Pourable insulation material

Abstract

An insulation system using pourable insulation, a method of making pourable insulation, and a method of installing pourable insulation are shown and described. In one embodiment the insulation system includes a pre-classified insulation component and an adjustable compression package configured to hold the insulation component at a first compressed density and to allow the insulation component to reach, within the package, a second density that is lower than the first density.

1 . An insulation system for installing pourable insulation, said system comprising:
 (a) a pre-classified insulation component; and   (b) a package containing the insulation component, wherein the packaged insulation density is about equal to the installed insulation density.   
     
     
         2 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the packaged insulation density is between about 2 pcf and 7 pcf. 
     
     
         3 . The insulation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the insulation density is between about 3 pcf and 6 pcf. 
     
     
         4 . The insulation system according to  claim 3 , wherein the insulation density is about 4 pcf. 
     
     
         5 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulation component is selected from the group consisting of fibrous material, granular material, pellet material, agglomerated material, aggregated material and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulation component is inorganic. 
     
     
         7 . The insulation system according to  claim 6 , wherein the inorganic component is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass, rock wool, pearlite, mineral wool, asbestos, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulation component is organic. 
     
     
         9 . The insulation system according to  claim 8 , wherein the organic material is cellulosic. 
     
     
         10 . The insulation system according to  claim 9 , wherein the cellulosic material is shredded paper fiber. 
     
     
         11 . The insulation system according to  claim 10 , wherein the cellulosic material is made by shredding a cellulosic material in a pre-shredder; passing the shredded material through a screen having a diameter between about 1 inch and 4 inches; and shredding the cellulosic material in a hammer mill shredder. 
     
     
         12 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulation component is a mixture of organic and inorganic materials. 
     
     
         13 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulation component further includes a fire retardant. 
     
     
         14 . The insulation system according to  claim 13 , wherein the fire retardant is boric acid. 
     
     
         15 . The insulation system according to  claim 14 , wherein said fire retardant is present in an amount between about 7 wt. % and about 15 wt. %. 
     
     
         16 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , further including an expansion ratio modifying agent. 
     
     
         17 . The insulation system according to  claim 16 , wherein the expansion ratio modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of: synthetic or natural fibers such as polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, polyester terephthalate, cotton, hemp, glass, mineral wool, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The insulation system according to  claim 16 , wherein the amount of expansion ratio modifying agent is greater than about 1 wt. %. 
     
     
         19 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , further including between about ½% and 3% mineral oil. 
     
     
         20 . The insulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the package is a pre-formed bag. 
     
     
         21 . A pourable insulation system, said system comprising:
 (a) a pre-classified insulation component; and   (b) an adjustable compression package configured to hold the insulation component at a first compressed density and to allow the insulation component to reach, within the package, a second density that is lower than the first density.   
     
     
         22 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the insulation component is selected from the group consisting of fibrous material, granular material, pellet material, agglomerated material, aggregated material and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the insulation component is inorganic. 
     
     
         24 . The insulation system according to  claim 23 , wherein the inorganic component is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass, rock wool, pearlite, mineral wool, asbestos, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the insulation component is organic. 
     
     
         26 . The insulation system according to  claim 25 , wherein the organic material is cellulosic. 
     
     
         27 . The insulation system according to  claim 26 , wherein the cellulosic material is shredded paper fiber. 
     
     
         28 . The insulation system according to  claim 27 , wherein the shredded paper fiber is fiber made by shredding a cellulosic material in a pre-shredder; passing the shredded material through a screen having a diameter between about 1 inch and 4 inches; and shredding the cellulosic material in a hammer mill shredder. 
     
     
         29 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the insulation component is a mixture of organic and inorganic materials. 
     
     
         30 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the insulation component further includes a fire retardant. 
     
     
         31 . The insulation system according to  claim 30 , wherein the fire retardant is boric acid. 
     
     
         32 . The insulation system according to  claim 29 , wherein said fire retardant is present in an amount between about 7 wt. % and about 15 wt. %. 
     
