evidenced in CO2-foamed varieties of XPS in Europe with R-4.2/inch insulation value. The major overarching achievement from this project was ISTN's development of a new process that uses CO2 as a clean blowing agent to achieve up to R-5.2/inch at the manufacturing scale, with a production cost on a per unit basis that is less than the cost of Dow and Owens Corning XPS products.

Destruction behavior of hexabromocyclododecanes during incineration of solid waste containing expanded and extruded polystyrene insulation foams.

Science.gov (United States)

Takigami, Hidetaka; Watanabe, Mafumi; Kajiwara, Natsuko

2014-12-01

Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) have been used for flame retardation mainly in expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation foams. Controlled incineration experiments with solid wastes containing each of EPS and XPS were conducted using a pilot-scale incinerator to investigate the destruction behavior of HBCDs and their influence on the formation of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/DFs). EPS and XPS materials were respectively blended with refuse derived fuel (RDF) as input wastes for incineration. Concentrations of HBCDs contained in the EPS- and XPS-added RDFs, were 140 and 1100 mg kg(-1), respectively. In which γ-HBCD was dominant (68% of the total HBCD content) in EPS-added RDF and α-HBCD accounted for 73% of the total HBCDs in XPS-added RDF. During the incineration experiments with EPS and XPS, primary and secondary combustion zones were maintained at temperatures of 840 °C and 900 °C. The residence times of waste in the primary combustion zone and flue gas in the secondary combustion zone was 30 min and three seconds, respectively. HBCDs were steadily degraded in the combustion chambers and α-, β-, and γ-HBCD behaved similarly. Concentration levels of the total HBCDs in the bag filter exit gas for the two experiments with EPS and XPS were 0.7 and 0.6ngmN(-3), respectively. HBCDs were also not detected (incineration process with destruction efficiencies of more than 99.9999 for both of EPS and XPS cases. For PBDD/DFs, the levels detected in the bottom and fly ash samples were very low (0.028 ng g(-1) at maximum). In the case of XPS-added experiment, 2,3,7,8-TeBDD and 2,3,7,8-TeBDF were determined in the flue gas at levels (0.05-0.07 ng mN(-3)) slightly over the detection limits in the environmental emission gas samples, suggesting HBCDs in XPS are possibly a precursor of detected PBDD/DFs. Operational care should be taken when the ratio of HBCD-containing polystyrene is increased in the input wastes just

Foaming and Antifoaming in Radioactive Waste Pretreatment and Immobilization Processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasan, Darsh T.; Nikolov, Alex D.; Lamber, D.P.; Calloway, T. Bond; Stone, M.E.

2005-01-01

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has reported severe foaminess in the bench scale evaporation of the Hanford River Protection - Waste Treatment Plant (RPP-WPT) envelope C waste. Excessive foaming in waste evaporators can cause carryover of radionuclides and non-radioactive waste to the condensate system. The antifoams used at Hanford and tested by SRNL are believed to degrade and become inactive in high pH solutions. Hanford wastes have been known to foam during evaporation causing excessive down time and processing delays

Development of test systems for characterizing emissions from spray polyurethane foam insulation (SPFI)

Science.gov (United States)

The relationship between onsite manufacture of spray polyurethane foam insulation (SPFI) and potential exposures to diisocyanates, amines, flame retardants (FRs), blowing agents, aldehydes and other organic compounds that may be emitted from SPFI is not well understood. EPA is de...

Foaming Glass Using High Pressure Sintering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Martin Bonderup; Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob

Foam glass is a high added value product which contributes to waste recycling and energy efficiency through heat insulation. The foaming can be initiated by a chemical or physical process. Chemical foaming with aid of a foaming agent is the dominant industrial process. Physical foaming has two...... to expand. After heat-treatment foam glass can be obtained with porosities of 80–90 %. In this study we conduct physical foaming of cathode ray tube (CRT) panel glass by sintering under high pressure (5-25 MPa) using helium, nitrogen, or argon at 640 °C (~108 Pa s). Reheating a sample in a heating...... variations. One way is by saturation of glass melts with gas. The other involves sintering of powdered glass under a high gas pressure resulting in glass pellets with high pressure bubbles entrapped. Reheating the glass pellets above the glass transition temperature under ambient pressure allows the bubbles...

Fracture Toughness Evaluation of Space Shuttle External Tank Thermal Protection System Polyurethane Foam Insulation Materials

Science.gov (United States)

McGill, Preston; Wells, Doug; Morgan, Kristin

2006-01-01

Experimental evaluation of the basic fracture properties of Thermal Protection System (TPS) polyurethane foam insulation materials was conducted to validate the methodology used in estimating critical defect sizes in TPS applications on the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank. The polyurethane foam found on the External Tank (ET) is manufactured by mixing liquid constituents and allowing them to react and expand upwards - a process which creates component cells that are generally elongated in the foam rise direction and gives rise to mechanical anisotropy. Similarly, the application of successive foam layers to the ET produces cohesive foam interfaces (knitlines) which may lead to local variations in mechanical properties. This study reports the fracture toughness of BX-265, NCFI 24-124, and PDL-1034 closed-cell polyurethane foam as a function of ambient and cryogenic temperatures and knitline/cellular orientation at ambient pressure.

Management of C&D waste from generation to final sink - do we forget the volatile harmful substances?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Peter

extremely slowly during use. Therefore, the insulation material will still contain large quantities of CFC when the buildings reach the endof-life and are demolished. The management of C&D waste in relation to controlling the CFC releases is basically unregulated in contrast to end-of-life refrigerators...... activities and obtaining CFC destruction either through foam waste incineration or by controlled microbial processes in landfills receiving the foam waste. There are still a lot of unknown processes and factors that need to be investigated before cost-efficient strategies and technologies are finally......Large quantities of construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) are produced. Buildings in many countries are thermally insulated by insulation foam containing large amounts of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), which are both strong ozone depleting substances and greenhouse gases. The CFCs are released...

Separation of cobalt from synthetic intermediate and decontamination radioactive wastes using polyurethane foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, S.V.S.; Lal, K.B.; Narasimhan, S.V.; Ahmed, J.

1997-01-01

Studies have been carried out on the removal of radioactive cobalt ( 60 Co) from synthetic intermediate level waste (ILW) and decontamination waste using neat polyurethane (PU) foam as well as n-tributyl phosphate-polyurethane (TBP-PU) foam. The radioactive cobalt has been extracted on the PU foam as cobalt thiocyanate from the ILW. Maximum removal of cobalt has been observed when the concentration of thiocyanate in the solution is about 0.4 M. Cobalt can be separated from decontamination waste containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and iron(II). The extent of extraction of cobalt is slow and the separation of iron and cobalt is better with the neat PU foam compared to the TBP-PU foam. The presence of iron in the decontamination waste facilitates the extraction of cobalt thiocyanate on the PU foam. Column studies have been carried out in order to extend these studies to the plant scale. The capacities of the PU foams for cobalt have been determined. The effect of density and the surface area of PU foam have been investigated. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectral studies have been conducted to find out the interaction between PU foam and cobalt thiocyanate species

USE OF LOCAL NATURAL SILICEOUS RAW MATERIAL AND WASTES FOR PRODUCTION OF HEAT-INSULATING FOAMCONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. U. Matsapulin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the resource base, reserves and the use of siliceous rocks, their economic feasibility of the use for production of building materials of new generation with low-energy and other costs. Presented are the results of laboratory research and testing technology of production of insulating foam from a composition based on an aqueous solution of sodium silicate obtained from the local siliceous rocks (diatomite and the liquid alkali component - soapstock, hardener from ferrochrome slag and waste carbonate rock able to harden at a low temperature processing ( 100-110 ° C.

Polymer-Reinforced, Non-Brittle, Lightweight Cryogenic Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, David M.

2013-01-01

The primary application for cryogenic insulating foams will be fuel tank applications for fueling systems. It is crucial for this insulation to be incorporated into systems that survive vacuum and terrestrial environments. It is hypothesized that by forming an open-cell silica-reinforced polymer structure, the foam structures will exhibit the necessary strength to maintain shape. This will, in turn, maintain the insulating capabilities of the foam insulation. Besides mechanical stability in the form of crush resistance, it is important for these insulating materials to exhibit water penetration resistance. Hydrocarbon-terminated foam surfaces were implemented to impart hydrophobic functionality that apparently limits moisture penetration through the foam. During the freezing process, water accumulates on the surfaces of the foams. However, when hydrocarbon-terminated surfaces are present, water apparently beads and forms crystals, leading to less apparent accumulation. The object of this work is to develop inexpensive structural cryogenic insulation foam that has increased impact resistance for launch and ground-based cryogenic systems. Two parallel approaches will be pursued: a silica-polymer co-foaming technique and a post foam coating technique. Insulation characteristics, flexibility, and water uptake can be fine-tuned through the manipulation of the polyurethane foam scaffold. Silicate coatings for polyurethane foams and aerogel-impregnated polyurethane foams have been developed and tested. A highly porous aerogel-like material may be fabricated using a co-foam and coated foam techniques, and can insulate at liquid temperatures using the composite foam

Methodology for characterization of corrosive agents of thermal insulating foams; Desenvolvimento de metodologia para caracterizacao de agentes corrosivos de espumas de isolamento termico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sousa, Flavio V. Vasques de [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia. Fundacao Coordenacao de Projetos, Pesquisas e Estudos Tecnologicos - COPPETEC; Mattos, Oscar R.; Mota, Rafael O. da [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia. Programa de Engenharia Metalurgica e de Materiais; Margarit-Mattos, Isabel C.P. [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Escola de Quimica. Dept. de Processos Organicos; Quintela, Joaquim P. [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Vieira, Magda M. [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas

2005-07-01

Warming up oil and derivatives is a required procedure to make their transportation more efficient due to the increase in fluidity. Therefore, the use of thermally insulated pipeline becomes essential. The commonly practice has been the use of pipelines covered with an optional anticorrosive coating, followed by a polyurethane foam layer, as thermal insulator, and a polyethylene top coating for mechanical protection. During the life time of the pipeline, local ruptures of the polyethylene coating frequently occur, allowing the water permeation throughout the thermal insulator. This water may cause foam leaching that would release corrosive agents on the external wall pipe. The objective of the present work was to investigate the effects of the blowing agents, the addition of flame retardant to the foam as well as operating temperatures on the generation of corrosive solutions on the external wall of thermally insulated pipes. In this sense, polyurethane foams expanded with HCFC-141b, CFC-11 and CO{sub 2}, with and without flame retardant, were evaluated at the temperatures of 80 and 120 deg C. (author)

Plastic Materials for Insulating Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, S. F.; Grossman, S. J.

1987-01-01

Discusses the production and use of polymer materials as thermal insulators. Lists several materials that provide varying degrees of insulation. Describes the production of polymer foam and focuses on the major applications of polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, and polyisocyanurate foam. (TW)

Polyurethane Foams for Thermal Insulation Uses Produced from Castor Oil and Crude Glycerol Biopolyols.

Science.gov (United States)

Carriço, Camila S; Fraga, Thaís; Carvalho, Vagner E; Pasa, Vânya M D

2017-07-02

Rigid polyurethane foams were synthesized using a renewable polyol from the simple physical mixture of castor oil and crude glycerol. The effect of the catalyst (DBTDL) content and blowing agents in the foams' properties were evaluated. The use of physical blowing agents (cyclopentane and n-pentane) allowed foams with smaller cells to be obtained in comparison with the foams produced with a chemical blowing agent (water). The increase of the water content caused a decrease in density, thermal conductivity, compressive strength, and Young's modulus, which indicates that the increment of CO₂ production contributes to the formation of larger cells. Higher amounts of catalyst in the foam formulations caused a slight density decrease and a small increase of thermal conductivity, compressive strength, and Young's modulus values. These green foams presented properties that indicate a great potential to be used as thermal insulation: density (23-41 kg·m -3 ), thermal conductivity (0.0128-0.0207 W·m -1 ·K -1 ), compressive strength (45-188 kPa), and Young's modulus (3-28 kPa). These biofoams are also environmentally friendly polymers and can aggregate revenue to the biodiesel industry, contributing to a reduction in fuel prices.

Redox reaction and foaming in nuclear waste glass melting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryan, J.L.

1995-08-01

This document was prepared by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) and is an attempt to analyze and estimate the effects of feed composition variables and reducing agent variables on the expected chemistry of reactions occurring in the cold cap and in the glass melt in the nuclear waste glass Slurry-fed, joule-heated melters as they might affect foaming during the glass-making process. Numerous redox reactions of waste glass components and potential feed additives, and the effects of other feed variables on these reactions are reviewed with regard to their potential effect on glass foaming. A major emphasis of this report is to examine the potential positive or negative aspects of adjusting feed with formic acid as opposed to other feed modification techniques including but not limited to use of other reducing agents. Feed modification techniques other than the use of reductants that should influence foaming behavior include control of glass melter feed pH through use of nitric acid. They also include partial replacement of sodium salts by lithium salts. This latter action (b) apparently lowers glass viscosity and raises surface tension. This replacement should decrease foaming by decreasing foam stability.

Thermal insulating materials consisting of polyurethane rigid foam. Production - application - properties. 2. ed.; Waermedaemmstoffe aus Polyurethan-Hartschaum. Herstellung - Anwendung - Eigenschaften

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endres, Edmund; Kleser, Joachim

2008-02-15

Using rigid polyurethane (PU) / polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam as a thermal insulation material enables a conservation of resources and energy conservation. Environmentally harmful emissions significantly are reduced. Under this aspect, the authors of the contribution report on the production, application, technical and physical properties of rigid polyurethane foams. Sustainable construction with rigid polyurethane foam, quality assurance and product certification are further topics of this paper.

Sustainable management of C&D waste - reducing the source to ozone depletion and global warming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Peter

2016-01-01

Large quantities of construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) are produced. Buildings in many countries are thermally insulated by insulation foam containing large amounts of fluorocarbons (chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) or hydrofluoro-carbons (HCFCs), which are ...

Physical Characteristics and Technology of Glass Foam from Waste Cathode Ray Tube Glass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Mucsi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the laboratory investigation of cathode-ray-tube- (CRT- glass-based glass foam, the so-called “Geofil-Bubbles” which can be applied in many fields, mainly in the construction industry (lightweight concrete aggregate, thermal and sound insulation, etc.. In this study, the main process engineering material properties of raw materials, such as particle size distribution, moisture content, density, and specific surface area, are shown. Then, the preparation of raw cathode ray tube glass waste is presented including the following steps: crushing, grinding, mixing, heat curing, coating, and sintering. Experiments were carried out to optimize process circumstances. Effects of sintering conditions—such as temperature, residence time, and particle size fraction of green pellet—on the mechanical stability and particle density of glass foam particles were investigated. The mechanical stability (abrasion resistance was tested by abrasion test in a Deval drum. Furthermore, the cell structure was examined with optical microscopy and SEM. We found that it was possible to produce foam glass (with proper mechanical stability and particle density from CRT glass. The material characteristics of the final product strongly depend on the sintering conditions. Optimum conditions were determined: particle size fraction was found to be 4–6 mm, temperature 800°C, and residence time 7.5 min.

Application Waste Sawdust as Mixed Polyurethane Insulation in Traditional Cold Storage of Fishing Vessel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sutopo Purwono Fitri

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In the process of fishing it takes some supplies such as fishing equipment, instrumentation and storage of fish. The traditional fishermen of their fishing days fishing usually only bring ice cubes. Solid plastic polyurethane foam is a mixture solution of polyols and isocyanates, commonly used as an insulating material storage. From the observation waste generated being sawmill sawdust per spindle with diameter of 30 cm and a length of 1 m with 5 times sawmill, Saws 0.8 cm thick produced 0.0088 m³ / burnable logs only discarded. Therefore takes thermal conductivity test to review mixture of sawdust and polyurethane comparison with variations different dosing. Maximum disposals sawdust can be done is 40% of the total volume of material mixture, polyurethane and sawdust because composite material (sawdust-polyurethane can not be bond with good so easy slab separately from origin form. Thermal Conductivity insulating good and economical on disposals 40% wood flour (0.05252 W / m°C and is able to maintain a 2 kg of ice crystals melt up perfect on 34 hours. Operating profits economical from 4,8 m³insulation composite application with obtained Rp 4.486.000 compared with 100% Polyurethane Insulation Manufacture.

Bitumen modified with recycled polyurethane foam for employment in hot mix asphalt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Ángel Salas

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A wide variety of modifiers have been applied to bitumen in order to enhance their properties and performance. Among them, polymers have been mainly used. The aim of this paper is to assess the use of polyurethane foam waste as a bitumen modifier for hot mix asphalts. The polyurethane foam is a by-product of the manufacturing of polyurethane for thermal insulation. From a bitumen with a penetration grade of 50/70, various samples with percentages of waste material in weight ranging from 1% to 5% were produced and tested. Samples with 5% of waste material or more became rough and were refused due to their poor workability. A bituminous mixture with modified bitumen with a 4% of polyurethane was manufactured and compared with a sample with the same aggregates and original bitumen. Results in Marshall test showed that a mix with polymer modified bitumen yielded improvements in stability and a lower deformability. This result suggests that the employment of polyurethane foam waste is a promising bitumen modifier, contributing also to recycle waste materials.

Biodegradable polymeric foam with food waste; Shokumotsu zansa wo mochiita seibunkai kobunshi hahhotai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishima, Kenji; Matsuyama, Kiyoshi; Yamauchi, Satoru; Takarabe, Shin' ichi

1999-09-01

A huge amount of food waste such as tea and beer dregs becomes a serious problem because of the lack of industrial waste space in Japan. On the other hand, the new polymeric foam is expected to be developed since the dangerous pollution of endorphin disrupters from industrial polymer foam is pointed out. In this work, we try to develop the biodegradable polymeric foam using the tea and beer dregs as secondary resources. And we examined the degradability of biodegradable polymer in the hydrothermal water for fundamental knowledge of polymeric foam production. We used an extruder equipped with a high pressure device to make the polymeric foam. And we examined the effect of the component ratio on the foam properties, foaming rate, strength, shrinkage rate, water-resistant. As a result, it was found that the amount of polymer is effective of quality of form and the biodegradability can be controlled by the amount of water and temperature. (author)

Energy consumption and commercial applications of liquid foam insulation technology for greenhouses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villeneuve, J. [Environnement-MJ, Quebec City, PQ (Canada); De Halleux, D. [Laval Univ., Quebec City, PQ (Canada). Dept. des Sols et de Genie Agroalimentaire; Aberkani, K. [Laval Univ., Quebec City, PQ (Canada). Centre de Recherche en Horticulture; Vineberg, S. [Sunarc of Canada, Montreal, PQ (Canada)

2010-07-01

Sunarc of Canada has developed an energy saving system for commercial greenhouse growers. Large amounts of energy are needed to operate commercial greenhouses in northern latitudes, and as energy prices fluctuate, it is important to enable growers to control their microclimate. Sunarc's liquid foam insulating system was installed in 2007 at 2 sites in Ontario. The first site had an area of 14,700 ft{sup 2} while the other site had an area of 43,000 ft{sup 2}. Both facilities were monitored for energy use during the winter period. Night-time energy savings ranged from above 60 per cent to below 10 per cent depending on outdoor temperatures. The greater savings occurred during colder outdoor temperatures. Monthly average night-time energy savings from February, March and April were 46.6, 42, and 32.3 per cent respectively. After initial commercial testing, the liquid foam system was re-engineered to optimize operations, reduce fill time, and improve liquid foam formulas. The new system was installed at a third site in Quebec as a demonstration unit. The company is currently negotiating international distribution rights with several partners.

Thermal Properties of Polyurethane-Polyisocyanurate Foams Based on Poly(ethylene terephthalate Waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irena VITKAUSKIENĖ

2011-09-01

Full Text Available A series of polyurethane-polyisocyanurate (PU-PIR foams synthesized from PET-waste-derived aromatic polyester polyols (APP was studied using thermogravimetric analysis, Cone calorimeter and burning tests. The effect of chemical structure of the APP containing fragments of glycerol, adipic acid, poly(propylene glycol or hexanediol on thermal stability and flame resistance of the PU-PIR foams was elucidated. PU-PIR foams prepared from APP containing fragments of glycerol and/or adipic acid had higher thermal stability and lower weight loss at 330 °C. The foams based on APP derived from industrial PET waste were characterized by relatively low heat release and low smoke production. The presence of the fragments of the functional additives glycerol and/or adipic acid in the structure of APP used for production of PU-PIR foams, marginally decreased the heat release and slightly increased the smoke production.http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.17.3.588

Measure Guideline. Hybrid Foundation Insulation Retrofits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueno, K. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Lstiburek, J. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2012-05-01

This measure guideline provides recommendations for designs and variations for retrofit hybrid assemblies in improving interior foundation insulation and water management of basements. Variations include closed cell spray foam (ccSPF) with membrane waterproofing or air gap membrane drainage layers, rigid board foam insulation at flat walls (cast concrete or CMU block), a “partial drainage” detail making use of the bulk water drainage that occurs through the field of a rubble stone wall, and non-drained spray foam assemblies (including slab insulation).

Technological parameters influence on the non-autoclaved foam concrete characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Bartenjeva, Ekaterina; Mashkin, Nikolay

2017-01-01

Foam concretes are used as effective heat-insulating materials. The porous structure of foam concrete provides good insulating and strength properties that make them possible to be used as heat-insulating structural materials. Optimal structure of non-autoclaved foam concrete depends on both technological factors and properties of technical foam. In this connection, the possibility to manufacture heat-insulation structural foam concrete on a high-speed cavity plant with the usage of protein and synthetic foamers was estimated. This experiment was carried out using mathematical planning method, and in this case mathematical models were developed that demonstrated the dependence of operating performance of foam concrete on foaming and rotation speed of laboratory plant. The following material properties were selected for the investigation: average density, compressive strength, bending strength and thermal conductivity. The influence of laboratory equipment technological parameters on technical foam strength and foam stability coefficient in the cement paste was investigated, physical and mechanical properties of non-autoclaved foam concrete were defined based on investigated foam. As a result of investigation, foam concrete samples were developed with performance parameters ensuring their use in production. The mathematical data gathered demonstrated the dependence of foam concrete performance on the technological regime.

Measure Guideline: Hybrid Foundation Insulation Retrofits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueno, K.; Lstiburek, J.

2012-05-01

This measure guideline provides recommendations for designs and variations for retrofit hybrid assemblies in improving interior foundation insulation and water management of basements. Variations include closed cell spray foam (ccSPF) with membrane waterproofing or air gap membrane drainage layers, rigid board foam insulation at flat walls (cast concrete or CMU block), a 'partial drainage' detail making use of the bulk water drainage that occurs through the field of a rubble stone wall, and non-drained spray foam assemblies (including slab insulation).

Thermal Properties of Polyurethane-Polyisocyanurate Foams Based on Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Waste

OpenAIRE

Irena VITKAUSKIENĖ; Ričardas MAKUŠKA; Uldis STIRNA; Ugis CABULIS

2011-01-01

A series of polyurethane-polyisocyanurate (PU-PIR) foams synthesized from PET-waste-derived aromatic polyester polyols (APP) was studied using thermogravimetric analysis, Cone calorimeter and burning tests. The effect of chemical structure of the APP containing fragments of glycerol, adipic acid, poly(propylene glycol) or hexanediol on thermal stability and flame resistance of the PU-PIR foams was elucidated. PU-PIR foams prepared from APP containing fragments of glycerol and/or adipic acid h...

Analysis of Influence of Foaming Mixture Components on Structure and Properties of Foam Glass

Science.gov (United States)

Karandashova, N. S.; Goltsman, B. M.; Yatsenko, E. A.

2017-11-01

It is recommended to use high-quality thermal insulation materials to increase the energy efficiency of buildings. One of the best thermal insulation materials is foam glass - durable, porous material that is resistant to almost any effect of substance. Glass foaming is a complex process depending on the foaming mode and the initial mixture composition. This paper discusses the influence of all components of the mixture - glass powder, foaming agent, enveloping material and water - on the foam glass structure. It was determined that glass powder is the basis of the future material. A foaming agent forms a gas phase in the process of thermal decomposition. This aforementioned gas foams the viscous glass mass. The unreacted residue thus changes a colour of the material. The enveloping agent slows the foaming agent decomposition preventing its premature burning out and, in addition, helps to accelerate the sintering of glass particles. The introduction of water reduces the viscosity of the foaming mixture making it evenly distributed and also promotes the formation of water gas that additionally foams the glass mass. The optimal composition for producing the foam glass with the density of 150 kg/m3 is defined according to the results of the research.

Thermosetting Fluoropolymer Foams

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sheng Yen

1987-01-01

New process makes fluoropolymer foams with controllable amounts of inert-gas fillings in foam cells. Thermosetting fluoropolymers do not require foaming additives leaving undesirable residues and do not have to be molded and sintered at temperatures of about 240 to 400 degree C. Consequently, better for use with electronic or other parts sensitive to high temperatures or residues. Uses include coatings, electrical insulation, and structural parts.

Testing of Disposable Protective Garments Against Isocyanate Permeation From Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mellette, Michael P; Bello, Dhimiter; Xue, Yalong; Yost, Michael; Bello, Anila; Woskie, Susan

2018-05-12

Diisocyanates (isocyanates), including methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), are the primary reactive components of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation. They are potent immune sensitizers and a leading cause of occupational asthma. Skin exposure to isocyanates may lead to both irritant and allergic contact dermatitis and possibly contribute to systemic sensitization. More than sufficient evidence exists to justify the use of protective garments to minimize skin contact with aerosolized and raw isocyanate containing materials during SPF applications. Studies evaluating the permeation of protective garments following exposure to SPF insulation do not currently exist. To conduct permeation testing under controlled conditions to assess the effectiveness of common protective gloves and coveralls during SPF applications using realistic SPF product formulations. Five common disposable garment materials [disposable latex gloves (0.07 mm thickness), nitrile gloves (0.07 mm), vinyl gloves (0.07 mm), polypropylene coveralls (0.13 mm) and Tyvek coveralls (0.13 mm)] were selected for testing. These materials were cut into small pieces and assembled into a permeation test cell system and coated with a two-part slow-rise spray polyurethane foam insulation. Glass fiber filters (GFF) pretreated with 1-(9-anthracenylmethyl)piperazine) (MAP) were used underneath the garment to collect permeating isocyanates. GFF filters were collected at predetermined test intervals between 0.75 and 20.00 min and subsequently analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. For each garment material, we assessed (i) the cumulative concentration of total isocyanate, including phenyl isocyanate and three MDI isomers, that effectively permeated the material over the test time; (ii) estimated breakthrough detection time, average permeation rate, and standardized breakthrough time; from which (iii) recommendations were developed for the use of similar protective garments following

Short- and long-term releases of fluorocarbons from disposal of polyurethane foam waste

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Peter; Scheutz, Charlotte

2003-01-01

Several halocarbons having very high global warming or ozone depletion potentials have been used as a blowing agent (BA) for insulation foam in home appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers. Many appliances are shredded after the end of their useful life. Release experiments carried out in ...

(H)-FCKW foamed insulating materials in the building industry in Germany. Estimation of the potential emissions up to the year 2010; (H)-FCKW-geschaeumte Daemmstoffe im Bauwesen in Deutschland. Schaetzung der potentiellen Emissionen bis zum Jahr 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obernosterer, Richard [Ressourcen Management Agentur GmbH, Villach (Austria)

2012-09-15

CFCs and HCFCs are controlled substances under European Regulation (EC) No. 1005/2009. Article 22 of that Regulation provides that controlled substances contained in certain products (e.g. insulating materials) must be recovered, if technically and economically feasible, or be destroyed without prior recovery. Annex VII lists specific technologies for destruction, recycling or reclamation. In Germany, the use of (H)CFCs in insulating materials has been prohibited since 1995 (R 11 and R 12) and 2000 (R 22). At European level, use of HCFCs (141b and 142b) has been banned since 2002 mainly in the production of extruded polystyrene rigid foam and since 2003 in the production of polyurethane foams. Few data have become available to date on the amounts of (H)CFCs produced and banked up to the time the prohibitions went into effect. The present report therefore provides details on the amounts of (H)CFC-containing insulating materials installed in Germany and estimates the quantities of (H)CFCs still present in them. The study focuses on rigid XPS foam and rigid PU foam used in the construction sector, due to the original objective of the study and the quantitative significance of these foams. XPS insulating foams: XPS panels were assumed to have an average density of 33 kg/m3. Based on annual foam use (volume), density, the market shares of the blowing agents, and blowing agent content in the foam, the annual increase in banked amounts of blowing agents was estimated. Annual fugitive losses were deducted from those banks, specific to the relevant products and blowing agents. As result a bank of approximately 43.7 kt or 15 000 t-ODP was estimated for Germany in 2009. PU insulating foams: Based on annual foam use (volume), density (assumed to be 41 kg/m3 for PU sandwich panels and 33 kg/m3 for other PU products), the market shares of the blowing agents, and blowing agent content in the foam, the annual increase in banked amounts of blowing agents was estimated. Annual

Crosslinked polyethylene foams, via eb radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardoso, E.C.L.; Lugao, A. B.; Andrade e Silva, L. G.

1998-01-01

Polyethylene foams, produced by radio-induced crosslinking, show a smooth and homogeneous surface, when compared to chemical crosslinking method using peroxide as crosslinking agent. This process fosters excellent adhesive and printability properties. Besides that, closed cells, intrinsic to these foams, imparts optimum mechanical, shocks and insulation resistance, indicating these foams to some markets segments as: automotive and transport; buoyancy, flotation and marine; building and insulation; packaging; domestic sports and leisure goods. We were in search of an ideal foam, by adding 5 to 15% of blowing agent in LDPE. A series of preliminary trials defined 203 degree sign C as the right blowing agent decomposition temperature. At a 22.7 kGys/dose ratio, the lowest dose for providing an efficient foam was 30 kGy, for a formulation comprising 10% of azodicarbonamide in LDPE, within a 10 minutes foaming time

Foaming and Antifoaming and Gas Entrainment in Radioactive Waste Pretreatment and Immobilization Processes. Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasan, Darsh T.

2007-01-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) and Hanford site are in the process of stabilizing millions of gallons of radioactive waste slurries remaining from production of nuclear materials for the Department of Energy (DOE). The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at SRS is currently vitrifying the waste in borosilicate glass, while the facilities at the Hanford site are in the construction phase. Both processes utilize slurry-fed joule-heated melters to vitrify the waste slurries. The DWPF has experienced difficulty during operations. The cause of the operational problems has been attributed to foaming, gas entrainment and the rheological properties of the process slurries. The rheological properties of the waste slurries limit the total solids content that can be processed by the remote equipment during the pretreatment and meter feed processes. Highly viscous material can lead to air entrainment during agitation and difficulties with pump operations. Excessive foaming in waste evaporators can cause carryover of radionuclides and non-radioactive waste to the condensate system. Experimental and theoretical investigations of the surface phenomena, suspension rheology and bubble generation of interactions that lead to foaming and air entrainment problems in the DOE High Level and Low Activity Radioactive Waste separation and immobilization processes were pursued under this project. The first major task accomplished in the grant proposal involved development of a theoretical model of the phenomenon of foaming in a three-phase gas-liquid-solid slurry system. This work was presented in a recently completed Ph.D. thesis (9). The second major task involved the investigation of the inter-particle interaction and microstructure formation in a model slurry by the batch sedimentation method. Both experiments and modeling studies were carried out. The results were presented in a recently completed Ph.D. thesis. The third task involved the use of laser confocal microscopy to study

Evaluation of Experimental Parameters in the Accelerated Aging of Closed-Cell Foam Insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stovall, Therese K [ORNL; Vanderlan, Michael [ORNL; Atchley, Jerald Allen [ORNL

2012-12-01

The thermal conductivity of many closed-cell foam insulation products changes over time as production gases diffuse out of the cell matrix and atmospheric gases diffuse into the cells. Thin slicing has been shown to be an effective means of accelerating this process in such a way as to produce meaningful results. Efforts to produce a more prescriptive version of the ASTM C1303 standard test method led to the ruggedness test described here. This test program included the aging of full size insulation specimens for time periods of five years for direct comparison to the predicted results. Experimental parameters under investigation include: slice thickness, slice origin (at the surface or from the core of the slab), thin slice stack composition, product facings, original product thickness, product density, and product type. The test protocol has been completed and this report provides a detailed evaluation of the impact of the test parameters on the accuracy of the 5-year thermal conductivity prediction.

Ceramic Foams from Pre-Ceramic Polymer Routes for Reusable Acreage Thermal Protection System Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Stackpoole, Mairead; Chien, Jennifer; Schaeffler, Michelle

2004-01-01

Contents include the following: Motivation. Current light weight insulation. Advantages of preceramic-polymer-derived ceramic foams. Rigid insulation materials. Tailor foam microstructures. Experimental approach. Results: sacrificial materials, sacrificial fillers. Comparison of foam microstructures. Density of ceramic foams. Phase evolution and properties: oxidation behavior. mechanical properties, aerothermal performance. Impact damage of microcellular foams. Conclusions.

Thermal highly porous insulation materials made of mineral raw materials

Science.gov (United States)

Mestnikov, A.

2015-01-01

The main objective of the study is to create insulating foam based on modified mineral binders with rapid hardening. The results of experimental studies of the composition and properties of insulating foam on the basis of rapidly hardening Portland cement (PC) and gypsum binder composite are presented in the article. The article proposes technological methods of production of insulating foamed concrete and its placement to the permanent shuttering wall enclosures in monolithic-frame construction and individual energy-efficient residential buildings, thus reducing foam shrinkage and improving crack-resistance.

Design and fabrication of foam-insulated cryogenic target for wet-wall laser fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norimatsu, T.; Takeda, T.; Nagai, K.; Mima, K.; Yamanaka, T.

2003-01-01

A foam insulated cryogenic target was proposed for use in a future laser fusion reactor with a wet wall. This scheme can protect the solid DT layer from melting due to surface heating by adsorption of metal vapor without significant reduction in the target gain. Design spaces for the injection velocity and the acceptable vapor pressure in the reactor are discussed. Basic technology to fabricate such structure was demonstrated by emulsion process. Concept of a cryogenic fast-ignition target with a gold guiding cone was proposed together with direct injection filling of liquid DT. (author)

PRODUCTION OF AN INSULATION MATERIAL FROM CARPET AND BORON WASTES

OpenAIRE

Yasin ERDOĞAN

2016-01-01

Buildings are large consumers of energy in all countries. In regions with harsh climatic conditions, a substantial share of energy goes to heat and cool buildings. This paper reports an investigation of the insulation materials made from mixing carpet wastes with a solution with added crude colemanite ore, one of boron minerals, and a solution with added colemanite wastes from a barrage. A new building insulation material was produced which is name, Halibor. Optimum mixing ratios were determi...

A water blown urethane insulation for use in cryogenic environments

Science.gov (United States)

Blevins, Elana; Sharpe, Jon

1995-01-01

Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) of NASA's Space Shuttle External Tank include polyurethane and polyisocyanurate modified polyurethane foam insulations. These insulations, currently foamed with CFC 11 blowing agent, serve to maintain cryogenic propellant quality, maintain the external tank structural temperature limits, and minimize the formation of ice and frost that could potentially damage the ceramic insulation on the space shuttle orbiter. During flight the external tank insulations are exposed to mechanical, thermal and acoustical stresses. TPS must pass cryogenic flexure and substrate adhesion tests at -253 C, aerothermal and radiant heating tests at fluxes up to approximately 14 kilowatts per square meter, and thermal conductivity tests at cryogenic and elevated temperatures. Due to environmental concerns, the polyurethane insulation industry and the External Tank Project are tasked with replacing CFC 11. The flight qualification of foam insulations employing HCFC 141b as a foaming agent is currently in progress; HCFC 141b blown insulations are scheduled for production implementation in 1995. Realizing that the second generation HCFC blowing agents are an interim solution, the evaluation of third generation blowing agents with zero ozone depletion potential is underway. NASA's TPS Materials Research Laboratory is evaluating third generation blowing agents in cryogenic insulations for the External Tank; one option being investigated is the use of water as a foaming agent. A dimensionally stable insulation with low friability, good adhesion to cryogenic substrates, and acceptable thermal conductivity has been developed with low viscosity materials that are easily processed in molding applications. The development criteria, statistical experimental approach, and resulting foam properties will be presented.

Integrating a vented airspace into a spray-foam insulated solid masonry historic building in a cold climate: a case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tzekova, Ekaterina; Pressnail, K.D.; Binkley, Clarissa [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto (Canada); Pearson, Nastassja [Halsall Associates Limited (Canada); Pasqualini, Paul [Engineering Link Inc (Canada); Aikin, Craig [Halcrow Yolles (Canada)

2011-07-01

Thermal insulation was not included during the construction of historic brick buildings in Canada. Although thermal retrofits can improve building energy performance and occupant comfort, heritage requirements restrict the use of internal insulation. This paper presents an innovative Vented Masonry Retrofit (VMR), which consists of creating a vented airspace by incorporating Mortairvent between the insulation and the masonry. A numerical model and a field trial involving a three-storey heritage building were performed to compare the hygrothermal performance of the VMR with that of standard interior insulation. Temperature and relative humidity were collected during the winter months in foam-insulated, side-by-side wall assemblies along the east and south facing walls using both approaches. Modeling results predicted that using VMR assemblies would reduce the moisture content in both east and south elevations to below that obtained with standard insulation. However, the field trial showed improvement only along the south facade. Long term performance evaluation is required far a better evaluation of the VMR approach.

Value-added conversion of waste cooking oil and post-consumer PET bottles into biodiesel and polyurethane foams.

Science.gov (United States)

Dang, Yu; Luo, Xiaolan; Wang, Feng; Li, Yebo

2016-06-01

A sustainable process of value-added utilization of wastes including waste cooking oil (WCO) and post-consumer PET bottles for the production of biodiesel and polyurethane (PU) foams was developed. WCO collected from campus cafeteria was firstly converted into biodiesel, which can be used as vehicle fuel. Then crude glycerol (CG), a byproduct of the above biodiesel process, was incorporated into the glycolysis process of post-consumer PET bottles collected from campus to produce polyols. Thirdly, PU foams were synthesized through the reaction of the above produced polyols with isocyanate in the presence of catalysts and other additives. The characterization of the produced biodiesel demonstrated that its properties meet the specification of biodiesel standard. The effect of crude glycerol loading on the properties of polyols and PU foams were investigated. All the polyols showed satisfactory properties for the production of rigid PU foams which had performance comparable to those of some petroleum-based analogs. A mass balance and a cost analysis for the conversion of WCO and waste PET into biodiesel and PU foams were also discussed. This study demonstrated the potential of WCO and PET waste for the production of value-added products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ventilation Guidance To Promote the Safe Use of Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Insulation, Incluyendo la Versión de Español

Science.gov (United States)

This guidance describes basic ventilation principles and strategies to help protect workers and building occupants and promote the safe use of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation. Guia para la ventilacion sobre la application del aerosol de espuma.

Excavationless Exterior Foundation Insulation Field Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schirber, T.; Mosiman, G.; Ojczyk, C.

2014-10-01

Building science research supports installing exterior (soil side) foundation insulation as the optimal method to enhance the hygrothermal performance of new homes. With exterior foundation insulation, water management strategies are maximized while insulating the basement space and ensuring a more even temperature at the foundation wall. However, such an approach can be very costly and disruptive when applied to an existing home, requiring deep excavation around the entire house. The NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team implemented an innovative, minimally invasive foundation insulation upgrade technique on an existing home. The approach consisted of using hydrovac excavation technology combined with a liquid insulating foam. The team was able to excavate a continuous 4" wide by 4' to 5' deep trench around the entire house, 128 linear feet, except for one small part under the stoop that was obstructed with concrete debris. The combination pressure washer and vacuum extraction technology also enabled the elimination of large trenches and soil stockpiles normally produced by backhoe excavation. The resulting trench was filled with liquid insulating foam, which also served as a water-control layer of the assembly. The insulation was brought above grade using a liquid foam/rigid foam hybrid system and terminated at the top of the rim joist. Cost savings over the traditional excavation process ranged from 23% to 50%. The excavationless process could result in even greater savings since replacement of building structures, exterior features, utility meters, and landscaping would be minimal or non-existent in an excavationless process.

Excavationless Exterior Foundation Insulation Field Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schirber, T. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States); Mosiman, G. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States); Ojczyk, C. [NorthernSTAR, Minneaplolis, MN (United States)

2014-09-01

Building science research supports installing exterior (soil side) foundation insulation as the optimal method to enhance the hygrothermal performance of new homes. With exterior foundation insulation, water management strategies are maximized while insulating the basement space and ensuring a more even temperature at the foundation wall. However, such an approach can be very costly and disruptive when applied to an existing home, requiring deep excavation around the entire house. The NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team implemented an innovative, minimally invasive foundation insulation upgrade technique on an existing home. The approach consisted of using hydrovac excavation technology combined with liquid insulating foam. The team was able to excavate a continuous 4 inches wide by 4 feet to 5 feet deep trench around the entire house, 128 linear feet, except for one small part under the stoop that was obstructed with concrete debris. The combination pressure washer and vacuum extraction technology also enabled the elimination of large trenches and soil stockpiles normally produced by backhoe excavation. The resulting trench was filled with liquid insulating foam, which also served as a water-control layer of the assembly. The insulation was brought above grade using a liquid foam/rigid foam hybrid system and terminated at the top of the rim joist. Cost savings over the traditional excavation process ranged from 23% to 50%. The excavationless process could result in even greater savings since replacement of building structures, exterior features, utility meters, and landscaping would be minimal or non-existent in an excavationless process.

F-15B in on ramp with close-up of test panels covered with advanced spray-on foam insulation materia

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

Test panels covered with an advanced foam insulation material for the Space Shuttle's giant external fuel tank were test flown aboard an F-15B research aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. Six panels were mounted on the left side of a heavily instrumented Flight Text Fixture mounted underneath the F-15B's fuselage. Insulation on this panel was finely machined over a horizontal rib structure to simulate in-line airflow past the tank; other panels had the ribs mounted vertically or had the insulation left in a rough as-sprayed surface. The tests were part of an effort by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to determine why small particles of the new insulation flaked off the tank on recent Shuttle missions. The tests with Dryden's F-15B were designed to replicate the pressure environment the Shuttle encounters during the first minute after launch. No noticeable erosion of the insulation material was noted after the flight experiment at Dryden.

Influence of cellulose fibers on structure and properties of fiber reinforced foam concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fedorov Valeriy

2018-01-01

Full Text Available One of the promising means of foamed concrete quality improvement is micro-reinforcement by adding synthetic and mineral fibers to the base mix. This research is the first to investigate peculiarities of using recycled cellulose fiber extracted from waste paper for obtaining fiber reinforced foam concrete. The paper presents results of experimental research on the influence of cellulose fibers on structure and properties of fiber reinforced foam concrete by using methods of chemical analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The research determines peculiarities of new formations appearance and densification of binder hydration products in the contact zone between fiber and cement matrix, which boost mechanical strength of fiber reinforced foam concrete. Physico-mechanical properties of fiber reinforced foam concrete were defined depending on the amount of recycled cellulose fiber added to the base mix. It was found that the use of recycled cellulose fibers allows obtaining structural thermal insulating fiber reinforced foam concretes of non-autoclaved hardening of brand D600 with regard to mean density with the following improved properties: compressive strength increased by 35% compared to basic samples, higher stability of foamed concrete mix and decreased shrinkage deformation.

