Apparatus and method for forming fibers from thermoplastic fiberizable materials

Abstract

Fibers are produced a from molten thermoplastic fiberizable material in a rotary fiberizing process by passing the fiberizable material through rows of fiberizing holes in an annular sidewall of a fiberizing disk. A first manifold supplies a combustible gas or gaseous mixture into the fiberizing disk where the combustible gas or gaseous mixture combusts to help maintain the fiberizing disk and the molten fiberizable material supplied to the fiberizing disk within a desired temperature range for fiberization. A second manifold supplies a combustible gas or gaseous mixture externally of the fiberizing disk where the combustible gas or gaseous mixture combusts. The products of combustion from the burning of the combustible gases or gaseous mixtures discharged from the first and second manifolds heat an annular fiber attenuation zone surrounding the disk sidewall and help attenuate fibers in the heated attenuation zone. A gaseous fluid discharge ring concentrically positioned relative the fiberizing disk discharges a high velocity annular curtain of gaseous fluid to help attenuate fibers in the heated attenuation zone and redirect the fibers for collection. Preferably, the diameters of the fiberizing holes decrease from an uppermost row to a lowermost row to decrease the mass flow rate of fiberizable material through the fiberizing holes as the momentum of the combustion products and the gaseous fluid curtain pulling on the fibers decreases.