Ahlstrom Glassfibre Oy

Ahlstrom Paper Group Research & Competence Center

Andrea Grosso

Jonathan George

Kay Rokman

Eino Laine

Kay R&ouml;kman

Hanna Rahiala

Raimo Piittala

Kaj Back

Rami Haakana

Francesco Stopponi

Harri Niemela

Andrea Frillici

Disclosed is a method of producing a non-woven web of fibrous or particulate material comprising: formation of a foam slurry; deposition of that slurry onto a foraminous element having a three-dimensional mold; and formation of a web having a three-dimensional shape that is not substantially planar by removal of foam from the slurry through the foraminous element and drying the web. An apparatus therefor is also disclosed. The method may be used in production a variety of products, including automotive pleated fluid and air filters, pleated heating and/or air conditioning (HVAC) filters, shaped breathing mask filters and bacterial filters, laminated cleaning products with super-absorbent middle layers, such as a mop wipe shape to fit a cleaning mop head, and other products.

Method for foam casting using three-dimensional molds

A non-woven web of fibrous material containing a reactive particulate material is made using the wet laid, or preferably foam, process. First and second fibrous webs are made using the wet laid or foam process, and a liquid or foam slurry including reactive particulate material is provided between the webs so as to provide a composite web. Liquid, or foam and liquid, are withdrawn from the composite web and then the composite web is dried so as to produce a final non-woven web with reactive material having substantially optimum reactivity (that is the reactive material loses a minimum amount reactivity during the web production process). The webs and slurry may be made using substantially pure water, and the particulate part of the reactive material is mixed with the foam or liquid slurry no more than about ten seconds before the liquid and/or foam are withdrawn from the composite web. Activated carbon and titanium dioxide are two particularly desirable reactive particulates; the reactive loading is at least 0.01 g/cm , and the air permeability of the final web is at least 3000 liters per square meter per second.

Production of reactive material containing webs

Growing community of inventors

Turin, Italy

Andrea Grosso