Analogue experimental study of fiber formation on two-wheel spinner

Bizjan, Benjamin (author), Širok, Brane (author), Blagojevič, Marko (author)

In this paper, the process of mineral fiber formation was investigated experimentally on a two-wheel spinner by means of high-speed imaging. Analogue isomalt melt was fiberized at different rotational speeds of spinner wheels, melt flow rates and impingement positions so that the fiberization process was dynamically similar to an industrial mineral wool production process. Images of fiber formation and transport reveal highly complex dynamics of these processes, as fibers mostly occur in form of 3D mutually intertwined structures such as clusters, strands and veils periodically shedding from the melt film. Despite the complexity of flow structures, there is a clear trend of increasing mean fiber length and expansion angle of the coaxial fiber-laden flow as the Weber number and the ratio of melt film velocity to blowing air velocity are increased. The fiberization efficiency (ratio of fiber mass deposited on the collecting mesh to the mass of melt poured) is affected by the impingement position and flow rate of melt as well as the Weber number of melt film. The optimum efficiency was attained at 30° (1 o'clock) impingement position and the ratio of melt film to blowing air flow velocity close to unity.

• Language: English
• Keywords: spinners, fiber formation, mineral wool, multiphase flow, primary layer, high-speed imaging
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: Str. 279-288
• Numbering: Vol. 66, iss. 5
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-116198
• UDC: 519.8:621.928.3(045)
• ISSN on article: 0039-2480
• DOI: 10.5545/sv-jme.2020.6557
• COBISS.SI-ID: 16312323
• Publication date in RUL: 22.05.2020

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Strojniški vestnik
• Shortened title: Stroj. vestn.
• Publisher: Zveza strojnih inženirjev in tehnikov Slovenije [etc.], = Association of Mechanical Engineers and Technicians of Slovenia [etc.
• ISSN: 0039-2480
• COBISS.SI-ID: 762116

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Analogna eksperimentalna študija tvorbe vlaken na dvokolesni centrifugi
• Keywords: centrifuge, razvlaknjenje, mineralna volna, večfazni tok, primarna plast, hitre kamere

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0401
• Name: Energetsko strojništvo

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: Z7-8271
• Name: Izboljšanje procesa razvlaknjenja mineralne volne