     
         33 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , further including an expansion ratio modifying agent. 
     
     
         34 . The insulation system according to  claim 33 , wherein the expansion ratio modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of: synthetic or natural fibers such as polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, polyester terephthalate, cotton, hemp, glass, mineral wool, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The insulation system according to  claim 33 , wherein the amount of expansion ratio modifying agent is greater than about 1 wt. %. 
     
     
         36 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the ratio of the first insulation density to the second insulation density is between about 1½ and 10 to 1. 
     
     
         37 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the first insulation density is between about 6 pcf and 10 pcf and the second density is between about 2 pcf and 5 pcf. 
     
     
         38 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the adjustable package is an air-permeable compression package including a plurality of holes defined by the package, said package having a first compressed volume and a second larger volume. 
     
     
         39 . The insulation system according to  claim 38 , wherein the first compressed volume of the package is maintained substantially by the adhesion of the compressed insulation component. 
     
     
         40 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , wherein the adjustable package is a substantially air-impermeable sealed package having a first sealed volume and a second unsealed volume. 
     
     
         41 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , further including between about ½% and 3% mineral oil mixed with the insulation component. 
     
     
         42 . The insulation system according to  claim 21 , further including a coloring agent (CA). 
     
     
         43 . A method of making a pre-classified pourable insulation component comprising the steps of:
 (a) shredding a cellulosic material in a pre-shredder;   (b) passing the shredded material through a screen having a diameter between about 1 inch and 4 inches; and   (c) shredding the cellulosic material in a second shredder,   whereby the method produces an insulation that through manual shaking can go from a density between about 6 pcf and 10 pcf to a density of between about 2 pcf and 5 pcf.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , further including adding about ½% to about 3% water to the insulation component. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , further including adding a fire retardant. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the fire retardant is boric acid. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , further including adding oil. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the oil is mineral oil added in between about ½% and 3%. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 43 , further including adding the cellulosic material to a container. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the container is an adjustable package. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the adjustable package is an air-permeable compression package including a plurality of holes defined by the package, and having a first compressed volume and a second larger volume. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the adjustable package is a substantially air-impermeable sealed package having a first sealed volume and a second unsealed volume. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 50 , further including compressing the adjustable package. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the bag is compressed to a density of between about 5 pcf and 10 pcf. 
     
     
         55 . A method of making a pre-classified pourable insulation component comprising the steps of:
 (a) shredding a cellulosic material in a pre-shredder;   (b) passing the shredded material through a screen having a diameter between about 1 and 4 inch opening;   (c) injecting about ½% to about 3% water into the cellulosic material;   (d) adding a fire retardant;   (e) shredding the cellulosic material in a second shredder; and   (f) packaging the cellulosic material.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , further including blowing the cellulosic material shred by the second shredder prior to packaging. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , further including adding oil to the cellulosic material prior to bagging. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the package is an adjustable package and further including compressing the adjustable package of bagged cellulosic material. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the second shredder is a hammer mill shredder. 
     
     
         60 . A method of installing a pourable insulation, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) obtaining an adjustable package of insulation, the insulation having a first density within the package;   (b) shaking the package until the insulation has a second density; and   (c) pouring the insulation from the package.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the insulation includes a cellulosic insulation. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the cellulosic insulation is made by made by shredding a cellulosic material in a pre-shredder; passing the shredded material through a screen having a diameter between about 1 inch and 4 inches; and shredding the cellulosic material in a second shredder. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the first density is between about 6 pcf and 10 pcf. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the second density is between about 2 pcf and 5 pcf. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the shaking is performed manually for at least about 5 seconds. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the pouring allows the cellulosic material to fall from between about 6 inches and 3 feet. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the pouring is substantially gravity driven. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 60 , further including measuring the depth of the poured material and adjusting the depth to a depth optimized for thermal non-conduction. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 60 , further including measuring the depth of the poured material and adjusting the depth to a depth optimized for acoustic non-conduction. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 60 , further including measuring the depth of the poured material and adjusting the depth to a depth optimized for electric non-conduction.