Optimized Synthesis of Foam Glass from Recycled CRT Panel Glass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob; Yue, Yuanzheng

Most of the panel glass from cathode ray tubes (CRTs) is landfilled today. Instead of landfilling, the panel glass can be turned into new environment-friendly foam glass. Low density foam glass is an effective heat insulating material and can be produced just by using recycle glass and foaming...... additives. In this work we recycle the CRT panel glass to synthesize the foam glass as a crucial component of building and insulating materials. The synthesis conditions such as foaming temperature, duration, glass particle size, type and concentrations of foaming agents, and so on are optimized...... by performing systematic experiments. In particular, the concentration of foaming agents is an important parameter that influences the size of bubbles and the distribution of bubbles throughout the sample. The foam glasses are characterised regarding density and open/closed porosity. Differential scanning...

Utilization of fly ash and ultrafine GGBS for higher strength foam concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Gowri, R.; Anand, K. B.

2018-02-01

Foam concrete is a widely accepted construction material, which is popular for diverse construction applications such as, thermal insulation in buildings, lightweight concrete blocks, ground stabilization, void filling etc. Currently, foam concrete is being used for structural applications with a density above 1800kg/m3. This study focuses on evolving mix proportions for foam concrete with a material density in the range of 1200 kg/m3 to 1600 kg/m3, so as to obtain strength ranges that will be sufficient to adopt it as a structural material. Foam concrete is made lighter by adding pre-formed foam of a particular density to the mortar mix. The foaming agent used in this study is Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and in order to densify the foam generated, Sodium hydroxide solution at a normality of one is also added. In this study efforts are made to make it a sustainable construction material by incorporating industrial waste products such as ultrafine GGBS as partial replacement of cement and fly ash for replacement of fine aggregate. The fresh state and hardened state properties of foam concrete at varying proportions of cement, sand, water and additives are evaluated. The proportion of ultrafine GGBS and fly ash in the foam concrete mix are varied aiming at higher compressive strength. Studies on air void-strength relationship of foam concrete are also included in this paper.

Foaming in Hanford River Protection Project Waste Treatment Plant LAW Evaporation Processes - FY01 Summary Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calloway, T.B.

2002-01-01

The LAW evaporation processes currently being designed for the Hanford River Protection Project Waste Treatment Plant are subject to foaming. Experimental simulant studies have been conducted in an effort to achieve an effective antifoam agent suitable to mitigate such foaming

Recycle Glass in Foam Glass Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob; Yue, Yuanzheng

The foam glass industry turn recycle glass into heat insulating building materials. The foaming process is relative insensitive to impurities in the recycle glass. It is therefore considered to play an important role in future glass recycling. We show and discuss trends of use of recycled glasses...... in foam glass industry and the supply sources and capacity of recycle glass....

PRODUCTION OF AN INSULATION MATERIAL FROM CARPET AND BORON WASTES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasin ERDOĞAN

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Buildings are large consumers of energy in all countries. In regions with harsh climatic conditions, a substantial share of energy goes to heat and cool buildings. This paper reports an investigation of the insulation materials made from mixing carpet wastes with a solution with added crude colemanite ore, one of boron minerals, and a solution with added colemanite wastes from a barrage. A new building insulation material was produced which is name, Halibor. Optimum mixing ratios were determined for mass production and the physical properties of the product were established. In addition, the material produced was compared with similar products used in buildings in terms of physical properties. As a result of the investigations, it was established that the product provides high heat and sound insulation and can be used easily in building and construction industry.

State-of-the-Art Review on the Characteristics of Surfactants and Foam from Foam Concrete Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Sritam Swapnadarshi; Gandhi, Indu Siva Ranjani; Khwairakpam, Selija

2018-06-01

Foam concrete finds application in many areas, generally as a function of its relatively lightweight and its beneficial properties in terms of reduction in dead load on structure, excellent thermal insulation and contribution to energy conservation. For production of foam concrete with desired properties, stable and good quality foam is the key requirement. It is to be noted that the selection of surfactant and foam production parameters play a vital role in the properties of foam which in turn affects the properties of foam concrete. However, the literature available on the influence of characteristics of foaming agent and foam on the properties of foam concrete are rather limited. Hence, a more systematic research is needed in this direction. The focus of this work is to provide a review on characteristics of surfactant (foaming agent) and foam for use in foam concrete production.

Foam Glass for Construction Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund

2016-01-01

Foaming is commonly achieved by adding foaming agents such as metal oxides or metal carbonates to glass powder. At elevated temperature, the glass melt becomes viscous and the foaming agents decompose or react to form gas, causing a foamy glass melt. Subsequent cooling to room temperature, result...... in a solid foam glass. The foam glass industry employs a range of different melt precursors and foaming agents. Recycle glass is key melt precursors. Many parameters influence the foaming process and optimising the foaming conditions is very time consuming. The most challenging and attractive goal is to make...... low density foam glass for thermal insulation applications. In this thesis, it is argued that the use of metal carbonates as foaming agents is not suitable for low density foam glass. A reaction mechanism is proposed to justify this result. Furthermore, an in situ method is developed to optimise...

Synthesis and characterization of innovative insulation materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skaropoulou Aggeliki

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Insulation elements are distinguished in inorganic fibrous and organic foamed materials. Foamed insulation materials are of great acceptance and use, but their major disadvantage is their flammability. In case of fire, they tend to transmit the flame producing toxic gases. In this paper, the synthesis and characterization of innovative inorganic insulation materials with properties competitive to commercial is presented. Their synthesis involves the mixing of inorganic raw material and water with reinforcing agent or/and foaming agent leading to the formation of a gel. Depending on raw materials nature, the insulation material is produced by freeze drying or ambient drying techniques of the gel. The raw material used are chemically benign and abundantly available materials, or industrial by-products and the final products are non-toxic and, in some cases, non-flammable. Their density and thermal conductivity was measured and found 0.02-0.06 g/cm3 and 0.03-0.04 W/mK, respectively.

Thermal Conductivity of Foam Glasses Prepared using High Pressure Sintering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Martin Bonderup; Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob

The increasing focus on better building insulation is important to lower energy consumption. Development of new and improved insulation materials can contribute to solving this problem. Foam glass has a good insulating effect due to its large gas volume (porosity >90 %). It can be produced with o...... the thermal conductivity varies with gas composition. This allows us to determine the contribution of the gas and solid phase to the total thermal conductivity of a foam glass....

Use of urethane foam in preparing for decontamination and decommissioning of radioactive facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Portable urethane foam generating equipment has been in use for 15 to 20 years for a large number of applications, such as roof systems, tank insulation, and building insulation. Still another industrial application is its use in the decontamination and decommissioning of radioactive facilities at Mound Facility. The major problems encountered with urethane foams were with the packaging and stabilization procedures. The operation for spraying the foam on interior surfaces and equipment involved getting the gun inside without opening up the interior to the outside environment. A Gusmer FF proportioner and Model D spray gun was used for this operation. The gun was modified so that the trigger could be remotely located to facilitate its entry through a glovebox gloveport opening. The Model D gun has an air cap to blow foam off the tip of the gun. This cap was used to hold a plastic bag in place around the gun. The plastic bag is then put on a glove port and fastened securely. Urethane spray is applied on all exposed surfaces. This assures that all residual material is fixed for shipment. This simplifies cleaning operations as there is no need to remove the last trace of plutonium and results in a considerable shortening of the time required to prepare the gloveboxes. With the interior foamed, the gloveboxes are moved to the loading and packaging areas. Urethane foams are used to fill in the voids in our final shipping container. Radioactive waste materials are segregated according to the level of radioactive material present. One category is low level or low specific activity (LSA) and the other high level or Transuranic (TRU). Foam is used in TRU packages as packaging material to stabilize the loads and to help cushion against shock in transit on truck or railcar

The separation of silica nanoparticle by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide from decontamination foam waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Man Soo; Yoon, In Ho; Jung, Chong Hun; Moon, Jei Kwon; Choi, Wang Kyu

2016-01-01

Decontamination foam has been considered as a potential application for the cleaning of radioactive contaminant in the field of metallic walls, overhead surfaces, and complex components. Moreover, foam decontamination could generate the low secondary waste amount owing to its volume expansion. In order to increase the decontamination efficiency, it is essential to improve the foam stability with low amount of chemical decontamination agent. Yoon et al. reported that the silica nanoparticle containing surfactant increased the foam stability compared to only surfactant solution[3]. Nanoparticle has been used with surfactant, which they adsorb at fluid/fluid interface, to stabilize emulsions or bubbles in foams. Despite of improving foam stability, they still used the surfactant, silica nanoparticle (1 wt%), and viscosifier. In addition, it is difficult to separate silica nanoparticle from decontamination solution. Because nanoparticles differ from classical solid particles due to smaller particle size and their specific properties. Thus, the separation method for nanoparticle should be also developed with high recovery rates. The flocculation of silica nanoparticle added by CTAB could be quickly achieved for only 30 min. The particle size of SiO_2 was larger as CTAB amount increased, and SiO_2 contents in the top solution were decreased after centrifugation

The separation of silica nanoparticle by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide from decontamination foam waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Man Soo; Yoon, In Ho; Jung, Chong Hun; Moon, Jei Kwon; Choi, Wang Kyu [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Decontamination foam has been considered as a potential application for the cleaning of radioactive contaminant in the field of metallic walls, overhead surfaces, and complex components. Moreover, foam decontamination could generate the low secondary waste amount owing to its volume expansion. In order to increase the decontamination efficiency, it is essential to improve the foam stability with low amount of chemical decontamination agent. Yoon et al. reported that the silica nanoparticle containing surfactant increased the foam stability compared to only surfactant solution[3]. Nanoparticle has been used with surfactant, which they adsorb at fluid/fluid interface, to stabilize emulsions or bubbles in foams. Despite of improving foam stability, they still used the surfactant, silica nanoparticle (1 wt%), and viscosifier. In addition, it is difficult to separate silica nanoparticle from decontamination solution. Because nanoparticles differ from classical solid particles due to smaller particle size and their specific properties. Thus, the separation method for nanoparticle should be also developed with high recovery rates. The flocculation of silica nanoparticle added by CTAB could be quickly achieved for only 30 min. The particle size of SiO{sub 2} was larger as CTAB amount increased, and SiO{sub 2} contents in the top solution were decreased after centrifugation.

Special barium-lead mortars for radioactive wastes sealing and insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Usai, G.

1995-01-01

Binding materials with high gamma-absorbance, easy to prepare and use, are of great usefulness in the elimination and disposal of low-level radioactive wastes such as clinical wastes. Use of these materials ranges from construction of containers to sealing of vessels designed for wastes disposal. In this paper the authors describe preparation of special mortars containing barite and/or PbO characterized by good hydraulic properties and high insulating power

A practical approach for solving disposal of rubber waste: Leachability of heavy metals from foamed concrete containing rubber powder waste (RPW)

Science.gov (United States)

Kadir, Aeslina Abdul; Hassan, Mohd Ikhmal Haqeem; Sarani, Noor Amira; Yatim, Fatin Syahirah Mohamed; Jaini, Zainorizuan Mohd

2017-09-01

Enormous disposal of rubber wastes has become an issue with the facts that all tires have its own life span. Inefficient disposal method of RPW from used tire can cause environmental impact as the heavy metals content in tire can easily leach out thus causing contamination to the soil and waterways. The goals of this study is to identify the heavy metals content of rubber powder waste (RPW) and to determine the potential of leachability of heavy metals from foamed concrete containing different percentages of RPW. Therefore, this study is focused on the leachability of RPW incorporated in foamed concrete. Different percentages of RPW were incorporated in foamed concrete (0%, 6%, 12% and 18%) for the investigation. Leachability tests were done by using toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) on crushed samples of foamed concrete incorporated with RPW and were analyzed by using inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results from XRF indicated that RPW is high in metals such as Zn, Cu, Ba and Co. The highest concentration of heavy metals in raw RPW is Zn with 51403 ppm which is exceeded USEPA (2010) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of Zn with only 5 ppm. After RPW had been incorporated into a foamed concrete, the results demonstrated that the Zn, Cu, Ba and Co heavy metals were less leached and complied with USEPA standard. The incorporation of RPW into foamed concrete in this study demonstrated that it could be a potential alternative raw material for concrete thus enhancing the possibility of its reuse in safe and sustainable way.

Light and Strong Hierarchical Porous SiC Foam for Efficient Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Thermal Insulation at Elevated Temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Caiyun; Wang, Zhenfeng; Wu, Lina; Zhang, Xiaochen; Wang, Huan; Wang, Zhijiang

2017-09-06

A novel light but strong SiC foam with hierarchical porous architecture was fabricated by using dough as raw material via carbonization followed by carbothermal reduction with silicon source. A significant synergistic effect is achieved by embedding meso- and nanopores in a microsized porous skeleton, which endows the SiC foam with high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, thermal insulation, and mechanical properties. The microsized skeleton withstands high stress. The meso- and nanosized pores enhance multiple reflection of the incident electromagnetic waves and elongate the path of heat transfer. For the hierarchical porous SiC foam with 72.8% porosity, EMI shielding can be higher than 20 dB, and specific EMI effectiveness exceeds 24.8 dB·cm 3 ·g -1 at a frequency of 11 GHz at 25-600 °C, which is 3 times higher than that of dense SiC ceramic. The thermal conductivity reaches as low as 0.02 W·m -1 ·K -1 , which is comparable to that of aerogel. The compressive strength is as high as 9.8 MPa. Given the chemical and high-temperature stability of SiC, the fabricated SiC foam is a promising candidate for modern aircraft and automobile applications.

Fabrication of highly insulating foam glass made from CRT panel glass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

König, Jakob; Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; Yue, Yuanzheng

2015-01-01

We prepared low-density foam glasses from cathode-ray-tube panel glass using carbon and MnO2 as the foaming agents. We investigated the influence of the carbon and MnO2 concentrations, the glass-powder preparation and the foaming conditions on the density and homogeneity of the pore structure...... and the dependence of the thermal conductivity on the foam density. The results show that the moderate foaming effect of the carbon is greatly improved by the addition of MnO2. A density as low as 131 kg m-3 can be achieved with fine glass powder. The foam density has a slight dependence on the carbon and MnO2...... concentrations, but it is mainly affected by the foaming temperature and the time. The thermal conductivity of the foam-glass samples is lower than that of commercial foam glasses with the same density. The lowest value was determined to be 42 mW m-1 K-1 for a foam glass with a density of 131 kg m-3. A further...

Electromagnetic Shielding Characteristics of Eco-Friendly Foamed Concrete Wall

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sung-Sil Cho

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The electromagnetic shielding characteristics according to the material composition of foamed concrete, which was manufactured to reduce environmental pollution and to economically apply it in actual building walls, were researched herein. Industrial by-products such as ladle furnace slag (LFS, gypsum, and blast furnace slag (BFS were added to manufacture foamed concrete with enhanced functionalities such as lightweight, heat insulation, and sound insulation. The electrical characteristics such as permittivity and loss tangent according to the foam and BFS content were calculated and measured. Free space measurement was used to measure the electromagnetic shielding characteristics of the actually manufactured foamed concrete. It was confirmed that electromagnetic signals were better blocked when the foam content was low and the BFS content was high in the measured frequency bands (1–8 GHz and that approximately 90% of the electromagnetic signals were blocked over 4 GHz.

Anti-foam System design description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, M.A.

1994-01-01

The Anti-foam System is a sub-system of the 242-A Evaporator facility. The Anti-foam is used within the C-A-1 Vapor-Liquid Separator, to reduce the effect of foaming and reduce fluid bumping while the vapor and liquid are separated within the C-A-1 Vapor-Liquid Separator. Excessive foaming within the vessel may possibly cause the liquid slurry mixture in the evaporator vessel to foul the de-entrainment pads and cause plant shutdown. The Anti-foam System consists of the following primary elements: the Anti-foam Tank and the Metering Pump. The upgrades to Anti-foam System include the following: installation of a new pump, instruments, and valves; and connection of the instruments, pump and agitator associated with the Anti-foam System to the Monitoring and Control System (MCS). The 242-A Evaporator is a waste treatment facility designed to reduce liquid waste volumes currently stored in the Hanford Area double shell Waste Storage Tanks. The evaporator uses evaporative concentration to achieve this volume reduction, returning the concentrated slurry to the double-shell tanks for storage and, at the same time, releasing the process effluent to a retention facilities for eventual treatment and release to the environment

X-ray micro-tomography investigation of the foaming process in the system of waste glass–silica mud–MnO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ducman, V., E-mail: vilma.ducman@zag.si [ZAG Ljubljana, Dimičeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Korat, L.; Legat, A. [ZAG Ljubljana, Dimičeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Mirtič, B. [NTF, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2013-12-15

In case of foamed lightweight aggregates (LWAs), porosity is introduced by the addition of a foaming agent to the glassy matrix, which degasses at an elevated temperature, so that the resulting gases remain trapped inside the glassy structure. The efficiency of action of MnO{sub 2} as a foaming agent in waste glass and waste glass/silica mud systems was studied. Samples were fired at different temperatures and with different dwelling times at a certain temperature, and the development of porosity was investigated by means of X-ray micro-tomography. It was found that, with the prolongation in dwelling times, the number of pores decreased, while, on the other hand, the volume of these pores increased, and that the addition of silica mud increases the foaming temperature and slows down the foaming process. - Highlights: • Preparation of lightweight aggregate from waste glass, silica sludge, and MnO{sub 2} • DTA/TG investigation of MnO{sub 2} • Characterization of pore-forming process by means of X-ray micro-tomography (μcT)

Development of a Leave-in-Place Slab Edge Insulating Form System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marc Hoeschele; Eric Lee

2009-08-31

Concrete slabs represent the primary foundation type in residential buildings in the fast-growing markets throughout the southern and southwestern United States. Nearly 75% of the 2005 U.S. population growth occurred in these southern tier states. Virtually all of these homes have uninsulated slab perimeters that transfer a small, but steady, flow of heat from conditioned space to outdoors during the heating season. It is estimated that new home foundations constructed each year add 0.016 quads annually to U.S. national energy consumption; we project that roughly one quarter of this amount can be attributed to heat loss through the slab edge and the remaining three quarters to deep ground transfers, depending upon climate. With rising concern over national energy use and the impact of greenhouse gas emissions, it is becoming increasingly imperative that all cost-effective efforts to improve building energy efficiency be implemented. Unlike other building envelope components that have experienced efficiency improvements over the years, slab edge heat loss has largely been overlooked. From our vantage point, a marketable slab edge insulation system would offer significant benefits to homeowners, builders, and the society as a whole. Conventional slab forming involves the process of digging foundation trenches and setting forms prior to the concrete pour. Conventional wood form boards (usually 2 x 10's) are supported by vertical stakes on the outer form board surface, and by supporting 'kickers' driven diagonally from the top of the form board into soil outside the trench. Typically, 2 x 10's can be used only twice before they become waste material, contributing to an additional 400 pounds of construction waste per house. Removal of the form boards and stakes also requires a follow-up trip to the jobsite by the concrete subcontractor and handling (storage/disposal) of the used boards. In the rare cases where the slab is insulated (typically custom

Pipe Decontamination Involving String-Foam Circulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turchet, J.P.; Estienne, G.; Fournel, B.

2002-01-01

Foam applications number for nuclear decontamination purposes has recently increased. The major advantage of foam decontamination is the reduction of secondary liquid wastes volumes. Among foam applications, we focus on foam circulation in contaminated equipment. Dynamic properties of the system ensures an homogeneous and rapid effect of the foam bed-drifted chemical reagents present in the liquid phase. This paper describes a new approach of foam decontamination for pipes. It is based on an alternated air and foam injections. We called it 'string-foam circulation'. A further reduction of liquid wastes is achieved compared to continuous foam. Secondly, total pressure loss along the pipe is controlled by the total foam length in the pipe. It is thus possible to clean longer pipes keeping the pressure under atmospheric pressure value. This ensures the non dispersion of contamination. This study describes experimental results obtained with a neutral foam as well with an acid foam on a 130 m long loop. Finally, the decontamination of a 44 meters pipe is presented. (authors)

Attic Retrofits Using Nail-Base Insulated Panels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mallay, David [Home Innovation Research Labs; Kochkin, Vladimir [Home Innovation Research Labs

2018-03-26

This project developed and demonstrated a roof/attic energy retrofit solution using nail-base insulated panels for existing homes where traditional attic insulation approaches are not effective or feasible. Nail-base insulated panels (retrofit panels) consist of rigid foam insulation laminated to one face of a wood structural panel. The prefabricated panels are installed above the existing roof deck during a reroofing effort.

Properties of Foamed Mortar Prepared with Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao Zhao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Foamed mortar with a density of 1300 kg/m3 was prepared. In the initial laboratory trials, water-to-cement (w/c ratios ranging from 0.54 to 0.64 were tested to determine the optimal value for foamed mortar corresponding to the highest compressive strength without compromising its fresh state properties. With the obtained optimal w/c ratio of 0.56, two types of foamed mortar were prepared, namely cement-foamed mortar (CFM and slag-foamed mortar (SFM, 50% cement was replaced by slag weight. Four different curing conditions were adopted for both types of foamed mortar to assess their compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV and thermal insulation performance. The test results indicated that utilizing 50% of slag as cement replacement in the production of foamed mortar improved the compressive strength, UPV and thermal insulation properties. Additionally, the initial water curing of seven days gained higher compressive strength and increased UPV values as compared to the air cured and natural weather curing samples. However, this positive effect was more pronounced in the case of compressive strength than in the UPV and thermal conductivity of foamed mortar.

Properties of Foamed Mortar Prepared with Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiao; Lim, Siong-Kang; Tan, Cher-Siang; Li, Bo; Ling, Tung-Chai; Huang, Runqiu; Wang, Qingyuan

2015-01-30

Foamed mortar with a density of 1300 kg/m³ was prepared. In the initial laboratory trials, water-to-cement (w/c) ratios ranging from 0.54 to 0.64 were tested to determine the optimal value for foamed mortar corresponding to the highest compressive strength without compromising its fresh state properties. With the obtained optimal w/c ratio of 0.56, two types of foamed mortar were prepared, namely cement-foamed mortar (CFM) and slag-foamed mortar (SFM, 50% cement was replaced by slag weight). Four different curing conditions were adopted for both types of foamed mortar to assess their compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and thermal insulation performance. The test results indicated that utilizing 50% of slag as cement replacement in the production of foamed mortar improved the compressive strength, UPV and thermal insulation properties. Additionally, the initial water curing of seven days gained higher compressive strength and increased UPV values as compared to the air cured and natural weather curing samples. However, this positive effect was more pronounced in the case of compressive strength than in the UPV and thermal conductivity of foamed mortar.

A New Generation of Building Insulation by Foaming Polymer Blend Materials with CO₂

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Arthur [Industrial Science & Technology Network, Inc., Lancaster, PA (United States); Domszy, Roman [Industrial Science & Technology Network, Inc., Lancaster, PA (United States); Yang, Jeff [Industrial Science & Technology Network, Inc., Lancaster, PA (United States)

2016-03-30

Advanced thermal insulation is among the most effective technologies in transforming our nation’s energy system and contributing to DOE’s stated goal of 50% less building energy consumption by 2030. The installation of an advanced thermal insulation would prevent energy waste without the need for any maintenance, and ISTN conservatively estimates that the commercialization of such a new technology would contribute to annual U.S. energy savings of 0.361 Quads and $8 billion in annual economic savings. The key challenge to improving building insulation is to maintain and surpass the industry standard of R-5 per inch insulation value in a cost-competitive manner. Improvements in R-value without cost-efficiency are not likely to impact the market given the cost-sensitive nature of the construction industry (insulation is already the lowest-cost component of the building envelope). However, significantly higher insulating value at competitive costs is extremely appealing to the market given the greater potential to save on energy consumption and costs over the long-term. Thus, our goal is to develop a super-thermal insulation with 50% greater insulation value (R-9 to R-10 per inch) and manufacturing costs that are equal on a per-R-value basis (< $0.70/ft²).

Polyisocyanurate systems for insulating and sandwich elements; Polyisocyanurat-Systeme fuer Daemm- und Sandwichelemente

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malotki, P. von [Elastogran GmbH, Lemfoerde (Germany)

2000-07-01

PUR rigid foam plates are laminated with flexible Al films, paper or glass non-wovens, or may be processed into sandwich elements with metallic top-layers via coil-coating. Dependence of heat insulation efficiency, dimensional stability and fire behavior of the foam on chemical composition and the blowing agents is considered and compared with polyisocyanurate foams. Recipes for the production of PIR heat insulation elements and sandwich elements are given.

Preparation of polyurethane foams using liquefied oil palm mesocarp fibre (OPMF) and renewable monomer from waste cooking oil

Science.gov (United States)

Kormin, Shaharuddin; Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Azahari, M. Shafiq M.

2017-09-01

The aim of this research is the production of polyurethane (PU) foams with biopolyols from liquefied oil palm mesocarp fibre (OPMF) and renewable monomer. Liquefaction of OPMF was studied using polyhydric alcohol (PA) which is PEG-400 as liquefaction solvents in conventional glass flask. In the second part of this paper was obtained the PU foams which presented good results when compared with commercial foams and include polyols from of fossil fuels. PU foams were prepared by mixing liquefied OPMF biopolyol, renewable monomer from waste cooking, additives and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). Water was used as an environmental friendly blowing agent. The factors that influence the cell structure of foams (i.e., catalyst, surfactant, dosage of blowing agent, and mass ratio of biopolyol to renewable monomer were studied. The synthesized PU foams were characterized by FTIR and SEM. The formulation of the PU foams should be improved, but the results show that is possible the use biopolyols and renewable monomer to produce industrial foams with lower cost.

The Use of Biodiesel Residues for Heat Insulating Biobased Polyurethane Foams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nihan Özveren

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The commercial and biobased polyurethane foams (PUF were produced and characterized in this study. Commercial polyether polyol, crude glycerol, methanol-free crude glycerol, and pure glycerol were used as polyols. Crude glycerol is byproduct of the biodiesel production, and it is a kind of biofuel residue. Polyol blends were prepared by mixing the glycerol types and the commercial polyol with different amounts, 10 wt%, 30 wt%, 50 wt%, and 80 wt%. All types of polyol blends were reacted with polymeric diphenyl methane diisocyanates (PMDI for the production of rigid foams. Thermal properties of polyurethane foams are examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and thermal conductivity tests. The structures of polyurethane foams were examined by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR. Changes in morphology of foams were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM. Mechanical properties of polyurethane foams were determined by compression tests. This study identifies the critical aspects of polyurethane foam formation by the use of various polyols and furthermore offers new uses of crude glycerol and methanol-free crude glycerol which are byproducts of biodiesel industry.

Advanced Insulation for High Performance Cost-Effective Wall, Roof, and Foundation Systems Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costeux, Stephane [Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI (United States); Bunker, Shanon [Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI (United States)

2013-12-20

The objective of this project was to explore and potentially develop high performing insulation with increased R/inch and low impact on climate change that would help design highly insulating building envelope systems with more durable performance and lower overall system cost than envelopes with equivalent performance made with materials available today. The proposed technical approach relied on insulation foams with nanoscale pores (about 100 nm in size) in which heat transfer will be decreased. Through the development of new foaming methods, of new polymer formulations and new analytical techniques, and by advancing the understanding of how cells nucleate, expand and stabilize at the nanoscale, Dow successfully invented and developed methods to produce foams with 100 nm cells and 80% porosity by batch foaming at the laboratory scale. Measurements of the gas conductivity on small nanofoam specimen confirmed quantitatively the benefit of nanoscale cells (Knudsen effect) to increase insulation value, which was the key technical hypotheses of the program. In order to bring this technology closer to a viable semi-continuous/continuous process, the project team modified an existing continuous extrusion foaming process as well as designed and built a custom system to produce 6" x 6" foam panels. Dow demonstrated for the first time that nanofoams can be produced in a both processes. However, due to technical delays, foam characteristics achieved so far fall short of the 100 nm target set for optimal insulation foams. In parallel with the technology development, effort was directed to the determination of most promising applications for nanocellular insulation foam. Voice of Customer (VOC) exercise confirmed that demand for high-R value product will rise due to building code increased requirements in the near future, but that acceptance for novel products by building industry may be slow. Partnerships with green builders, initial launches in smaller markets (e.g. EIFS

Energy and global warming impacts of CFC alternative technologies for foam building insulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, S.K.; Fairchild, P.D.; Hughes, P.J.

1992-01-01

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCS) have been used as blowing agents in foam insulation, as the working fluids in cooling and refrigeration equipment, and as solvents in general and precision cleaning applications since their introduction in the 1930s. The number of applications and volumes of CFCs used grew at a tremendous pace during the 1960s and 1970s, but in the mid-1980s it was confirmed that these extremely useful chemicals contribute to the destruction of stratospheric zone and that they are the primary cause of the CFCs have also been found to be second only to carbon dioxide as a factor causing increased greenhouse warming. These chemicals are being phased out of use rapidly to protect the ozone layer and it is very important that the replacements for CFCs do not result in a net increase in global warming by introducing less efficient processes that lead to higher energy use and increased carbon dioxide emissions. A study was conducted to identify those alternative chemicals and technologies that could replace CFCs in energy related applications before the year 2000, and to assess the total potential impact of those alternatives on global warming. The analysis for this project included an estimate of the direct effects from the release of blowing agents, refrigerants, and solvents into the atmosphere and the indirect effects of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from energy use for commercial and residential building insulation, household and commercial refrigeration, building and automobile air conditioning, and general metal and electronics solvent cleaning. This paper focuses on those aspects of the study relevant to building insulation. In general the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon alternatives for CFCs lead to large and sometimes dramatic reductions in total equivalent warming impact, lifetime equivalent C0 2 emissions (TEWI). Most of the reductions result from decreased direct effects without significant changes in energy use

Proceedings of the 1993 non-fluorocarbon insulation, refrigeration and air conditioning technology workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-09-01

Sessions included: HFC blown polyurethanes, carbon dioxide blown foam and extruded polystyrenes, plastic foam insulations, evacuated panel insulation, refrigeration and air conditioning, absorption and adsorption and stirling cycle refrigeration, innovative cooling technologies, and natural refrigerants. Selected papers have been indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Technical characteristics of rigid sprayed PUR and PIR foams used in construction industry

Science.gov (United States)

Gravit, Marina; Kuleshin, Aleksey; Khametgalieva, Elina; Karakozova, Irina

2017-10-01

The article describes the distinctive properties of rigid polyurethane foam and polyisocyanurate (PUR and PIR). A brief review of the research was carried out on their modification with an objective to improve the thermal insulation properties and reducing the combustibility. A comparative analysis of the technical characteristics of rigid PUR and PIR foams of various manufacturers is presented. The problems of the state of the market for the production of polyurethane foam and polyisocyanurate in Russia have been marked. It is established that the further development of the fabrication technology of heat-insulating sprayed rigid PUR and PIR foams requires uniformity of technical characteristics of original components and finished products. Moreover, it requires the creation of unified information base for raw materials and auxiliary materials used in the production of PUR and PIR foam.

Optimisation of multi-layer rotationally moulded foamed structures

Science.gov (United States)

Pritchard, A. J.; McCourt, M. P.; Kearns, M. P.; Martin, P. J.; Cunningham, E.

2018-05-01

Multi-layer skin-foam and skin-foam-skin sandwich constructions are of increasing interest in the rotational moulding process for two reasons. Firstly, multi-layer constructions can improve the thermal insulation properties of a part. Secondly, foamed polyethylene sandwiched between solid polyethylene skins can increase the mechanical properties of rotationally moulded structural components, in particular increasing flexural properties and impact strength (IS). The processing of multiple layers of polyethylene and polyethylene foam presents unique challenges such as the control of chemical blowing agent decomposition temperature, and the optimisation of cooling rates to prevent destruction of the foam core; therefore, precise temperature control is paramount to success. Long cooling cycle times are associated with the creation of multi-layer foam parts due to their insulative nature; consequently, often making the costs of production prohibitive. Devices such as Rotocooler®, a rapid internal mould water spray cooling system, have been shown to have the potential to significantly decrease cooling times in rotational moulding. It is essential to monitor and control such devices to minimise the warpage associated with the rapid cooling of a moulding from only one side. The work presented here demonstrates the use of threaded thermocouples to monitor the polymer melt in multi-layer sandwich constructions, in order to analyse the cooling cycle of multi-layer foamed structures. A series of polyethylene skin-foam test mouldings were produced, and the effect of cooling medium on foam characteristics, mechanical properties, and process cycle time were investigated. Cooling cycle time reductions of 45%, 26%, and 29% were found for increasing (1%, 2%, and 3%) chemical blowing agent (CBA) amount when using internal water cooling technology from ˜123°C compared with forced air cooling (FAC). Subsequently, a reduction of IS for the same skin-foam parts was found to be 1%, 4

Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rapp, F.; Schneider, A.; Elsner, P.

2014-01-01

Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO 2 balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry), melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength)

Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

Science.gov (United States)

Rapp, F.; Schneider, A.; Elsner, P.

2014-05-01

Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO2 balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry), melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength).

Lightweight, Thermally Insulating Structural Panels

Science.gov (United States)

Eisen, Howard J.; Hickey, Gregory; Wen, Liang-Chi; Layman, William E.; Rainen, Richard A.; Birur, Gajanana C.

1996-01-01

Lightweight, thermally insulating panels that also serve as structural members developed. Honeycomb-core panel filled with low-thermal-conductivity, opacified silica aerogel preventing convection and minimizes internal radiation. Copper coating on face sheets reduces radiation. Overall thermal conductivities of panels smaller than state-of-art commercial non-structurally-supporting foam and fibrous insulations. On Earth, panels suitable for use in low-air-pressure environments in which lightweight, compact, structurally supporting insulation needed; for example, aboard high-altitude aircraft or in partially evacuated panels in refrigerators.

External Tank (ET) Foam Thermal/Structural Analysis Project

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, David F.; Ungar, Eugene K.; Chang, Li C.; Malroy, Eric T.; Stephan, Ryan A.

2008-01-01

An independent study was performed to assess the pre-launch thermally induced stresses in the Space Shuttle External Tank Bipod closeout and Ice/Frost ramps (IFRs). Finite element models with various levels of detail were built that included the three types of foam (BX-265, NCFI 24-124, and PDL 1034) and the underlying structure and bracketry. Temperature profiles generated by the thermal analyses were input to the structural models to calculate the stress levels. An area of high stress in the Bipod closeout was found along the aluminum tank wall near the phenolic insulator and along the phenolic insulator itself. This area of high stress might be prone to cracking and possible delamination. There is a small region of slightly increased stress in the NCFI 24-124 foam near its joint with the Bipod closeout BX-265 foam. The calculated stresses in the NCFI 24-124 acreage foam are highest at the NCFI 24-124/PDL 1034/tank wall interface under the LO2 and LH2 IFRs. The highest calculated stresses in the LH2 NCFI 24-124 foam are higher than in similar locations in the LO2 IFR. This finding is consistent with the dissection results of IFRs on ET-120.

In-situ long-term thermal performance of impermeably face polyiso foam boards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mukhopadhyaya, Phalguni; Normandin, Nicole; Van Reenen, David; Lackey, John [National Research Council Canada, Institute for Reserch in Construction, Ottawa, (Canada); Drouin, Michel [Consultant, Dorion, (Canada)

2010-07-01

Closed-cell polyisocyanurate (polyiso) foam insulation products are widely used in building envelope constructions as they have one of the highest R-values per unit thickness among the insulations used in the construction industry. The introduction of impermeable facers on the surface of polyiso rigid board is aimed at enhancing the long-term thermal resistance (LTTR) properties of the foam. This paper evaluated the thermal performance of impermeably faced polyiso boards after more than six years of field exposure. Boards were installed and instrumented at NRC-IRC's field test facility. Field monitoring was performed on a regular basis for six years of exposure until 2008. Then, nine specimens were cut from the boards which were removed from the test hut to evaluate their thermal characteristic using a heat flow meter apparatus. It was found that the impermeably faced polyiso foam insulation boards aged significantly.

RESEARCHES OF WORKING LIFE OF FOAM POLYSTYRENE OF BUILDING APPOINTMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guyumdzhjan Perch Pogosovich

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Results of experimental researches of physicomechanical properties of foam polystyrene thermal insulation materials are presented in article. The operational resource was defined on materials subject to ageing, action of liquid excited environments and atmospheric impacts. The destructive processes leading to destruction of foam polystyrene are revealed.

Fire hazards in the use of polyurethane foam with special consideration given to its use in the mining industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Florschuetz, P.; Hoffmann, R.; Pfeiffer, J.

1980-08-01

Discusses results from combustion tests conducted with polyurethane (PUR) foam and polyisocyanurate (PIC) foam, which are employed in mine construction, thermal insulation, and coating of coal preparation equipment. Fire point, inflammation point, flame propagation, carbon monoxide content in the fumes and other parameters were investigated. Coating the foam with a fire resistant chemical agent delayed the combustion process. Mixing foam with various quantities of foam components influenced the combustion process as well. The combustion results are presented in tables. It is concluded that the user's instructions for producing foam should be strictly adhered to and that larger sections of insulation by these foams in underground mines can only be permitted when additional protection measures are undertaken. (5 refs.) (In German)

Superplastically foaming method to make closed pores inclusive porous ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kishimoto, Akira; Hayashi, Hidetaka

2011-01-01

Porous ceramics incorporates pores to improve several properties including thermal insulation maintaining inherenet ceramic properties such as corrosion resistance and large mechanical strength. Conventional porous ceramics is usually fabricated through an insufficient sintering. Since the sintering accompanies the exclusion of pores, it must be terminated at the early stage to maintain the high porosity, leading to degraded strength and durability. Contrary to this, we have innovated superplastically foaming method to make ceramic foams only in the solid state. In this method, the previously inserted foam agent evaporates after the full densification of matrix at around the sintering temperature. Closed pores expand utilizing the superplastic deformation driven by the evolved gas pressure. The typical features of this superplastically foaming method are listed as follows, 1. The pores are introduced after sintering the solid polycrystal. 2. Only closed pores are introduced, improving the insulation of gas and sound in addition to heat. 3. The pore walls are fully densified expecting a large mechanical strength. 4. Compared with the melt foaming method, this method is practical because the fabrication temperature is far below the melting point and it does not need molds. 5. The size and the location pores can be controlled by the amount and position of the foam agent.

Tough graphene-polymer microcellular foams for electromagnetic interference shielding.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hao-Bin; Yan, Qing; Zheng, Wen-Ge; He, Zhixian; Yu, Zhong-Zhen

2011-03-01

Functional polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/graphene nanocomposite microcellular foams were prepared by blending of PMMA with graphene sheets followed by foaming with subcritical CO(2) as an environmentally benign foaming agent. The addition of graphene sheets endows the insulating PMMA foams with high electrical conductivity and improved electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding efficiency with microwave absorption as the dominant EMI shielding mechanism. Interestingly, because of the presence of the numerous microcellular cells, the graphene-PMMA foam exhibits greatly improved ductility and tensile toughness compared to its bulk counterpart. This work provides a promising methodology to fabricate tough and lightweight graphene-PMMA nanocomposite microcellular foams with superior electrical and EMI shielding properties by simultaneously combining the functionality and reinforcement of the graphene sheets and the toughening effect of the microcellular cells.

Isocyanurate: safe substitute for urethane in polymer foams for mine roadways

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eisner, H.S.; Leger, J.P.

1989-02-01

Rigid polyurethane foam (PU) used for lining roadways or insulating cooling pipes has been involved in several large fires in South African mines. Polyisocyanurate foam when applied to continuous surfaces in a ventilated mine roadway and subjected to a sizeable flame, will ignite and rapidly propagate flame over its surface, with considerable evolution of carbon monoxide, in a manner substantially similar to polyurethane foam. 12 refs.

Recycled blocks with improved sound and fire insulation containing construction and demolition waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Leiva, Carlos; Solís-Guzmán, Jaime; Marrero, Madelyn; García Arenas, Celia

2013-03-01

The environmental problem posed by construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) is derived not only from the high volume produced, but also from its treatment and disposal. Treatment plants receive C&D waste which is then transformed into a recycled mixed aggregate. The byproduct is mainly used for low-value-added applications such as land escape restoration, despite the high quality of the aggregate. In the present work, the chemical composition properties and grading curve properties of these aggregates are defined. Furthermore, the resulting recycled concrete with a high proportion of recycled composition, from 20% to 100% replacement of fine and coarse aggregate, is characterized physically and mechanically. An environmental study of the new construction material when all aggregates are substituted by C&D waste shows a low toxicity level, similar to that of other construction materials. The new material also has improved properties with respect to standard concrete such as high fire resistance, good heat insulation, and acoustic insulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of Aerated Foamed Concrete with Industrial Waste from the Gems and Jewels Sector of Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudimar Pedro

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The use of solid waste for the development of new building materials has been an alternative to reduce environmental impacts through the preservation of natural resources. In this context, this paper evaluates the possibility of using agate gemstone waste, called rolled powder, which basically consists of silica (SiO2, in the manufacture of aerated foamed concrete blocks completely replacing the natural sand. Preformed foam was used as the air entrained by mechanical stirring with a mixture of natural foaming agents derived from coconut. To produce test specimens, the water/cement ratio and foam concentrations were varied, with three and four levels, respectively. The specimens were left for 28 days at room temperature to be cured, and then underwent analysis to determine their compressive strength, density, and the distribution of air-voids. The experiments demonstrated that the best water/cement ratio was 1.28 for 18% (of total solid mass addition of foam, which generated a sample with a density of 430 kg/m3, and a compressive strength of 1.07 MPa. The result for compressive strength is 11% smaller than the requirements of the Brazilian standard (NBR 13438 for autoclaved aerated concrete blocks, but the results are promising.

Thermal properties of a sandwich construction insulated with Polyurethane (DC-System)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Rasmus Lund; Dreau, Jerome Le

Rigid polyurethane foam (PUR) is a good thermal insulation product for buildings, mainly due to its low thermal conductivity (λ ≈ 20 mW/m.K), low permeability to water and stability over time. The other types of insulation products available on the market have a significantly higher thermal...... conductivity: + 50% for expanded polystyrene (λ ≈ 30 mW/m.K), + 75% for mineral wools (λ ≈ 35 mW/m.K), etc. Despite its low thermal conductivity, polyurethane foam (PUR) is not much used as insulation material for walls because of its low resistance to fire. The most common PUR boards are classified C-s2-d0...

