Fiberglass Production Process

Binder solution concentration measurement in fiberglass production

Fiberglass, or glass fiber wool, is produced by spinning or blowing molten glass (silica) from extremely fine short fibers of glass.

In the process, adhesive binding solution is used to hold the fibers together and as a coloring agent for the product.

The insulation wool is produced in the glass furnace by flowing a stream of molten glass vertically down through a circular ring. The strands are created by blowing air through nozzles to atomize the molten glass into fine strands.

The bonded wool is collected and packaged to be used as insulation, and the residual binder waste solution is forwarded for settling and particles removal.

Before removing the remaining binder solution, it is measured for dissolved solids to determine the quantity of the resin, ammonium sulfate, phenol and other components present in the solution.

The spent binder solution cannot be released into local sewage systems as it contains color agents that are difficult to neutralize. It is therefore collected from the production for recycling.

In-line Vaisala Polaris^TM process refractometer is used to determine the amount of dissolved solids in the spent binder solution in order to control the quantity of fresh binder to be added. 

Learn more details about the process from the application note.

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