Foam-on-Tile Damage Model

Science.gov (United States)

Koharchik, Michael; Murphy, Lindsay; Parker, Paul

2012-01-01

An impact model was developed to predict how three specific foam types would damage the Space Shuttle Orbiter insulating tiles. The inputs needed for the model are the foam type, the foam mass, the foam impact velocity, the foam impact incident angle, the type being impacted, and whether the tile is new or aged (has flown at least one mission). The model will determine if the foam impact will cause damage to the tile. If it can cause damage, the model will output the damage cavity dimensions (length, depth, entry angle, exit angle, and sidewall angles). It makes the calculations as soon as the inputs are entered (less than 1 second). The model allows for the rapid calculation of numerous scenarios in a short time. The model was developed from engineering principles coupled with significant impact testing (over 800 foam impact tests). This model is applicable to masses ranging from 0.0002 up to 0.4 pound (0.09 up to 181 g). A prior tool performed a similar function, but was limited to the assessment of a small range of masses and did not have the large test database for verification. In addition, the prior model did not provide outputs of the cavity damage length, entry angle, exit angle, or sidewall angles.

Foam, composition and method of production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghali, R.

1991-09-03

A ternary foam is disclosed which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional heat-insulating foams which are either dense and heavy, expensive to produce, friable, unstable, or have poor fire resistance. The foam of the invention has, by weight of the reaction product, 10-35% polyurethane, 30-55% polyisocyanurate, and 20-45% polyurea. The foam is a reaction product of 100 parts by weight of an organic polyisocyanate with: 15-25 parts by weight of a polyether polyol having a hydroxyl number of ca 28-35 and a molecular weight of not more than 6,000; 5-25 parts by weight of water; 0-25 parts by weight of a blowing agent; 0-50 parts by weight of a filler-plasticizer fire retardant; an effective amount of a low activation catalyst to initiate water-isocyanate reaction to produce polyurea and polyol-isocyanate reaction to produce polyurethane; and an effective amount of a high activation catalyst to retard the low activation catalyst and promote the formation of polyisocyanurate. The low activity catalyst is present in an amount ranging ca 1.5-9 parts per 100 parts by weight of the polyisocyanate, and the high activation catalyst is present in an amount ranging 0.0008-0.002 parts per 100 parts by weight of the polyisocyanate. Water as a reactant and blowing agent can be substituted by an effective amount of a disubstituted amine such as diethanol amine and an inert blowing agent such as fluorocarbon. The resultant foam has excellent heat insulating propeties, is semi-flexible, has a density of 0.5-0.9 lb/ft{sup 3}, and can be inexpensively produced by existing 2-component foam dispensing equipment. 1 fig., 1 tab.

Heat resistance insulation for NPP pipelines and components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yurchenko, V.G.; Nazarova, G.A.; Popov, A.M.; Matveeva, N.F.

1986-01-01

To insulate hot surfaces of NPP process equipment and pipes it is suggested to use heat resistant insulation of foam aminoimides (FAI). Relative toxicity of aceton and acetaldehyd evolved from FAI in the process of thermal and thermal-oxidative break-down was determined. FAI can be used at 200 deg C

Bio-based thermosetting epoxy foam: Tannic acid valorization toward dye-decontaminating and thermo-protecting applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Esmaeili, N; Salimi, A; Zohuriaan-Mehr, M J; Vafayan, M; Meyer, W

2018-05-23

Bio-resourced thermosetting epoxy foam was synthesized from tannic acid toward two different applications e.g., dye-decontaminating and thermo-insulating. Epoxidized tannic acid (ETA) foam was produced without using of organic volatile compounds or flammable foaming gases. The foam density, thermal conductivity and closed-cell content were studied. Besides, TGA showed high char yield (49% in N 2 and 48.3% in air) at 600 °C accompanied by high LOI (37.1 in N 2 and 36.8 in air). The high thermo-stability and intumescent char yield along with low thermal conductivity recommends the foam suitability for being used as an insulating material. Additionally, sorption of methylene blue onto ETA foam was kinetically investigated. The study of contact time, ionic strength, solution pH, initial sorbate concentration and desorption revealed the dependency of the sorption process to pH and initial sorbate concentration. The experimental data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm (R 2  = 0.997), yielding maximum sorption capacity of 36.25 mg/g (ETA foam = 0.05 g, pH = 7, MB concentration = 50 ppm, Volume = 25 mL). The kinetic data verified that MB sorption could be represented by the pseudo second-order model. Overall, the ETA foam can be introduced as a candidate for removing cationic pollutants, thermal insulator, and self-extinguishing/intumescent materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of the fraction of blowing agent released from refrigerator/freezer foam after decommissioning the product

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Peter; Scheutz, Charlotte

2002-01-01

Several halocarbons having very high global warming potential have been used as blowing agent for insulation foam in refrigerators and freezers. Many appliances are shredded after the end of their useful life. Release experiments carried out in the laboratory on insulation foam revealed that most...... of the blowing agent is not released to the atmosphere during a six-week period following the shredding process. The fraction which is released in the six-week period, is highly dependent on how fine the foam is shredded. The residual blowing agent remaining after the six-week period may be very slowly released...

Foaming/antifoaming in WTP Tanks Equipped with Pulse Jet Mixer and Air Spargers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HASSAN, NEGUIB

2004-01-01

The River Protection Project-Waste Treatment Plant (RPP-WTP) requested Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to conduct small-scale foaming and antifoam testing using actual Hanford waste and simulants subjected to air sparging. The foaminess of Hanford tank waste solutions was previously demonstrated in SRNL during WTP evaporator foaming and ultrafiltration studies and commercial antifoam DOW Q2-3183A was recommended to mitigate the foam in the evaporators. Currently, WTP is planning to use air spargers in the HLW Lag Storage Vessels, HLW Concentrate Receipt Vessel, and the Ultrafiltration Vessels to assist the performance of the Jet Pulse Mixers (JPM). Sparging of air into WTP tanks will induce a foam layer within the process vessels. The air dispersion in the waste slurries and generated foams could present problems during plant operation. Foam in the tanks could also adversely impact hydrogen removal and mitigation. Antifoam (DOW Q2-3183A) will be used to control foaming in Hanford sparged waste processing tanks. These tanks will be mixed by a combination of pulse-jet mixers and air spargers. The percent allowable foaminess or freeboard in WTP tanks are shown in tables

Applications of Polymer Matrix Syntactic Foams

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Nikhil; Zeltmann, Steven E.; Shunmugasamy, Vasanth Chakravarthy; Pinisetty, Dinesh

2013-11-01

A collection of applications of polymer matrix syntactic foams is presented in this article. Syntactic foams are lightweight porous composites that found their early applications in marine structures due to their naturally buoyant behavior and low moisture absorption. Their light weight has been beneficial in weight sensitive aerospace structures. Syntactic foams have pushed the performance boundaries for composites and have enabled the development of vehicles for traveling to the deepest parts of the ocean and to other planets. The high volume fraction of porosity in syntactic foams also enabled their applications in thermal insulation of pipelines in oil and gas industry. The possibility of tailoring the mechanical and thermal properties of syntactic foams through a combination of material selection, hollow particle volume fraction, and hollow particle wall thickness has helped in rapidly growing these applications. The low coefficient of thermal expansion and dimensional stability at high temperatures are now leading their use in electronic packaging, composite tooling, and thermoforming plug assists. Methods have been developed to tailor the mechanical and thermal properties of syntactic foams independent of each other over a wide range, which is a significant advantage over other traditional particulate and fibrous composites.

Experimental study of a foam concrete based on local Tunisian materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellouze Dorra

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The building sector in Tunisia is very energy-intensive, the largest share of energy consumption comes from factories of building materials namely brick and cement plants. This work is part of the reduction of the energy bill in the building envelope. Indeed, the foam concrete can be walls in single or double wall with better insulating power. This paper presents an experimental study on the technical problems related to the formulation and manufacture of a new cellular concrete in Tunisia, called "foam" concrete, from Tunisian local materials. Indeed, six varieties of sand of different provenance and grain size will be analyzed, the "good" sand is the one that is best suited for the manufacture of foam concrete. Two clean, fine-grained (0/2mm rolled grain sands were retained. Then four foam concretes were formulated using each time a single type of sand and varying the density namely 0.8 and 1. These four formulations were tested mechanically and thermally. The results found showed that compressive strengths do not exceed 1.5 MPa at 28 days. Thus, the foam concrete can be used only as a filling concrete in non-load bearing elements such as partition walls. The guarded hot plate method was used to determine the thermal conductivities of the four foamed concretes studied. A low thermal conductivity was found of the order of 0.22 W/m°K which prove the insulating power of foam concrete.

Making continuous bubble type polyethylene foam incombustible

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaji, Kanako; Hatada, Motoyoshi; Yoshizawa, Iwao; Komai, Kuniaki; Kohara, Choji.

1989-01-01

Since continuous bubble type plastic foam has excellent compression characteristics and sound absorption characteristics, it has been widely used as cushion material, sealing material, sound insulating material and so on. However, the most part of plastic foam is taken by air, therefore at the time of fires, it becomes a very dangerous material. At present, the material used mostly as the seat cushions for airliners, railroad coaches, automobiles and others is polyurethane foam, but since it contains C-N couples in its molecules, it is feared to generate cyanic gas according to the condition of combustion. As the plastic foam that does not generate harmful gas at the time of fires, there is continuous bubble type polyethylene which is excellent in its weathering property and chemical resistance. A reactive, phosphorus-containing oligomer has large molecular weight and two or more double couplings in a molecule, therefore, it does not enter the inside of polyethylene, and polymerizes and crosslinks on the surfaces of bubble walls in the foam, accordingly it is expected that the apparent graft polymerization is carried out, and it is very effective for making polyethylene foam incombustible. The method of making graft foam, the properties of graft foam and so on are reported. When the graft polymerization of this oligomer to continuous bubble type polyethylene foam was tried, highly incombustible polyethylene foam was obtained. (K.I.)

Impact Foam Testing for Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicle Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Glaab, Louis J.; Agrawal, Paul; Hawbaker, James

2013-01-01

Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicles (MMEEVs) are blunt-body vehicles designed with the purpose of transporting payloads from outer space to the surface of the Earth. To achieve high-reliability and minimum weight, MMEEVs avoid use of limited-reliability systems, such as parachutes and retro-rockets, instead using built-in impact attenuators to absorb energy remaining at impact to meet landing loads requirements. The Multi-Mission Systems Analysis for Planetary Entry (M-SAPE) parametric design tool is used to facilitate the design of MMEEVs and develop the trade space. Testing was conducted to characterize the material properties of several candidate impact foam attenuators to enhance M-SAPE analysis. In the current effort, two different Rohacell foams were tested to determine their thermal conductivity in support of MMEEV design applications. These applications include thermal insulation during atmospheric entry, impact attenuation, and post-impact thermal insulation in support of thermal soak analysis. Results indicate that for these closed-cell foams, the effect of impact is limited on thermal conductivity due to the venting of the virgin material gas and subsequent ambient air replacement. Results also indicate that the effect of foam temperature is significant compared to data suggested by manufacturer's specifications.

Modyfication of the Rigid Polyurethane-Polyisocyanurate Foams

OpenAIRE

Bogusław Czupryński; Joanna Liszkowska; Joanna Paciorek-Sadowska

2014-01-01

The effect of polyethylene glycol 1500 on physicomechanical properties of rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate (PUR-PIR) foams has been studied. It was found that application of polyethylene glycol 1500 for synthesis of foams in amount from 0% to 20% w/w had an effect on reduction of brittleness and softening point, while the greater the increase in compressive strength the higher its content in foam composition was. Wastes from production of these foams were ground and subjected to glycolysis...

Stress wave propagation and mitigation in two polymeric foams

Science.gov (United States)

Pradel, Pierre; Malaise, Frederic; Cadilhon, Baptiste; Quessada, Jean-Hugues; de Resseguier, Thibaut; Delhomme, Catherine; Le Blanc, Gael

2017-06-01

Polymeric foams are widely used in industry for thermal insulation or shock mitigation. This paper investigates the ability of a syntactic epoxy foam and an expanded polyurethane foam to mitigate intense (several GPa) and short duration (<10-6 s) stress pulses. Plate impact and electron beam irradiation experiments have been conducted to study the dynamic mechanical responses of both foams. Interferometer Doppler Laser method is used to record the target rear surface velocity. A two-wave structure associated with the propagation of an elastic precursor followed by the compaction of the pores has been observed. The compaction stress level deduced from the velocity measurement is a good indicator of mitigation capability of the foams. Quasi-static tests and dynamic soft recovery experiments have also been performed to determine the compaction mechanisms. In the polyurethane foam, the pores are closed by elastic buckling of the matrix and damage of the structure. In the epoxy foam, the compaction is due to the crushing of glass microspheres. Two porous material models successfully represent the macroscopic response of these polymeric foams.

CARBONIZED STARCH MICROCELLULAR FOAM-CELLULOSE FIBER COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew R. Rutledge

2008-11-01

Full Text Available The production of microporous carbon foams from renewable starch microcellular foam-fiber (SMCF-Fiber composites is described. Carbon foams are used in applications such as thermal insulation, battery electrodes, filters, fuel cells, and medical devices. SMCF-Fiber compos-ites were created from an aquagel. The water in the aquagel was exchanged with ethanol and then dried and carbonized. Higher amylose content starches and fiber contents of up to 4% improved the processability of the foam. The SMCF structure revealed agglomerates of swollen starch granules connected by a web of starch with pores in the 50-200 nanometer range. Heating the SMCF-fiber in a nitrogen atmosphere to temperatures between 350-700˚C produced carbon foams with a three-dimensional closed cell foam structure with cell diameters around 50 microns and pore walls around 1-3 microns. The stress versus strain compression data for carbonized samples displayed a linear elastic region and a plateau indicative of brittle crushing, typical of an elastic-brittle foam. The carbon foam products from these renew-able precursors are promising carbon structures with moderate strength and low density.

Effect of foam on temperature prediction and heat recovery potential from biological wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Corbala-Robles, L; Volcke, E I P; Samijn, A; Ronsse, F; Pieters, J G

2016-05-15

Heat is an important resource in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) which can be recovered. A prerequisite to determine the theoretical heat recovery potential is an accurate heat balance model for temperature prediction. The insulating effect of foam present on the basin surface and its influence on temperature prediction were assessed in this study. Experiments were carried out to characterize the foam layer and its insulating properties. A refined dynamic temperature prediction model, taking into account the effect of foam, was set up. Simulation studies for a WWTP treating highly concentrated (manure) wastewater revealed that the foam layer had a significant effect on temperature prediction (3.8 ± 0.7 K over the year) and thus on the theoretical heat recovery potential (30% reduction when foam is not considered). Seasonal effects on the individual heat losses and heat gains were assessed. Additionally, the effects of the critical basin temperature above which heat is recovered, foam thickness, surface evaporation rate reduction and the non-absorbed solar radiation on the theoretical heat recovery potential were evaluated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FOAM FORMATION IN THE SALTSTONE PRODUCTION FACILITY: EVALUATION OF SOURCES AND MITIGATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cozzi, A.

2011-01-18

The Saltstone Production Facility receives waste from Tank 50H for treatment. Influents into Tank 50H include the Effluent Treatment Project waste concentrate, H-Canyon low activity waste and General Purpose Evaporator bottoms, Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit decontaminated salt solution, and salt solution from the Deliquification, Dissolution and Adjust campaign. Using the Waste Characterization System (WCS), this study tracks the relative amounts of each influent into Tank 50H, as well as the total content of Tank 50H, in an attempt to identify the source of foaming observed in the Saltstone Production Facility hopper. Saltstone has been using antifoam as part of routine processing with the restart of the facility in December 2006. It was determined that the maximum admix usage in the Saltstone Production Facility, both antifoam and set retarder, corresponded with the maximum concentration of H-Canyon low activity waste in Tank 50H. This paper also evaluates archived salt solutions from Waste Acceptance Criteria analysis for propensity to foam and the antifoam dosage required to mitigate foaming. It was determined that Effluent Treatment Project contributed to the expansion factor (foam formation) and General Purpose Evaporator contributed to foaminess (persistence). It was also determined that undissolved solids contribute to foam persistence. It was shown that additions of Dow Corning Q2-1383a antifoam reduced both the expansion factor and foaminess of salt solutions. The evaluation of foaming in the grout hopper during the transition from water to salt solution indicated that higher water-to-premix ratios tended to produce increased foaming. It was also shown that additions of Dow Corning Q2-1383a antifoam reduced foam formation and persistence.

Model fire tests on polyphosphazene rubber and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/nitrile rubber foams

Science.gov (United States)

Widenor, W. M.

1978-01-01

A video tape record of model room fire tests was shown, comparing polyphosphazene (P-N) rubber and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/nitrile rubber closed-cell foams as interior finish thermal insulation under conditions directly translatable to an actual fire situation. Flashover did not occur with the P-N foam and only moderate amounts of low density smoke were formed, whereas with the PVC/nitrile foam, flashover occurred quickly and large volumes of high density smoke were emitted. The P-N foam was produced in a pilot plant under carefully controlled conditions. The PVC/nitrile foam was a commercial product. A major phase of the overall program involved fire tests on P-N open-cell foam cushioning.

Selenide isotope generator for the Galileo Mission: SIG thermal insulation evaluaion tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-06-01

Since the SIG program required the use of very high performance thermal insulation materials in rather severe thermal and environmental conditions, a thorough screening and testing program was performed. Several types of materials were included in the preliminary survey. Most promising were oxide and carbonaceous fibrous insulations, oxide and carbonaceous foamed materials, and multilayer materials with both powder and cloth spacers. The latter were only viable for the vacuum option. In all, over one hundred materials from more than sixty manufacturers were evaluated from literature and manufacturers' data. The list was pared to eighteen candidates in seven basic types, i.e., fibrous microporous SiO 2 , fibrous SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , fibrous ZrO 2 , fibrous carbon, foamed SiO 2 , foamed carbon, and multilayer. Test results are presented

Foaming and emulsifying properties of pectin isolated from different plant materials

Science.gov (United States)

Yancheva, Nikoleta; Markova, Daniela; Murdzheva, Dilyana; Vasileva, Ivelina; Slavov, Anton

2016-03-01

The foaming and emulsifying properties of pectins obtained from waste rose petals, citrus pressings, grapefruit peels and celery were studied. It was found that the highest foaming capacity showed pectin derived from celery. The effect of pectin concentration on the foaming capacity of pectin solutions was investigated. For all the investigated pectins increasing the concentration led to increase of the foaming capacity. Emulsifying activity and emulsion stability of model emulsion systems (50 % oil phase) with 0.6 % pectic solutions were determined. The highest emulsifying activity and stability showed pectin isolated by dilute acid extraction from waste rose petals.

Foaming and emulsifying properties of pectin isolated from different plant materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yancheva Nikoleta

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The foaming and emulsifying properties of pectins obtained from waste rose petals, citrus pressings, grapefruit peels and celery were studied. It was found that the highest foaming capacity showed pectin derived from celery. The effect of pectin concentration on the foaming capacity of pectin solutions was investigated. For all the investigated pectins increasing the concentration led to increase of the foaming capacity. Emulsifying activity and emulsion stability of model emulsion systems (50 % oil phase with 0.6 % pectic solutions were determined. The highest emulsifying activity and stability showed pectin isolated by dilute acid extraction from waste rose petals.

Center for the Polyurethanes Industry summary of unpublished industrial hygiene studies related to the evaluation of emissions of spray polyurethane foam insulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Richard D

2017-09-01

Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation is used as thermal insulation for residential and commercial buildings. It has many advantages over other forms insulation; however, concerns have been raised related to chemical emissions during and after application. The American Chemistry Council's (ACC's) Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) has gathered previously unpublished industrial hygiene air sampling studies submitted by member companies that were completed during an eight-year period from 2007-2014. These studies address emissions from medium density closed cell and low density open cell formulations. This article summarizes the results of personal and area air samples collected during application and post application of SPF to interior building surfaces in both laboratory and field environments. Chemicals of interest included: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), flame retardants, amine catalysts, blowing agents, and aldehydes. Overall, the results indicate that SPF applicators and workers in close proximity to the application are potentially exposed to MDI in excess of recommended and governmental occupational exposure limits and should use personal protective equipment (PPE) consisting of air supplied respirators and full-body protective clothing to reduce exposure. Catalyst emissions can be reduced by using reactive catalysts in SPF formulations, and mechanical ventilation is important in controlling emissions during and after application.

Measure Guideline: Three High Performance Mineral Fiber Insulation Board Retrofit Solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neuhauser, K. [Building Science Corporation, Westford, MA (United States)

2015-01-01

This Measure Guideline describes a high performance enclosure retrofit package that uses mineral fiber insulation board, and is intended to serve contractors and designers seeking guidance for non-foam exterior insulation retrofit processes. The guideline describes retrofit assembly and details for wood frame roof and walls and for cast concrete foundations.

Measure Guideline: Three High Performance Mineral Fiber Insulation Board Retrofit Solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neuhauser, Ken [Building Science Corporation, Westford, MA (United States)

2015-01-01

This Measure Guideline describes a high performance enclosure retrofit package that uses mineral fiber insulation board. The Measure Guideline describes retrofit assembly and details for wood frame roof and walls and for cast concrete foundations. This Measure Guideline is intended to serve contractors and designers seeking guidance for non-foam exterior insulation retrofit.

Green engineering: Green composite material, biodiesel from waste coffee grounds, and polyurethane bio-foam

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Hsiang-Fu

In this thesis we developed several ways of producing green materials and energy resources. First, we developed a method to fabricate natural fibers composites, with the purpose to develop green textile/woven composites that could potentially serve as an alternative to materials derived from non-renewable sources. Flax and hemp fabrics were chosen because of their lightweight and exceptional mechanical properties. To make these textile/woven composites withstand moist environments, a commercially available marine resin was utilized as a matrix. The tensile, three-point bending, and edgewise compression strengths of these green textile/woven composites were measured using ASTM protocols. Secondly, we developed a chemical procedure to obtain oil from waste coffee grounds; we did leaching and liquid extractions to get liquid oil from the solid coffee. This coffee oil was used to produce bio-diesel that could be used as a substitute for petroleum-based diesel. Finally, polyurethane Bio-foam formation utilized glycerol that is the by-product from the biodiesel synthesis. A chemical synthesis procedure from the literature was used as the reference system: a triol and isocynate are mixed to produce polyurethane foam. Moreover, we use a similar triol, a by-product from bio-diesel synthesis, to reproduce polyurethane foam.

A complete process for the treatment of low level radioactive wastes using composite ion exchange resins based on polyurethane foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, S.V.S.; Mani, A.G.S.; Lakshmi, R.; Sinha, P.K.

2007-01-01

The CFC-PU foam and HMO-PU foams have been employed for the removal of radioactive cesium and strontium respectively from actual Cat. III radioactive liquid waste received from reprocessing plant. Batch studies have been carried out in order to optimize the loading of above chemicals. The results of column and batch studies have indicated that there is a good agreement between them. After passing about 1000 bed volumes, the average DF and volume reduction factor obtained were 20 and 200 respectively. A method has been developed for the wet digestion of spent resins in alkaline KMnO 4 medium. The digested foam has been immobilized in cement matrix and the matrices were characterized with respect to compressive strength and leach resistance. (author)

Insulation Progress since the Mid-1950s

Science.gov (United States)

Timmerhaus, K. D.

Storage vessel and cryostat design for modern cryogenic systems has become rather routine as the result of the wide use of and application of cryogenic fluids. Such vessels for these fluids range in size from 1 L flasks used in the laboratory for liquid nitrogen to the more than 200,000 m3 double-walled tanks used for temporary storage of liquefied natural gas before being transported overseas to their final destination. These storage vessels for cryogenic fluids range in type from low-performance containers insulated with rigid foam or fibrous insulation to high-performance containers insulated with evacuated multilayer insulations. The overriding factors in the type of container selected normally are of economics and safety. This paper will consider various insulation concepts used in such cryogenic storage systems and will review the progress that has been made over the past 50 years in these insulation systems.

Report on achievements in fiscal 1998. Development of foaming eco-material using magazine waste papers. (The first fiscal year); 1998 nendo zasshi koshi wo mochiita happo seikei eko material no kaihatsu seika hokokusho (dai 1 nendo)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

Such foaming materials as styro-foam, urethane and polyethylene greatly increase load on the environment when discarded, and are a problem as harmful rubbish. On the other hand, magazine waste papers have limitation as regenerated paper because their pulp fibers are cut off and deteriorated during use and regeneration. They are left unused without a prospect of re-use even if recovered. Under such a background, the present research and development is intended to develop magazine waste papers as a reusable cushioning material, commercialize the cushioning material as a low environment load type material, and promote reutilization of magazine waste papers. Specifically, development is performed on a manufacturing technology and a manufacturing equipment for a cushioning material having excellent biodegradation performance manufactured by mixing magazine waste papers with gelatin as a binder, and further by foaming and forming. The research and development items include: (1) development of a manufacturing technology for a foaming eco-material using magazine waste papers, (2) development of manufacturing equipment for the foaming eco-material, and (3) the market research thereon. This paper reports the achievements in the research and development of each item in fiscal 1998. (NEDO)

Development of a phenomenological constitutive model for polyurethane foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neilsen, M.K.; Morgan, H.S.; Krieg, R.D.; Yoshimura, H.R.

1989-01-01

Rigid, closed-cell, polyurethane foam is used in impact limiters in nuclear waste transport containers. During a hypothetical nuclear waste transport accident, the foam is expected to absorb a significant amount of impact energy by undergoing large inelastic volume reductions. Consequently, the crushing of polyurethane foams must be well characterized and accurately modeled to properly analyze a transport container accident. At the request of Sandia National Laboratories, a series of uniaxial, hydrostatic and triaxial compression tests on polyurethane foams were performed by the New Mexico Engineering Research Institute (NMERI). The combination of hydrostatic and triaxial tests was chosen to provide sufficient data to characterize both the volumetric and deviatoric behaviors of the foams and the coupling between the two responses. Typical results from the NMERI tests are included in this paper. A complete description of these tests can be found in Neilsen et al., 1987. Constitutive models that have been used in the past to model foam did not capture some important foam behaviors observed in the NMERI tests. Therefore, a new constitutive model for rigid, closed-cell, polyurethane foams was developed and implemented in two finite element codes. Development of the new model is discussed in this paper. Also, results from analyses with the new model and other constitutive models are presented to demonstrate differences between the various models. 4 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Development of Abaca Fiber-reinforced Foamed Fly Ash Geopolymer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janne Pauline S. Ngo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The growing environmental and economic concerns have led to the need for more sustainable construction materials. The development of foamed geopolymer combines the benefit of reduced environmental footprint and attractive properties of geopolymer technology with foam concrete’s advantages of being lightweight, insulating and energy-saving. In this study, alkali-treated abaca fiber-reinforced geopolymer composites foamed with H2O2 were developed using fly ash as the geopolymer precursor. The effects of abaca fiber loading, foaming agent dosage, and curing temperature on mechanical strength were evaluated using Box-Behken design of experiment with three points replicated. Volumetric weight of samples ranged from 1966 kg/m3 to 2249 kg/m3. Measured compressive strength and flexural ranged from 19.56 MPa to 36.84 MPa, and 2.41 MPa to 6.25 MPa, respectively. Results suggest enhancement of compressive strength by abaca reinforcement and elevated temperature curing. Results, however, indicate a strong interaction between curing temperature and foaming agent dosage, which observably caused the composite’s compressive strength to decline when simultaneously set at high levels. Foaming agent dosage was the only factor detected to significantly affect flexural strength.

Modyfication of the Rigid Polyurethane-Polyisocyanurate Foams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogusław Czupryński

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of polyethylene glycol 1500 on physicomechanical properties of rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate (PUR-PIR foams has been studied. It was found that application of polyethylene glycol 1500 for synthesis of foams in amount from 0% to 20% w/w had an effect on reduction of brittleness and softening point, while the greater the increase in compressive strength the higher its content in foam composition was. Wastes from production of these foams were ground and subjected to glycolysis in diethylene glycol with the addition of ethanolamine and zinc stearate. Liquid brown products were obtained. Properties of the resulting products were defined in order to determine their suitability for synthesis of new foams. It was found that glycolysate 6 was the most suitable for reuse and its application in different amounts allowed us to prepare 4 new foams (nos. 25, 26, 27, and 28. Properties of foams prepared in this manner were determined and, on their basis, the suitability of glycolysates for production of rigid PUR-PIR foams was evaluated.

Sprayable Aerogel Bead Compositions With High Shear Flow Resistance and High Thermal Insulation Value

Science.gov (United States)

Ou, Danny; Trifu, Roxana; Caggiano, Gregory

2013-01-01

A sprayable aerogel insulation has been developed that has good mechanical integrity and lower thermal conductivity than incumbent polyurethane spray-on foam insulation, at similar or lower areal densities, to prevent insulation cracking and debonding in an effort to eliminate the generation of inflight debris. This new, lightweight aerogel under bead form can be used as insulation in various thermal management systems that require low mass and volume, such as cryogenic storage tanks, pipelines, space platforms, and launch vehicles.

Biomass derived novel functional foamy materials - BIO-FOAM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suurnaekki, A.; Boer, H.; Forssell, P. (and others) (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo (Finland)), Email: anna.suurnakki@vtt.fi

2010-10-15

BIO-FOAM has aimed at exploiting the potential of biomaterials in replacing synthetic polymers in solid foamy materials. The target applications have been various, including food, packaging, construction and insulation. The project activities during the second project year have focused on characterisation of the solid model foams and on modeling the behaviour of polymers at liquid- liquid interfaces. In the modelling study the intrinsic consistence of the applied thermodynamic approach was confirmed. The experimentally obtained solubility parameters of polymers were in good agreement with the calculated solubility parameters. The polymers were, however, found to posses too little surface activity to alone provide stable foams, but they were able to act as co-surfactants. In the model polymer foam work both expanded polymer foams and wood fibre based foams were prepared. Supercritical CO{sub 2}-gas chamber was found to be a useful tool to prepare expanded polymer foams in small scale. Only partial replacement of synthetic polymers could, however, be obtained with native biomaterials indicating the need of tailoring of biopolymer properties and suitable formulations including surfactants or stabilizing particles. In wood fibre-based foams both nanocellulose and lignin showed potential as additives or reinforcing components.The outcome of the extruded food snacks study was that the processing parameters were related with the equipmentvariables. Furthermore, glycerol was shown to facilitate greatly extrusion processing. In foam concrete work concrete pore structure was shown to correlate with its strength and stability. At optimum concentration wood fibres affected positively the concrete processing performance. (orig.)

Technology Solutions Case Study: Interior Foundation Insulation Upgrade-Minneapolis Residence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2013-10-01

This interior foundation project employed several techniques to improve performance and mitigate moisture issues: dimple mat; spray polyurethane foam insulation; moisture and thermal management systems for the floor; and paperless gypsum board and steel framing.

Eco-efficient waste glass recycling: Integrated waste management and green product development through LCA.

Science.gov (United States)

Blengini, Gian Andrea; Busto, Mirko; Fantoni, Moris; Fino, Debora

2012-05-01

As part of the EU Life + NOVEDI project, a new eco-efficient recycling route has been implemented to maximise resources and energy recovery from post-consumer waste glass, through integrated waste management and industrial production. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to identify engineering solutions to sustainability during the development of green building products. The new process and the related LCA are framed within a meaningful case of industrial symbiosis, where multiple waste streams are utilised in a multi-output industrial process. The input is a mix of rejected waste glass from conventional container glass recycling and waste special glass such as monitor glass, bulbs and glass fibres. The green building product is a recycled foam glass (RFG) to be used in high efficiency thermally insulating and lightweight concrete. The environmental gains have been contrasted against induced impacts and improvements have been proposed. Recovered co-products, such as glass fragments/powders, plastics and metals, correspond to environmental gains that are higher than those related to landfill avoidance, whereas the latter is cancelled due to increased transportation distances. In accordance to an eco-efficiency principle, it has been highlighted that recourse to highly energy intensive recycling should be limited to waste that cannot be closed-loop recycled. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of synthesized polyurethane/montmorillonite nanocomposites foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansari, Farahnaz; Njuguna, James; Sachse, Sophia; Kavosh, Masoud; Michalowski, S; Pielichowski, Krzysztof

2014-01-01

Nanophased hybrid composites based on polyurethane/montmorillonite (PU/MMT) have been fabricated. The nanocomposite which was formed by the addition of a polyol premix with 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate to obtain nanophased polyurethane foams which were then used for fabrication of nanocomposite panels has been shown to have raised strength, stiffness and thermal insulation properties. The nanophased polyurethane foam was characterized by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements and X-ray diffraction (XRD). TEM and SEM analysis indicated that nanophased particles are dispersed homogeneously in the polyurethane matrix on the nanometer scale indicating that PU/MMT is an intercalated nanocomposite with a 2-3 nm nanolayer thickness

Composite bulk Heat Insulation Made of loose Mineral and Organic Aggregate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Namsone Eva

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The task of building energy-efficiency is getting more important. Every house owner wishes to save up exploitation costs of heating, cooling, hot water production, ventilation, etc. and find cost-effective investments. One of the ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE is to minimize the heat transfer through the building by insulating it. Loose heat insulation is a good alternative to traditional board insulation, it is simple in use and cost-effective. Main drawback of this insulation is tendency to compact during exploitation. In the frame of this research composite loose heat insulation is elaborated, consisting on porous mineral foamed glass aggregate and local organic fiber materials (hemp and flaxen shives. Composite bulk insulation is an alternative solution which combines heat insulating properties and mechanical stability.

Physical and chemical evaluation of furniture waste briquettes.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Ana Isabel; Font, Rafael; Conesa, Juan A

2016-03-01

Furniture waste is mainly composed of wood and upholstery foam (mostly polyurethane foam). Both of these have a high calorific value, therefore, energy recovery would be an appropriate process to manage these wastes. Nevertheless, the drawback is that the energy content of these wastes is limited due to their low density mainly that of upholstery foam. Densification of separate foam presents difficulties due to its elastic character. The significance of this work lies in obtaining densified material by co-densification of furniture wood waste and polyurethane foam waste. Densification of furniture wood and the co-densification of furniture wood waste with polyurethane foam have been studied. On the one hand, the parameters that have an effect on the quality of the furniture waste briquettes have been analysed, i.e., moisture content, compaction pressure, presence of lignin, etc. The maximum weight percentage of polyurethane foam that can be added with furniture wood waste to obtain durable briquettes and the optimal moisture were determined. On the other hand, some parameters were analysed in order to evaluate the possible effect on the combustion. The chemical composition of waste wood was compared with untreated wood biomass; the higher nitrogen content and the concentration of some metals were the most important differences, with a significant difference of Ti content. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foaming of CRT panel glass powder using Na2CO3

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob; Smedskjær, Morten Mattrup

2014-01-01

The recycling of glass from obsolete cathode ray tubes (CRT) has hitherto only occurred to a very limited extent, but the production of foam glass used as an insulation material component has recently been proposed as a promising recycling method. CRT panel glass has high recycling potential due...... to its non-hazardous composition. Here we report on the foaming of CRT panel glass using Na2CO3 as the foaming agent. We explore how heat treatment temperature and concentration of Na2CO3 affect the density and porosity of the foam glasses, and whether Na2O is incorporated in the glass network....... The optimum foaming temperature for minimising density and maximising closed porosity is found to be between 1023 and 1123 K. The pore structure depends on the amount of added Na2CO3, viz, the pores generally become more open with increasing Na2CO3 content. A minimum density of 0·28 g/cm3 is found when 14 wt...

Release and attenuation of fluorocarbons in landfills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Peter; Scheutz, Charlotte

2003-01-01

Several halocarbons with very high global warming and ozone depleting potentials have been used as blowing agent for insulation foam in refrigerators and freezers. Many appliances are shredded after the end of their useful life. Release experiments carried out in the laboratory on insulation foam...... blown with CFC-11, HCFC-141b, HFC- 134a, and HFC-245fa revealed that most of the blowing agent is not released to the atmosphere during a six-week period following the shredding process. The fraction which is released in the six-week period is highly dependent on how fine the foam is shredded....... The residual blowing agent remaining after the six-week period may be very slowly released if the integrity of the foam particles with respect to diffusional properties is kept after disposal of the foam waste in landfills. Laboratory experiments simulating attenuation processes in the landfilled waste...

SPRAY FOAM IN ACCESSIBLE SPACES:BEST PRACTICES AND CASE STUDIES FOR RETROFIT IN MIXED-HUMID CLIMATE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christian, Jeffrey E [ORNL; Gant, Kathy [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)

2013-12-01

Heating and cooling the house is one of the homeowners major expenses. Reducing these costs, saving energy, and creating a healthier, more comfortable indoor environment are good reasons to consider improving the building thermal envelope. Improvements usually consider increasing the amount of insulation, reducing the infiltration of outside air, and controlling moisture in existing buildings. This report describes the use of spray foam materials to insulate, seal, and control moisture. This discussion is limited to treating areas that are accessible. What is accessible, however, can vary depending on the type of renovation. If the building has been gutted or exterior surfaces removed, there are more options. This report will look at areas to consider for spray foam application and discuss the types of spray foams available and their uses. A number of case studies are presented to show the effectiveness of this retrofit in existing houses based on performance data.

Investigation of field temperature in moulds of foamed plaster

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Pawlak

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Plaster moulds used in precision foundry are characterized by a very low permeability which, in the case of classic plaster moulds, equals to about 0,01÷0,02 m2/(MPa·s. One of the most effective methods for increasing the permeability is a foaming treatment. Another characteristic feature of plaster is its very good insulating power which has influence on the process of solidification and cooling of a cast and also on a knock-out property. This insulating power is a function of thermophysical properties of plaster which, in turn, depend mainly on the mineralogical composition of the mould material, its bulk density as well as on the temperature of the pouring alloy. In the case of a foamed plaster mould an increase of the degree of foaming increases its porosity which causes a change in its thermophysical properties, thereby increasing susceptibility of the mass to overheating. The susceptibility of the plaster layer surrounding the cast to overheating is favorable because it makes it easier to knock-out of the cast by immersing the hot mould in cold water. Thermal and phase tensions that are created during this process cause fast destruction of plaster. This paper describes our investigations aimed at the determination of the dependence of the mould temperature field on the time of the cast stay in the mould, as recorded in a process of an unsteady heat flow. The determined data were planned to be used for estimation of the technological properties of the plaster mould. The tests were carried out using the plaster α-Supraduro and Alkanol XC (foaming agent. The test mould had a diameter of Ø 120 mm with centrally situated mould cavity of Ø 30 mm. Plaster moulds with a degree of foaming 20; 32,5 and 45% and comparatively from non-foaming plaster were tested and their temperatures were measured at the distance x=2; 9; 21; 25;27; 30 mm from the mould cavity within 25 min. Analysis of the results leads to the conclusion, that the highest

Inflatable Tubular Structures Rigidized with Foams

Science.gov (United States)

Tinker, Michael L.; Schnell, Andrew R.

2010-01-01

Inflatable tubular structures that have annular cross sections rigidized with foams, and the means of erecting such structures in the field, are undergoing development. Although the development effort has focused on lightweight structural booms to be transported in compact form and deployed in outer space, the principles of design and fabrication are also potentially applicable to terrestrial structures, including components of ultralightweight aircraft, lightweight storage buildings and shelters, lightweight insulation, and sales displays. The use of foams to deploy and harden inflatable structures was first proposed as early as the 1960s, and has been investigated in recent years by NASA, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, industry, and academia. In cases of deployable booms, most of the investigation in recent years has focused on solid cross sections, because they can be constructed relatively easily. However, solid-section foam-filled booms can be much too heavy for some applications. In contrast, booms with annular cross sections according to the present innovation can be tailored to obtain desired combinations of stiffness and weight through choice of diameters, wall thicknesses, and foam densities. By far the most compelling advantage afforded by this innovation is the possibility of drastically reducing weights while retaining or increasing the stiffnesses, relative to comparable booms that have solid foamfilled cross sections. A typical boom according to this innovation includes inner and outer polyimide film sleeves to contain foam that is injected between them during deployment.

Physical and chemical evaluation of furniture waste briquettes

OpenAIRE

Moreno Caballero, Ana Isabel; Font, Rafael; Conesa, Juan A.

2016-01-01

Furniture waste is mainly composed of wood and upholstery foam (mostly polyurethane foam). Both of these have a high calorific value, therefore, energy recovery would be an appropriate process to manage these wastes. Nevertheless, the drawback is that the energy content of these wastes is limited due to their low density mainly that of upholstery foam. Densification of separate foam presents difficulties due to its elastic character. The significance of this work lies in obtaining densified m...

Elaboration of recycled polyethylene foams reticulated by radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galicia M, M.

2000-01-01

In this work some obtained results are presented to make irradiation tests on recycled polymeric material (polyethylene) as well as mixtures of this with certain additive classes (foaming and reticulating agents) which will be used for the foams elaboration, objective of this work. Two types of foaming basically exist which are elaborated with low density polyethylene base. They are: a) the extruded and, b) the reticulated through ionizing radiation and chemically. Some of the properties that the expanded or foamed polyethylene are: flexibility, resistance, thermal stability, inter medium mechanical properties between the highly flexible foams and rigid among others. All of them determined by the cell type which conform them. Also was carried out the characterization of the obtained material contributing of this manner to diminish the quantity of solid wastes generated. (Author)

Insulation performance data and assessment procedures for steam kiln energy conservation investments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaccor, J.V.

1980-09-01

For a demonstration project, the costs and benefits of insulating concrete block curing kilns to isolate the kiln thermal mass from the curing cycle are determined. Data were developed on service life of FOAMGLAS insulation, the effect of Johnson burners on the insulation and mounting, performance of an alternative insulation (a rapidly installed, spray-on polyurethane foam), and a simple incentive to promote implementation of industrial energy conservation concepts. Data are tabulated and compared for the FOAMGLAS and CPR 480 polyurethane insulations. Specific studies of insulation that was installed on inside surfaces of kilns to lock the kiln-mass out of the curing cycle are given for Blocklite plant in California, the Ameron pipe plant in California, and the Superlite plant in Phoenix, Arizona. (MCW)

Thermal assault and polyurethane foam-evaluating protective mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williamson, C.L.; Iams, Z.L.

2004-01-01

Rigid polyurethane foam utilizes a variety of mechanisms to mitigate the thermal assault of a ''regulatory burn''. Polymer specific heat and foam k-factor are of limited usefulness in predicting payload protection. Properly formulated rigid polyurethane foam provides additional safeguards by employing ablative mechanisms which are effective even when the foam has been crushed or fractured as a result of trauma. The dissociative transitions from polymer to gas and char, and the gas transport of heat from inside the package out into the environment are also thermal mitigators. Additionally, the in-situ production of an intumescent, insulative, carbonaceous char, confers thermal protection even when a package's outer steel skin has been breached. In this test program, 19 liter, ''Five gallon'' steel pails are exposed on one end to the flame of an ''Oil Burner'' as described in the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ''Aircraft Materials Fire Test Handbook''. When burning 2 diesel at a nominal rate of 8.39 kg (18.5 pounds)/hr, the burner generates a high emissivity flame that impinges on the pail face with the thermal intensity of a full scale pool-fire environment. Results of these tests, TGA and MDSC analysis on the subject foams are reported, and their relevance to full size packages and pool fires are discussed

Polymer-Reinforced, Nonbrittle, Lightweight Cryogenic Insulation for Reduced Life-Cycle Costs, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This Phase II SBIR project focuses to continue developing cryogenic insulation foams that are flexible, deforming under compression. InnoSense LLC (ISL) demonstrated...

Thermal design of spacecraft solar arrays using a polyimide foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianco, N; Iasiello, M; Naso, V

2015-01-01

The design of the Thermal Control System (TCS) of spacecraft solar arrays plays a fundamental role. Indeed, the spacecraft components must operate within a certain range of temperature. If this doesn't occur, their performance is reduced and they may even break. Solar arrays, which are employed to recharge batteries, are directly exposed to the solar heat flux, and they need to be insulated from the earth's surface irradiation. Insulation is currently provided either with a white paint coating or with a Multi Layer Insulation (MLI) system [1]. A configuration based on an open-cell polyimide foam has also been recently proposed [2]. Using polyimide foams in TCSs looks very attractive in terms of costs, weight and assembling. An innovative thermal analysis of the above cited TCS configurations is carried out in this paper, by solving the porous media energy equation, under the assumption of Local Thermal Equilibrium (LTE) between the two phases. Radiation effects through the solar array are also considered by using the Rosseland approximation. Under a stationary daylight condition, temperature profiles are obtained by means of the finite-element based code COMSOL Multiphysics ® . Finally, since the weight plays an important role in aerospace applications, weights of the three TCS configurations are compared. (paper)

Thermal design of spacecraft solar arrays using a polyimide foam

Science.gov (United States)

Bianco, N.; Iasiello, M.; Naso, V.

2015-11-01

The design of the Thermal Control System (TCS) of spacecraft solar arrays plays a fundamental role. Indeed, the spacecraft components must operate within a certain range of temperature. If this doesn't occur, their performance is reduced and they may even break. Solar arrays, which are employed to recharge batteries, are directly exposed to the solar heat flux, and they need to be insulated from the earth's surface irradiation. Insulation is currently provided either with a white paint coating or with a Multi Layer Insulation (MLI) system [1]. A configuration based on an open-cell polyimide foam has also been recently proposed [2]. Using polyimide foams in TCSs looks very attractive in terms of costs, weight and assembling. An innovative thermal analysis of the above cited TCS configurations is carried out in this paper, by solving the porous media energy equation, under the assumption of Local Thermal Equilibrium (LTE) between the two phases. Radiation effects through the solar array are also considered by using the Rosseland approximation. Under a stationary daylight condition, temperature profiles are obtained by means of the finite-element based code COMSOL Multiphysics®. Finally, since the weight plays an important role in aerospace applications, weights of the three TCS configurations are compared.

Development of foams from linear polypropylene (PP) and high melt strength polypropylene (HMSPP) polymeric blends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardoso, Elisabeth Carvalho Leite

2009-01-01

Foamed polymers are future materials, with a comprehensive application field. They can be used in order to improve appearance of insulation structures, for example, or to reduce costs involving materials. This work address to Isotactic Polypropylene / High Melt Strength Polypropylene blends, for foams production. Rheological behavior of polymer melt, especially referring to viscosity in processing temperature, plays a decisive role in applications where dominates extensional flow, as in case of foaming. If the viscosity is very low, it will correspond to a low melt strength, as in case of linear homopolymer (Isotact PP), and the foam will be prejudiced, due to the impossibility of expansion. Otherwise, if the viscosity is very high, with a high melt strength, the foam will collapse immediately after its formation. In order to get foams with an homogeneous and defined cellular structure, there were accomplished blends, 50% in weight, between linear homopolymer (isotactic PP) and HMSPP, from PP modified as per gamma radiation, in acetylene environment and at a 12.5 kGy doses. Extrusion process used a soluble foaming methodology, according to a processing/dissolution principle, which involves the dissolution of a Physical Blowing Agent (PBA), under 30 bar pressure, homogeneously mixed with polymeric melt. Extrusion conditions, that generally involve temperature, pressure and viscoelastic material flow control were experimentally investigated to define prevalent characteristics for producing foams. Nitrogen was the used PBA and process extrusion parameters were adapted to PP, HMSPP and their 50% in weight mixtures thereof. Major PP and HMSPP characteristics were obtained via melt Index and melt strength and thermal analyses (DSC/TGA), in order to make viable and to reproduce foaming as per extrusion process. Foams cellular morphology of PP, HMSPP and their 50% in weight mixtures thereof was investigated, with and without talc addition, as nucleating agent, by using

Effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure and properties of foamed glass-ceramics prepared from high-titanium blast furnace slag and waste glass

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chang-hong; Feng, Ke-qin; Zhou, Yu; Zhou, Hong-ling

2017-08-01

Foamed glass-ceramics were prepared via a single-step sintering method using high-titanium blast furnace slag and waste glass as the main raw materials The influence of sintering temperature (900-1060°C) on the microstructure and properties of foamed glass-ceramics was studied. The results show that the crystal shape changed from grainy to rod-shaped and finally turned to multiple shapes as the sintering temperature was increased from 900 to 1060°C. With increasing sintering temperature, the average pore size of the foamed glass-ceramics increased and subsequently decreased. By contrast, the compressive strength and the bulk density decreased and subsequently increased. An excessively high temperature, however, induced the coalescence of pores and decreased the compressive strength. The optimal properties, including the highest compressive strength (16.64 MPa) among the investigated samples and a relatively low bulk density (0.83 g/cm3), were attained in the case of the foamed glass-ceramics sintered at 1000°C.

Effect of melter feed foaming on heat flux to the cold cap

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, SeungMin; Hrma, Pavel; Pokorny, Richard; Klouzek, Jaroslav; VanderVeer, Bradley J.; Dixon, Derek R.; Luksic, Steven A.; Rodriguez, Carmen P.; Chun, Jaehun; Schweiger, Michael J.; Kruger, Albert A.

2017-12-01

The glass production rate, which is crucial for the nuclear waste cleanup lifecycle, is influenced by the chemical and mineralogical nature of melter feed constituents. The choice of feed materials affects both the conversion heat and the thickness of the foam layer that forms at the bottom of the cold cap and controls the heat flow from molten glass. We demonstrate this by varying the alumina source, namely, substituting boehmite or corundum for gibbsite, in a high-alumina high-level-waste melter feed. The extent of foaming was determined using the volume expansion test and the conversion heat with differential scanning calorimetry. Evolved gas analysis was used to identify gases responsible for the formation of primary and secondary foam. The foam thickness, a critical factor in the rate of melting, was estimated using known values of heat conductivities and melting rates. The result was in reasonable agreement with the foam thickness experimentally observed in quenched cold caps from the laboratory-scale melter.

Effect of melter feed foaming on heat flux to the cold cap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, SeungMin; Hrma, Pavel; Pokorny, Richard; Klouzek, Jaroslav; VanderVeer, Bradley J.; Dixon, Derek R.; Luksic, Steven A.; Rodriguez, Carmen P.; Chun, Jaehun; Schweiger, Michael J.; Kruger, Albert A.

2017-12-01

The glass production rate, which is crucial for the nuclear waste cleanup lifecycle, is influenced by the chemical and mineralogical nature of melter feed constituents. The choice of feed materials affects both the conversion heat and the thickness of the foam layer that forms at the bottom of the cold cap and controls the heat flow from molten glass. We demonstrate this by varying the alumina source, namely, substituting boehmite or corundum for gibbsite, in a high-alumina high-level-waste melter feed. The extent of foaming was determined using the volume expansion test and the conversion heat with differential scanning calorimetry. Evolved gas analysis was used to identify gases responsible for the formation of primary and secondary foam. The foam thickness, a critical factor in the rate of melting, was estimated using known values of heat conductivities and melting rates. The result was in reasonable agreement with the foam thickness experimentally observed in the laboratory-scale melter.

Influence of polypropylene fibres on the tensile strength and thermal properties of various densities of foamed concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Jhatial, Ashfaque Ahmed; Inn, Goh Wan; Mohamad, Noridah; Johnson Alengaram, U.; Mo, Kim Hung; Abdullah, Redzuan

2017-11-01

As almost half of the world’s population now lives in the urban areas, the raise in temperature in these areas has necessitated the development of thermal insulating material. Conventional concrete absorbs solar radiation during the daytime while releasing it at night causing raise in temperature in urban areas. The thermal conductivity of 2200 kg/m3 density conventional concrete is 1.6 W/mK. Higher the thermal conductivity value, greater the heat flow through the material. To reduce this heat transfer, the construction industry has turned to lightweight foamed concrete. Foamed concrete, due to its air voids, gives excellent thermal properties and sound absorption apart from fire-resistance and self-leveling properties. But due to limited studies on different densities of foamed concrete, the thermal properties are not understood properly thus limiting its use as thermal insulating material. In this study, thermal conductivity is determined for 1400, 1600 and 1800 kg/m3 densities of foamed concrete. 0.8% of Polypropylene fibres (PP) is used to reinforce the foamed concrete and improve the mechanical properties. Based upon the results, it was found that addition of PP fibres enhances the tensile strength and slightly reduced the thermal conductivity for lower densities, while the reverse affect was noticed in 1800 kg/m3 density.

Development of refrigerator insulation with reduced CFC-11. Reizokoyo flon sakugen uretan dannetsuzai no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kai, H.; Fukuda, K.; Yoshioka, M. (Sharp Corp., Osaka (Japan))

1992-11-10

Polyurethane thermal insulator in which the usage of CFC-11 is 50% reduced by increasing the percentage of water has been developed for the purpose of reducing polyurethane-foaming CFC-11 used as thermal insulator of refrigerators. In this new water-intensive feedstock system, the overall OH-value in polyol was lowered; the usage of aromatic amines was curtailed; and the amount of sorbits was increased so as to secure adhesiveness at the foaming jig temperature of 35[degree]C. As for the improvement of fluidity, a combination of four kinds of polyols offered viscosity in the same level as in the conventional ones. Thermal conductivity was worsened, but the rate of its drop could be controlled below 3% by some measures such as homogenization of stock materials, choice of a suface-active agent which makes foam bubbles minute, etc. Concerning curing property which has a large effect on productivity, a reaction type amine-based catalyst delaying thickening behaviour at the time of foaming was selected and a gelling promotive tertiary amine-based catalyst which can develop foam curing promptly was combinedly used to reduce curing property from five minutes in the past to four minutes. 2 refs., 6 figs., 14 tabs.

Vibration behaviour of foamed concrete floor with polypropylene and rise husk ash fibre

Science.gov (United States)

Azaman, N. A. Mohd; Ghafar, N. H. Abd; Ayub, N.; Ibrahim, M. Z.

2017-11-01

In the history of the construction industry, lightweight concrete or foamed concrete is a special concrete which can very useful in the construction sector because it is very lightweight and it can compact by itself at each angle of foamwork. Foamed concrete is one of lightweight concrete which widely used for floor construction due to its light weight and economic. The significant challenges in the floor design process are considering the vibration that needs improvements for the poor dynamic behaviour insulation. An alternative material to replace sand with certain amount of rice husk ash (RHA) and polypropylene was introduced. Research was determine the dynamic behavior of foam-polypropylene and foam-RHA concrete by using impact hammer test. The natural frequency for normal foamed concrete, 0.5 % of Polypropylene and 15% of RHA is 29.8 Hz, 29.3 Hz and 29.5 Hz respectively.

Preparation and Stability of Inorganic Solidified Foam for Preventing Coal Fires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Botao Qin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Inorganic solidified foam (ISF is a novel material for preventing coal fires. This paper presents the preparation process and working principle of main installations. Besides, aqueous foam with expansion ratio of 28 and 30 min drainage rate of 13% was prepared. Stability of foam fluid was studied in terms of stability coefficient, by varying water-slurry ratio, fly ash replacement ratio of cement, and aqueous foam volume alternatively. Light microscope was utilized to analyze the dynamic change of bubble wall of foam fluid and stability principle was proposed. In order to further enhance the stability of ISF, different dosage of calcium fluoroaluminate was added to ISF specimens whose stability coefficient was tested and change of hydration products was detected by scanning electron microscope (SEM. The outcomes indicated that calcium fluoroaluminate could enhance the stability coefficient of ISF and compact hydration products formed in cell wall of ISF; naturally, the stability principle of ISF was proved right. Based on above-mentioned experimental contents, ISF with stability coefficient of 95% and foam expansion ratio of 5 was prepared, which could sufficiently satisfy field process requirements on plugging air leakage and thermal insulation.

Foaming of CRT panel glass powder with Na2CO3

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob; Smedskjær, Morten Mattrup

melt, while Na2O becomes incorporated into the glass structure. We have quantified the melt expansion through density measurements and the Na2O incorporation is indicated by the decrease of the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the final foam glass. The glass foaming quality depends on the foaming......Recycling of cathode ray tube (CRT) glass remains a challenging task. The CRT glass consists of four glass types fused together: Funnel-, neck-, frit- and panel glass. The three former glasses contain toxic lead oxide, and therefore have a low recycling potential. The latter on the other hand...... is lead-free, but since barium and strontium oxide are present, panel glass is incompatible with most common recycling methods. However, foam glass production is a promising approach for the recycling of panel glass waste, since the process parameters can be changed according to the glass waste...

Perfect sound insulation property of reclaimed waste tire rubber

Science.gov (United States)

Ubaidillah, Harjana, Yahya, Iwan; Kristiani, Restu; Muqowi, Eki; Mazlan, Saiful Amri

2016-03-01

This article reports an experimental investigation of sound insulation and absorption performance of a materials made of reclaimed ground tire rubber which is known as un-recyclable thermoset. The bulk waste tire is processed using single step recycling methods namely high-pressure high-temperature sintering (HPHTS). The bulk waste tire is simply placed into a mold and then a pressure load of 3 tons and a heating temperature of 200°C are applied to the mold. The HPHTS conducted for an hour and then it is cooled in room temperature. The resulted product is then evaluated the acoustical properties namely sound transmission loss (STL) and sound absorption coefficient using B&K Tube Kit Type 4206-T based on ISO 10534-2, ASTM E1050 and ASTM E2611. The sound absorption coefficient is found about 0.04 until 0.08 while STL value ranges between 50 to 60 dB. The sound absorption values are found to be very low (<0.1), while the average STL is higher than other elastomeric matrix found in previous work. The reclaimed tire rubber through HPHTS technique gives good soundproof characteristic.

Composite Behavior of a Novel Insulated Concrete Sandwich Wall Panel Reinforced with GFRP Shear Grids: Effects of Insulation Types.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, JunHee; You, Young-Chan

2015-03-03

A full-scale experimental program was used in this study to investigate the structural behavior of novel insulated concrete sandwich wall panels (SWPs) reinforced with grid-type glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) shear connectors. Two kinds of insulation-expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) with 100 mm thickness were incased between the two concrete wythes to meet the increasing demand for the insulation performance of building envelope. One to four GFRP shear grids were used to examine the degree of composite action of the two concrete wythes. Ten specimens of SWPs were tested under displacement control subjected to four-point concentrated loads. The test results showed that the SWPs reinforced with GFRP grids as shear connectors developed a high degree of composite action resulting in high flexural strength. The specimens with EPS foam exhibited an enhanced load-displacement behavior compared with the specimens with XPS because of the relatively stronger bond between insulation and concrete. In addition, the ultimate strength of the test results was compared to the analytical prediction with the mechanical properties of only GRFP grids. The specimens with EPS insulation presented higher strength-based composite action than the ones with XPS insulation.

Influence of foaming agents on both the structure and the thermal conductivity of silicate glasses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Martin Bonderup; Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob

Foam glass is one of the most promising insulation materials for constructions since it has low thermal conductivity, high compressive strength, non-water permeability, and high fire resistance. They can be produced using cullet sources, e.g., cathode ray tubes (CRT) panel glass, and foaming agents...... such as metal carbonates, or oxidizing transition metal oxides combined with carbonaceous sources. In this work, we mix CRT panel glass powder with different foaming agents: CaCO3 (0-4 wt%), Fe2O3 (0-6 wt%), and MnxOy (0-10 wt%). The powder mixtures are sintered in the range between the glass transition...

Temperature and press load stimulation on thermal transport in fibrous and porous composite insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehman, M.A.; Maqsood, A.

2006-01-01

Thermal transport properties of synthetic pliable insulators are measured as a function of applied pressure at constant temperatures. Advantageous Transient Plane Source (ATPS) method is used for the simultaneous measurement of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of these materials and heat capacity per unit volume is then calculated. Three samples namely foam, closed cell foam and fiber glass are subjected to press load, taking into account the flexibility and sustainability of the samples and the requirements of the technique used. The thermal data of the samples were determined within the temperature range (300-414K) and pressure range (Normal -15kPa). These materials are used for thermal insulation and temperature control of air-conditioned space, acoustic and sound insulation, agriculture and fishery, sports and leisure goods, building and civil engineering, industrial packaging cold storage ware house, boiler work and other electric appliances, so they are helpful in reducing energy losses. (author)

PCDD/Fs in air and soil around an e-waste dismantling area with open burning of insulated wires in south China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, M; Tang, Y H; Peng, P A; Cai, Y

2015-05-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in ambient air and farmland soil sampled in 2006 around an e-waste dismantling area with open burning of insulated wires in Longtang in south China were investigated. The total toxic equivalent concentrations of PCDD/Fs were 3.2-31.7 pg/m(3) in air and 5.8 12.4 ng/kg in farmland soil at an e-waste site and 0.063-0.091 pg/m(3) in air at a background site. PCDD/Fs in the air at the e-waste site were characterized with dominant 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF and OCDF and higher concentrations of furans than dioxins, suggesting open burning of insulated wires was likely to be the main source of PCDD/Fs. Compared with the results in this study, the level of PCDD/F tended to lessen with the average TEQ concentration decreasing by 41 % and the pattern changed to be dominated by OCDD in the air of Longtang in 2010 when insulated wires were openly burned in only a small scale. Our results indicate that the lower chlorinated congeners with higher vapor pressures have enhanced atmospheric transport tendencies.

Utilization of power plant bottom-ash particles as stabilizer in aluminum foams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asavavisithchai, Seksak; Prapajaraswong, Attanadol [Chulalongkorn Univ., Bangkok (Thailand). Dept. of Metallurgical Engineering

2013-07-01

Aluminum foams, produced via powder metallurgical (PM) process, normally require the addition of ceramic particles in compaction stage, in order to increase both foamability of precursors and mechanical properties of the final foam products. Bottom ash particles are a by-product waste obtained from thermoelectric power plants which are commonly found to be used in landfill facilities. The major chemical constituent, approximately between 30 wt.-% and 60 wt.-%, of bottom ash particles is SiO{sub 2}, depending on chemical composition in coal, sintering condition and environment, and other process parameters. In this study, we explore the feasibility of utilizing bottom ash particles of thermoelectric power plant wastes as stabilizer in aluminum foams. A small amount of two-size bottom ash particles (mean size of 78 {mu}m and 186 {mu}m), between 1 wt.-% and 5 wt.-%, have been added to aluminum foams. Foam expansion, macro- and microstructures as well as mechanical properties, such as compressive strength and microhardness, were investigated. The results from the present study suggest that bottom ash particles can be used as a stabilizing material which can improve both cellular structure and mechanical properties of aluminum foams. (orig.)

Investigation on the effect of formulation and process variables of Polyethylene Foams Production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barikani, H.; Sarai, M.

2001-01-01

Polyolefin foams such as polyethylene, polypropylene and their copolymers have been extensively used in packaging, automotive, military, marine, cable industries and sports, due to their unique properties namely: light weight, chemical resistance, thermal insulation, inertness, abrasion resistance, buoyancy and low cost. With regards to domestic mass production of polyethylene, replacement of polyurethane with polyethylene foam is very important in some applications from economical point of view. In this research preparation of high density and low density polyethylene foams were studied and the effect of formulation factors such as blowing agent, cross-linker, calcium carbonate, zinc oxide and processing factors such as heat, pressure and reaction time on density and cell size were investigated

The effect of heat and mass transfer on the cellular plastic insulation and the long-term aging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan Youchen [VTT Building Technology, Espoo (Finland). Building Physics, Building Services and Fire Technology

1997-12-31

To produce environmental-friendly products, foamed plastic industries are facing the challenge to replace the traditional blowing agents chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) alternatives. After a series of studies were completed, more understandings and new findings have been achieved with respect to the rigid closed-cell cellular plastic insulations or foamed plastic insulations (FPIs). The mechanism of heat transfer within the FPIs was examined. A new formula for calculating the solid polymer matrix thermal conductivity has been deduced based on the law of energy conservation and Fourier equation of heat conduction. All the parameters involved in this formula can be easily measured. By comparing the simulation results with measurements, the Brokaw equation is recommended for the prediction of the thermal conductivity of a cell-gas mixture. The foamed plastic deformation was also discussed. A new model has been established for predicting the elastic modulus of the foamed plastics. In comparison to the published measurements, it was found that the new model gives fairly good results. A diffusion chamber has been designed and constructed for measuring the gaseous transport properties within the FPIs. To overcome the difficulties of the traditional method, a new measurement procedure and post test data treatment have been suggested. The measurement accuracy is equivalent to the traditional method with an exception of much short time being required. The diffusion coefficients of CO{sub 2}, O{sub 2}, and N{sub 2} within five n-pentane/CO{sub 2} based polyurethane (PUR) foams have been obtained from the diffusion chamber tests. Measurements showed that the relationship between the gaseous diffusion coefficients within FPIs and temperature follows the Arrhenius type. No identical relationship between diffusion coefficients and foam density was reached. To predict the long-term aging property of CFC-free foamed plastic insulations, a two

Building America Top Innovations 2013 Profile – Exterior Rigid Insulation Best Practices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2013-09-01

In this Top Innovation profile, field and lab studies by BSC, PHI, and NorthernSTAR characterize the thermal, air, and vapor resistance properties of rigid foam insulation and describe best practices for their use on walls, roofs, and foundations.

Utilization of Baggase Waste Based Materials as Improvement for Thermal Insulation of Cement Brick

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aminudin Eeydzah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Building materials having low thermal load and low thermal conductivity will provide thermal comforts to the occupants in building. In an effort to reduce the use of high energy and waste products from the agricultural industry, sugarcane bagasse and banana bagasse has been utilize as an additive in the manufacture of cement brick. The aim of this study is to investigate the insulation and mechanical properties of brick that has been mixed with bagasse and its effectiveness as thermal insulation using heat flow meter. Waste bagasse is being treated using sodium hydroxide (NaOH and is characterized using SEM and XRF. The samples produced with two different dimensions of 50 mm × 50 mm × 50 mm and 215mm × 102.5mm × 65mm for thermal conductivity test. Next, the sample varies from 0% (control sample, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% in order to determine the best mix proportion. The compressive strength is being tested for 7, 14 and 28 days of water curing. Results showed that banana bagasse has lower thermal conductivity compared to sugarcane bagasse used, with compressive strength of 15.6MPa with thermal conductivity 0.6W/m.K.

Foam decontamination of large nuclear components before dismantling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costes, J.R.; Sahut, C.

1998-01-01

Following some simple theoretical considerations, the authors show that foam compositions can be advantageously circulated them for a few hours in components requiring decontamination before dismantling. The technique is illustrated on six large ferritic steel valves, then on austenitic steel heat exchangers for which the Ce(III)/Ce(IV) redox pair was used to dissolve the chromium; Ce(III) was reoxidized by ozone injection into the foam vector gas. Biodegradable surfactants are sued in the process; tests have shown that the foaming power disappears after a few days, provided the final radioactive liquid waste is adjusted to neutral pH, allowing subsequent coprecipitation of concentration treatment. (author)

Load responsive multilayer insulation performance testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dye, S.; Kopelove, A. [Quest Thermal Group, 6452 Fig Street Suite A, Arvada, CO 80004 (United States); Mills, G. L. [Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp, 1600 Commerce Street, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)

2014-01-29

Cryogenic insulation designed to operate at various pressures from one atmosphere to vacuum, with high thermal performance and light weight, is needed for cryogenically fueled space launch vehicles and aircraft. Multilayer insulation (MLI) performs well in a high vacuum, but the required vacuum shell for use in the atmosphere is heavy. Spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) is often used in these systems because of its light weight, but can have a higher heat flux than desired. We report on the continued development of Load Responsive Multilayer Insulation (LRMLI), an advanced thermal insulation system that uses dynamic beam discrete spacers that provide high thermal performance both in atmosphere and vacuum. LRMLI consists of layers of thermal radiation barriers separated and supported by micromolded polymer spacers. The spacers have low thermal conductance, and self-support a thin, lightweight vacuum shell that provides internal high vacuum in the insulation. The dynamic load responsive spacers compress to support the external load of a vacuum shell in one atmosphere, and decompress under reduced atmospheric pressure for lower heat leak. Structural load testing was performed on the spacers with various configurations. LRMLI was installed on a 400 liter tank and boil off testing with liquid nitrogen performed at various chamber pressures from one atmosphere to high vacuum. Testing was also performed with an MLI blanket on the outside of the LRMLI.

Load responsive multilayer insulation performance testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dye, S.; Kopelove, A.; Mills, G. L.

2014-01-01

Cryogenic insulation designed to operate at various pressures from one atmosphere to vacuum, with high thermal performance and light weight, is needed for cryogenically fueled space launch vehicles and aircraft. Multilayer insulation (MLI) performs well in a high vacuum, but the required vacuum shell for use in the atmosphere is heavy. Spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) is often used in these systems because of its light weight, but can have a higher heat flux than desired. We report on the continued development of Load Responsive Multilayer Insulation (LRMLI), an advanced thermal insulation system that uses dynamic beam discrete spacers that provide high thermal performance both in atmosphere and vacuum. LRMLI consists of layers of thermal radiation barriers separated and supported by micromolded polymer spacers. The spacers have low thermal conductance, and self-support a thin, lightweight vacuum shell that provides internal high vacuum in the insulation. The dynamic load responsive spacers compress to support the external load of a vacuum shell in one atmosphere, and decompress under reduced atmospheric pressure for lower heat leak. Structural load testing was performed on the spacers with various configurations. LRMLI was installed on a 400 liter tank and boil off testing with liquid nitrogen performed at various chamber pressures from one atmosphere to high vacuum. Testing was also performed with an MLI blanket on the outside of the LRMLI

Influence of aluminium nitride as a foaming agent on the preparation of foam glass-ceramics from high-titanium blast furnace slag

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Huan; Feng, Ke-qin; Wang, Hai-bo; Chen, Chang-hong; Zhou, Hong-ling

2016-05-01

To effectively reuse high-titanium blast furnace slag (TS), foam glass-ceramics were successfully prepared by powder sintering at 1000°C. TS and waste glass were used as the main raw materials, aluminium nitride (AlN) as the foaming agent, and borax as the fluxing agent. The influence of the amount of AlN added (1wt%-5wt%) on the crystalline phases, microstructure, and properties of the produced foam glass-ceramics was studied. The results showed that the main crystal phases were perovskite, diopside, and augite. With increasing AlN content, a transformation from diopside to augite occurred and the crystallinity of the pyroxene phases slightly decreased. Initially, the average pore size and porosity of the foam glass-ceramics increased and subsequently decreased; similarly, their bulk density and compressive strength decreased and subsequently increased. The optimal properties were obtained when the foam glass-ceramics were prepared by adding 4wt% AlN.

The compressive behaviour and constitutive equation of polyimide foam in wide strain rate and temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshimoto Akifumi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available These days, polymer foams, such as polyurethane foam and polystyrene foam, are used in various situations as a thermal insulator or shock absorber. In general, however, their strength is insufficient in high temperature environments because of their low glass transition temperature. Polyimide is a polymer which has a higher glass transition temperature and high strength. Its mechanical properties do not vary greatly, even in low temperature environments. Therefore, polyimide foam is expected to be used in the aerospace industry. Thus, the constitutive equation of polyimide foam that can be applied across a wide range of strain rates and ambient temperature is very useful. In this study, a series of compression tests at various strain rates, from 10−3 to 103 s−1 were carried out in order to examine the effect of strain rate on the compressive properties of polyimide foam. The flow stress of polyimide foam increased rapidly at dynamic strain rates. The effect of ambient temperature on the properties of polyimide foam was also investigated at temperature from − 190 °C to 270°∘C. The flow stress decreased with increasing temperature.

Development of advanced materials composites for use as insulations for LH2 tanks

Science.gov (United States)

Lemons, C. R.; Salmassy, O. K.

1973-01-01

A study of thread-reinforced polyurethane foam and glass fabric liner, serving as internally bonded insulation for space shuttle LH2 tanks, is reported. Emphasis was placed on an insulation system capable of reentry and multiple reuse in the shuttle environment. The optimized manufacturing parameters associated with each element of the composite are established and the results, showing successful completion of subscale system evaluation tests using the shuttle flight environmental requirements, are given.

Polymer Reinforced, Non-Brittle, Light-Weight Cryogenic Insulation for Reduced Life Cycle Costs, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — InnoSense LLC (ISL) proposes to fabricate a composite aerogel foam. This material is designed to be impact resistant, non-brittle, non-water-retaining and insulating...

Radioactive waste processing method for a nuclear power plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugimoto, Y; Kuriyama, O

1976-06-04

Object is to subject radioactive liquid waste in a nuclear power plant to reverse permeation process after which it is vaporized and concentrated thereby decreasing the quantity of foam to be used to achieve effective concentration of the liquid waste. Liquid waste containing a radioactive material produced from a nuclear power plant is first applied with pressure in excess of osmotic pressure by a reverse permeation device and is separated into clean water and concentrated liquid by semi-permeable membrane. Next, the thus reverse-permeated and concentrated waste is fed to an evaporator which control foaming by the foam and then further reconcentrated for purification of the liquid waste.

Tank Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

1979-01-01

For NASA's Apollo program, McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company, Huntington Beach, California, developed and built the S-IVB, uppermost stage of the three-stage Saturn V moonbooster. An important part of the development task was fabrication of a tank to contain liquid hydrogen fuel for the stage's rocket engine. The liquid hydrogen had to be contained at the supercold temperature of 423 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. The tank had to be perfectly insulated to keep engine or solar heat from reaching the fuel; if the hydrogen were permitted to warm up, it would have boiled off, or converted to gaseous form, reducing the amount of fuel available to the engine. McDonnell Douglas' answer was a supereffective insulation called 3D, which consisted of a one-inch thickness of polyurethane foam reinforced in three dimensions with fiberglass threads. Over a 13-year development and construction period, the company built 30 tanks and never experienced a failure. Now, after years of additional development, an advanced version of 3D is finding application as part of a containment system for transporting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) by ship.

Characterizing the environmental impact of metals in construction and demolition waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Danfeng; Duan, Huabo; Song, Qingbin; Li, Xiaoyue; Zhang, Hao; Zhang, Hui; Liu, Yicheng; Shen, Weijun; Wang, Jinben

2018-05-01

Large quantities of construction and demolition (C&D) waste are generated in China every year, but their potential environmental impacts on the surrounding areas are rarely assessed. This study focuses on metals contained in C&D waste, characterizing the metal concentrations and their related environmental risks. C&D waste samples were collected in Shenzhen City, China, from building demolition sites, renovation areas undergoing refurbishment, landfill sites, and recycling companies (all located in Shenzhen city) that produce recycled aggregate, in order to identify pollution levels of the metals As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn. The results showed that (1) the metal concentrations in most demolition and renovation waste samples were below the soil environmental quality standard for agricultural purposes (SQ-Agr.) in China; (2) Cd, Cu, and Zn led to relatively higher environmental risks than other metals, especially for Zn (DM5 tile sample, 360 mg/kg; R4 tile sample, 281 mg/kg); (3) non-inert C&D waste such as wall insulation and foamed plastic had high concentrations of As and Cd, so that these materials required special attention for sound waste management; and (4) C&D waste collected from landfill sites had higher concentrations of Cd and Cu than did waste collected from demolition and refurbishment sites.

Moisture Durability with Vapor-Permeable Insulating Sheathing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lepage, R. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Lstiburek, J. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2013-09-01

Exterior sheathing insulation is an effective strategy in increasing the overall R-value of wall assemblies; other benefits include decreasing the effects of thermal bridging and increasing the moisture durability of the built assembly. Vapor-permeable exterior insulation, such as mineral board or expanded polystyrene foam, are one such product that may be used to achieve these benefits. However, uncertainty exists on the effects of inward driven moisture and the interaction of increased sheathing temperatures on the moisture durability of the edifice. To address these concerns, Building Science Corporation (BSC) conducted a series of hygrothermal models for cities representing a range of different climate zones. This report describes the research project, key research questions, and the procedures utilized to analyse the problems.

Moisture Durability with Vapor-Permeable Insulating Sheathing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lepage, R. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Lstiburek, J. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2013-09-01

Exterior sheathing insulation is an effective strategy in increasing the overall R-value of wall assemblies; other benefits include decreasing the effects of thermal bridging and increasing the moisture durability of the built assembly. Vapor-permeable exterior insulation, such as mineral board or expanded polystyrene foam, are one such product that may be used to achieve these benefits. However,uncertainty exists on the effects of inward driven moisture and the interaction of increased sheathing temperatures on the moisture durability of the edifice. To address these concerns, Building Science Corporation (BSC) conducted a series of hygrothermal models for cities representing a range of different climate zones. This report describes the research project, key research questions, and theprocedures utilized to analyse the problems.

Modeling the energy content of combustible ship-scrapping waste at Alang-Sosiya, India, using multiple regression analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, M Srinivasa; Basha, Shaik; Joshi, H V; Sravan Kumar, V G; Jha, B; Ghosh, P K

2005-01-01

Alang-Sosiya is the largest ship-scrapping yard in the world, established in 1982. Every year an average of 171 ships having a mean weight of 2.10 x 10(6)(+/-7.82 x 10(5)) of light dead weight tonnage (LDT) being scrapped. Apart from scrapped metals, this yard generates a massive amount of combustible solid waste in the form of waste wood, plastic, insulation material, paper, glass wool, thermocol pieces (polyurethane foam material), sponge, oiled rope, cotton waste, rubber, etc. In this study multiple regression analysis was used to develop predictive models for energy content of combustible ship-scrapping solid wastes. The scope of work comprised qualitative and quantitative estimation of solid waste samples and performing a sequential selection procedure for isolating variables. Three regression models were developed to correlate the energy content (net calorific values (LHV)) with variables derived from material composition, proximate and ultimate analyses. The performance of these models for this particular waste complies well with the equations developed by other researchers (Dulong, Steuer, Scheurer-Kestner and Bento's) for estimating energy content of municipal solid waste.

Efficiency of a novel "Food to waste to food" system including anaerobic digestion of food waste and cultivation of vegetables on digestate in a bubble-insulated greenhouse.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoknes, K; Scholwin, F; Krzesiński, W; Wojciechowska, E; Jasińska, A

2016-10-01

At urban locations certain challenges are concentrated: organic waste production, the need for waste treatment, energy demand, food demand, the need for circular economy and limited area for food production. Based on these factors the project presented here developed a novel technological approach for processing organic waste into new food. In this system, organic waste is converted into biogas and digester residue. The digester residue is being used successfully as a stand-alone fertilizer as well as main substrate component for vegetables and mushrooms for the first time - a "digeponics" system - in a closed new low energy greenhouse system with dynamic soap bubble insulation. Biogas production provides energy for the process and CO2 for the greenhouse. With very limited land use highly efficient resource recycling was established at pilot scale. In the research project it was proven that a low energy dynamic bubble insulated greenhouse can be operated continuously with 80% energy demand reduction compared to conventional greenhouses. Commercial crop yields were achieved based on fertilization with digestate; in individual cases they were even higher than the control yields of vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce among others. For the first time an efficient direct use of digestate as substrate and fertilizer has been developed and demonstrated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Standard Practice for Evaluating Thermal Insulation Materials for Use in Solar Collectors

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

1994-01-01

1.1 This practice sets forth a testing methodology for evaluating the properties of thermal insulation materials to be used in solar collectors with concentration ratios of less than 10. Tests are given herein to evaluate the pH, surface burning characteristics, moisture adsorption, water absorption, thermal resistance, linear shrinkage (or expansion), hot surface performance, and accelerated aging. This practice provides a test for surface burning characteristics but does not provide a methodology for determining combustibility performance of thermal insulation materials. 1.2 The tests shall apply to blanket, rigid board, loose-fill, and foam thermal insulation materials used in solar collectors. Other thermal insulation materials shall be tested in accordance with the provisions set forth herein and should not be excluded from consideration. 1.3 The assumption is made that elevated temperature, moisture, and applied stresses are the primary factors contributing to the degradation of thermal insulation mat...

Foam stabilization by solid particle aggregates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guignot, S.; Faure, S. [CEA Marcoule, Lab. des Procedes Avances de Decontamination, 30 (France); Pitois, O. [UniversiteParis-Est Marne-La-Valle, Lab. Physique des Materiaux Divises et des Interfaces (LPMDI), 77 - Marne la Vallee (France)

2008-07-01

During the dismantling of nuclear facilities, radioactive deposits on exposed areas are removed and solubilized by successive rinses of reactive liquid. Using this liquid in a foam state reduces the amount of resulting wastes. During the required decontamination time (1 to 5 hours) the foam has to be sufficiently wet (1). In the Laboratory of Advanced Processes for Decontamination, new formulations are currently studied to slow down the drainage kinetics of these foams, by adding colloidal particles of hydrophilic fumed silica into the classical mixtures of well-defined non ionic foaming surfactants previously used (2). The objective of our study is to shed light on the foam surprising stability induced by these particles. The study focuses on drainage of foams generated by air sparging through a suspension lying on a porous glass. The foaming suspensions contain between 0 and 70 g.L-1 of a fumed silica (Aerosil 380) which is well-known to form gels for concentrations above 200 g.L{sup -1}. In the studied solutions this silica builds up into aggregates of dozens of microns, whose volume-averaged mean diameter after sonication is centred around 300 nm. Under gentle stirring, they display no sign of re-aggregation during 24 h. On a free drainage configuration, a foam that contains particles keeps a significant amount of its initial liquid: up to 60 % during up to 5 hours, in contrast to classical foams that drain out all of their liquid in about 20 minutes. From a rheological point of view, the most concentrated suspensions display a yield stress behaviour. This evidences the structuring of the aggregates into a coherent network that might explain the incomplete drainage of the solutions. For the lowest concentrated solutions, such rheological properties have not been observed although the corresponding foams can retain large amount of solution. This suggests that local concentrations of aggregates can rise owing to their retention by foam channels, until they form

Simple surface foam application enhances bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil in cold conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Seung-Woo; Jeong, Jongshin; Kim, Jaisoo

2015-04-09

Landfarming of oil-contaminated soil is ineffective at low temperatures, because the number and activity of micro-organisms declines. This study presents a simple and versatile technique for bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soil, which involves spraying foam on the soil surface without additional works such as tilling, or supply of water and air. Surfactant foam containing psychrophilic oil-degrading microbes and nutrients was sprayed twice daily over diesel-contaminated soil at 6 °C. Removal efficiencies in total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) at 30 days were 46.3% for landfarming and 73.7% for foam-spraying. The first-order kinetic biodegradation rates for landfarming and foam-spraying were calculated as 0.019 d(-1) and 0.044 d(-1), respectively. Foam acted as an insulating medium, keeping the soil 2 °C warmer than ambient air. Sprayed foam was slowly converted to aqueous solution within 10-12h and infiltrated the soil, providing microbes, nutrients, water, and air for bioaugmentation. Furthermore, surfactant present in the aqueous solution accelerated the dissolution of oil from the soil, resulting in readily biodegradable aqueous form. Significant reductions in hydrocarbon concentration were simultaneously observed in both semi-volatile and non-volatile fractions. As the initial soil TPH concentration increased, the TPH removal rate of the foam-spraying method also increased. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Forming foam structures with carbon foam substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Landingham, Richard L.; Satcher, Jr., Joe H.; Coronado, Paul R.; Baumann, Theodore F.

2012-11-06

The invention provides foams of desired cell sizes formed from metal or ceramic materials that coat the surfaces of carbon foams which are subsequently removed. For example, metal is located over a sol-gel foam monolith. The metal is melted to produce a metal/sol-gel composition. The sol-gel foam monolith is removed, leaving a metal foam.

Decontamination of radioactive process waste water by foam separation. Vol. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shakir, K.; Aziz, M.; Beheir, Sh.G.; Benyamin, K.; Samy, S.; Salama, H.N.

1996-01-01

On the basis of new studies and previous work from this laboratory, several foam separation techniques are considered feasible methods to carry out the separation of radioactive nuclides from simulated radioactive process waste water. Anionic or cationic collectors were used depending on the type of charge on the ion or precipitate to be removed. Sodium lauryl sulphate, aerosol-18 potassium oleate, acetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, dodecyl pyridinium chloride and gelation were examined as the collector. Aluminium hydroxide, iron (III) oxyhydroxide and hydrous manganese dioxide were studied as the adsorbing floc adsorbing colloid flotation and copper ferrocyanide as the co precipitating agent in co precipitate flotation. The effects of varying the collector, the adsorbing colloid floc, co precipitant and metal ion concentrations, the PH, the gas flow rate, the ionic strength, length of the flotation column and multistage separation on the percentage removal, volume reduction and enrichment ratio were investigated. According to experimental results, adsorbing colloid flotation, whenever applicable, is the preferred method for decontamination. Radionuclide removal up to 100% were obtained. 4 figs., 13 tabs

Decontamination of radioactive process waste water by foam separation. Vol. 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shakir, K; Aziz, M; Beheir, Sh G; Benyamin, K; Samy, S; Salama, H N [Nuclear Chemistry, and Radiation Protection Departments, Hot Laboratories and Nuclear Research Centers, atomic Energy Authority, P.O. Box 13759, Cairo (Egypt)

1996-03-01

On the basis of new studies and previous work from this laboratory, several foam separation techniques are considered feasible methods to carry out the separation of radioactive nuclides from simulated radioactive process waste water. Anionic or cationic collectors were used depending on the type of charge on the ion or precipitate to be removed. Sodium lauryl sulphate, aerosol-18 potassium oleate, acetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, dodecyl pyridinium chloride and gelation were examined as the collector. Aluminium hydroxide, iron (III) oxyhydroxide and hydrous manganese dioxide were studied as the adsorbing floc adsorbing colloid flotation and copper ferrocyanide as the co precipitating agent in co precipitate flotation. The effects of varying the collector, the adsorbing colloid floc, co precipitant and metal ion concentrations, the PH, the gas flow rate, the ionic strength, length of the flotation column and multistage separation on the percentage removal, volume reduction and enrichment ratio were investigated. According to experimental results, adsorbing colloid flotation, whenever applicable, is the preferred method for decontamination. Radionuclide removal up to 100% were obtained. 4 figs., 13 tabs.

New decontamination process using foams containing particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guignot, S.; Faure, S.

2008-01-01

One key point in the dismantling of nuclear facilities is the thorough cleaning of radiation- exposed surfaces on which radioactive deposits have formed. This cleaning step is often achieved by successive liquid rinses with specific solutions containing alkaline, acidic, or even oxidizing species depending on whether the aim is to dissolve greasy deposits (like ter-butylphosphate) or to corrode surfaces on micrometric thicknesses. An alternative process to reduce the amount of chemicals and the volume of the resulting nuclear wastes consists in using the same but foamed solutions (1). Carrying less liquid, the resulting foams still display similar kinetics of dissolution rates and their efficiency is determined by their ability to hold sufficient wetnesses during the time required for the decontamination. Classical foam decontamination process illustrated by foam pulverization or circulation in the 90 turned five years ago into a specific static process using high-lifetime viscosified foam at a steady state. One way to slow down the liquid drainage is to raise liquid viscosity by adding organic viscosifiers like xanthan gum (2). In 2005, new studies started on an innovative process proposed by S. Faure and based on triphasic foams containing particles [3]. The aim is to generate new decontamination foams containing less quantities of organics materials (surfactants and viscosifiers). Silica particles are obviously known to stabilize or destabilize foams (4). In the frame of S. Guignot Ph.D., new fundamental studies are initiated in order to clarify the role of silica solid microparticles in these foams. Our final goal is to determine whether this kind of new foam can be stable for several hours for a decontamination process. The results we will report focus on wet foams used for nuclear decontamination and incorporating fumed silica. The study is conducted on a vertical foam column in a pseudo-free drainage configuration, and aims at investigating the influence of

One-dimensional thermal response modeling of a transuranic foamed overpack system to a fire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suchsland, K.E.; Kwong, K.C.; Fretter, E.F.; Boyd, R.D.; Auerbach, I.; Yoshimura, H.R.

1980-01-01

Procedures have been established for modeling the thermal response of TRU container walls (TRUPACT) exposed to a fire environment. The effort included simulation testing and thermal modeling of the wall material. In this study, both testing and modeling were directed at determining a one-dimensional thermal model for undamaged polyurethane foam. The foam was assumed to exist in a nonoxidizing environment and was exposed to an almost step change in surface temperature. Results indicate that if the TRU waste container wall includes a polyurethane foam (64 kg/m 3 density) of thickness greater than 20 cm and the wall is otherwise undamaged, there will be no change in the waste content temperature where the container is subjected to a surface temperature as high as 1333 K for times less than 3600 s. Further improvements are needed in the thermal model to include transpiration, better estimates of the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity, effects of damaged wall structure and radiation absorption effects for the charged foam. 10 figures

Foam, Foam-resin composite and method of making a foam-resin composite

Science.gov (United States)

Cranston, John A. (Inventor); MacArthur, Doug E. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

This invention relates to a foam, a foam-resin composite and a method of making foam-resin composites. The foam set forth in this invention comprises a urethane modified polyisocyanurate derived from an aromatic amino polyol and a polyether polyol. In addition to the polyisocyanurate foam, the composite of this invention further contains a resin layer, wherein the resin may be epoxy, bismaleimide, or phenolic resin. Such resins generally require cure or post-cure temperatures of at least 350.degree. F.

Measure Guideline: Installing Rigid Foam Insulation on the Interior of Existing Brick Walls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Natarajan, H.; Klocke, S.; Puttagunta, S.

2012-06-01

This measure guideline provides information on an effective method to insulate the interior of existing brick masonry walls with extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation board. The guide outlines step-by-step design and installation procedures while explaining the benefits and tradeoffs where applicable. The authors intend that this document be useful to a varied audience that includes builders, remodelers, contractors and homeowners.

Measure Guideline. Installing Rigid Foam Insulation on the Interior of Existing Brick Walls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Natarajan, Hariharan [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States); Klocke, Steve [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States); Puttagunta, Srikanth [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States)

2012-06-01

This measure guideline provides information on an effective method to insulate the interior of existing brick masonry walls with extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation board. The guide outlines step-by-step design and installation procedures while explaining the benefits and tradeoffs where applicable. The authors intend that this document be useful to a varied audience that includes builders,remodelers, contractors and homeowners.

Eco-efficient waste glass recycling: Integrated waste management and green product development through LCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blengini, Gian Andrea; Busto, Mirko; Fantoni, Moris; Fino, Debora

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A new eco-efficient recycling route for post-consumer waste glass was implemented. ► Integrated waste management and industrial production are crucial to green products. ► Most of the waste glass rejects are sent back to the glass industry. ► Recovered co-products give more environmental gains than does avoided landfill. ► Energy intensive recycling must be limited to waste that cannot be closed-loop recycled. - Abstract: As part of the EU Life + NOVEDI project, a new eco-efficient recycling route has been implemented to maximise resources and energy recovery from post-consumer waste glass, through integrated waste management and industrial production. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to identify engineering solutions to sustainability during the development of green building products. The new process and the related LCA are framed within a meaningful case of industrial symbiosis, where multiple waste streams are utilised in a multi-output industrial process. The input is a mix of rejected waste glass from conventional container glass recycling and waste special glass such as monitor glass, bulbs and glass fibres. The green building product is a recycled foam glass (RFG) to be used in high efficiency thermally insulating and lightweight concrete. The environmental gains have been contrasted against induced impacts and improvements have been proposed. Recovered co-products, such as glass fragments/powders, plastics and metals, correspond to environmental gains that are higher than those related to landfill avoidance, whereas the latter is cancelled due to increased transportation distances. In accordance to an eco-efficiency principle, it has been highlighted that recourse to highly energy intensive recycling should be limited to waste that cannot be closed-loop recycled.

mdFoam+: Advanced molecular dynamics in OpenFOAM

Science.gov (United States)

Longshaw, S. M.; Borg, M. K.; Ramisetti, S. B.; Zhang, J.; Lockerby, D. A.; Emerson, D. R.; Reese, J. M.

2018-03-01

This paper introduces mdFoam+, which is an MPI parallelised molecular dynamics (MD) solver implemented entirely within the OpenFOAM software framework. It is open-source and released under the same GNU General Public License (GPL) as OpenFOAM. The source code is released as a publicly open software repository that includes detailed documentation and tutorial cases. Since mdFoam+ is designed entirely within the OpenFOAM C++ object-oriented framework, it inherits a number of key features. The code is designed for extensibility and flexibility, so it is aimed first and foremost as an MD research tool, in which new models and test cases can be developed and tested rapidly. Implementing mdFoam+ in OpenFOAM also enables easier development of hybrid methods that couple MD with continuum-based solvers. Setting up MD cases follows the standard OpenFOAM format, as mdFoam+ also relies upon the OpenFOAM dictionary-based directory structure. This ensures that useful pre- and post-processing capabilities provided by OpenFOAM remain available even though the fully Lagrangian nature of an MD simulation is not typical of most OpenFOAM applications. Results show that mdFoam+ compares well to another well-known MD code (e.g. LAMMPS) in terms of benchmark problems, although it also has additional functionality that does not exist in other open-source MD codes.

X-ray tomography of feed-to-glass transition of simulated borosilicate waste glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, William H.; Guillen, Donna P.; Klouzek, Jaroslav; Pokorny, Richard; Yano, Tetsuji

2017-01-01

The feed composition of a high level nuclear waste (HLW) glass melter affects the overall melting rate by influencing the chemical, thermophysical, and morphological properties of a relatively insulating cold cap layer over the molten phase where the primary feed vitrification reactions occur. Data from X ray computed tomography imaging of melting pellets comprised of a simulated high-aluminum HLW feed heated at a rate of 10°C/min reveal the distribution and morphology of bubbles, collectively known as primary foam, within this layer for various SiO 2 /(Li 2 CO 3 +H 3 BO 3 +Na 2 CO 3 ) mass fractions at temperatures between 600°C and 1040°C. To track melting dynamics, cross-sections obtained through the central profile of the pellet were digitally segmented into primary foam and a condensed phase. Pellet dimensions were extracted using Photoshop CS6 tools while the DREAM.3D software package was used to calculate pellet profile area, average and maximum bubble areas, and two-dimensional void fraction. The measured linear increase in the pellet area expansion rates – and therefore the increase in batch gas evolution rates – with SiO 2 /(Li 2 CO 3 +H 3 BO 3 +Na 2 CO 3 ) mass fraction despite an exponential increase in viscosity of the final waste glass at 1050°C and a lower total amount of gas-evolving species suggest that the retention of primary foam with large average bubble size at higher temperatures results from faster reaction kinetics rather than increased viscosity. However, viscosity does affect the initial foam collapse temperature by supporting the growth of larger bubbles. Because the maximum bubble size is limited by the pellet dimensions, larger scale studies are needed to understand primary foam morphology at high temperatures. This temperature-dependent morphological data can be used in future investigations to synthetically generate cold cap structures for use in models of heat transfer within a HLW glass melter.

Comparative review of foam formation in biogas plants and ruminant bloat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moeller, Lucie; Goersch, Kati; Zehnsdorf, Andreas; Mueller, Roland Arno [UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig (Germany). Environmental and Biotechnology Centre; Neuhaus, Juergen [Leipzig Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Bacteriology and Mycology

2012-12-15

This review gives an overview of the current knowledge concerning the problem of foam formation in the process of anaerobic digestion in biogas plants that utilize renewable resources or biogenic waste material for biogas production. Process upsets in biogas production induced by foam formation can have a negative impact on the efficiency of biogas plants. The foam can block gas pipes and cause severe damage to the bioreactor equipment, ranging from a failure of the feeders to a damage of the roof of the biogas plant. The most common foam removal methods - stirring in the foam, adding anti-foaming agents, diminishing substrate feeding, and altering the biogas reactor management - are not always successful. However, the reasons for the excessive foam formation during the biogas production process have not yet been elucidated in detail. In contrast, foam building in the rumen of ruminants as a cause for bloat has been studied thoroughly. In general, the interaction between proteins, polysaccharides (mucilage), and small plant particles is assumed to be the crucial factor. As the fermentation process in the rumen has many similarities with the biogas production process, the current research results on bloat in ruminants are summarized and compared with the process of foaming in biogas plants. (orig.)

Morphologies, Processing and Properties of Ceramic Foams and Their Potential as TPS Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Stackpoole, Mairead; Simoes, Conan R.; Johnson, Sylvia M.

2002-01-01

The current research is focused on processing ceramic foams with compositions that have potential as a thermal protection material. The use of pre-ceramic polymers with the addition of sacrificial blowing agents or sacrificial fillers offers a viable approach to form either open or closed cell insulation. Our work demonstrates that this is a feasible method to form refractory ceramic foams at relatively low processing temperatures. It is possible to foam complex shapes then pyrolize the system to form a ceramic while retaining the shape of the unfired foam. Initial work focused on identifying suitable pre-ceramic polymers with desired properties such as ceramic yield and chemical make up of the pyrolysis product after firing. We focused on making foams in the Si system (Sic, Si02, Si-0-C), which is in use in current acreage TPS systems. Ceramic foams with different architectures were formed from the pyrolysis of pre-ceramic polymers at 1200 C in different atmospheres. In some systems a sacrificial polyurethane was used as the blowing agent. We have also processed foams using sacrificial fillers to introduce controlled cell sizes. Each sacrificial filler or blowing agent leads to a unique morphology. The effect of different fillers on foam morphologies and the characterization of these foams in terms of mechanical and thermal properties are presented. We have conducted preliminary arc jet testing on selected foams with the materials being exposed to typical re-entry conditions for acreage TPS and these results will be discussed. Foams processed using these approaches have bulk densities ranging from 0.15 to 0.9 g/cm3 and cell sizes ranging from 5 to 500 pm. Compression strengths ranged from 2 to 7 MPa for these systems. Finally, preliminary oxidation studies have been conducted on selected systems and will be discussed.

Rigid Polyurethane Foam from Glyco lysed Polyethylene Terephthalate Dissolved in Palm-based Polyol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khairiah Badri; Lily Iliyana Mohd Dawi; Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz

2013-01-01

An investigation on the thermal and mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane (PU) foam from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste (of plastic drinking bottles) was conducted. The PET waste was glyco lysed with ethylene glycol prior to blending with palm based-polyol (PKO-p). This blend was then reacted with 2, 4-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) at a ratio of 1:1 to form the PU foam. The incorporation of the glyco lysed PET (g-PET) into the PKO-p was studied at 50, 70 and 100 % w/ w loading. PU foam prepared from 100 % w/ w g-PET (without PKO-p) resulted in PU with high glass transition temperature and mechanical strength. This water-blown foam has molded and core densities of 182 kg m -3 and 179 kg m -3 , respectively, with maximum compressive stress and modulus at 396 kPa and 1920 kPa, respectively. An initial enthalpy value of 3164.8 cal g -1 and a glass transition temperature of 65 degree Celsius were observed. (author)

Bituminization of biologically harmful wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freund, M.; Magyar, M.; Mozes, G.; Csikos, R.; Kristof, M.; Toth, L.; Hima, G.

1977-01-01

The invention claims the bitumenization of biologically harmful wastes, such as industrial wastes containing radioactive materials. These wastes containing water are transported from sludge basins, this either by gravity or by mechanical stirrino. into a suitably adapted absorption zone or to several parallel zones filled with bitumen heated to 100 to 250 degC. An inert gas is forced into the system foaming the zone contents. The foam phase is decomposed by the action of heat while water is evaporated and condensed. Bitumen containing dry matter of the radioactive wastes is discharged from the bottom part of the absorption zone and stored in a tank. (Kr)

Novel Application of Glass Fibers Recovered From Waste Printed Circuit Boards as Sound and Thermal Insulation Material

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhixing; Shen, Zhigang; Ma, Shulin; Zhang, Xiaojing

2013-10-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using glass fibers, a recycled material from waste printed circuit boards (WPCB), as sound absorption and thermal insulation material. Glass fibers were obtained through a fluidized-bed recycling process. Acoustic properties of the recovered glass fibers (RGF) were measured and compared with some commercial sound absorbing materials, such as expanded perlite (EP), expanded vermiculite (EV), and commercial glass fiber. Results show that RGF have good sound absorption ability over the whole tested frequency range (100-6400 Hz). The average sound absorption coefficient of RGF is 0.86, which is prior to those of EP (0.81) and EV (0.73). Noise reduction coefficient analysis indicates that the absorption ability of RGF can meet the requirement of II rating for sound absorbing material according to national standard. The thermal insulation results show that RGF has a fair low thermal conductivity (0.046 W/m K), which is comparable to those of some insulation materials (i.e., EV, EP, and rock wool). Besides, an empirical dependence of thermal conductivity on material temperature was determined for RGF. All the results showed that the reuse of RGF for sound and thermal insulation material provided a promising way for recycling WPCB and obtaining high beneficial products.

Milestone 5 test report. Task 5, subtask 5.2: Tile to foam strength tests

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, H. S.

1994-01-01

This report summarizes work that has been performed to date on the strength of a cryotank insulation system using Rohacell foam and TUFI-coated AETB-12 ceramic tiles directly bonded to a simulated graphite-epoxy tank wall. Testing utilized a custom specimen design which consists of a long tensile specimen with eccentric loading to induce curvature similar to the curvature expected due to 'pillowing' of the tank when pressurized. A finite element model was constructed to predict the specific element strains in the test article, and to assist with design of the test specimen to meet the specific goals of curvature and laminate strain. The results indicate that the heat treated 3.25-pcf density Rohacell foam does not provide sufficient strength for the induced stresses due to curvature and stress concentration at the RTV bondline to the TUFI tile. The test was repeated using higher density non-heat treated Rohacell foam (6.9 pcf) without foam failure. The finite element model was shown to predict specimen behavior, and validation of the model was successful. It is pertinent to mention that the analyses described herein accurately predicted the failure of the heat treated foams and based on this analysis method it is expected that the untreated 3.25 pcf Rohacell foam will be successful.

Characterization of geopolymer fly-ash based foams obtained with the addition of Al powder or H{sub 2}O{sub 2} as foaming agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ducman, V., E-mail: vilma.ducman@zag.si; Korat, L.

2016-03-15

Recent innovations in geopolymer technology have led to the development of various different types of geopolymeric products, including highly porous geopolymer-based foams, which are formed by the addition of foaming agents to a geopolymer fly-ash based matrix. These agents decompose, or react with the liquid matrix or oxygen in the matrix, resulting in the release of gases which form pores prior to the hardening of the gel. The hardened structure has good mechanical and thermal properties, and can therefore be used for applications in acoustic panels and in lightweight pre-fabricated components for thermal insulation purposes. This study presents the results of the pore-forming process in the case when two different foaming agents, i.e. aluminium powder amounting to 0.07, 0.13 and 0.20 mass. % and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} amounting to 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mass. %, were added to a fly-ash geopolymer matrix. The physical, mechanical, and microstructural properties of the thus obtained foams, and the effects of the type and amount of the added foaming agent, are presented and discussed. Highly porous structures were obtained in the case of both of the investigated foaming agents, with overall porosities up to 59% when aluminium powder was added, and of up 48% when H{sub 2}O{sub 2} was added. In the latter case, when 2% of the H{sub 2}O{sub 2} foaming agent was added, finer pores (with diameters up to 500 μm) occurred in the structure, whereas somewhat larger pores (some had diameters greater than 1 mm) occurred when the same amount of aluminium powder was added. The mechanical properties of the investigated foams depended on their porosity. In the case of highly porous structures a compressive strength of 3.3 MPa was nevertheless achieved for the samples containing 0.2% of aluminium powder, and 3.7 MPa for those containing 2.0% of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. - Highlights: • Preparation of geopolymer foams based on fly ash with the addition of Al powder or H{sub 2}O{sub 2} as

Development of method to characterize emissions from spray polyurethane foam insulation

Science.gov (United States)

This presentation updates symposium participants re EPA progress towards development of SPF insulation emissions characterization methods. The presentation highlights evaluation of experiments investigating emissions after application of SPF to substrates in micro chambers and i...

Electrical and dielectric properties of foam injection-molded polypropylene/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ameli, A.; Nofar, M.; Saniei, M.; Hossieny, N.; Park, C. B. [Microcellular Plastics Manufacturing Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King’s College Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3G8 (Canada); Pötschke, P. [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V. (IPF), Hohe Strasse 6, D-01069 Dresden (Germany)

2015-05-22

A combination of high dielectric permittivity (ε′) and low dielectric loss (tan δ) is required for charge storage applications. In percolative systems such as conductive polymer composites, however, obtaining high ε′ and low tan δ is very challenging due to the sharp insulation-conduction transition near the threshold region. Due to the particular arrangement of conductive fillers induced by both foaming and injection molding processes, they may address this issue. Therefore, this work evaluates the application of foam injection molding process in fabricating polymer nanocomposites for energy storage. Polypropylene-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PP-MWCNT) composites were prepared by melt mixing and foamed in an injection molding process. Electrical conductivity (σ), ε′ and tan δ were then characterized. Also, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) was used to investigate the carbon nanotube’s arrangement as well as cellular morphology. The results showed that foam injection-molded composites exhibited highly superior dielectric properties to those of solid counterparts. For instance, foamed samples had ε′=68.3 and tan δ =0.05 (at 1.25 vol.% MWCNT), as opposed to ε′=17.8 and tan δ=0.04 in solid samples (at 2.56 vol.% MWCNT). The results of this work reveal that high performance dielectric nanocomposites can be developed using foam injection molding technologies for charge storage applications.

Synthesis of Various Silica Nanoparticles for Foam Stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Suk Bon; Yoon, Inho; Jung, Chonghun; Kim, Chorong; Choi, Wangkyu; Moon, Jeikwon

2013-01-01

The synthesis of the non-porous silica nanoparticles with uniform sizes has been reported through the Sto ber method, the synthesis of meso porous silica nanoparticles with a specific morphology such as core-shell, rod-like, and hexagonal shapes is not so common. As a synthetic strategy for controlling the particle size, shape, and porosity, the synthesis of core-shell silicas with meso porous shells formed on silica particle cores through the self-assembly of silica precursor and organic templates or spherical meso porous silicas using modified Sto ber method was also reported. Recently, in an effort to reduce the amount of radioactive waste and enhance the decontamination efficiency during the decontamination process of nuclear facilities contaminated with radionuclides, a few research for the preparation of the decontamination foam containing solid nanoparticles has been reported. In this work, the silica nanoparticles with various sizes, shapes, and structures were synthesized based on the previous literatures. The resulting silica nanoparticles were used to investigate the effect of the nanoparticles on the foam stability. In a study on the foam stability using various silica nanoparticles, the results showed that the foam volume and liquid volume in foam was enhanced when using a smaller size and lower density of the silica nanoparticles. Silica nanoparticles with various sizes, shapes, and structures such as a non-porous, meso porous core-shell, and meso porous silica were synthesized to investigate the effect of the foam stability. The sizes and structural properties of the silica nanoparticles were easily controlled by varying the amount of silica precursor, surfactant, and ammonia solution as a basic catalyst. The foam prepared using various silica nanoparticles showed that foam the volume and liquid volume in the foam were enhanced when using a smaller size and lower density of the silica nanoparticles

Development of polyisocyanurate pour foam formulation for space shuttle external tank thermal protection system

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, James A.; Butler, John M.; Chartoff, Richard P.

1988-01-01

Four commercially available polyisocyanurate polyurethane spray-foam insulation formulations are used to coat the external tank of the space shuttle. There are several problems associated with these formulations. For example, some do not perform well as pourable closeout/repair systems. Some do not perform well at cryogenic temperatures (poor adhesion to aluminum at liquid nitrogen temperatures). Their thermal stability at elevated temperatures is not adequate. A major defect in all the systems is the lack of detailed chemical information. The formulations are simply supplied to NASA and Martin Marietta, the primary contractor, as components; Part A (isocyanate) and Part B (poly(s) and additives). Because of the lack of chemical information the performance behavior data for the current system, NASA sought the development of a non-proprietary room temperature curable foam insulation. Requirements for the developed system were that it should exhibit equal or better thermal stability both at elevated and cryogenic temperatures with better adhesion to aluminum as compared to the current system. Several formulations were developed that met these requirements, i.e., thermal stability, good pourability, and good bonding to aluminum.

Technology Solutions for Existing Homes Case Study: Trade-Friendly Retrofit Insulated Panels for Existing Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2016-03-01

For this project with the U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Home Innovation Research Labs, the retrofit insulated panels relied on an enhanced expanded polystyrene (EPS) for thermal resistance of R-4.5/inch, which is an improvement of 10% over conventional (white-colored) EPS. EPS, measured by its life cycle, is an alternative to commonly used extruded polystyrene and spray polyurethane foam. It is a closed-cell product made up of 90% air, and it requires about 85% fewer petroleum products for processing than other rigid foams.

MODAL ANALYSIS OF REAL TIMBER FRAME HOUSES WITH DIFFERENT INSULATION MATERIALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Szczepański

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to present the results of a numerical modal analysis of two actual structures of timber frame buildings and the different behaviour due to the used insulation material. One model of the timber structure was filled with mineral wool, while the other with polyurethane foam. During the modal analysis, eigenvalues for both models have been determined. The results of the analysis clearly show the increase of stiffness and damping properties of skeletal constructions achieved by the use of polyurethane foam as the skeleton filling. The numerical model was based on prior experimental test on real scale single frame elements, therefore the result can be assumed to be adequate.

Application of extrusion-cooking technique for foamed starch-based materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Combrzyński Maciej

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Foamed materials are widely used, mainly as a protection objects during transport of various products. Traditionally foams are produced from plastics so they are very difficult for waste management. It is the challenge for many scientific centres to develop a technology for the production of bio-based materials which can be rapidly decomposed. The task for the researcher is to obtain a relatively cheap, easy to use and completely biodegradable materials. The aim of this work was the selection of the main raw materials, functional additives and process parameters to obtain the most effective parameters of extrusion-cooking process for foamed starch-based materials. Properties of the products and processing costs were taken into account. During the study, the extrusion-cooking process was performed under various conditions: temperature, humidity, type of the die, screw rotational speed, various raw materials and additives blends. The best results were obtained for mixtures based on potato starch and with addition the foaming agent Plastron foam PDE and poly(vinyl alcohol PVA.

Growing and testing mycelium bricks as building insulation materials

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Yangang; Brewer, Matthew; El-Gharabawy, Hoda; Griffith, Gareth; Jones, Phil

2018-02-01

In order to improve energy performance of buildings, insulation materials (such as mineral glass and rock wools, or fossil fuel-based plastic foams) are being used in increasing quantities, which may lead to potential problem with materials depletions and landfill disposal. One sustainable solution suggested is the use of bio-based, biodegradable materials. A number of attempts have been made to develop biomaterials, such as sheep wood, hemcrete or recycled papers. In this paper, a novel type of bio insulation materials - mycelium is examined. The aim is to produce mycelium materials that could be used as insulations. The bio-based material was required to have properties that matched existing alternatives, such as expanded polystyrene, in terms of physical and mechanical characteristics but with an enhanced level of biodegradability. The testing data showed mycelium bricks exhibited good thermal performance. Future work is planned to improve growing process and thermal performance of the mycelium bricks.

Les silicates alcalins, matière de base des mousses minérales isolantes. Etude bibliographique Alkaline Silicates, As a Basic Material for Insulating Mineral Foams. Bibliographie Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lesage J.

2006-11-01

using additives, a highly varied range of polysilicate foams can be produced having a wide variety of insulation, solubility and mechanical-resistance properties, and even permeability prperties. This opens up the way to many possible industrial outlets.

Sheath insulator final test report, TFE Verification Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-07-01

The sheath insulator in a thermionic cell has two functions. First, the sheath insulator must electrically isolate the collector form the outer containment sheath tube that is in contact with the reactor liquid metal coolant. Second, The sheath insulator must provide for high uniform thermal conductance between the collector and the reactor coolant to remove away waste heat. The goals of the sheath insulator test program were to demonstrate that suitable ceramic materials and fabrication processes were available, and to validate the performance of the sheath insulator for TFE-VP requirements. This report discusses the objectives of the test program, fabrication development, ex-reactor test program, in-reactor test program, and the insulator seal specifications.

Sheath insulator final test report, TFE Verification Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-07-01

The sheath insulator in a thermionic cell has two functions. First, the sheath insulator must electrically isolate the collector form the outer containment sheath tube that is in contact with the reactor liquid metal coolant. Second, The sheath insulator must provide for high uniform thermal conductance between the collector and the reactor coolant to remove away waste heat. The goals of the sheath insulator test program were to demonstrate that suitable ceramic materials and fabrication processes were available, and to validate the performance of the sheath insulator for TFE-VP requirements. This report discusses the objectives of the test program, fabrication development, ex-reactor test program, in-reactor test program, and the insulator seal specifications

Sodium alginate adhesives as binders in wood fibers/textile waste fibers biocomposites for building insulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacoste, Clément; El Hage, Roland; Bergeret, Anne; Corn, Stéphane; Lacroix, Patrick

2018-03-15

Alginate derived from seaweed is a natural polysaccharide able to form stable gel through carbohydrate functional groups largely used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. This article deals with the use of sodium alginate as an adhesive binder for wood fibres/textile waste fibres biocomposites. Several aldehyde-based crosslinking agents (glyoxal, glutaraldehyde) were compared for various wood/textile waste ratios (100/0, 50/50, 60/40, 70/30 and 0/100 in weight). The fully biomass derived composites whose properties are herewith described satisfy most of the appropriate requirements for building materials. They are insulating with a thermal conductivity in the range 0.078-0.089 W/m/K for an average density in the range 308-333 kg/m3 according to the biocomposite considered. They are semi-rigid with a maximal mechanical strength of 0.84 MPa under bending and 0.44 MPa under compression for 60/40 w/w wood/textile waste biocomposites with a glutaraldehyde crosslinking agent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) for building construction industry - A review of the contemporary developments and future directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alam, M.; Singh, H.; Limbachiya, M.C.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP), a high thermal resistance building insulation. → Review of research into VIPs for building applications. → High cost and uncertainty of service life are two barriers for VIP use in buildings. → SiO 2 /SiN x coated PET laminate- candidate for high barrier VIP envelope. → The optimum combination of VIP core and envelope yet to be determined. -- Abstract: Demand for energy efficient buildings has increased drastically in recent years and this trend will continue in the future. Insulating building elements will play a key role in meeting this demand by reducing heat losses through the building fabric. Due to their higher thermal resistance, Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) would be a more energy efficient alternative to conventional building insulation materials. Thus, efforts to develop VIPs with characteristics suitable for applications to new and existing buildings are underway. This paper provides a review of important contemporary developments towards producing VIPs using various materials such as glass fibre, foams, perlite and fibre/powder composites. The limitations of the materials currently used to fabricate VIPs have not been emphasised in detail in previous review papers published. Selection criteria, methods to measure important properties of VIPs and analytical and numerical models presented in the past have been detailed. Limitations of currently employed design tools along with potential future materials such as Nano/microcellular foams and SiO x /SiN x coatings for use in VIPs are also described.

HEAT INSULATING LIME DRY MORTARS FOR FINISHING OF WALLS MADE OF FOAM CONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Loganina Valentina Ivanovna

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Different aerated mortars are used for pargeting of walls made of aerated concrete. Though the regulatory documents don’t specify the dependence of plaster density from the density grade of gas-concrete blocks. In case of facing of gas-concrete blocks with the grade D500 using plaster mortars with the density 1400…1600 km/m3 there occurs a dismatch in the values of thermal insulation and vapor permeability of the plaster and base. The authors suggest using dry mortars for finishing of gas-concrete block of the grades D500 и D600, which allow obtaining facing thermal insulating coatings. The efficiency of using four different high-porous additives in the lime dry mortar was compared. They were: hollow glass microspheres, aluminosilicate ash microspheres, expanded vermiculite sand, expanded pearlitic sand. The high efficiency of hollow glass microspheres in heat insulating finishing mortars compared to other fillers is proved.

Multifunctional Stiff Carbon Foam Derived from Bread.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Ye; Ding, Yujie; Wang, Chunhui; Xu, Fan; Lin, Zaishan; Qin, Yuyang; Li, Ying; Yang, Minglong; He, Xiaodong; Peng, Qingyu; Li, Yibin

2016-07-06

The creation of stiff yet multifunctional three-dimensional porous carbon architecture at very low cost is still challenging. In this work, lightweight and stiff carbon foam (CF) with adjustable pore structure was prepared by using flour as the basic element via a simple fermentation and carbonization process. The compressive strength of CF exhibits a high value of 3.6 MPa whereas its density is 0.29 g/cm(3) (compressive modulus can be 121 MPa). The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness measurements (specific EMI shielding effectiveness can be 78.18 dB·cm(3)·g(-1)) indicate that CF can be used as lightweight, effective shielding material. Unlike ordinary foam structure materials, the low thermal conductivity (lowest is 0.06 W/m·K) with high resistance to fire makes CF a good candidate for commercial thermal insulation material. These results demonstrate a promising method to fabricate an economical, robust carbon material for applications in industry as well as topics regarding environmental protection and improvement of energy efficiency.

Handbook of Thermal Insulation Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-01-01

Wiuppuoror *tIe beamsWiefag ln~ td ~oair ilmstool beams Plate 18. Metal Building Ceilings - A 18b: Fir* hataird rathge may limit the use of foam Insulation...RFCTANGUI.AR SOL TD A = 2(WxL+LxH+HxW) B V = WxLxH H L TRAPEZOID A 2 (A + B) x H A CONE A -n xRxS+ i xR 2 B V =( /3)x R2 x H TRIANGLE A BxH A- 2 CYLI NDER H 2...FABRICATIIG RECTANGULAR HEATING AND COOLING DUCTWORK. FIBERGLAS DUCT BOARD OWENS-CORNING FIBERGLAS CORP GLASS FIBER RIGID BOARD WITH ALUMINUM 4bD FOIL VAPOR

Comparative analysis of the microbial diversity in liquid and foaming layer in biogas reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Campanaro, Stefano; Treu, Laura; Kougias, Panagiotis

2014-01-01

Foaming incidents have been recorded in many biogas plants causing severe operational, economical and environmental problems (Kougias et al., 2014). However, the foaming phenomenon in biogas reactors fed with agro-industrial wastes has not been extensively investigated, especially with respect...... to the microbial composition of the digesters (Moeller et al., 2012). In the cited literature, it has been reported that specific microorganisms, which are mainly filamentous (e.g. Gordonia species, Microthrix parvicella), are attached to biogas bubbles and transferred to the air/liquid interface of sludge...... was to investigate the microbial diversity in the liquid versus the foaming layer in manure-based biogas reactors suffering by foaming incidents in order to elucidate potential role and contribution of the microorganisms in foam promotion. The experimental work was carried out in three thermophilic continuous...

Experimental and theoretical study of flowing foam and of the liquid film formed on the wall for the improvement of decontamination processes using foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pouvreau, J.

2002-01-01

Amongst chemical decontamination techniques, the foam cleaning process has the advantage of reducing the amount of liquid used, thus limiting the quantity of the chemical reagents and the secondary waste volume. In order to improve this process, it is essential to understand the behaviour of the foam in the vicinity of the contaminated surface. Two methods of study have been initiated. Firstly, the characterization of the liquid film formed on the wall, and secondly, the characterization of the foam bed. Furthermore, our goal is to set up a drainage model which enables a choice of process parameters. Flush-mounted conductance probes have been developed in order to determine the thickness of the liquid film at the surface and the foam liquid fraction. The influence of the foam on the film structure and the interpretation of the thickness measured is discussed. The process studied consists of filling the facility with foam and letting the foam drain once the facility is full. It was demonstrated that the liquid film thickness varies between a few microns and 50 μm and that the value depends on position and time. Furthermore, a strong correlation links the film thickness and the foam liquid fraction. A drift-flux model has been built to describe the drainage of the upstream flow or static foam. The model is solved by using the method of characteristics. Analytical solutions are obtained and the liquid fraction evolution can easily be represented on a single diagram. The parameters of the void-drift closure law have been deducted from the experiments. The comparison to experimental data has shown that the model is well adapted. The laboratory therefore has experimental and theoretical equipment to study any foam. Finally, the model is applied to realistic decontamination configurations in order to present how determine the parameters of the process. (author) [fr

Impact of foamed matrix components on foamed concrete properties

Science.gov (United States)

Tarasenko, V. N.

2018-03-01

The improvement of the matrix foam structure by means of foam stabilizing additives is aimed at solving the technology-oriented problems as well as at the further improvement of physical and mechanical properties of cellular-concrete composites. The dry foam mineralization is the mainstream of this research. Adding the concrete densifiers, foam stabilizers and mineral powders reduces the drying shrinkage, which makes the foam concrete products technologically effective.

Treatment of low level radioactive liquid wastes using composite ion-exchange resins based on polyurethane foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, S.V.S.; Lekshmi, R.; Mani, A.G.S.; Sinha, P.K.

2010-01-01

Composite ion-exchange resins were prepared by coating copper-ferrocyanide (CFC) and hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) powders on polyurethane (PU) foam. Polyvinyl acetate/Acetone was used as a binder. The foam was loaded with about five times its weight with CFC and HMO powders. The distribution coefficients of CFC-PU foam and HMO-PU foam for cesium and strontium respectively were estimated. Under similar conditions the HMO-PU foam showed higher capacity as well as better kinetics for removal of strontium than CFC-PU foam for Cs. The pilot plant scale studies were conducted using a mixed composite ion-exchange resin bed. About 1000 bed volumes could be passed before attaining a DF of 10 from an initial value of 60-80. The spent resin was digested in alkaline KMnO 4 and the digested liquid was fixed in cement matrix. The matrices were characterized with respect to compressive strength and leach resistance. (author)

Objectification of Modulus Elasticity of Foam Concrete Poroflow 17-5 on the Subbase Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hájek Matej

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Principles of sustainable development create the need to develop new building materials. Foam concrete is a type of lightweight concrete that has many advantages compared to conventional building materials, for example low density and thermal insulation characteristics. With current development level, any negatively influencing material features are constantly eliminated as well. This paper is dealing with substitution of hydraulically bound mixtures by cement foam concrete Poroflow 17-5. The executed assessment is according to the methodology of assessing the existing asphalt pavements in Slovak Republic. The ex post calculation was used to estimate modulus range for Poroflow 17-5 based on the results of static load tests conducted using the Testing Experiment Equipment.

Copper ferrocyanide - polyurethane foam as a composite ion exchanger for removal of radioactive cesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, S.V.S.; Lal, K.B.; Ahmed, J.; Narasimhan, S.V.

1999-01-01

A method has been developed for the removal of cesium from the aqueous radioactive waste using a composite ion-exchanger consisting of Copper-Ferrocyanide Powder (CFC) and Polyurethane (PU) Foam. Polyvinyl acetate has been used as a binder in the preparation of CFC-PU foam. The physical properties of CFC such as density, surface area, IR stretching frequency and lattice parameters have been evaluated and also its potassium and copper(II) content have been estimated. Optimization of loading of CFC on PU foam has been studied. The CFC-PU was viewed under microscope to find out the homogeneity of distribution. Exchange capacities of the CFC-PU foam in different media have been determined and column studies have been carried out. Studies have been undertaken on extraction of cesium from CFC foam and also on digestion of spent CFC-PU foam and immobilization of digested solution in cement matrix. The cement matrices have been characterized with respect to density, bio-resistance and leaching resistance. (author)

FoamVis, A Visualization System for Foam Research: Design and Implementation

OpenAIRE

Lipsa, Dan; Roberts, Richard; Laramee, Robert

2015-01-01

Liquid foams are used in areas such as mineral separation, oil recovery, food and beverage production, sanitation and fire fighting. To improve the quality of products and the efficiency of processes in these areas, foam scientists wish to understand and control foam behaviour. To this end, foam scientists have used foam simulations to model foam behaviour; however, analysing these simulations presents difficult challenges. We describe the main foam research challenges and present the design ...

Method of Heating a Foam-Based Catalyst Bed

Science.gov (United States)

Fortini, Arthur J.; Williams, Brian E.; McNeal, Shawn R.

2009-01-01

A method of heating a foam-based catalyst bed has been developed using silicon carbide as the catalyst support due to its readily accessible, high surface area that is oxidation-resistant and is electrically conductive. The foam support may be resistively heated by passing an electric current through it. This allows the catalyst bed to be heated directly, requiring less power to reach the desired temperature more quickly. Designed for heterogeneous catalysis, the method can be used by the petrochemical, chemical processing, and power-generating industries, as well as automotive catalytic converters. Catalyst beds must be heated to a light-off temperature before they catalyze the desired reactions. This typically is done by heating the assembly that contains the catalyst bed, which results in much of the power being wasted and/or lost to the surrounding environment. The catalyst bed is heated indirectly, thus requiring excessive power. With the electrically heated catalyst bed, virtually all of the power is used to heat the support, and only a small fraction is lost to the surroundings. Although the light-off temperature of most catalysts is only a few hundred degrees Celsius, the electrically heated foam is able to achieve temperatures of 1,200 C. Lower temperatures are achievable by supplying less electrical power to the foam. Furthermore, because of the foam s open-cell structure, the catalyst can be applied either directly to the foam ligaments or in the form of a catalyst- containing washcoat. This innovation would be very useful for heterogeneous catalysis where elevated temperatures are needed to drive the reaction.

Measurement of polychlorinated biphenyls in solid waste such as transformer insulation paper by supercritical fluid extraction and gas chromatography electron capture detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Chikushi, Hiroaki; Fujii, Yuka; Toda, Kei

2012-09-21

In this work, a method for measuring polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in contaminated solid waste was investigated. This waste includes paper that is used in electric transformers to insulate electric components. The PCBs in paper sample were extracted by supercritical fluid extraction and analyzed by gas chromatography-electron capture detection. The recoveries with this method (84-101%) were much higher than those with conventional water extraction (0.08-14%), and were comparable to those with conventional organic solvent extraction. Limit of detection was 0.0074 mg kg(-1) and measurable up to 2.5 mg kg(-1) for 0.5 g of paper sample. Data for real insulation paper by the proposed method agreed well with those by the conventional organic solvent extraction. Extraction from wood and concrete was also investigated and good performance was obtained as well as for paper samples. The supercritical fluid extraction is simpler, faster, and greener than conventional organic solvent extraction. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

STARCH/PULP-FIBER BASED PACKAGING FOAMS AND CAST FILMS CONTAINING ALASKAN FISH BY-PRODUCTS (WASTE)

OpenAIRE

Syed H. Imam; Bor-Sen Chiou; Delilah Woods; Justin Shey; Gregory M. Glenn; William J. Orts; Rajnesh Narayan; Robert J. Avena-Bustillos; Tara H. McHugh; Alberto Pantoja; Peter J. Bechtel

2008-01-01

Baked starch/pulp foams were prepared from formulations containing zero to 25 weight percent of processed Alaskan fish by-products that consisted mostly of salmon heads, pollock heads, and pollock frames (bones and associated remains produced in the filleting operation). Fish by-products thermoformed well along with starch and pulp fiber, and the foam product (panels) exhibited useful mechanical properties. Foams with all three fish by-products, ranging between 10 and 15 wt%, showed the highe...

Role of foam drainage in producing protein aggregates in foam fractionation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui; Zhang, Yuran; Chang, Yunkang; Wu, Zhaoliang; Wang, Yanji; Chen, Xiang'e; Wang, Tao

2017-10-01

It is essential to obtain a clear understanding of the foam-induced protein aggregation to reduce the loss of protein functionality in foam fractionation. The major effort of this work is to explore the roles of foam drainage in protein aggregation in the entire process of foam fractionation with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. The results show that enhancing foam drainage increased the desorption of BSA molecules from the gas-liquid interface and the local concentration of desorbed molecules in foam. Therefore, it intensified the aggregation of BSA in foam fractionation. Simultaneously, it also accelerated the flow of BSA aggregates from rising foam into the residual solution along with the drained liquid. Because enhancing foam drainage increased the relative content of BSA molecules adsorbed at the gas-liquid interface, it also intensified the aggregation of BSA during both the defoaming process and the storage of the foamate. Furthermore, enhancing foam drainage more readily resulted in the formation of insoluble BSA aggregates. The results are highly important for a better understanding of foam-induced protein aggregation in foam fractionation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Field demonstration of foam injection to confine a chlorinated solvent source zone.

Science.gov (United States)

Portois, Clément; Essouayed, Elyess; Annable, Michael D; Guiserix, Nathalie; Joubert, Antoine; Atteia, Olivier

2018-05-01

A novel approach using foam to manage hazardous waste was successfully demonstrated under active site conditions. The purpose of the foam was to divert groundwater flow, that would normally enter the source zone area, to reduce dissolved contaminant release to the aquifer. During the demonstration, foam was pre generated and directly injected surrounding the chlorinated solvent source zone. Despite the constraints related to the industrial activities and non-optimal position of the injection points, the applicability and effectiveness of the approach have been highlighted using multiple metrics. A combination of measurements and modelling allowed definition of the foam extent surrounding each injection point, and this appears to be the critical metric to define the success of the foam injection approach. Information on the transport of chlorinated solvents in groundwater showed a decrease of contaminant flux by a factor of 4.4 downstream of the confined area. The effective permeability reduction was maintained over a period of three months. The successful containment provides evidence for consideration of the use of foam to improve traditional flushing techniques, by increasing the targeting of contaminants by remedial agents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Generation of sclerosant foams by mechanical methods increases the foam temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Lulu; Wong, Kaichung; Connor, David; Fakhim, Babak; Behnia, Masud; Parsi, Kurosh

2017-08-01

Objective To investigate the effect of agitation on foam temperature. Methods Sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol were used. Prior to foam generation, the sclerosant and all constituent equipment were cooled to 4-25℃ and compared with cooling the sclerosant only. Foam was generated using a modified Tessari method. During foam agitation, the temperature change was measured using a thermocouple for 120 s. Results Pre-cooling all the constituent equipment resulted in a cooler foam in comparison with only cooling the sclerosant. A starting temperature of 4℃ produced average foam temperatures of 12.5 and 13.2℃ for sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol, respectively. It was also found that only cooling the liquid sclerosant provided minimal cooling to the final foam temperature, with the temperature 20 and 20.5℃ for sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol, respectively. Conclusion The foam generation process has a noticeable impact on final foam temperature and needs to be taken into consideration when creating foam.

FoamVis, A Visualization System for Foam Research: Design and Implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan R. Lipsa

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Liquid foams are used in areas such as mineral separation, oil recovery, food and beverage production, sanitation and fire fighting. To improve the quality of products and the efficiency of processes in these areas, foam scientists wish to understand and control foam behaviour. To this end, foam scientists have used foam simulations to model foam behaviour; however, analysing these simulations presents difficult challenges. We describe the main foam research challenges and present the design of FoamVis, the only existing visualization, exploration and analysis application created to address them. We describe FoamVis’ main features, together with relevant design and implementation notes. Our goal is to provide a global overview and individual feature implementation details that would allow a visualization scientist to extend the FoamVis system with new algorithms and adapt it to new requirements. The result is a detailed presentation of the software that is not provided in previous visualization research papers.

Decontamination by foams: a promising treatment for the removal of radioactive dust from gas streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitchell, J.P.

1989-06-01

Foams provide a promising method for the treatment of gas streams containing radioactive aerosol particles. They contain a very large surface area of liquid-gas interface in small cells; thus it is possible to achieve rapid capture of airborne particles in the liquid phase, particularly if the aerosol can be incorporated in the foam structure. The foam can be collapsed into a small volume of liquid, immobilising any trapped aerosol in a form that may be treated as liquid waste. A review of the literature has been undertaken to define and assess the mechanics of aerosol behaviour in contact with foams. Applications are also examined in which foams have been used to treat aerosols. Key issues are identified which require further study. In particular, the efficiency of sub-micron particle removal can be determined using recently developed analysers and the use of the process gas to generate the foam could have a major impact on the design of commercial units. (author)

Liquid foam templating - A route to tailor-made polymer foams.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrieux, Sébastien; Quell, Aggeliki; Stubenrauch, Cosima; Drenckhan, Wiebke

2018-06-01

Solid foams with pore sizes between a few micrometres and a few millimetres are heavily exploited in a wide range of established and emerging applications. While the optimisation of foam applications requires a fine control over their structural properties (pore size distribution, pore opening, foam density, …), the great complexity of most foaming processes still defies a sound scientific understanding and therefore explicit control and prediction of these parameters. We therefore need to improve our understanding of existing processes and also develop new fabrication routes which we understand and which we can exploit to tailor-make new porous materials. One of these new routes is liquid templating in general and liquid foam templating in particular, to which this review article is dedicated. While all solid foams are generated from an initially liquid(-like) state, the particular notion of liquid foam templating implies the specific condition that the liquid foam has time to find its "equilibrium structure" before it is solidified. In other words, the characteristic time scales of the liquid foam's stability and its solidification are well separated, allowing to build on the vast know-how on liquid foams established over the last 20 years. The dispersed phase of the liquid foam determines the final pore size and pore size distribution, while the continuous phase contains the precursors of the desired porous scaffold. We review here the three key challenges which need to be addressed by this approach: (1) the control of the structure of the liquid template, (2) the matching of the time scales between the stability of the liquid template and solidification, and (3) the preservation of the structure of the template throughout the process. Focusing on the field of polymer foams, this review gives an overview of recent research on the properties of liquid foam templates and summarises a key set of studies in the emerging field of liquid foam templating. It

Thermal aging of traditional and additively manufactured foams: analysis by time-temperature-superposition, constitutive, and finite-element models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maiti, A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Weisgraber, T. H. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Small, W. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Lewicki, J. P. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Duoss, E. B. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Spadaccini, C. M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Pearson, M. A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Chinn, S. C. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Wilson, T. S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Maxwell, R. S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2016-12-08

Cellular solids or foams are a very important class of materials with diverse applications ranging from thermal insulation and shock absorbing support cushions, to light-weight structural and floatation components, and constitute crucial components in a large number of industries including automotive, aerospace, electronics, marine, biomedical, packaging, and defense. In many of these applications the foam material is subjected to long periods of continuous stress, which can, over time, lead to a permanent change in structure and a degradation in performance. In this report we summarize our modeling efforts to date on polysiloxane foam materials that form an important component in our systems. Aging of the materials was characterized by two measured quantities, i.e., compression set and load retention. Results of accelerated aging experiments were analyzed by an automated time-temperaturesuperposition (TTS) approach, which creates a master curve that can be used for long-term predictions (over decades) under ambient conditions. When comparing such master curves for traditional (stochastic) foams with those for recently 3D-printed (i.e., additively manufactured, or AM) foams, it became clear that AM foams have superior aging behavior. To gain deeper understanding, we imaged the microstructure of both foams using X-ray computed tomography, and performed finite-element analysis of the mechanical response within these microstructures. This indicates a wider stress variation in the stochastic foam with points of more extreme local stress as compared to the 3D printed material.

Three-Dimensional Graphene Foam Induces Multifunctionality in Epoxy Nanocomposites by Simultaneous Improvement in Mechanical, Thermal, and Electrical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Embrey, Leslie; Nautiyal, Pranjal; Loganathan, Archana; Idowu, Adeyinka; Boesl, Benjamin; Agarwal, Arvind

2017-11-15

Three-dimensional (3D) macroporous graphene foam based multifunctional epoxy composites are developed in this study. Facile dip-coating and mold-casting techniques are employed to engineer microstructures with tailorable thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. These processing techniques allow capillarity-induced equilibrium filling of graphene foam branches, creating epoxy/graphene interfaces with minimal separation. Addition of 2 wt % graphene foam enhances the glass transition temperature of epoxy from 106 to 162 °C, improving the thermal stability of the polymer composite. Graphene foam aids in load-bearing, increasing the ultimate tensile strength by 12% by merely 0.13 wt % graphene foam in an epoxy matrix. Digital image correlation (DIC) analysis revealed that the graphene foam cells restrict and confine the deformation of the polymer matrix, thereby enhancing the load-bearing capability of the composite. Addition of 0.6 wt % graphene foam also enhances the flexural strength of the pure epoxy by 10%. A 3D network of graphene branches is found to suppress and deflect the cracks, arresting mechanical failure. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of the composites demonstrated their vibration damping capability, as the loss tangent (tan δ) jumps from 0.1 for the pure epoxy to 0.24 for ∼2 wt % graphene foam-epoxy composite. Graphene foam branches also provide seamless pathways for electron transfer, which induces electrical conductivity exceeding 450 S/m in an otherwise insulator epoxy matrix. The epoxy-graphene foam composite exhibits a gauge factor as high as 4.1, which is twice the typical gauge factor for the most common metals. Simultaneous improvement in thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of epoxy due to 3D graphene foam makes epoxy-graphene foam composite a promising lightweight and multifunctional material for aiding load-bearing, electrical transport, and motion sensing in aerospace, automotive, robotics, and smart device structures.

Exposure to organophosphate flame retardants in spray polyurethane foam applicators: Role of dermal exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Bello, Anila; Carignan, Courtney C; Xue, Yalong; Stapleton, Heather M; Bello, Dhimiter

2018-04-01

Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) is a highly effective thermal insulation material that has seen considerable market growth in the past decade. Organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) are added to SPF formulations to meet fire code requirements. A common flame retardant used in SPF formulations is tris 1-chloro 2-propyl phosphate (TCIPP), a suspected endocrine disruptor. Exposure monitoring efforts during SPF applications have focused primarily on the isocyanate component, a potent respiratory and dermal sensitizer. However, to our knowledge, there is no monitoring data for TCIPP. To characterize occupational exposures to TCIPP and other flame retardants during SPF insulation. Workers at four SPF insulation sites and one foam removal site (total n = 14) were recruited as part of this pilot study. Personal inhalation exposure to TCIPP was monitored with a CIP-10MI inhalable sampler and potential dermal exposure was assessed through the use of a glove dosimeter. Biomarkers of TCIPP and three other PFRs were measured in urine collected from workers pre-and post-shift. Linear mixed effect models were used to analyze associations of urinary biomarkers with inhalation and dermal exposures and paired t-tests were used to examine the difference on the means of urinary biomarkers pre-and post-shift. Chemical analysis of all species was performed with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Geometric mean (GM) concentrations of TCIPP in personal air monitors and glove dosimeters collected from SPF applicators, 294.7 μg/m 3 and 18.8 mg/pair respectively. Overall, GM concentrations of the two TCIPP urinary biomarkers BCIPP and BCIPHIPP and (6.2 and 88.8 μg/mL) were 26-35 times higher than reported in the general population. Post-shift levels of TCIPP biomarkers were higher than pre-shift even though workers at insulation sites wore supplied air respirators, gloves and coveralls. The urinary biomarkers for the other PFRs were not

EFFECTIVENESS OF USING POLYURETHANE FOAM TO REDUCE HEAT LOSS IN THE PREMISES FOR BREEDING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Medvedev A.Y.

2013-10-01

Full Text Available It is proved that the use of polyurethane foam insulation for the purpose of walling premises for breeding allows them to halve the deficit of heat in winter. Because of this more efficient use of feed, increases the intensity and the level of growth of young comprehensive energp $rocess in the energy of live weight gain of cattle while increasing the profitability of its cultivation for meat.

Design and development of polyphenylene oxide foam as a reusable internal insulation for LH2 tanks, phase 2

Science.gov (United States)

1972-01-01

PPO form was tested for mechanical strength, for the effects of 100 thermal cycles from 450 K (359 F) to 21 K (-423 F) and for gas flow resistance characteristics. PPO foam panels were investigated for density variations, methods for joining panels were studied and panel joint thermal test specimens were fabricated. The range of foam panel thickness under investigation was extended to include 7 mm (0.3 in) and 70 mm (2.8 in) panels which also were tested for thermal performance.

Supercritical CO2 Foaming of Thermoplastic Materials Derived from Maize: Proof-of-Concept Use in Mammalian Cell Culture Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Trujillo-de Santiago, Grissel; Portales-Cabrera, Cynthia Guadalupe; Portillo-Lara, Roberto; Araiz-Hernández, Diana; Del Barone, Maria Cristina; García-López, Erika; Rojas-de Gante, Cecilia; de los Angeles De Santiago-Miramontes, María; Segoviano-Ramírez, Juan Carlos; García-Lara, Silverio; Rodríguez-González, Ciro Ángel; Alvarez, Mario Moisés; Di Maio, Ernesto; Iannace, Salvatore

2015-01-01

Background Foams are high porosity and low density materials. In nature, they are a common architecture. Some of their relevant technological applications include heat and sound insulation, lightweight materials, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Foams derived from natural polymers are particularly attractive for tissue culture due to their biodegradability and bio-compatibility. Here, the foaming potential of an extensive list of materials was assayed, including slabs elaborated from whole flour, the starch component only, or the protein fraction only of maize seeds. Methodology/Principal Findings We used supercritical CO2 to produce foams from thermoplasticized maize derived materials. Polyethylene-glycol, sorbitol/glycerol, or urea/formamide were used as plasticizers. We report expansion ratios, porosities, average pore sizes, pore morphologies, and pore size distributions for these materials. High porosity foams were obtained from zein thermoplasticized with polyethylene glycol, and from starch thermoplasticized with urea/formamide. Zein foams had a higher porosity than starch foams (88% and 85%, respectively) and a narrower and more evenly distributed pore size. Starch foams exhibited a wider span of pore sizes and a larger average pore size than zein (208.84 vs. 55.43 μm2, respectively). Proof-of-concept cell culture experiments confirmed that mouse fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) and two different prostate cancer cell lines (22RV1, DU145) attached to and proliferated on zein foams. Conclusions/Significance We conducted screening and proof-of-concept experiments on the fabrication of foams from cereal-based bioplastics. We propose that a key indicator of foamability is the strain at break of the materials to be foamed (as calculated from stress vs. strain rate curves). Zein foams exhibit attractive properties (average pore size, pore size distribution, and porosity) for cell culture applications; we were able to establish and sustain mammalian cell cultures on zein

Supercritical CO2 foaming of thermoplastic materials derived from maize: proof-of-concept use in mammalian cell culture applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Trujillo-de Santiago, Grissel; Portales-Cabrera, Cynthia Guadalupe; Portillo-Lara, Roberto; Araiz-Hernández, Diana; Del Barone, Maria Cristina; García-López, Erika; Rojas-de Gante, Cecilia; de Los Angeles De Santiago-Miramontes, María; Segoviano-Ramírez, Juan Carlos; García-Lara, Silverio; Rodríguez-González, Ciro Ángel; Alvarez, Mario Moisés; Di Maio, Ernesto; Iannace, Salvatore

2015-01-01

Foams are high porosity and low density materials. In nature, they are a common architecture. Some of their relevant technological applications include heat and sound insulation, lightweight materials, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Foams derived from natural polymers are particularly attractive for tissue culture due to their biodegradability and bio-compatibility. Here, the foaming potential of an extensive list of materials was assayed, including slabs elaborated from whole flour, the starch component only, or the protein fraction only of maize seeds. We used supercritical CO2 to produce foams from thermoplasticized maize derived materials. Polyethylene-glycol, sorbitol/glycerol, or urea/formamide were used as plasticizers. We report expansion ratios, porosities, average pore sizes, pore morphologies, and pore size distributions for these materials. High porosity foams were obtained from zein thermoplasticized with polyethylene glycol, and from starch thermoplasticized with urea/formamide. Zein foams had a higher porosity than starch foams (88% and 85%, respectively) and a narrower and more evenly distributed pore size. Starch foams exhibited a wider span of pore sizes and a larger average pore size than zein (208.84 vs. 55.43 μm2, respectively). Proof-of-concept cell culture experiments confirmed that mouse fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) and two different prostate cancer cell lines (22RV1, DU145) attached to and proliferated on zein foams. We conducted screening and proof-of-concept experiments on the fabrication of foams from cereal-based bioplastics. We propose that a key indicator of foamability is the strain at break of the materials to be foamed (as calculated from stress vs. strain rate curves). Zein foams exhibit attractive properties (average pore size, pore size distribution, and porosity) for cell culture applications; we were able to establish and sustain mammalian cell cultures on zein foams for extended time periods.

Supercritical CO2 foaming of thermoplastic materials derived from maize: proof-of-concept use in mammalian cell culture applications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grissel Trujillo-de Santiago

Full Text Available Foams are high porosity and low density materials. In nature, they are a common architecture. Some of their relevant technological applications include heat and sound insulation, lightweight materials, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Foams derived from natural polymers are particularly attractive for tissue culture due to their biodegradability and bio-compatibility. Here, the foaming potential of an extensive list of materials was assayed, including slabs elaborated from whole flour, the starch component only, or the protein fraction only of maize seeds.We used supercritical CO2 to produce foams from thermoplasticized maize derived materials. Polyethylene-glycol, sorbitol/glycerol, or urea/formamide were used as plasticizers. We report expansion ratios, porosities, average pore sizes, pore morphologies, and pore size distributions for these materials. High porosity foams were obtained from zein thermoplasticized with polyethylene glycol, and from starch thermoplasticized with urea/formamide. Zein foams had a higher porosity than starch foams (88% and 85%, respectively and a narrower and more evenly distributed pore size. Starch foams exhibited a wider span of pore sizes and a larger average pore size than zein (208.84 vs. 55.43 μm2, respectively. Proof-of-concept cell culture experiments confirmed that mouse fibroblasts (NIH 3T3 and two different prostate cancer cell lines (22RV1, DU145 attached to and proliferated on zein foams.We conducted screening and proof-of-concept experiments on the fabrication of foams from cereal-based bioplastics. We propose that a key indicator of foamability is the strain at break of the materials to be foamed (as calculated from stress vs. strain rate curves. Zein foams exhibit attractive properties (average pore size, pore size distribution, and porosity for cell culture applications; we were able to establish and sustain mammalian cell cultures on zein foams for extended time periods.

Depressurized pipes decontamination by using circulation foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damerval, Frederique; Belz, Jacques; Renouf, Marjorie; Janneau, Patrice

2012-09-01

Decontamination of pipes remains a necessity in order to reduce the radiation level during maintenance or dismantling operations but it is not so easy to do it, especially in case of a long pipe network. To achieve this operation, the use of chemistry is one of the more relevant methods; moreover, the liquid waste production still remains an issue that it can be avoided by the use of decontamination foams. (authors)

Design of numerical model for thermoacoustic devices using OpenFOAM

Science.gov (United States)

Tisovsky, Tomas; Vit, Tomas

2017-09-01

Thermoacoustic devices are increasingly popular especially because of their construction simplicity and the ability to easily convert waste heat into the form of usable energy. Aim of this paper is to introduce some of the effective procedures for creating a complex mathematical model of thermoacoustic devices in OpenFOAM.

Foam Microrheology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KRAYNIK, ANDREW M.; LOEWENBERG, MICHAEL; REINELT, DOUGLAS A.

1999-01-01

The microrheology of liquid foams is discussed for two different regimes: static equilibrium where the capillary number Ca is zero, and the viscous regime where viscosity and surface tension are important and Ca is finite. The Surface Evolver is used to calculate the equilibrium structure of wet Kelvin foams and dry soap froths with random structure, i.e., topological disorder. The distributions of polyhedra and faces are compared with the experimental data of Matzke. Simple shearing flow of a random foam under quasistatic conditions is also described. Viscous phenomena are explored in the context of uniform expansion of 2D and 3D foams at low Reynolds number. Boundary integral methods are used to calculate the influence of Ca on the evolution of foam microstructure, which includes bubble shape and the distribution of liquid between films, Plateau borders, and (in 3D) the nodes where Plateau borders meet. The micromechanical point of view guides the development of structure-property-processing relationships for foams

dsmcFoam+: An OpenFOAM based direct simulation Monte Carlo solver

Science.gov (United States)

White, C.; Borg, M. K.; Scanlon, T. J.; Longshaw, S. M.; John, B.; Emerson, D. R.; Reese, J. M.

2018-03-01

dsmcFoam+ is a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) solver for rarefied gas dynamics, implemented within the OpenFOAM software framework, and parallelised with MPI. It is open-source and released under the GNU General Public License in a publicly available software repository that includes detailed documentation and tutorial DSMC gas flow cases. This release of the code includes many features not found in standard dsmcFoam, such as molecular vibrational and electronic energy modes, chemical reactions, and subsonic pressure boundary conditions. Since dsmcFoam+ is designed entirely within OpenFOAM's C++ object-oriented framework, it benefits from a number of key features: the code emphasises extensibility and flexibility so it is aimed first and foremost as a research tool for DSMC, allowing new models and test cases to be developed and tested rapidly. All DSMC cases are as straightforward as setting up any standard OpenFOAM case, as dsmcFoam+ relies upon the standard OpenFOAM dictionary based directory structure. This ensures that useful pre- and post-processing capabilities provided by OpenFOAM remain available even though the fully Lagrangian nature of a DSMC simulation is not typical of most OpenFOAM applications. We show that dsmcFoam+ compares well to other well-known DSMC codes and to analytical solutions in terms of benchmark results.

Comparative study of thermal insulation boards from leaf and bark ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thus, several researches have succeeded in using these plants and agro waste fibres in developing renewable and environmentally friendly thermal insulation products. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of insulation boards made from leave and bark fibres of Pilios tigma thonningii L.in terms of density, ...

Flexible Foam Model.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neilsen, Michael K.; Lu, Wei-Yang; Werner, Brian T.; Scherzinger, William M.; Lo, Chi S.

2018-03-01

Experiments were performed to characterize the mechanical response of a 15 pcf flexible polyurethane foam to large deformation at different strain rates and temperatures. Results from these experiments indicated that at room temperature, flexible polyurethane foams exhibit significant nonlinear elastic deformation and nearly return to their original undeformed shape when unloaded. However, when these foams are cooled to temperatures below their glass transition temperature of approximately -35 o C, they behave like rigid polyurethane foams and exhibit significant permanent deformation when compressed. Thus, a new model which captures this dramatic change in behavior with temperature was developed and implemented into SIERRA with the name Flex_Foam to describe the mechanical response of both flexible and rigid foams to large deformation at a variety of temperatures and strain rates. This report includes a description of recent experiments. Next, development of the Flex Foam model for flexible polyurethane and other flexible foams is described. Selection of material parameters are discussed and finite element simulations with the new Flex Foam model are compared with experimental results to show behavior that can be captured with this new model.

PUR-PIR foam produced based on poly(hydroxybutyl citrate foamed founded with different factories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liszkowska Joanna

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A poly(hydroxybutyl citrate p(HBC was obtained. The product compound produced in the solution during esterification, was added to rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams (PUR-PIR. The amount of petrochemical polyol in the foams was decreased in favor of the p(HBC from 0.1 to 0.5 equivalent. The foams were foamed in two ways: with distilled water (W foams and with Solkane 365/227 (S foams. The examination results of both foam series were compared. They showed that the foams foamed with water have higher softening temperature than the foams foamed with solkane. The retention values for both foam series are around 91–95%, and water absorption in the range of 0.7–3.2%. The anisotropy coefficient did not exceed 1.08 (the lowest value being 1.01.

Infiltrated carbon foam composites

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, Rick D. (Inventor); Danford, Harry E. (Inventor); Plucinski, Janusz W. (Inventor); Merriman, Douglas J. (Inventor); Blacker, Jesse M. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

An infiltrated carbon foam composite and method for making the composite is described. The infiltrated carbon foam composite may include a carbonized carbon aerogel in cells of a carbon foam body and a resin is infiltrated into the carbon foam body filling the cells of the carbon foam body and spaces around the carbonized carbon aerogel. The infiltrated carbon foam composites may be useful for mid-density ablative thermal protection systems.

Simple gases to replace non-environmentally friendly polymer foaming agents. A thermodynamic investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grolier, Jean-Pierre E.; Randzio, Stanislaw L.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The PVT-vibrating wire technique and PVT-scanning transitiometry. ► Polymer swelling with measured gas sorption and gas–polymer interaction energies. ► Experimental measurements up to 373 K and 100 MPa. ► Hydrostatic and plasticization effects under high pressure gas and induced T g -shifts. ► Thermodynamic study of the (gas + polymer) systems polystyrene with CO 2 , N 2 , and freons. - Abstract: Foaming constitutes one of the most important industrial activities in polymer engineering to produce efficient thermal insulating materials. In particular, rigid insulating boards are produced worldwide on a large scale using blowing agents which eventually are released in the environment where they adversely impact the natural friendly stratospheric ozone layer. Concomitantly, the chemicals used as blowing agents contribute to the creation of the unfriendly tropospheric ozone layer generating the disastrous green house effect around our planet. The traditional foaming intermediates currently named freons, like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) currently used as blowing agents as well as the hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) often considered as alternative blowing agents, must be banned from industrial processes and new (friendly) foaming agents have to be suggested and evaluated in terms of both easy engineering and environmental neutrality. Undoubtedly thermodynamics plays a major role in assessing the effective capability of those chemicals. Some CFCs still accepted and other possible simple gases like carbon dioxide and nitrogen have been considered. The in-depth thermodynamic investigation has been made possible thanks to new experimental developments to determine gas solubility in polymers and associated swelling as well as the thermodynamic properties of (gas + polymer) systems, including the thermophysical properties of polymers under gas sorption. Pertinent data have been generated for such properties over extended T and p ranges.

In situ observation of syntactic foams under hydrostatic pressure using X-ray tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lachambre, J.; Maire, E.; Adrien, J.; Choqueuse, D.

2013-01-01

Syntactic foams (hollow glass microspheres embedded in a polymeric matrix) are being used increasingly for the purpose of thermal insulation in ultradeep water. A better understanding of the damage mechanisms of these materials at the microsphere scale under such a hydrostatic loading condition is of prior importance in determining actual material limits, improving phenomenological modelling and developing novel formulations in the future. To achieve this goal, a study based on X-ray microtomography was performed on two syntactic foam materials (polypropylene and polyurethane matrix) and a standard foamed PP. A special set up has been designed in order to allow the X-ray microtomographic observation of the material during hydrostatic pressure loading using ethanol as the pressure fluid. Spatial resolution of (3.5 μm) 3 and in situ non-destructive scanning allowed a unique qualitative and quantitative analysis of the composite microstructure during stepwise isotropic compression by hydrostatic pressure up to 50 MPa. The collapse of weaker microspheres were observed during pressure increase and the damage parameters could be estimated. It is shown that the microspheres which are broken or the porosities which are close to the surface in the foamed PP are filled by a fluid (either the ethanol or the polymeric matrix itself). The hydrostatic pressure decreases the volume of the foam only slightly. In the PU matrix, ethanol diffusion is seen to induce swelling of the matrix, which is an unexpected phenomenon but reveals the high potential of X-ray microtomographic observation to improve diffusion analysis in complex media

Tensile Properties and Fracture Behavior of Aluminum Alloy Foam Fabricated from Die Castings without Using Blowing Agent by Friction Stir Processing Route.

Science.gov (United States)

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Kamada, Hiroto; Utsunomiya, Takao; Kitahara, Soichiro; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2014-03-21

Al foam has been used in a wide range of applications owing to its light weight, high energy absorption and high sound insulation. One of the promising processes for fabricating Al foam involves the use of a foamable precursor. In this study, ADC12 Al foams with porosities of 67%-78% were fabricated from Al alloy die castings without using a blowing agent by the friction stir processing route. The pore structure and tensile properties of the ADC12 foams were investigated and compared with those of commercially available ALPORAS. From X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) observations of the pore structure of ADC12 foams, it was found that they have smaller pores with a narrower distribution than those in ALPORAS. Tensile tests on the ADC12 foams indicated that as their porosity increased, the tensile strength and tensile strain decreased, with strong relation between the porosity, tensile strength, and tensile strain. ADC12 foams exhibited brittle fracture, whereas ALPORAS exhibited ductile fracture, which is due to the nature of the Al alloy used as the base material of the foams. By image-based finite element (FE) analysis using X-ray CT images corresponding to the tensile tests on ADC12 foams, it was shown that the fracture path of ADC12 foams observed in tensile tests and the regions of high stress obtained from FE analysis correspond to each other. Therefore, it is considered that the fracture behavior of ADC12 foams in relation to their pore structure distribution can be investigated by image-based FE analysis.

Dielectric and Radiative Properties of Sea Foam at Microwave Frequencies: Conceptual Understanding of Foam Emissivity

OpenAIRE

Peter W. Gaiser; Magdalena D. Anguelova

2012-01-01

Foam fraction can be retrieved from space-based microwave radiometric data at frequencies from 1 to 37 GHz. The retrievals require modeling of ocean surface emissivity fully covered with sea foam. To model foam emissivity well, knowledge of foam properties, both mechanical and dielectric, is necessary because these control the radiative processes in foam. We present a physical description of foam dielectric properties obtained from the foam dielectric constant including foam skin depth; foam ...

Operator spin foam models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahr, Benjamin; Hellmann, Frank; Kaminski, Wojciech; Kisielowski, Marcin; Lewandowski, Jerzy

2011-01-01

The goal of this paper is to introduce a systematic approach to spin foams. We define operator spin foams, that is foams labelled by group representations and operators, as our main tool. A set of moves we define in the set of the operator spin foams (among other operations) allows us to split the faces and the edges of the foams. We assign to each operator spin foam a contracted operator, by using the contractions at the vertices and suitably adjusted face amplitudes. The emergence of the face amplitudes is the consequence of assuming the invariance of the contracted operator with respect to the moves. Next, we define spin foam models and consider the class of models assumed to be symmetric with respect to the moves we have introduced, and assuming their partition functions (state sums) are defined by the contracted operators. Briefly speaking, those operator spin foam models are invariant with respect to the cellular decomposition, and are sensitive only to the topology and colouring of the foam. Imposing an extra symmetry leads to a family we call natural operator spin foam models. This symmetry, combined with assumed invariance with respect to the edge splitting move, determines a complete characterization of a general natural model. It can be obtained by applying arbitrary (quantum) constraints on an arbitrary BF spin foam model. In particular, imposing suitable constraints on a spin(4) BF spin foam model is exactly the way we tend to view 4D quantum gravity, starting with the BC model and continuing with the Engle-Pereira-Rovelli-Livine (EPRL) or Freidel-Krasnov (FK) models. That makes our framework directly applicable to those models. Specifically, our operator spin foam framework can be translated into the language of spin foams and partition functions. Among our natural spin foam models there are the BF spin foam model, the BC model, and a model corresponding to the EPRL intertwiners. Our operator spin foam framework can also be used for more general spin

Bubble and foam chemistry

CERN Document Server

Pugh, Robert J

2016-01-01

This indispensable guide will equip the reader with a thorough understanding of the field of foaming chemistry. Assuming only basic theoretical background knowledge, the book provides a straightforward introduction to the principles and properties of foams and foaming surfactants. It discusses the key ideas that underpin why foaming occurs, how it can be avoided and how different degrees of antifoaming can be achieved, and covers the latest test methods, including laboratory and industrial developed techniques. Detailing a variety of different kinds of foams, from wet detergents and food foams, to polymeric, material and metal foams, it connects theory to real-world applications and recent developments in foam research. Combining academic and industrial viewpoints, this book is the definitive stand-alone resource for researchers, students and industrialists working on foam technology, colloidal systems in the field of chemical engineering, fluid mechanics, physical chemistry, and applied physics.

Formation of layer-by-layer assembled titanate nanotubes filled coating on flexible polyurethane foam with improved flame retardant and smoke suppression properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Haifeng; Wang, Wei; Pan, Ying; Song, Lei; Hu, Yuan; Liew, Kim Meow

2015-01-14

A fire blocking coating made from chitosan, titanate nanotubes and alginate was deposited on a flexible polyurethane (FPU) foam surface by a layer-by-layer assembly technique in an effort to reduce its flammability. First, titanate nanotubes were prepared by a hydrothermal method. And then the coating growth was carried out by alternately submerging FPU foams into chitosan solution, titanate nanotubes suspension and alginate solution. The mass gain of coating on the surface of FPU foams showed dependency on the concentration of titanate nanotubes suspension and the trilayers's number. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that titanate nanotubes were distributed well on the entire surface of FPU foam and showed a randomly oriented and entangled network structure. The cone calorimeter result indicated that the coated FPU foams showed reduction in the peak heat release rate (peak HRR), peak smoke production rate (peak SPR), total smoke release (TSR) and peak carbon monoxide (CO) production compared with those of the control FPU foam. Especially for the FPU foam with only 5.65 wt % mass gain, great reduction in peak HRR (70.2%), peak SPR (62.8%), TSR (40.9%) and peak CO production (63.5%) could be observed. Such a significant improvement in flame retardancy and the smoke suppression property for FPU foam could be attributed to the protective effect of titanate nanotubes network structure formed, including insulating barrier effect and adsorption effect.

Thermal Expansion of Three Closed Cell Polymeric Foams at Cryogenic Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Stokes, Eric

2006-01-01

The Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) contains the liquid H2 fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer and supplies them under pressure to the three space shuttle main engines (SSME) in the orbiter during lift-off and ascent. The ET thermal protection system consists of sprayed-on foam insulation and pre-molded ablator materials. The closed-cell foams are the external coating on the ET and are responsible for minimizing the amount of moisture that condenses out and freezes on the tank from the humid air in Florida while it is on the pad with cryogenic propellant awaiting launch. This effort was part of the overall drive to understand the behavior of these materials under use-conditions. There are four specially-engineered closed-cell foams used on the tank. The thermal expansion (contraction) of three of the polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams were measured from -423 F (the temperature of liquid hydrogen) to 125 F under atmospheric conditions and under vacuum. One of them, NCFI 24-124, is a mechanically-applied material and covers the main acreage of the tank, accounting for 77 percent of the total foam used. Another, BX-265, is also a mechanically-applied and hand-sprayed material used on the tank's "closeout" areas. PDL 1034 is a hand-poured foam used for filling odd-shaped cavities in the tank, Measurements were made in triplicate in the three primary material directions in the case of the first two materials and the two primary material directions in the case of the last. Task 1 was developing the techniques for getting a uniform heating rate and minimizing axial and radial thermal gradients in the specimens. Temperature measurements were made at four locations in the specimens during this initial development phase of testing. Major challenges that were overcome include developing techniques for transferring the coolant, liquid helium (-452 F), from its storage container to the test facility with a minimal transfer of heat to the coolant and control of the heating

Porous Geopolymer Insulating Core from a Metakaolin/Biomass Ash Composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annalisa Natali Murri

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Ashes derived from the combustion of vegetal and animal biomass still represent a mostly unexplored secondary raw material for the production of alkali-activated materials, given their peculiar chemical nature. In this work, calcium phosphate biomass ashes were successfully used as partially reactive fillers in a metakaolin-based geopolymer composite to produce, by direct foaming, sustainable and lightweight boards with thermal insulating properties. The investigated materials were obtained by activating a blend of metakaolin and biomass ash in a weight ratio of 1: 1 and foamed with the addition of H2O2 in measure of 5 wt. %, to maximize the volume of disposed ash and ensure adequate properties to the material at the same time. The obtained geopolymer composite was characterized by microstructural, chemical-physical, mechanical and thermal analysis: the obtained results showed that biomass ash and metakaolin well integrated in the microstructure of the final porous material, which was characterized by a density of about 310 kg/m3 and a thermal conductivity of 0.073 W/mK at a mean test temperature of 30 °C, coupled with an acceptable compressive strength of about 0.6 MPa. Dilatometric and thermogravimetric analysis, performed up to 1000 °C, highlighted the thermal stability of the composite, which could be regarded as a promising material for low-cost, self-bearing thermal insulating partitions or lightweight cores for thermostructural sandwich panels.

Environmental risks of HBCDD from construction and demolition waste: a contemporary and future issue.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Zhiqiang; Yang, Ziliang; Fang, Yanyan; Yang, Yufei; Tang, Zhenwu; Wang, Xingrun; Die, Qingqi; Gao, Xingbao; Zhang, Fengsong; Wang, Qi; Huang, Qifei

2015-11-01

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), as one of the most widely used brominated flame retardants (BFRs), is of great concern globally because of its persistence in the environment and negative impacts on humans and animals. HBCDD has been mainly used in flame-retarded expanded (EPS) and extruded (XPS) polystyrene foams for insulation in the construction industry. Most of these products will become a part of the construction and demolition (C&D) waste at the end of their life cycle (30-50 years) which is typically disposed of into landfills or incineration. However, the recycling of this material takes quite a low share compared with landfill and incineration. Consequently, high environmental risks will exist in these disposal approaches due to the HBCDD in C&D waste. Currently, XPS or EPS products containing HBCDD in the construction industry have not reached the end of their life cycle in most countries. Relatively little attention has been paid to this emergency issue by either the government or public. Furthermore, C&D waste is most likely disposed of by direct dumping, simple stacking, or open burning in developing countries. Therefore, this paper highlights the global environmental risks of HBCDD from C&D waste. Areas of research for key problems of HBCDD contained in C&D waste are suggested to help control and finally eliminate the impact.

Foam engineering fundamentals and applications

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

Containing contributions from leading academic and industrial researchers, this book provides a much needed update of foam science research. The first section of the book presents an accessible summary of the theory and fundamentals of foams. This includes chapters on morphology, drainage, Ostwald ripening, coalescence, rheology, and pneumatic foams. The second section demonstrates how this theory is used in a wide range of industrial applications, including foam fractionation, froth flotation and foam mitigation. It includes chapters on suprafroths, flotation of oil sands, foams in enhancing petroleum recovery, Gas-liquid Mass Transfer in foam, foams in glass manufacturing, fire-fighting foam technology and consumer product foams.

Foams theory, measurements, and applications

CERN Document Server

Khan, Saad A

1996-01-01

This volume discusses the physics and physical processes of foam and foaming. It delineates various measurement techniques for characterizing foams and foam properties as well as the chemistry and application of foams. The use of foams in the textile industry, personal care products, enhanced oil recovery, firefighting and mineral floatation are highlighted, and the connection between the microstructure and physical properties of foam are detailed. Coverage includes nonaqueous foams and silicone antifoams, and more.

Application of the Finite Elemental Analysis to Modeling Temperature Change of the Vaccine in an Insulated Packaging Container during Transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Changfeng; Cheng, Yujie; Shen, Yan

2013-01-01

This study demonstrated an attempt to predict temperatures of a perishable product such as vaccine inside an insulated packaging container during transport through finite element analysis (FEA) modeling. In order to use the standard FEA software for simulation, an equivalent heat conduction coefficient is proposed and calculated to describe the heat transfer of the air trapped inside the insulated packaging container. The three-dimensional, insulated packaging container is regarded as a combination of six panels, and the heat flow at each side panel is a one-dimension diffusion process. The transit-thermal analysis was applied to simulate the heat transition process from ambient environment to inside the container. Field measurements were carried out to collect the temperature during transport, and the collected data were compared to the FEA simulation results. Insulated packaging containers are used to transport temperature-sensitive products such as vaccine and other pharmaceutical products. The container is usually made of an extruded polystyrene foam filled with gel packs. World Health Organization guidelines recommend that all vaccines except oral polio vaccine be distributed in an environment where the temperature ranges between +2 to +8 °C. The primary areas of concern in designing the packaging for vaccine are how much of the foam thickness and gel packs should be used in order to keep the temperature in a desired range, and how to prevent the vaccine from exposure to freezing temperatures. This study uses numerical simulation to predict temperature change within an insulated packaging container in vaccine cold chain. It is our hope that this simulation will provide the vaccine industries with an alternative engineering tool to validate vaccine packaging and project thermal equilibrium within the insulated packaging container.

Starch/fiber/poly(lactic acid) foam and compressed foam composites

Science.gov (United States)

Composites of starch, fiber, and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were made using a foam substrate formed by dehydrating starch or starch/fiber gels. PLA was infiltrated into the dry foam to provide better moisture resistance. Foam composites were compressed into plastics using force ranging from 4-76MPa. Te...

Literature Review: An Overview of Epoxy Resin Syntactic Foams with Glass Microballoons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keller, Jennie [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2014-03-12

same properties [3,4,9,10]. The glass transition temperature has a proportional relationship to the volume fraction of microballoons used, however, there is limited research that supports correlations between other thermal variables and microballoons specifications. In fact, very little experimental data exists to relate thermal conductivity and volume fraction or wall thickness of microballoons [5]. This review proposes that thermal conductivity should be a topic of interest for future researchers because of how frequently syntactic foams are used in insulating applications. This paper will explore three aspects pertaining to epoxy resin syntactic foams with glass microballoons: the immense range of applications that syntactic foams are used for, the materials and fabrication techniques most commonly used, and lastly the results from characterization of syntactic foams with varying microballoon volume fractions and wall thicknesses. In addition to varying microballoon parameters, it is also possible to change the base, accelerator and curing agent used in the epoxy formulation. For simplicity, this paper will focus on a very common combination of materials produced by the Dow Chemical Company®.

Novel syntactic foams made of ceramic hollow micro-spheres and starch: theory, structure and properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Islam, M.M.; Kim, H.S. [University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW (Australia). Faculty of Engineering & Built Environments

2007-08-15

Novel syntactic foams for potential building material applications were developed using starch as binder and ceramic hollow micro-spheres available as waste from coal-fired power stations. Foams of four different micro-sphere size groups were manufactured with either pre- or post-mould gelatinization process. They were of ternary system including voids with a foam density range of approximately 0.33-0.44 g/cc. Compressive failure behaviour and mechanical properties of the manufactured foams were evaluated. Not much difference in failure behaviour or in mechanical properties between the two different processes (pre- and post-mould gels) was found for a given binder content. Compressive failure of all syntactic foams was of shear on plane inclined 45 degrees to compressive loading direction. Failure surfaces of most syntactic foams were characterized by debonded micro-spheres. Compressive strength and modulus of syntactic foams were found to be dependant mainly on binder content but mostly independent of micro-sphere size. Some conditions of relativity arising from properties of constituents leading to the rule of mixtures relationships for compressive strength and to understanding of compressive/transitional failure behaviour were developed. The developed relationships based on the rule of mixtures were partially verified. Some formation of starch webs on failure surfaces was discussed.

Thermal conductivity: recent developments on insulating and new materials; La conductivite thermique: developpements recents sur les isolants et les materiaux nouveaux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-31

This workshop organized by the thermo-kinetics section of the French society of thermal engineers deals with recent developments concerning insulating, dielectric and composite materials. The seven papers presented during this workshop concern the methods and results of thermal conductivity measurements performed in these materials and the possible applications of these materials in aerospace industry (carbon foams, ceramic-based composite materials), civil engineering (glazing materials, aerogels), power electronics (dielectric thin films, ceramics), and in other industries (heat resistant and thermal insulating materials). (J.S.)

Multifunctional foaming agent to prepare aluminum foam with enhanced mechanical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xun; Liu, Ying; Ye, Jinwen; An, Xuguang; Ran, Huaying

2018-03-01

In this paper, CuSO4 was used as foaming agent to prepare close cell Aluminum foam(Al foam) at the temperature range of 680 °C ∼ 758 °C for the first time. The results show that CuSO4 has multifunctional such as, foaming, viscosity increasing, reinforcement in Al matrix, it has a wide decomposition temperature range of 641 °C ∼ 816 °C, its sustain-release time is 5.5 min at 758 °C. The compression stress and energy absorption of CuSO4-Al foam is 6.89 Mpa and 4.82 × 106 J m‑3(compression strain 50%), which are 77.12% and 99.17% higher than that of TiH2-Al foam at the same porosity(76% in porosity) due to the reinforcement in Al matrix and uniform pore dispersion.

Influence of the sintering temperature in the microstructure of foam glass obtained from waste glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pokorny, A.; Vicenzi, J.; Bergmann, C.P.

2012-01-01

In this work, foam glasses were produced from grounded soda-lime glass and a synthetic carbonate, used as a foaming agent, with a similar composition to a dolomite lime, added with different oxides (SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , MnO 2 , Na 2 O, K 2 O, TiO 2 and P 2 O 5 ). The objective was to evaluate the influence of sintering temperature on the properties and microstructure of the obtained material. In addition, the effect of addition of the oxides in the expansion of the ceramic bodies was evaluated. The ceramic bodies were formulated with 3 weight percent of synthetic carbonate, uniaxially pressed and fired within the temperature range from 700 deg C to 950 deg C, with a heating rate of 150K/h. The technological characterization of the ceramic bodies involved the determination of the volumetric expansion and their microstructures have been characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results have shown foam glass can be obtained from grounded soda-lime glass, using synthetic carbonate, with the introduction of the different oxides, as foaming agent. (author)

Preparation of three-dimensional shaped aluminum alloy foam by two-step foaming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shang, J.T.; Xuming, Chu; Deping, He

2008-01-01

A novel method, named two-step foaming, was investigated to prepare three-dimensional shaped aluminum alloy foam used in car industry, spaceflight, packaging and related areas. Calculations of thermal decomposition kinetics of titanium hydride showed that there is a considerable amount of hydrogen releasing when the titanium hydride is heated at a relatively high temperature after heated at a lower temperature. The hydrogen mass to sustain aluminum alloy foam, having a high porosity, was also estimated by calculations. Calculations indicated that as-received titanium hydride without any pre-treatment can be used as foaming agents in two-step foaming. The processes of two-step foaming, including preparing precursors and baking, were also studied by experiments. Results showed that, low titanium hydride dispersion temperature, long titanium hydride dispersion time and low precursors porosity are beneficial to prepare three-dimensional shaped aluminum alloy foams with uniform pores

Enhancement of insulating properties of brick clay by renewable agricultural wastes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viktor Bánhidi

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The use of agricultural wastes (byproducts in various segments of brick and tile industry is increasing continuously. These additives, which are previously mixed into the raw or compound clay, start to ignite during the firing process, providing extra thermal energy inside the product and decreasing the required external energy need. Besides this effect, the combustion of additives increases the porosity of the final product resulting in enhanced thermal insulation properties. In this paper the effect of some common agricultural wastes (sawdust, rice-peel and seed-shell on the thermal properties of brick clay products was investigated. The brick samples were prepared from the mixture of the yellow and gray clay in the ratio of 4:1, water content was between 15.57-16.67 wt.% and the pore-forming additives in concentrations 0, 4 and 7 wt.%. To measure the steady state thermal conductivity of the clay mixtures, samples with dimensions of 300×300×50 mm were prepared. Drying and firing were performed using the industrial partner’s standard procedures. Precise thermal conductivity data was measured, using a RAPID‑K type static thermal conductivity instrument. The results showed that increasing the quantity of agricultural byproducts in the clay mixture significantly decreases the thermal conductivity of the final products, while only a minor reduction in the mechanical strength was observed. It was found that the most efficient byproduct additive was the sunflower seed‑shell. With the addition of only 7 wt.% seed‑shell to the basic clay the thermal conductivity decreased from 0,27 W/m·K to 0,17 W/m·K (i.e. ~36%.

Thermal performance enhancement of erythritol/carbon foam composites via surface modification of carbon foam

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Junfeng; Lu, Wu; Luo, Zhengping; Zeng, Yibing

2017-03-01

The thermal performance of the erythritol/carbon foam composites, including thermal diffusivity, thermal capacity, thermal conductivity and latent heat, were investigated via surface modification of carbon foam using hydrogen peroxide as oxider. It was found that the surface modification enhanced the wetting ability of carbon foam surface to the liquid erythritol of the carbon foam surface and promoted the increase of erythritol content in the erythritol/carbon foam composites. The dense interfaces were formed between erythritol and carbon foam, which is due to that the formation of oxygen functional groups C=O and C-OH on the carbon surface increased the surface polarity and reduced the interface resistance of carbon foam surface to the liquid erythritol. The latent heat of the erythritol/carbon foam composites increased from 202.0 to 217.2 J/g through surface modification of carbon foam. The thermal conductivity of the erythritol/carbon foam composite before and after surface modification further increased from 40.35 to 51.05 W/(m·K). The supercooling degree of erythritol also had a large decrease from 97 to 54 °C. Additionally, the simple and effective surface modification method of carbon foam provided an extendable way to enhance the thermal performances of the composites composed of carbon foams and PCMs.

Tensile Properties and Fracture Behavior of Aluminum Alloy Foam Fabricated from Die Castings without Using Blowing Agent by Friction Stir Processing Route

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshihiko Hangai

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Al foam has been used in a wide range of applications owing to its light weight, high energy absorption and high sound insulation. One of the promising processes for fabricating Al foam involves the use of a foamable precursor. In this study, ADC12 Al foams with porosities of 67%–78% were fabricated from Al alloy die castings without using a blowing agent by the friction stir processing route. The pore structure and tensile properties of the ADC12 foams were investigated and compared with those of commercially available ALPORAS. From X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT observations of the pore structure of ADC12 foams, it was found that they have smaller pores with a narrower distribution than those in ALPORAS. Tensile tests on the ADC12 foams indicated that as their porosity increased, the tensile strength and tensile strain decreased, with strong relation between the porosity, tensile strength, and tensile strain. ADC12 foams exhibited brittle fracture, whereas ALPORAS exhibited ductile fracture, which is due to the nature of the Al alloy used as the base material of the foams. By image-based finite element (FE analysis using X-ray CT images corresponding to the tensile tests on ADC12 foams, it was shown that the fracture path of ADC12 foams observed in tensile tests and the regions of high stress obtained from FE analysis correspond to each other. Therefore, it is considered that the fracture behavior of ADC12 foams in relation to their pore structure distribution can be investigated by image-based FE analysis.

Foam-oil interaction in porous media: implications for foam assisted enhanced oil recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Farajzadeh, R; Andrianov, A; Krastev, R; Hirasaki, G J; Rossen, W R

2012-11-15

The efficiency of a foam displacement process in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) depends largely on the stability of foam films in the presence of oil. Experimental studies have demonstrated the detrimental impact of oil on foam stability. This paper reviews the mechanisms and theories (disjoining pressure, coalescence and drainage, entering and spreading of oil, oil emulsification, pinch-off, etc.) suggested in the literature to explain the impact of oil on foam stability in the bulk and porous media. Moreover, we describe the existing approaches to foam modeling in porous media and the ways these models describe the oil effect on foam propagation in porous media. Further, we present various ideas on an improvement of foam stability and longevity in the presence of oil. The outstanding questions regarding foam-oil interactions and modeling of these interactions are pointed out. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The pore characteristics of geopolymer foam concrete and their impact on the compressive strength and modulus

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zuhua; Wang, Hao

2016-08-01

The pore characteristics of GFCs manufactured in the laboratory with 0-16% foam additions were examined using image analysis (IA) and vacuum water saturation techniques. The pore size distribution, pore shape and porosity were obtained. The IA method provides a suitable approach to obtain the information of large pores, which are more important in affecting the compressive strength of GFC. By examining the applicability of the existing models of predicting compressive strength of foam concrete, a modified Ryshkevitch’s model is proposed for GFC, in which only the porosity that is contributed by the pores over a critical diameter (>100 μm) is considered. This “critical void model” is shown to have very satisfying prediction capability in the studied range of porosity. A compression-modulus model for Portland cement concrete is recommended for predicting the compression modulus elasticity of GFC. This study confirms that GFC have similar pore structures and mechanical behavior as those Portland cement foam concrete and can be used alternatively in the industry for the construction and insulation purposes.

Carbon particle induced foaming of molten sucrose for the preparation of carbon foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narasimman, R.; Vijayan, Sujith; Prabhakaran, K.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • An easy method for the preparation of carbon foam from sucrose is presented. • Wood derived activated carbon particles are used to stabilize the molten sucrose foam. • The carbon foams show relatively good mechanical strength. • The carbon foams show excellent CO 2 adsorption and oil absorption properties. • The process could be scaled up for the preparation of large foam bodies. - Abstract: Activated carbon powder was used as a foaming and foam setting agent for the preparation of carbon foams with a hierarchical pore structure from molten sucrose. The rheological measurements revealed the interruption of intermolecular hydrogen bonding in molten sucrose by the carbon particles. The carbon particles stabilized the bubbles in molten sucrose by adsorbing on the molten sucrose–gas interface. The carbon foams obtained at the activated carbon powder to sucrose weight ratios in the range of 0–0.25 had a compressive strength in the range of 1.35–0.31 MPa. The produced carbon foams adsorb 2.59–3.04 mmol/g of CO 2 at 760 mmHg at 273 K and absorb oil from oil–water mixtures and surfactant stabilized oil-in-water emulsions with very good selectivity and recyclability

Characterization of waste of soda-lime glass generated from lapping process to reuse as filler in composite materials as thermal insulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. C. P. Galvão

2015-09-01

Full Text Available AbstractThe beneficiation plate process by soda-lime glass lapping in the glass industry generates, an untapped residue (waste. The waste of this material is sent to landfills, causing impact on the environment. This work aimed to characterize and evaluate the waste of soda-lime glass (GP lapping. After its acquisition, the GP was processed by grinding and sieving and further characterized by the chemical/mineralogical analysis (XRF, EDS and XRD, SEM morphology, particle size by laser diffraction, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA and DSC and thermophysical analyses. It was observed that the GP particles are irregular and micrometric with the predominant presence of Na, Si and Ca elements characteristic of amorphous soda-lime glass. The assessment of the chemical/mineralogical, morphological, thermophysical and thermal gravimetric characteristics of GP suggest its reuse as reinforcing fillers or filler in composite materials to obtain thermal insulation.

Preparation of Autoclaved Foamed Concrete Block from Fly Ash and Carbide Slag

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tan Xing

2018-01-01

Full Text Available To achieve the comprehensive utilization of solid waste and reduce costs, fly ash, carbide slag, and low-clinker cement were used to produce lightweight foamed concrete block. Granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS was used as composition correction material in the block. The effects of curing temperature and dosage of low-clinker cement on the performance of foamed concrete block were investigated. The optimal material proportioning is obtained: fly ash 58.5%, carbide slag 20%, GBFS 10%, gypsum 1.5% and low-clinker cement 10%. The proper curing regime is “temperature rising 4h-180°C constant temperature 4h-natural cooling”. The results indicate that the compressive strength of the block reaches 3.55 MPa while the density is 616.9 kg/m3. The performance of the product meets JC/T 1062-2007 (China professional standard of foamed concrete block.

Basalt fiber insulating material with a mineral binding agent for industrial use

Science.gov (United States)

Drozdyuk, T.; Aizenshtadt, A.; Tutygin, A.; Frolova, M.

2016-04-01

The paper considers a possibility of using mining industry waste as a binding agent for heat insulating material on the basis of basalt fiber. The main objective of the research is to produce a heat-insulating material to be applied in machine building in high-temperature environments. After synthetic binder having been replaced by a mineral one, an environmentally sound thermal insulating material having desirable heat-protecting ability and not failing when exposed to high temperatures was obtained.

Producing the Insulation Block by Stone Processing Waste%利用石材加工废弃物生产保温隔热砌块

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

刘洪学

2015-01-01

本文探讨了利用石材加工废弃物中的边角料制备保温隔热砌块的可行性，提出了砌块的配合比设计方法，优化了砌块的配方参数，并讨论了石屑的细度模数和石屑中中石粉含量对保温隔热砌块综合性能的影响。%In this paper, the feasibility of producing insulation block by stone processing waste scraps was explored, the design of mix pro-portion was offered, the formulation parameters of insulation block was optimized, the fineness modulus of the stone chips and the stone powder content in stone chips on the comprehensive performance of insulation block was analyzed.

Control of radioactive waste-glass melters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bickford, D.F.; Smith, P.K.; Hrma, P.; Bowan, B.W.

1987-01-01

Radioactive waste-glass melters require physical control limits and redox control of glass to assure continuous operation, and maximize production rates. Typical waste-glass melter operating conditions, and waste-glass chemical reaction paths are discussed. Glass composition, batching and melter temperature control are used to avoid the information of phases which are disruptive to melting or reduce melter life. The necessity and probable limitations of control for electric melters with complex waste feed compositions are discussed. Preliminary control limits, their bases, and alternative control methods are described for use in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Plant (SRP), and at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP). Slurries of simulated high level radioactive waste and ground glass frit or glass formers have been isothermally reacted and analyzed to identify the sequence of the major chemical reactions in waste vitrification, and their effect on waste-glass production rates. Relatively high melting rates of waste batches containing mixtures of reducing agents (formic acid, sucrose) and nitrates are attributable to exothermic reactions which occur at critical stages in the vitrification process. The effect of foaming on waste glass production rates is analyzed, and limits defined for existing waste-glass melters, based upon measurable thermophysical properties. Through balancing the high nitrate wastes of the WVDP with reducing agents, the high glass melting rates and sustained melting without foaming required for successful WVDP operations have been demonstrated. 65 refs., 4 figs., 15 tabs

Data on thermal conductivity, water vapour permeability and water absorption of a cementitious mortar containing end-of-waste plastic aggregates

OpenAIRE

Di Maio, Luciano; Coppola, Bartolomeo; Courard, Luc; Michel, Frédéric; Incarnato, Loredana; Scarfato, Paola

2018-01-01

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “Hygro-thermal and durability properties of a lightweight mortar made with foamed plastic waste aggregates ” (Coppola et al., 2018). This article focuses the attention on thermal conductivity, water vapour permeability and water absorption of a lightweight cementitious mortar containing foamed end-of-waste plastic aggregates, produced via foam extrusion process. Thermal conductivity, water vapour permeability ...

Low-density carbonized resorcinol-formaldehyde foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, F.M.; Buckley, S.R.; Giles, C.L. Jr.; Haendler, B.L.; Hair, L.M.; Letts, S.A.; Overturf, G.E. III; Price, C.W.; Cook, R.C.

1991-01-01

This report documents research and development on resorcinol- formaldehyde-based foam materials conducted between 1986 and June 1990, when the effort was discontinued. The foams discussed are resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) foam, carbonized RF (CRF) foam, and two composite foams, a polystyrene/RF (PS/RF) foam and its carbonized derivative (CPR). The RF foams are synthesized by the polycondensation of resorcinol with formaldehyde in a slightly basic solution. Their structure and density depend strongly on the concentration of the sodium carbonate catalyst. The have an interconnected bead structure similar to that of silica aerogels; bead sizes range from 30 to 130 Angstrom, and cell sizes are less than 0.1 μm. We have achieved densities of 16 to 200 mg/cm 3 . The RF foams can be pyrolyzed in an inert atmosphere to form a vitreous carbon foam (CRF), which has a similar microstructure but much higher mechanical strength. The PS/RF foams are obtained by filling the 2- to 3-μm cells of PS foam (a low-density hydrocarbon foam we have developed) with RF. The resultant foams have the outstanding handling and machinability of the PS foam matrix and the small cell size of RF. Pyrolyzing PS/RF foams causes depolymerization and loss of the PS; the resulting CPR foams have a structure similar to the PS foams in which CRF both replicates and fills the PS cells

INFLUENCE OF WATER-TO-CEMENT RATIO ON AIR ENTRAILMENT IN PRODUCTION OF NON-AUTOCLAVED FOAM CONCRETE USING TURBULENCE CAVITATION TECHNOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gorshkov Pavel Vladimirovich

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Non-autoclaved foam concrete is an advanced thermal insulation material. Until recently, foam concrete production has been based on separate preparation of foam and solution, followed by their blending in a mixer. The situation changed when high-quality synthetic foaming agents and turbulence cavitation technology appeared on the market. Every model provides a dependence between the foam concrete strength and the water-to-cement ratio. According to the water-cement ratio we can distinguish strong concrete mixtures (with the water-to-cement ratio equal to 0.3…0.4 and ductile ones (with the water-to-cement ratio equal to 0.5…0.7. Strong concrete mixtures are more durable. The lower the water-to-cement ratio, the higher the foam concrete strength. However super-plastic substances cannot be mixed by ordinary turbulent mixers. Foam concrete produced using the turbulence cavitation technology needs air-entraining, its intensity being dependent on several factors. One of the main factors is the amount of free water, if it is insufficient, the mixture will not be porous enough. A researcher needs to identify the optimal water-to-cement ratio based on the water consumption rate. Practical production of prefabricated concrete products and structures has proven that the reduction of the water-to-cement ratio improves the strength of the product. The task is to find the water-to-cement ratio for the foam concrete mixture to be plastic enough for air entraining. An increase in the ratio causes loss in the strength. The ratio shall vary within one hundredth points. Super-plasticizers are an alternative solution.

Aerosol-foam interaction experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ball, M.H.E.; Luscombe, C.DeM.; Mitchell, J.P.

1990-03-01

Foam treatment offers the potential to clean gas streams containing radioactive particles. A large decontamination factor has been claimed for the removal of airborne plutonium dust when spraying a commercially available foam on the walls and horizontal surfaces of an alpha-active room. Experiments have been designed and undertaken to reproduce these conditions with a non-radioactive simulant aerosol. Careful measurements of aerosol concentrations with and without foam treatment failed to provide convincing evidence to support the earlier observation. The foam may not have been as well mixed with the aerosol in the present studies. Further work is required to explore more efficient mixing methods, including systems in which the aerosol steam is passed through the foam, rather than merely spraying foam into the path of the aerosol. (author)

Numerical study of metal foam heat sinks under uniform impinging flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreozzi, A; Bianco, N; Iasiello, M; Naso, V

2017-01-01

The ever-increasing demand for performance improvement and miniaturization of electronics has led to a significant generation of waste heat that must be dissipated to ensure a reliable device operation. The miniaturization of the components complicates this task. In fact, reducing the heat transfer area, at the same required heat rate, it is necessary to increase the heat flux, so that the materials operate in a temperature range suitable to its proper functioning. Traditional heat sinks are no longer capable of dissipating the generated heat and innovative approaches are needed to address the emerging thermal management challenges. Recently, heat transfer in open-cell metal foams under an impinging jet has received attention due to the considerable heat transfer potential of combining two cooling technologies: impinging jet and porous medium. This paper presents a numerical study on Finned Metal Foam (FMF) and Metal Foam (MF) heat sinks under impinging air jet cooling. The analysis is carried out by means of the commercial software COMSOL Multiphysics®. The purpose is to analyze the thermal performance of the metal foam heat sink, finned or not, varying its geometric parameters. Results are presented in terms of predicted dissipated heat rate, convective heat transfer coefficient and pressure losses. (paper)

Foam patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhry, Anil R; Dzugan, Robert; Harrington, Richard M; Neece, Faurice D; Singh, Nipendra P; Westendorf, Travis

2013-11-26

A method of creating a foam pattern comprises mixing a polyol component and an isocyanate component to form a liquid mixture. The method further comprises placing a temporary core having a shape corresponding to a desired internal feature in a cavity of a mold and inserting the mixture into the cavity of the mold so that the mixture surrounds a portion of the temporary core. The method optionally further comprises using supporting pins made of foam to support the core in the mold cavity, with such pins becoming integral part of the pattern material simplifying subsequent processing. The method further comprises waiting for a predetermined time sufficient for a reaction from the mixture to form a foam pattern structure corresponding to the cavity of the mold, wherein the foam pattern structure encloses a portion of the temporary core and removing the temporary core from the pattern independent of chemical leaching.

Synthesis of α-Fe₂O₃ and Fe-Mn Oxide Foams with Highly Tunable Magnetic Properties by the Replication Method from Polyurethane Templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yuping; Fornell, Jordina; Zhang, Huiyan; Solsona, Pau; Barό, Maria Dolors; Suriñach, Santiago; Pellicer, Eva; Sort, Jordi

2018-02-11

Open cell foams consisting of Fe and Fe-Mn oxides are prepared from metallic Fe and Mn powder precursors by the replication method using porous polyurethane (PU) templates. First, reticulated PU templates are coated by slurry impregnation. The templates are then thermally removed at 260 °C and the debinded powders are sintered at 1000 °C under N₂ atmosphere. The morphology, structure, and magnetic properties are studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometry, respectively. The obtained Fe and Fe-Mn oxide foams possess both high surface area and homogeneous open-cell structure. Hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) foams are obtained from the metallic iron slurry independently of the N₂ flow. In contrast, the microstructure of the FeMn-based oxide foams can be tailored by adjusting the N₂ flow. While the main phases for a N₂ flow rate of 180 L/h are α-Fe₂O₃ and FeMnO₃, the predominant phase for high N₂ flow rates (e.g., 650 L/h) is Fe₂MnO₄. Accordingly, a linear magnetization versus field behavior is observed for the hematite foams, while clear hysteresis loops are obtained for the Fe₂MnO₄ foams. Actually, the saturation magnetization of the foams containing Mn increases from 5 emu/g to 52 emu/g when the N₂ flow rate (i.e., the amount of Fe₂MnO₄) is increased. The obtained foams are appealing for a wide range of applications, such as electromagnetic absorbers, catalysts supports, thermal and acoustic insulation systems or wirelessly magnetically-guided porous objects in fluids.

Analysis of Micro-Morphology, Thermal Conductivity, Thermal Diffusivity and Specific Heat Capacity of Coconut Fibre Reinforced Foamed Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Othuman Mydin M.A.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available With the quest for green construction and affordable housing systems for both rural and urban populations in Malaysia, various proposals focusing on cutting down on conventional building material costs have been put forward. One vanguard suggestion has been the sourcing, development and use of alternative, non-conventional local construction materials including the prospect of using some agricultural wastes as construction materials. This research describes experimental studies on the use of coconut coir fibre as an enhancer of foamed concrete with a focus on 2 parameters which are morphology properties and thermal properties of different percentages of coconut fibre (0%, 0.2% and 0.4%. In this study the addition of coconut fibre significantly improved all the properties investigated. The results of the tests showed that the thermal properties of foamed concrete improved with an increase in the proportion of coconut fibre. Findings from this research will also be used to address the knowledge gap on the subject of foamed concrete and will provide an improved understanding and raised awareness of the potential for using waste materials for domestic construction.

Influence of foaming agents on solid thermal conductivity of foam glasses prepared from CRT panel glass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Martin Bonderup; Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; König, Jakob

2017-01-01

The understanding of the thermal transport mechanism of foam glass is still lacking. The contribution of solid- and gas conduction to the total thermal conductivity remains to be reported. In many foam glasses, the solid phase consist of a mix of an amorphous and a crystalline part where foaming...... containing glass and crystalline foaming agents and amorphous samples where the foaming agents are completely dissolved in the glass structure, respectively. Results show that the samples prepared by sintering have a higher thermal conductivity than the samples prepared by melt-quenching. The thermal...... conductivities of the sintered and the melt-quenched samples represent an upper and lower limit of the solid phase thermal conductivity of foam glasses prepared with these foaming agents. The content of foaming agents dissolved in the glass structure has a major impact on the solid thermal conductivity of foam...

Construction Guidelines for High R-Value Walls without Exterior Rigid Insulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arena, Lois B. [Steven Winter Associates, Inc., Norwalk, CT (United States). Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB)

2016-07-13

High R-value wall assemblies (R-40 and above) are gaining popularity in the market due to programs such as the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home program, Passive House, Net Zero Energy Home challenges in several states, and highly incentivized retrofit programs. In response to this demand, several builders have successfully used double-wall systems to achieve higher R-values in thicker, framed walls. To builders of conventional stick-framed homes, often one of the most appealing features of double-wall systems is that there are very few new exterior details. Exterior sheathings, structural bracings, house wraps or building paper, window and door flashings, and siding attachments are usually identical to good details in conventional framed-wall systems. However, although the details in double-wall systems are very similar to those in conventional stick framing, there is sometimes less room for error. Several studies have confirmed colder temperatures of exterior sheathing in high R-value wall assemblies that do not have exterior rigid foam insulation. These colder temperatures can lead to increased chances for condensation from air exfiltration, and they have the potential to result in moisture-related problems (Straube and Smegal 2009, Arena 2014, Ueno 2015). The information presented in this guide is intended to reduce the risk of failure in these types of assemblies, increase durability, and reduce material brought to landfills due to failures and resulting decay. Although this document focuses on double-wall framing techniques, the majority of the information about how to properly construct and finish high R-value assemblies is applicable to all wall assemblies that do not have foam insulation installed on the exterior of the structural sheathing. The techniques presented have been shown through field studies to reduce the likelihood of mold growth and moisture-related damage and are intended for builders, framing contractors, architects, and

Foam-mat drying technology: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardy, Z; Jideani, V A

2017-08-13

This article reviews various aspects of foam-mat drying such as foam-mat drying processing technique, main additives used for foam-mat drying, foam-mat drying of liquid and solid foods, quality characteristics of foam-mat dried foods, and economic and technical benefits for employing foam-mat drying. Foam-mat drying process is an alternative method that allows the removal of water from liquid materials and pureed materials. In this drying process, a liquid material is converted into foam that is stable by being whipped after adding an edible foaming agent. The stable foam is then spread out in sheet or mat and dried by using hot air (40-90°C) at atmospheric pressure. Methyl cellulose (0.25-2%), egg white (3-20%), maltodextrin (0.5-05%), and gum Arabic (2-9%) are the commonly utilized additives for the foam-mat drying process at the given range, either combined together for their effectiveness or individual effect. The foam-mat drying process is suitable for heat sensitive, viscous, and sticky products that cannot be dried using other forms of drying methods such as spray drying because of the state of product. More interest has developed for foam-mat drying because of the simplicity, cost effectiveness, high speed drying, and improved product quality it provides.

Safety distance for preventing hot particle ignition of building insulation materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiayun Song

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Trajectories of flying hot particles were predicted in this work, and the temperatures during the movement were also calculated. Once the particle temperature decreased to the critical temperature for a hot particle to ignite building insulation materials, which was predicted by hot-spot ignition theory, the distance particle traveled was determined as the minimum safety distance for preventing the ignition of building insulation materials by hot particles. The results showed that for sphere aluminum particles with the same initial velocities and diameters, the horizontal and vertical distances traveled by particles with higher initial temperatures were higher. Smaller particles traveled farther when other conditions were the same. The critical temperature for an aluminum particle to ignite rigid polyurethane foam increased rapidly with the decrease of particle diameter. The horizontal and vertical safety distances were closely related to the initial temperature, diameter and initial velocity of particles. These results could help update the safety provision of firework display.

Facile synthesis of polypyrrole functionalized nickel foam with catalytic activity comparable to Pt for the poly-generation of hydrogen and electricity

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Tiantian; Li, Kan; Shen, Zhemin; Sun, Tonghua; Wang, Yalin; Jia, Jinping

2016-01-01

Polypyrrole functionalized nickel foam is facilely prepared through the potentiostatic electrodeposition. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam functions as a hydrogen-evolution cathode in a rotating disk photocatalytic fuel cell, in which hydrogen energy and electric power are generated by consuming organic wastes. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam cathode exhibits stable catalytic activities after thirteen continuous runs. Compared with net or plate structure, the Ni foam with a unique three-dimensional reticulate structure is conducive to the electrodeposition of PPy. Compared with Pt-group electrode, PPy-coated Ni foam shows a satisfactory catalytic performance for the H2 evolution. The combination of PPy and Ni forms a synergistic effect for the rapid trapping and removal of proton from solution and the catalytic reduction of proton to hydrogen. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam could be applied in photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical generation of H2. In all, we report a low cost, high efficient and earth abundant PPy-functionalized Ni foam with a satisfactory catalytic activities comparable to Pt for the practical application of poly-generation of hydrogen and electricity.

Polyurethane-Foam Maskant

Science.gov (United States)

Bodemeijer, R.

1985-01-01

Brown wax previously used to mask hardware replaced with polyurethane foam in electroplating and electroforming operations. Foam easier to apply and remove than wax and does not contaminate electrolytes.

The numerical model of multi-layer insulation with a defined wrapping pattern immersed in superfluid helium

Science.gov (United States)

Malecha, Ziemowit; Lubryka, Eliza

2017-11-01

The numerical model of thin layers, characterized by a defined wrapping pattern can be a crucial element of many computational problems related to engineering and science. A motivating example is found in multilayer electrical insulation, which is an important component of superconducting magnets and other cryogenic installations. The wrapping pattern of the insulation can significantly affect heat transport and the performance of the considered instruments. The major objective of this study is to develop the numerical boundary conditions (BC) needed to model the wrapping pattern of thin insulation. An example of the practical application of the proposed BC includes the heat transfer of Rutherford NbTi cables immersed in super-fluid helium (He II) across thin layers of electrical insulation. The proposed BC and a mathematical model of heat transfer in He II are implemented in the open source CFD toolbox OpenFOAM. The implemented mathematical model and the BC are compared in the experiments. The study confirms that the thermal resistance of electrical insulation can be lowered by implementing the proper wrapping pattern. The proposed BC can be useful in the study of new patterns for wrapping schemes. The work has been supported by statutory funds from Polish Ministry for Science and Higher Education for the year of 2017.

Fire-retardant foams

Science.gov (United States)

Gagliani, J.

1978-01-01

Family of polyimide resins are being developed as foams with exceptional fire-retardant properties. Foams are potentially useful for seat cushions in aircraft and ground vehicles and for applications such as home furnishings and building-construction materials. Basic formulations can be modified with reinforcing fibers or fillers to produce celular materials for variety of applications. By selecting reactants, polymer structure can be modified to give foams with properties ranging from high resiliency and flexibility to brittleness and rigidity.

Influence of the glass particle size on the foaming process and physical characteristics of foam glasses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

König, Jakob; Petersen, Rasmus Rosenlund; Yue, Yuanzheng

2016-01-01

We have prepared low-density foam glasses from cathode-ray-tube panel glass using carbon and MnO2 as the foaming agents. The effect of the glass particle size on the foaming process, the apparent density and the pore morphology is revealed. The results show that the foaming is mainly caused...... by the reduction of manganese. Foam glasses with a density of

Activated, coal-based carbon foam

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Darren Kenneth; Plucinski, Janusz Wladyslaw

2004-12-21

An ablation resistant, monolithic, activated, carbon foam produced by the activation of a coal-based carbon foam through the action of carbon dioxide, ozone or some similar oxidative agent that pits and/or partially oxidizes the carbon foam skeleton, thereby significantly increasing its overall surface area and concurrently increasing its filtering ability. Such activated carbon foams are suitable for application in virtually all areas where particulate or gel form activated carbon materials have been used. Such an activated carbon foam can be fabricated, i.e. sawed, machined and otherwise shaped to fit virtually any required filtering location by simple insertion and without the need for handling the "dirty" and friable particulate activated carbon foam materials of the prior art.

Polymer-Derived Silicoboron Carbonitride Foams for CO2 Capture: From Design to Application as Scaffolds for the in Situ Growth of Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandra, Fabien; Depardieu, Martin; Mouline, Zineb; Vignoles, Gérard L; Iwamoto, Yuji; Miele, Philippe; Backov, Rénal; Bernard, Samuel

2016-06-06

A template-assisted polymer-derived ceramic route is investigated for preparing a series of silicoboron carbonitride (Si/B/C/N) foams with a hierarchical pore size distribution and tailorable interconnected porosity. A boron-modified polycarbosilazane was selected to impregnate monolithic silica and carbonaceous templates and form after pyrolysis and template removal Si/B/C/N foams. By changing the hard template nature and controlling the quantity of polymer to be impregnated, controlled micropore/macropore distributions with mesoscopic cell windows are generated. Specific surface areas from 29 to 239 m(2)  g(-1) and porosities from 51 to 77 % are achieved. These foams combine a low density with a thermal insulation and a relatively good thermostructural stability. Their particular structure allowed the in situ growth of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) directly within the open-cell structure. MOFs offered a microporosity feature to the resulting Si/B/C/N@MOF composite foams that allowed increasing the specific surface area to provide CO2 uptake of 2.2 %. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Foam pad of appropriate thickness can improve diagnostic value of foam posturography in detecting postural instability.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bo; Leng, Yangming; Zhou, Renhong; Liu, Jingjing; Liu, Dongdong; Liu, Jia; Zhang, Su-Lin; Kong, Wei-Jia

2018-04-01

The present study investigated the effect of foam thickness on postural stability in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) during foam posturography. Static and foam posturography were performed in 33 patients (UVH group) and 30 healthy subjects (control group) with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC) on firm surface and on 1-5 foam pad(s). Sway velocity (SV) of center of pressure, standing time before falling (STBF) and falls reaction were recorded and analyzed. (1) SVs had an increasing tendency in both groups as the foam pads were added under EO and EC conditions. (2) STBFs, only in UVH group with EC, decreased with foam thickness increasing. (3) Significant differences in SV were found between the control and UVH group with EO (except for standing on firm surface, on 1 and 2 foam pad(s)) and with EC (all surface conditions). (4) Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the SV could better reflect the difference in postural stability between the two groups while standing on the 4 foam pads with EC. Our study showed that diagnostic value of foam posturography in detecting postural instability might be enhanced by using foam pad of right thickness.

Cellular concrete: a potential load-bearing insulation for cryogenic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard, T.G.; Dobogai, J.A.; Gerhardt, T.D.; Young, W.C.

1975-01-01

The need for low cost, low thermal conductivity, high strength insulation suitable for cryogenic applications is becoming more evident. An investigation of the potential of cellular concretes to fulfill this function was initiated. A review of the thermal and mechanical characteristics of foamed plastics and cellular concrete is presented along with relative cost comparisons. Test data from preliminary investigations is presented to define the influence of material constituents, density, and temperature on the mechanical and thermal response of cellular concrete. Specimen densities range from 0.64 to 1.44 gr/cc. The influence of temperature variations from 22 0 C to -196 0 C is reported for selected densities

Comparison of sound absorbing performances of copper foam and iron foam with the same parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, X. C.; Shen, X. M.; Xu, P. J.; Zhang, X. N.; Bai, P. F.; Peng, K.; Yin, Q.; Wang, D.

2018-01-01

Sound absorbing performances of the copper foam and the iron foam with the same parameters were investigated by the AWA6128A detector according to standing wave method. Two modes were investigated, which included the pure metal foam mode and the combination mode with the settled thickness of metal foam. In order to legibly compare the sound absorbing coefficients of the two metal foams, the detected sound frequency points were divided into the low frequency range (100 Hz ~ 1000 Hz), the middle frequency range (1000 Hz ~ 3200 Hz), and the high frequency range (3500 Hz ~ 6000 Hz). Sound absorbing performances of the two metal foams in the two modes were discussed within the three frequency ranges in detail. It would be calculated that the average sound absorbing coefficients of copper foam in the pure metal foam mode were 12.6%, 22.7%, 34.6%, 43.6%, 51.1%, and 56.2% when the thickness was 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, and 30 mm. meanwhile, in the combination mode, the average sound absorbing coefficients of copper foam with the thickness of 10 mm were 30.6%, 34.8%, 36.3%, and 35.8% when the cavity was 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, and 20 mm. In addition, those of iron foam in the pure metal foam mode were 13.4%, 20.1%, 34.4%, 43.1%, 49.6%, and 56.1%, and in the combination mode were 25.6%, 30.5%, 34.3%, and 33.4%.

Bio-based Polymer Foam from Soyoil

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnaillie, Laetitia M.; Wool, Richard P.

2006-03-01

The growing bio-based polymeric foam industry is presently lead by plant oil-based polyols for polyurethanes and starch foams. We developed a new resilient, thermosetting foam system with a bio-based content higher than 80%. The acrylated epoxidized soybean oil and its fatty acid monomers is foamed with pressurized carbon dioxide and cured with free-radical initiators. The foam structure and pore dynamics are highly dependent on the temperature, viscosity and extent of reaction. Low-temperature cure hinds the destructive pore coalescence and the application of a controlled vacuum results in foams with lower densities ˜ 0.1 g/cc, but larger cells. We analyze the physics of foam formation and stability, as well as the structure and mechanical properties of the cured foam using rigidity percolation theory. The parameters studied include temperature, vacuum applied, and cross-link density. Additives bring additional improvements: nucleating agents and surfactants help produce foams with a high concentration of small cells and low bulk density. Hard and soft thermosetting foams with a bio content superior to 80% are successfully produced and tested. Potential applications include foam-core composites for hurricane-resistant housing, structural reinforcement for windmill blades, and tissue scaffolds.

Mechanical Characterization of Rigid Polyurethane Foams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Wei-Yang [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Mechanics of Materials

2014-12-01

Foam materials are used to protect sensitive components from impact loading. In order to predict and simulate the foam performance under various loading conditions, a validated foam model is needed and the mechanical properties of foams need to be characterized. Uniaxial compression and tension tests were conducted for different densities of foams under various temperatures and loading rates. Crush stress, tensile strength, and elastic modulus were obtained. A newly developed confined compression experiment provided data for investigating the foam flow direction. A biaxial tension experiment was also developed to explore the damage surface of a rigid polyurethane foam.

Experimental Study of Ultralight (<300 kg/m3 Foamed Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianjun Tan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A type of ultralight (<300 kg/m3 foamed concrete (FC, which can be used as a new energy-conservation and environmental-protection building material and is particularly suitable for the thermal-insulation engineering of building external walls, was produced. The influences of different mixing amounts of fly ash, fly ash activator, WC (WC ratio, and foaming agent (FA on the compressive strength of FC were reported. The experimental study indicated that (1 the addition of fly ash reduced the strength of the FC and that the appropriate mixing amount of fly ash in this ultralight FC system should not exceed 45%; (2 with the increasing of fly ash activator, the strength of the FC sample is notably enhanced and the appropriate mixing amount of fly ash activator is 2.5%; (3 the optimized proportion of WC ratio is 0.45, and the FC that was produced according to this proportion has relatively high compressive strength; (4 by increasing the mixing amount of FA, the compressive strength of the FC notably decreases, and the optimal mixing amount of FA in this experiment is 3.5%.

Study of two-phase foam flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gurbanov, R S; Guliev, B B; Mekhtiev, K G; Kerimov, R G

1970-01-01

The objectives of this study were to determine characteristics of aqueous foam flow through porous media and to estimate the depth of foam penetration into a formation. Foam was generated by mixing air and 1% solution of surfactant PO-1. Foam density was maintained at 0.14 g/cc in all experiments. The foam was passed through sand columns (800 mm long x 30 mm diam) of permeabilities 26, 39, 80, 111, and 133 darcys. Flow rates were measured at various pressure drops and the relationship between system parameters was expressed analytically and graphically. From the data, distance of foam penetration into a formation as a function of pressure drop and permeability was calculated. The data indicate that under most conditions, foam will penetrate the formation to a negligible distance. This study indicates that when foam is used to remove sand from a well, a negligible loss of foam to the formation occurs.

Green insulation: hemp fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon,

2011-09-15

Indian hemp (Cannabis indica) is known for its psychotropic values and it is banned in most countries. However, industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) is known for its tough fibers. Several manufactures in Europe including, small niche players, have been marketing hemp insulation products for several years. Hemp is a low environmental impact material. Neither herbicide nor pesticide is used during the growth of hemp. The fibers are extracted in a waste-free and chemical-free mechanical process. Hemp can consume CO2 during its growth. In addition, hemp fiber can be disposed of harmlessly by composting or incineration at the end of its life. Hemp fibers are processed and treated only minimally to resist rot and fungal activity. There is little health risk when producing and installing the insulation, thanks to the absence of toxic additive. Its thermal resistance is comparable to mineral wool. But the development and marketing of hemp fibers may be restricted in North America.

Mass transfer measurements in foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leblond, J.G.; Fournel, B.

2004-01-01

Full text of publication follows:This study participates to the elaboration of a method for decontamination of the inside surfaces of steel structures (pipes, tanks,...). The solution which has been chosen is to attack the surface of the structure by a dipping solution. In order to reduce the quantity of product to be recovered and treated at the end of the cleaning process, the active solution will be introduced as a foam. During its free or forced drainage the foam supplies an active liquid film along the structure surfaces. It was important to know if the transfers of the dipping liquid inside the foam and between foam and wall film are sufficient to allow a correct supplying of the active liquid at the wall and a correct dragging of the dipped products. The objective of this work is to develop a numerical model which simulates the various transfers. However such a modeling cannot be performed without a thorough knowledge of the different transfer parameters in the foam and in the film. The following study has been performed on a model foam (foaming water + air) held in a smooth vertical glass pipe and submitted to a forced drainage by the foaming water (water + surfactants). The liquid transfer involves the dispersion of the drainage liquid inside the foam and the transfer between the foam and the liquid film flowing down at the wall. The different transfers has been analyzed by NMR using a PFGSE-NMR sequence, which allows to determine the propagator, i.e., the probability density of the liquid particle displacements during a given time interval Δt, along a selected direction. This study allowed to measure, firstly, the mean liquid and the liquid dispersion in the foam along the vertical and horizontal direction, and secondly, the vertical mean velocity in the parietal liquid film. (authors)

Foaming in manure based digesters: Effect of overloading and foam suppression using antifoam agents

OpenAIRE

Kougias, Panagiotis; Tsapekos, Panagiotis; Boe, Kanokwan; Angelidaki, Irini

2013-01-01

Anaerobic digestion foaming is one of the major problems that occasionally occur in full-scale biogas plants, affecting negatively the overall digestion process. The foam is typically created either in the main biogas reactor or/and in the pre-storage tank and the entrapped solids in the foam cause severe operational problems, such as blockage of mixing devices and collapse of pumps. Furthermore, the foaming problem is linked with economic consequences for biogas plants, due to income losses ...

TRU waste transportation package development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eakes, R.G.; Lamoreaux, G.H.; Romesberg, L.E.; Sutherland, S.H.; Duffey, T.A.

1980-01-01

Inventories of the transuranic wastes buried or stored at various US DOE sites are tabulated. The leading conceptual design of Type-B packaging for contact-handled transuranic waste is the Transuranic Package Transporter (TRUPACT), a large metal container comprising inner and outer tubular steel frameworks which are separated by rigid polyurethane foam and sheathed with steel plate. Testing of TRUPACT is reported. The schedule for its development is given. 6 figures

Influence of Rubber Powders on Foaming Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Foamed Polypropylene Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HE Yue

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Polypropylene/rubber powders composites with different kinds of rubber powders were foamed by injection molding machine equipped with volume-adjustable cavity. The effect of dispersity of rubber powders and crystallization behavior of composites on the foaming behavior and mechanical properties was investigated. The results show that the addition of rubber powders can improve the cell structure of foamed PP with fine and uniform cell distribution. And cell density and size of PP/PP-MAH/NBR foams are 7.64×106cell/cm3 and 29.78μm respectively, which are the best among these foams. Combining cell structures with mechanical properties, notch impact strength of PP/PP-MAH/CNBR composites increases approximately by 2.2 times while tensile strength is reduced just by 26% compared with those of the pure PP. This indicates that PP/PP-MAH/CNBR composites are ideal foamed materials.

Elasticity Modulus and Flexural Strength Assessment of Foam Concrete Layer of Poroflow

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, Matej; Decky, Martin; Drusa, Marian; Orininová, Lucia; Scherfel, Walter

2016-10-01

Nowadays, it is necessary to develop new building materials, which are in accordance to the principles of the following provisions of the Roads Act: The design of road is a subject that follows national technical standards, technical regulations and objectively established results of research and development for road infrastructure. Foam concrete, as a type of lightweight concrete, offers advantages such as low bulk density, thermal insulation and disadvantages that will be reduced by future development. The contribution focuses on identifying the major material characteristics of foam concrete named Poroflow 17-5, in order to replace cement-bound granular mixtures. The experimental measurements performed on test specimens were the subject of diploma thesis in 2015 and continuously of the dissertation thesis and grant research project. At the beginning of the contribution, an overview of the current use of foam concrete abroad is elaborated. Moreover, it aims to determine the flexural strength of test specimens Poroflow 17-5 in combination with various basis weights of the underlying geotextile. Another part of the article is devoted to back-calculation of indicative design modulus of Poroflow based layers based on the results of static plate load tests provided at in situ experimental stand of Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Žilina (FCE Uniza). Testing stand has been created in order to solve problems related to research of road and railway structures. Concern to building construction presents a physical homomorphic model that is identical with the corresponding theory in all structural features. Based on the achieved material characteristics, the tensile strength in bending of previously used road construction materials was compared with innovative alternative of foam concrete and the suitability for the base layers of pavement roads was determined.

Development of partially biodegradable foams from PP/HMSPP blends with natural and synthetic polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardoso, Elizabeth Carvalho Leite

2014-01-01

Polymers are used in various application and in different industrial areas providing enormous quantities of wastes in environment. Among diverse components of residues in landfills are polymeric materials, including Polypropylene, which contribute with 20 to 30% of total volume of solid residues. As polymeric materials are immune to microbial degradation, they remain in soil and in landfills as a semi-permanent residue. Environmental concerning in litter reduction is being directed to renewable polymers development for manufacturing of polymeric foams. Foamed polymers are considered future materials, with a wide range of applications; high density structural foams are specially used in civil construction, in replacement of metal, woods and concrete with a final purpose of reducing materials costs. At present development, it was possible the incorporation of PP/HMSPP polymeric matrix blends with sugarcane bagasse, PHB and PLA, in structural foams production. Thermal degradation at 100, 120 and 160 deg C temperatures was not enough to induce biodegradability. Gamma irradiation degradation, at 50, 100, 200 and 500 kGy showed effective for biodegradability induction. Irradiated bagasse blends suffered surface erosion, in favor of water uptake and consequently, a higher biodegradation in bulk structure. (author)

Chaotic bubbling and nonstagnant foams.

Science.gov (United States)

Tufaile, Alberto; Sartorelli, José Carlos; Jeandet, Philippe; Liger-Belair, Gerard

2007-06-01

We present an experimental investigation of the agglomeration of bubbles obtained from a nozzle working in different bubbling regimes. This experiment consists of a continuous production of bubbles from a nozzle at the bottom of a liquid column, and these bubbles create a two-dimensional (2D) foam (or a bubble raft) at the top of this column. The bubbles can assemble in various dynamically stable arrangement, forming different kinds of foams in a liquid mixture of water and glycerol, with the effect that the bubble formation regimes influence the foam obtained from this agglomeration of bubbles. The average number of bubbles in the foam is related to the bubble formation frequency and the bubble mean lifetime. The periodic bubbling can generate regular or irregular foam, while a chaotic bubbling only generates irregular foam.

Determination of Acreage Thermal Protection Foam Loss From Ice and Foam Impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Carney, Kelly S.; Lawrence, Charles

2015-01-01

A parametric study was conducted to establish Thermal Protection System (TPS) loss from foam and ice impact conditions similar to what might occur on the Space Launch System. This study was based upon the large amount of testing and analysis that was conducted with both ice and foam debris impacts on TPS acreage foam for the Space Shuttle Project External Tank. Test verified material models and modeling techniques that resulted from Space Shuttle related testing were utilized for this parametric study. Parameters varied include projectile mass, impact velocity and impact angle (5 degree and 10 degree impacts). The amount of TPS acreage foam loss as a result of the various impact conditions is presented.

A review of aqueous foam in microscale.

Science.gov (United States)

Anazadehsayed, Abdolhamid; Rezaee, Nastaran; Naser, Jamal; Nguyen, Anh V

2018-06-01

In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in the study of aqueous foams. Having said this, a better understanding of foam physics requires a deeper and profound study of foam elements. This paper reviews the studies in the microscale of aqueous foams. The elements of aqueous foams are interior Plateau borders, exterior Plateau borders, nodes, and films. Furthermore, these elements' contribution to the drainage of foam and hydraulic resistance are studied. The Marangoni phenomena that can happen in aqueous foams are listed as Marangoni recirculation in the transition region, Marangoni-driven flow from Plateau border towards the film in the foam fractionation process, and Marangoni flow caused by exposure of foam containing photosurfactants under UV. Then, the flow analysis of combined elements of foam such as PB-film along with Marangoni flow and PB-node are studied. Next, we contrast the behavior of foams in different conditions. These various conditions can be perturbation in the foam structure caused by injected water droplets or waves or using a non-Newtonian fluid to make the foam. Further review is about the effect of oil droplets and particles on the characteristics of foam such as drainage, stability and interfacial mobility. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beer foam physics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ronteltap, A.D.

1989-01-01

The physical aspects of beer foam behavior were studied in terms of the four physical processes, mainly involved in the formation and breakdown of foam. These processes are, bubble formation, drainage, disproportionation and coalescence. In detail, the processes disproportionation and

FOAM3D: A numerical simulator for mechanistic prediciton of foam displacement in multidimensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kovscek, A.R.; Patzek, T.W. [Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Radke, C.J. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1995-03-01

Field application of foam is a technically viable enhanced oil recovery process (EOR) as demonstrated by recent steam-foam field studies. Traditional gas-displacement processes, such as steam drive, are improved substantially by controlling gas mobility and thereby improving volumetric displacement efficiency. For instance, Patzek and Koinis showed major oil-recovery response after about two years of foam injection in two different pilot studies at the Kern River field. They report increased production of 5.5 to 14% of the original oil in place over a five year period. Because reservoir-scale simulation is a vital component of the engineering and economic evaluation of any EOR project, efficient application of foam as a displacement fluid requires a predictive numerical model of foam displacement. A mechanistic model would also expedite scale-up of the process from the laboratory to the field scale. No general, mechanistic, field-scale model for foam displacement is currently in use.

High performance polymeric foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gargiulo, M.; Sorrentino, L.; Iannace, S.

2008-01-01

The aim of this work was to investigate the foamability of high-performance polymers (polyethersulfone, polyphenylsulfone, polyetherimide and polyethylenenaphtalate). Two different methods have been used to prepare the foam samples: high temperature expansion and two-stage batch process. The effects of processing parameters (saturation time and pressure, foaming temperature) on the densities and microcellular structures of these foams were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy

Stability of metallic foams studied under microgravity

CERN Document Server

Wuebben, T; Banhart, J; Odenbach, S

2003-01-01

Metal foams are prepared by mixing a metal powder and a gas-releasing blowing agent, by densifying the mix to a dense precursor and finally foaming by melting the powder compact. The foaming process of aluminium foams is monitored in situ by x-ray radioscopy. One observes that foam evolution is accompanied by film rupture processes which lead to foam coalescence. In order to elucidate the importance of oxides for foam stability, lead foams were manufactured from lead powders having two different oxide contents. The two foam types were generated on Earth and under weightlessness during parabolic flights. The measurements show that the main function of oxide particles is to prevent coalescence, while their influence on bulk viscosity of the melt is of secondary importance.

Efficient removal of perfluorooctane sulfonate from aqueous film-forming foam solution by aeration-foam collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Pingping; Deng, Shubo; Maimaiti, Ayiguli; Wang, Bin; Huang, Jun; Wang, Yujue; Cousins, Ian T; Yu, Gang

2018-07-01

Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) used in fire-fighting are one of the main contamination sources of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) to the subterranean environment, requiring high costs for remediation. In this study, a method that combined aeration and foam collection was presented to remove PFOS from a commercially available AFFF solution. The method utilized the strong surfactant properties of PFOS that cause it to be highly enriched at air-water interfaces. With an aeration flow rate of 75 mL/min, PFOS removal percent reached 96% after 2 h, and the PFOS concentration in the collected foam was up to 6.5 mmol/L, beneficial for PFOS recovery and reuse. Increasing the aeration flow rate, ionic strength and concentration of co-existing surfactant, as well as decreasing the initial PFOS concentration, increased the removal percents of PFOS by increasing the foam volume, but reduced the enrichment of PFOS in the foams. With the assistance of a co-existing hydrocarbon surfactant, PFOS removal percent was above 99.9% after aeration-foam collection for 2 h and the enrichment factor exceeded 8400. Aeration-foam collection was less effective for short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances due to their relatively lower surface activity. Aeration-foam collection was found to be effective for the removal of high concentrations of PFOS from AFFF-contaminated wastewater, and the concentrated PFOS in the collected foam can be reused. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of PMMA graded microporous foams via one-step supercritical carbon dioxide foaming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Huan; Li Junguo; Xiong Yuanlu; Luo Guoqiang; Shen Qiang; Zhang Lianmeng

2013-01-01

Supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO 2 ) foaming which is inexpensive and environmental friendly has been widely used to prepare polymer-based microporous materials. In this paper, PMMA graded microporous materials were foamed by PMMA matrix after an unstable saturation process which was done under supercritical condition of 28MPa and 50 °C. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to observe the morphology of the graded foam. A gas adsorption model was proposed to predict the graded gas concentration in the different region of the polymer matrix. The SEM results showed that the solid and foam region of the graded foam can be connected without laminated layers. With the increasing thickness position of the graded microporous foam, the cell size increased from 3.4 to 27.5 μm, while the cell density decreased from 1.04 × 10 9 to 1.96 × 10 7 cells/cm 3 . It also found that the gradient microporous structure of the foam came from graded gas concentration which was obtained in the initial saturation process.

Numerical Modeling of Foam Drilling Hydraulics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozcan Baris

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The use of foam as a drilling fluid was developed to meet a special set of conditions under which other common drilling fluids had failed. Foam drilling is defined as the process of making boreholes by utilizing foam as the circulating fluid. When compared with conventional drilling, underbalanced or foam drilling has several advantages. These advantages include: avoidance of lost circulation problems, minimizing damage to pay zones, higher penetration rates and bit life. Foams are usually characterized by the quality, the ratio of the volume of gas, and the total foam volume. Obtaining dependable pressure profiles for aerated (gasified fluids and foam is more difficult than for single phase fluids, since in the former ones the drilling mud contains a gas phase that is entrained within the fluid system. The primary goal of this study is to expand the knowledge-base of the hydrodynamic phenomena that occur in a foam drilling operation. In order to gain a better understanding of foam drilling operations, a hydrodynamic model is developed and run at different operating conditions. For this purpose, the flow of foam through the drilling system is modeled by invoking the basic principles of continuum mechanics and thermodynamics. The model was designed to allow gas and liquid flow at desired volumetric flow rates through the drillstring and annulus. Parametric studies are conducted in order to identify the most influential variables in the hydrodynamic modeling of foam flow.

Applications of Foamed Lightweight Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Sari Kamarul Aini

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Application of foamed concrete is increasing at present due to high demand on foamed concrete structures with good mechanical and physical properties. This paper discusses on the use of basic raw materials, their characteristics, production process, and their application in foamed lightweight concrete with densities between 300 kg/m3 and 1800 kg/m3. It also discusses the factors that influence the strengths and weaknesses of foamed concrete based on studies that were conducted previously.

Waste glass melting stages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, L.D.; Dennis, T.; Elliott, M.L.; Hrma, P.

1993-04-01

Three different simulated nuclear waste glass feeds, consisting of dried waste and glass frit, were heat treated for 1 hour in a gradient furnace at temperatures ranging from approximately 600 degrees C--1000 degrees C. Simulated melter feeds from the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP), the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), and Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (KfK) in Germany were used. The samples were thin-sectioned and examined by optical microscopy to investigate the stages of the conversion from feed to glass. Various phenomena were seen, such as frit softening, bubble formation, foaming, bubble motion and removal, convective mixing, and homogenization. Behavior of different feeds was similar, although the degree of gas generation and melt homogenization varied

Foam Transport in Porous Media - A Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Z. F.; Freedman, Vicky L.; Zhong, Lirong

2009-11-11

Amendment solutions with or without surfactants have been used to remove contaminants from soil. However, it has drawbacks such that the amendment solution often mobilizes the plume, and its movement is controlled by gravity and preferential flow paths. Foam is an emulsion-like, two-phase system in which gas cells are dispersed in a liquid and separated by thin liquid films called lamellae. Potential advantages of using foams in sub-surface remediation include providing better control on the volume of fluids injected, uniformity of contact, and the ability to contain the migration of contaminant laden liquids. It is expected that foam can serve as a carrier of amendments for vadose zone remediation, e.g., at the Hanford Site. As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s EM-20 program, a numerical simulation capability will be added to the Subsurface Transport Over Multiple Phases (STOMP) flow simulator. The primary purpose of this document is to review the modeling approaches of foam transport in porous media. However, as an aid to understanding the simulation approaches, some experiments under unsaturated conditions and the processes of foam transport are also reviewed. Foam may be formed when the surfactant concentration is above the critical micelle concentration. There are two main types of foams – the ball foam (microfoam) and the polyhedral foam. The characteristics of bulk foam are described by the properties such as foam quality, texture, stability, density, surface tension, disjoining pressure, etc. Foam has been used to flush contaminants such as metals, organics, and nonaqueous phase liquids from unsaturated soil. Ball foam, or colloidal gas aphrons, reportedly have been used for soil flushing in contaminated site remediation and was found to be more efficient than surfactant solutions on the basis of weight of contaminant removed per gram of surfactant. Experiments also indicate that the polyhedral foam can be used to enhance soil remediation. The

Effect of foam stirrer design on the catalytic performance of rotating foam stirrer reactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leon Matheus, M.A.; Geers, P.; Nijhuis, T.A.; Schaaf, van der J.; Schouten, J.C.

2012-01-01

The liquid–solid mass transfer rate in a rotating foam stirrer reactor and in a slurry reactor is studied using the hydrogenation of styrene as a model reaction. The rotating foam stirrer reactor is a novel type of multi-phase reactor where highly open-celled materials, solid foams, are used as a

Synthesis of α-Fe2O3 and Fe-Mn Oxide Foams with Highly Tunable Magnetic Properties by the Replication Method from Polyurethane Templates

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yuping; Fornell, Jordina; Zhang, Huiyan; Solsona, Pau; Barό, Maria Dolors; Suriñach, Santiago; Sort, Jordi

2018-01-01

Open cell foams consisting of Fe and Fe-Mn oxides are prepared from metallic Fe and Mn powder precursors by the replication method using porous polyurethane (PU) templates. First, reticulated PU templates are coated by slurry impregnation. The templates are then thermally removed at 260 °C and the debinded powders are sintered at 1000 °C under N2 atmosphere. The morphology, structure, and magnetic properties are studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometry, respectively. The obtained Fe and Fe-Mn oxide foams possess both high surface area and homogeneous open-cell structure. Hematite (α-Fe2O3) foams are obtained from the metallic iron slurry independently of the N2 flow. In contrast, the microstructure of the FeMn-based oxide foams can be tailored by adjusting the N2 flow. While the main phases for a N2 flow rate of 180 L/h are α-Fe2O3 and FeMnO3, the predominant phase for high N2 flow rates (e.g., 650 L/h) is Fe2MnO4. Accordingly, a linear magnetization versus field behavior is observed for the hematite foams, while clear hysteresis loops are obtained for the Fe2MnO4 foams. Actually, the saturation magnetization of the foams containing Mn increases from 5 emu/g to 52 emu/g when the N2 flow rate (i.e., the amount of Fe2MnO4) is increased. The obtained foams are appealing for a wide range of applications, such as electromagnetic absorbers, catalysts supports, thermal and acoustic insulation systems or wirelessly magnetically-guided porous objects in fluids. PMID:29439450

The mechanical behavior of microcellular foams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozkul, M.H.; Mark, J.E. (Cincinnati Univ., OH (USA)); Aubert, J.H. (Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA))

1990-01-01

The mechanical behavior of microcellular open-cell foams prepared by a thermally induced phase separation process are investigated. The foams studied were prepared from isotactic polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, and poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (rigid foams), and polyurethane and Lycra (elastomeric foams). Their densities were in the range 0.04--0.27 g/cm3. Conventional polystyrene foams were used for comparison. The moduli and collapse stresses of these foams were measured in compression and compared with the current constitutive laws which relate mechanical properties to densities. A reinforcement technique based on the in-situ precipitation of silica was used to improve the mechanical properties. 13 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.

Effect of silica nanoparticles on polyurethane foaming process and foam properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francés, A B; Bañón, M V Navarro

2014-01-01

Flexible polyurethane foams (FPUF) are commonly used as cushioning material in upholstered products made on several industrial sectors: furniture, automotive seating, bedding, etc. Polyurethane is a high molecular weight polymer based on the reaction between a hydroxyl group (polyol) and isocyanate. The density, flowability, compressive, tensile or shearing strength, the thermal and dimensional stability, combustibility, and other properties can be adjusted by the addition of several additives. Nanomaterials offer a wide range of possibilities to obtain nanocomposites with specific properties. The combination of FPUF with silica nanoparticles could develop nanocomposite materials with unique properties: improved mechanical and thermal properties, gas permeability, and fire retardancy. However, as silica particles are at least partially surface-terminated with Si-OH groups, it was suspected that the silica could interfere in the reaction of poyurethane formation.The objective of this study was to investigate the enhancement of thermal and mechanical properties of FPUF by the incorporation of different types of silica and determining the influence thereof during the foaming process. Flexible polyurethane foams with different loading mass fraction of silica nanoparticles (0-1% wt) and different types of silica (non treated and modified silica) were synthesized. PU/SiO 2 nanocomposites were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, TGA, and measurements of apparent density, resilience and determination of compression set. Addition of silica nanoparticles influences negatively in the density and compression set of the foams. However, resilience and thermal stability of the foams are improved. Silica nanoparticles do not affect to the chemical structure of the foams although they interfere in the blowing reaction

Anaerobic Digestion Foaming Causes

OpenAIRE

Ganidi, Nafsika

2008-01-01

Anaerobic digestion foaming has been encountered in several sewage treatment plants in the UK. Foaming has raised major concerns for the water utilities due to significant impacts on process efficiency and operational costs. Several foaming causes have been suggested over the past few years by researchers. However, the supporting experimental information is limited and in some cases site specific. The present report aimed to provide a better understanding of the anaerobic di...

Foam-forming properties of Ilex paraguariensis (mate saponin: foamability and foam lifetime analysis by Weibull equation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janine Treter

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Saponins are natural soaplike foam-forming compounds widely used in foods, cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations. In this work foamability and foam lifetime of foams obtained from Ilex paraguariensis unripe fruits were analyzed. Polysorbate 80 and sodium dodecyl sulfate were used as reference surfactants. Aiming a better data understanding a linearized 4-parameters Weibull function was proposed. The mate hydroethanolic extract (ME and a mate saponin enriched fraction (MSF afforded foamability and foam lifetime comparable to the synthetic surfactants. The linearization of the Weibull equation allowed the statistical comparison of foam decay curves, improving former mathematical approaches.

Fire retardant polyisocyanurate foam

Science.gov (United States)

Riccitiello, S. R.; Parker, J. A.

1972-01-01

Fire retardant properties of low density polymer foam are increased. Foam has pendant nitrile groups which form thermally-stable heterocyclic structures at temperature below degradation temperature of urethane linkages.

Thermal response modeling of a contact-handled transuranic waste shipping container system to a fire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suchsland, K.E.; Kwong, K.C.; Fretter, E.F.; Boyd, R.D.; Auerbach, I.; Yoshimura, H.R.

1980-01-01

A one-dimensional thermal model has been developed to predict the response of a transuranic (TRU) waste shipping container accidentally exposed to a fire environment. The basic wall structure of the container consists of polyurethane foam (64 kg/m 3 ) sandwiched between two steel plates. The foam thermal model, based on high temperature experimental data, is developed for the case in which the virgin foam is in a nonoxidizing environment. The experimental results indicate that foam decomposition is highly heat rate dependent. At low quasi-steady heating rates, the foam changes to a bubbling black viscous liquid. At very high heating rates, pyrolysis gases are formed as the foam decomposes and a 20% (by weight) residual char remains. This porous char acts as a radiation shield which can significantly reduce thermal transport. In the case of a TRU shipping container wall, this char will slow the thermal penetration rate and drastically reduce the heat load to the container contents. When the front surface of the wall was subjected to 1333 0 K, numerical computations predict that after approximately 1800 s the foam temperature rise at a depth of 10.2 cm was less than 200 K (uncharred). After approximately 3600 s the foam temperature rise at a depth of 20.4 cm was 23 0 K. Typical waste contents temperature rise was predicted to be less than 56 0 K after 3600 s of heating

Foam flow in a model porous medium: I. The effect of foam coarsening.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, S A; Getrouw, N; Vincent-Bonnieu, S

2018-05-09

Foam structure evolves with time due to gas diffusion between bubbles (coarsening). In a bulk foam, coarsening behaviour is well defined, but there is less understanding of coarsening in confined geometries such as porous media. Previous predictions suggest that coarsening will cause foam lamellae to move to low energy configurations in the pore throats, resulting in greater capillary resistance when restarting flow. Foam coarsening experiments were conducted in both a model-porous-media micromodel and in a sandstone core. In both cases, foam was generated by coinjecting surfactant solution and nitrogen. Once steady state flow had been achieved, the injection was stopped and the system sealed off. In the micromodel, the foam coarsening was recorded using time-lapse photography. In the core flood, the additional driving pressure required to reinitiate flow after coarsening was measured. In the micromodel the bubbles coarsened rapidly to the pore size. At the completion of coarsening the lamellae were located in minimum energy configurations in the pore throats. The wall effect meant that the coarsening did not conform to the unconstricted growth laws. The coreflood tests also showed coarsening to be a rapid process. The additional driving pressure to restart flow reached a maximum after just 2 minutes.

Foaming in manure based digesters: Effect of overloading and foam suppression using antifoam agents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kougias, Panagiotis; Tsapekos, Panagiotis; Boe, Kanokwan

Anaerobic digestion foaming is one of the major problems that occasionally occur in full-scale biogas plants, affecting negatively the overall digestion process. The foam is typically created either in the main biogas reactor or/and in the pre-storage tank and the entrapped solids in the foam cause...... severe operational problems, such as blockage of mixing devices and collapse of pumps. Furthermore, the foaming problem is linked with economic consequences for biogas plants, due to income losses derived from the reduced biogas production, extra labour work and additional maintenance costs. Moreover....... A continuous stirred tank reactor, operating under thermophilic conditions (55 oC) was fed with cattle manure. In order to investigate the effect of organic overloading on foam formation, a stepwise increase of the organic loading rate was performed by the addition of glucose in the feeding substrate. Biogas...

46 CFR 108.463 - Foam rate: Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Foam rate: Protein. 108.463 Section 108.463 Shipping... EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Foam Extinguishing Systems § 108.463 Foam rate: Protein. (a) If the outlets of a protein foam extinguishing system are in a space, the foam rate at each outlet must be at...

Structural Foams of Biobased Isosorbide-Containing Copolycarbonate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Zepnik

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Isosorbide-containing copolycarbonate (Bio-PC is a partly biobased alternative to conventional bisphenol A (BPA based polycarbonate (PC. Conventional PC is widely used in polymer processing technologies including thermoplastic foaming such as foam injection molding. At present, no detailed data is available concerning the foam injection molding behavior and foam properties of Bio-PC. This contribution provides first results on injection-molded foams based on isosorbide-containing PC. The structural foams were produced by using an endothermic chemical blowing agent (CBA masterbatch and the low pressure foam injection molding method. The influence of weight reduction and blowing agent concentration on general foam properties such as density, morphology, and mechanical properties was studied. The test specimens consist of a foam core in the center and compact symmetrical shell layers on the sides. The thickness of the foam core increases with increasing weight reduction irrespective of the CBA concentration. The specific (mechanical bending properties are significantly improved and the specific tensile properties can almost be maintained while reducing the density of the injection-molded parts.

Waste disposal options report. Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, N.E.; McDonald, T.G.; Banaee, J.; Barnes, C.M.; Fish, L.W.; Losinski, S.J.; Peterson, H.K.; Sterbentz, J.W.; Wenzel, D.R.

1998-02-01

Volume 2 contains the following topical sections: estimates of feed and waste volumes, compositions, and properties; evaluation of radionuclide inventory for Zr calcine; evaluation of radionuclide inventory for Al calcine; determination of k eff for high level waste canisters in various configurations; review of ceramic silicone foam for radioactive waste disposal; epoxides for low-level radioactive waste disposal; evaluation of several neutralization cases in processing calcine and sodium-bearing waste; background information for EFEs, dose rates, watts/canister, and PE-curies; waste disposal options assumptions; update of radiation field definition and thermal generation rates for calcine process packages of various geometries-HKP-26-97; and standard criteria of candidate repositories and environmental regulations for the treatment and disposal of ICPP radioactive mixed wastes

Waste disposal options report. Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Russell, N.E.; McDonald, T.G.; Banaee, J.; Barnes, C.M.; Fish, L.W.; Losinski, S.J.; Peterson, H.K.; Sterbentz, J.W.; Wenzel, D.R.

1998-02-01

Volume 2 contains the following topical sections: estimates of feed and waste volumes, compositions, and properties; evaluation of radionuclide inventory for Zr calcine; evaluation of radionuclide inventory for Al calcine; determination of k{sub eff} for high level waste canisters in various configurations; review of ceramic silicone foam for radioactive waste disposal; epoxides for low-level radioactive waste disposal; evaluation of several neutralization cases in processing calcine and sodium-bearing waste; background information for EFEs, dose rates, watts/canister, and PE-curies; waste disposal options assumptions; update of radiation field definition and thermal generation rates for calcine process packages of various geometries-HKP-26-97; and standard criteria of candidate repositories and environmental regulations for the treatment and disposal of ICPP radioactive mixed wastes.

Investigation of Chemical-Foam Design as a Novel Approach toward Immiscible Foam Flooding for Enhanced Oil Recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini-Nasab, S M; Zitha, P L J

2017-10-19

Strong foam can be generated in porous media containing oil, resulting in incremental oil recovery; however, oil recovery factor is restricted. A large fraction of oil recovered by foam flooding forms an oil-in-water emulsion, so that costly methods may need to be used to separate the oil. Moreover, strong foam could create a large pressure gradient, which may cause fractures in the reservoir. This study presents a novel chemical-foam flooding process for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from water-flooded reservoirs. The presented method involved the use of chemically designed foam to mobilize the remaining oil after water flooding and then to displace the mobilized oil to the production well. A blend of two anionic surfactant formulations was formulated for this method: (a) IOS, for achieving ultralow interfacial tension (IFT), and (b) AOS, for generating a strong foam. Experiments were performed using Bentheimer sandstone cores, where X-ray CT images were taken during foam generation to find the stability of the advancing front of foam propagation and to map the gas saturation for both the transient and the steady-state flow regimes. Then the proposed chemical-foam strategy for incremental oil recovery was tested through the coinjection of immiscible nitrogen gas and surfactant solutions with three different formulation properties in terms of IFT reduction and foaming strength capability. The discovered optimal formulation contains a foaming agent surfactant, a low IFT surfactant, and a cosolvent, which has a high foam stability and a considerably low IFT (1.6 × 10 -2 mN/m). Coinjection resulted in higher oil recovery and much less MRF than the same process with only using a foaming agent. The oil displacement experiment revealed that coinjection of gas with a blend of surfactants, containing a cosolvent, can recover a significant amount of oil (33% OIIP) over water flooding with a larger amount of clean oil and less emulsion.

TPX foams for inertial fusion laser experiments: foam preparation, machining, characterization, and discussion of density issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosse, M.; Guillot, L.; Reneaume, B.; Fleury, E.; Hermerel, C.; Choux, A.; Jeannot, L.; Geoffray, I.; Faivre, A.; Breton, O.; Andre, J.; Collier, R.; Legaie, O.

2011-01-01

Low density foams (in this work, foam density refers to apparent density) are materials of interest for fusion experiments. Low density poly(4-methyl-1-pentene)(commercial name TPX) foams have been produced for 30 years. TPX foams have been shown to have densities as low as 3 mg.cm -3 , which is very close to air density (1.2 mg.cm -3 ). Around this density foams are very light and highly fragile. Their fabrication is thus a real technological challenge. However, shrinking always appears in ranges ranking from 25% to almost 200%. As a result, the apparent density of the final foam never matches the expected value given by the precursor solution concentration. Besides, even if the mold dimensions are precisely known, shrinkage is never linear, and foams have to be machined for precise density measurement. In our work we present a fabrication process for TPX foams and discuss machining and density measuring issues. Particularly, we have found that there are volume and weight limits for a determination of density within the range of 3% uncertainty. This raises the question whether density should rather be determined directly on millimeter-sized targets or should be performed on a bigger scale sample prepared from the same batch. (authors)

INFLUENCE OF THE CEMENT TYPE ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MINERAL FOAM APPLICABLE IN FOAMED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Korolev Evgeniy Valer'evich

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The subject of the research is the influence of the type of Portland cement, as well as the nature and concentration of additives that represent electrolytes and polymers, onto the foam stability. The project is implemented within the framework of the research of foamed ceramic. Detailed explanation of the influence pattern is provided. The research performed by the authors has generated the following findings. Besides the rheological properties of the solution, chemical interaction between the mix components must be taken into account in the course of development of the best foamed ceramic mix composition, as chemical processes produce a substantial influence onto the foam stability. Polymer additives based on liquid carbamyde-formaldehyde and polyacrylamide substantially improve the quality of the foam mineralized by the particles of the cement binder. They also assure the foam stability rate sufficient for the formation of a high-quality foamed material.

A Novel Method for Preparing Auxetic Foam from Closed-cell Polymer Foam Based on Steam Penetration and Condensation (SPC) Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Donglei; Li, Minggang; Qiu, Jian; Xing, Haiping; Jiang, Zhiwei; Tang, Tao

2018-05-31

Auxetic materials are a class of materials possessing negative Poisson's ratio. Here we establish a novel method for preparing auxetic foam from closed-cell polymer foam based on steam penetration and condensation (SPC) process. Using polyethylene (PE) closed-cell foam as an example, the resultant foams treated by SPC process present negative Poisson's ratio during stretching and compression testing. The effect of steam-treated temperature and time on the conversion efficiency of negative Poisson's ratio foam is investigated, and the mechanism of SPC method for forming re-entrant structure is discussed. The results indicate that the presence of enough steam within the cells is a critical factor for the negative Poisson's ratio conversion in the SPC process. The pressure difference caused by steam condensation is the driving force for the conversion from conventional closed-cell foam to the negative Poisson's ratio foam. Furthermore, the applicability of SPC process for fabricating auxetic foam is studied by replacing PE foam by polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam with closed-cell structure or replacing water steam by ethanol steam. The results verify the universality of SPC process for fabricating auxetic foams from conventional foams with closed-cell structure. In addition, we explored potential application of the obtained auxetic foams by SPC process in the fabrication of shape memory polymer materials.

Porosity and cell size control in alumina foam preparation by thermo-foaming of powder dispersions in molten sucrose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sujith Vijayan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The foaming characteristics of alumina powder dispersions in molten sucrose have been studied as a function of alumina powder to sucrose weight ratio (WA/S and foaming temperature. The increase in foaming temperature significantly decreases the foaming and foam setting time and increases the foam volume due to an increase in the rate of OH condensation as well as a decrease in the viscosity of the dispersion. Nevertheless, the foam collapses beyond a critical foaming temperature, which depends on the WA/S. The sintering shrinkage depends mainly on the WA/S and marginally on the foaming temperature. The porosity (83.4–94.6 vol.% and cell size (0.55–1.6 mm increase with an increase in foaming temperature (120–170 °C and a decrease in WA/S (0.8–1.6. The drastic decrease in compressive strength and modulus beyond a WA/S of 1.2 is due to the pores generated on the cell walls and struts as a result of particle agglomeration. Gibson and Ashby plots show large deviation with respect to the model constants ‘C’ and ‘n’, especially at higher alumina powder to sucrose weight ratios.

Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larson, D.E.; Allen, C.R.; Kruger, O.L.; Weber, E.T.

1991-10-01

The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) is being designed to immobilize pretreated Hanford high-level waste and transuranic waste in borosilicate glass contained in stainless steel canisters. Testing is being conducted in the HWVP Technology Development Project to ensure that adapted technologies are applicable to the candidate Hanford wastes and to generate information for waste form qualification. Empirical modeling is being conducted to define a glass composition range consistent with process and waste form qualification requirements. Laboratory studies are conducted to determine process stream properties, characterize the redox chemistry of the melter feed as a basis for controlling melt foaming and evaluate zeolite sorption materials for process waste treatment. Pilot-scale tests have been performed with simulated melter feed to access filtration for solids removal from process wastes, evaluate vitrification process performance and assess offgas equipment performance. Process equipment construction materials are being selected based on literature review, corrosion testing, and performance in pilot-scale testing. 3 figs., 6 tabs

Development of drilling foams for geothermal applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDonald, W.J.; Remont, L.J.; Rehm, W.A.; Chenevert, M.E.

1980-01-01

The use of foam drilling fluids in geothermal applications is addressed. A description of foams - what they are, how they are used, their properties, equipment required to use them, the advantages and disadvantages of foams, etc. - is presented. Geothermal applications are discussed. Results of industry interviews presented indicate significant potential for foams, but also indicate significant technical problems to be solved to achieve this potential. Testing procedures and results of tests on representative foams provide a basis for work to develop high-temperature foams.

Foam shell project: Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Overturf, G.; Reibold, B.; Cook, B.; Schroen-Carey, D.

1994-01-01

The authors report on their work to produce a foam shell target for two possible applications: (1) as liquid-layered cryogenic target on Omega Upgrade, and (2) as a back-up design for the NIF. This target consists of a roughly 1 mm diameter and 100 μm thick spherical low-density foam shell surrounding a central void. The foam will be slightly overfilled with liquid D 2 or DT, the overfilled excess being symmetrically distributed on the inside of the shell and supported by thermal gradient techniques. The outside of the foam is overcoated with full density polymer which must be topologically smooth. The technology for manufacturing this style of foam shell involves microencapsulation techniques and has been developed by the Japanese at ILE. Their goal is to determine whether this technology can be successfully adapted to meet US ICF objectives. To this end a program of foam shell development has been initiated at LLNL in collaboration with both the General Atomics DOE Target Fabrication Contract Corporation and the Target Fabrication Group at LLE

The Modification of Polyurethane Foams Using New Boroorganic Polyols (II) Polyurethane Foams from Boron-Modified Hydroxypropyl Urea Derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

The work focuses on research related to determination of application possibility of new, ecofriendly boroorganic polyols in rigid polyurethane foams production. Polyols were obtained from hydroxypropyl urea derivatives esterified with boric acid and propylene carbonate. The influence of esterification type on properties of polyols and next on polyurethane foams properties was determined. Nitrogen and boron impacts on the foams' properties were discussed, for instance, on their physical, mechanical, and electric properties. Boron presence causes improvement of dimensional stability and thermal stability of polyurethane foams. They can be applied even at temperature 150°C. Unfortunately, introducing boron in polyurethanes foams affects deterioration of their water absorption, which increases as compared to the foams that do not contain boron. However, presence of both boron and nitrogen determines the decrease of the foams combustibility. Main impact on the decrease combustibility of the obtained foams has nitrogen presence, but in case of proper boron and nitrogen ratio their synergic activity on the combustibility decrease can be easily seen. PMID:24587721

Waste glass melting stages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, L.D.; Dennis, T.; Elliott, M.L.; Hrma, P.

1994-01-01

Three simulated nuclear waste glass feeds, consisting of dried waste and glass frit, were heat treated for 1 hour in a gradient furnace at temperatures ranging from approximately 600 degrees C to 1000 degrees C. Simulated melter feeds from the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP), the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), and Kernforschungszentru Karlsruhe (KfK) in Germany were used. The samples were thin sectioned and examined by optical microscopy to investigate the stages of the conversion from feed to glass. Various phenomena were seen, such as frit softening, bubble formation, foaming, bubble motion and removal, convective mixing, and homogenization. The behavior of different feeds was similar, although the degree of gas generation and melt homogenization varied. 2 refs., 8 tabs

Evaluation of Canisterized Foams and Evaluation of Radiation Hardened Foams for D&D Activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicholson, J. C. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2017-09-26

The introduction of polyurethane foams has previously been examined elsewhere within the DOE complex with regards to decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) activities, though its use has been prohibited as a result of excessive heat generation and flammability concerns per the safety basis. Should these foams be found compatible with respect to the facility safety basis requirements, D&D work involving large void containing structures such as gloveboxes could be eased through the fixation of residual contamination after decontamination efforts have concluded. To this end, SRNL embarked on a characterization of commercial epoxy foams to identify the characteristics that would be most important to safety basis requirements. Through SRNL’s efforts, the performance of commercial two-part epoxy foams was evaluated for their foaming characteristics, temperature profiles, loading capability with high-Z (high density) additives, and applicability for shielding gamma emission from isotopes including; Am-241, Cs-137, and Co-60. It was found that these foams are capable of encapsulation of a desired volume, though the ideal and experimental expansion coefficients were found to differ. While heat is generated during the reaction, no samples generated heat above 70 °C. Of the down–selected materials, heating was on the order of 40 °C for the flexible foam and 60 °C for the rigid foam. Both were found to return to room temperature after 20 minutes regardless of the volume of foam cast. It was also found that the direct introduction of high-Z additives were capable of attenuating 98% of Am-241 gamma signal, 16% of Cs-137 signal, and 9.5% of Co-60 signal at 1:1 loading capacities of total liquid constituent weight to additive weight. These efforts are currently being reviewed for the ASTM January 2017 subcommittee discussions to address the lack of test methods and standards regarding these materials with respect to D&D environments.

Electrical conductivity of quasi-two-dimensional foams.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazhgur, Pavel; Honorez, Clément; Drenckhan, Wiebke; Langevin, Dominique; Salonen, Anniina

2015-04-01

Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) foams consist of monolayers of bubbles squeezed between two narrowly spaced plates. These simplified foams have served successfully in the past to shed light on numerous issues in foam physics. Here we consider the electrical conductivity of such model foams. We compare experiments to a model which we propose, and which successfully relates the structural and the conductive properties of the foam over the full range of the investigated liquid content. We show in particular that in the case of quasi-2D foams the liquid in the nodes needs to be taken into account even at low liquid content. We think that these results may provide different approaches for the characterization of foam properties and for the in situ characterization of the liquid content of foams in confining geometries, such as microfluidics.

Cement blocks with EVA waste for extensive modular green roof: contribution of the components for thermal insulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. B. DE MELO

Full Text Available Abstract Green roofs can contribute in many ways to the quality of the environment, being known for reducing the heat transfer to the interior of the buildings. Amongst the available techniques for the execution of this type of covering, the use of light cement blocks which are compatible with the system of extensive modular green roofs is proposed. For the light cement blocks, produced with EVA aggregates (waste from the footwear industry, an additional contribution in the capacity of thermal insulation of the proposed green roof is expected. In the present article, the demonstration of such contribution is intended through measurements carried out in prototypes in hot and humid climates. After characterizing the capacity of thermal insulation of the proposed green roof, with different types of conventional covering as a reference, an additional contribution of the component used in this green roof was identified by making comparisons with measurements collected from another green roof, executed with cement blocks without the presence of the EVA aggregates. In the experiments, external and internal surface temperatures were measured in each of the prototypes' coverings, as well as the air temperatures in the internal and external environments. From the analysis of the data for a typical summer day, it was possible to prove that the proposed green roof presented the lowest temperature ranges, considering the internal air and surface temperatures. The presence of the EVA aggregates in the proposed blocks contributed to the decrease of the internal temperatures.

From Foam Rubber to Volcanoes: The Physical Chemistry of Foam Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Lee D.; McCarlie, V. Wallace

2004-01-01

The process of foam formation is used for demonstrating the way in which the application of physiochemical principles and knowledge of the physical properties of the materials contributes towards the understanding of a wide range of phenomenon. Solubility of gas and bubble growth should be considered during the development of foamed polymer…

Nanostructured metal foams: synthesis and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luther, Erik P [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Tappan, Bryce [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mueller, Alex [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mihaila, Bogdan [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Volz, Heather [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Cardenas, Andreas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Papin, Pallas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Veauthier, Jackie [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Stan, Marius [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

Fabrication of monolithic metallic nanoporous materials is difficult using conventional methodology. Here they report a relatively simple method of synthesizing monolithic, ultralow density, nanostructured metal foams utilizing self-propagating combustion synthesis of novel metal complexes containing high nitrogen energetic ligands. Nanostructured metal foams are formed in a post flame-front dynamic assembly with densities as low as 0.011 g/cc and surface areas as high as 270 m{sup 2}/g. They have produced metal foams via this method of titanium, iron, cobalt, nickel, zirconium, copper, palladium, silver, hafnium, platinum and gold. Microstructural features vary as a function of composition and process parameters. Applications for the metal foams are discussed including hydrogen absorption in palladium foams. A model for the sorption kinetics of hydrogen in the foams is presented.

Synthesis of α-Fe2O3 and Fe-Mn Oxide Foams with Highly Tunable Magnetic Properties by the Replication Method from Polyurethane Templates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuping Feng

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Open cell foams consisting of Fe and Fe-Mn oxides are prepared from metallic Fe and Mn powder precursors by the replication method using porous polyurethane (PU templates. First, reticulated PU templates are coated by slurry impregnation. The templates are then thermally removed at 260 °C and the debinded powders are sintered at 1000 °C under N2 atmosphere. The morphology, structure, and magnetic properties are studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometry, respectively. The obtained Fe and Fe-Mn oxide foams possess both high surface area and homogeneous open-cell structure. Hematite (α-Fe2O3 foams are obtained from the metallic iron slurry independently of the N2 flow. In contrast, the microstructure of the FeMn-based oxide foams can be tailored by adjusting the N2 flow. While the main phases for a N2 flow rate of 180 L/h are α-Fe2O3 and FeMnO3, the predominant phase for high N2 flow rates (e.g., 650 L/h is Fe2MnO4. Accordingly, a linear magnetization versus field behavior is observed for the hematite foams, while clear hysteresis loops are obtained for the Fe2MnO4 foams. Actually, the saturation magnetization of the foams containing Mn increases from 5 emu/g to 52 emu/g when the N2 flow rate (i.e., the amount of Fe2MnO4 is increased. The obtained foams are appealing for a wide range of applications, such as electromagnetic absorbers, catalysts supports, thermal and acoustic insulation systems or wirelessly magnetically-guided porous objects in fluids.