The present invention relates to a method of producing an element for building construction made of the building elements in a form of hollow blocks or bricks or the likes, with the cavities in the bricks or blocks being filled that provides thermal insulation. The present invention relates to a method of filling a building element cavity with insulating material, the element being in the form of hollow block or the likes. The invention relates to a building element for thermal insulation obtained by the method. The invention is to be used to provide thermal insulation for construction in particular of residential and industrial buildings.

The conventional materials to provide thermal insulation of buildings are Styrofoam - polystyrene foam, and mineral wool.

However, polystyrene foam is characterized with no vapor permeability and sensitivity to some chemicals, in particular organic diluents, saturated hydrocarbons, benzene, oils, greases, kerosene, oil derivatives, that restrict number of means for bonding of produced polystyrene foam. The mineral wool is the other popular insulating material. The main disadvantage of mineral wool using is its high moisture absorption and tendency to subsidence in course of time.

There are known slabs made of foamed polystyrene or mineral wool that are used in thermal insulation systems.

The use of prepared foam - foamed polystyrene in filling of hollow building elements with in particular blocks or bricks to make a construction element to be used as a building element for building construction, in particular walls, is known. It is also known such use of clay hollow bricks filled with mineral wool.

Patent application DE 3006008 discloses the method of hollow building blocks filling with before foamed and mixed with adhesive binder polystyrene and the prepared insulating mixture is pumped into the block hollows.

Patent application EP 1854620 discloses the method for filling cavities with previously foamed with high temperature air polystyrene or with foamed polypropylene.

The thermal conductivity ratio of the known hollow block that are filled with polystyrene foam is U=0,l5 W(m ² *K). In case of the structural clay bricks that are filled with mineral wool, the thermal conductivity ratio is U=0,l7 W/(m *K). The main drawback of the known building insulating elements is high costs of production of them. It is still a need to provide a material for building construction made of building elements in order to manufacture element with high thermal insulation and to lower costs of obtaining the elements. It is also expected for such building elements to make building thermal insulation construction work simplified and shortened in time. That sets goal of the present invention.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided method of manufacturing a building element for thermal insulation characterized in that, the known for producing an open-cell or a closed-cell polyurethane foam are being prepared. Next the components are being mixed and supplied the mixture towards the hollow space of the building element before the polyurethane foam is obtained and the open-cell or a closed- cell polyurethane foam is being obtained in the interior space of the block and not before.

Preferably, the mixture is being supplied under pressure.

Preferably, the interior space of the hollow block is being filled with the mixture of polyurethane foam components to obtain an open-cell polyurethane foam of density range from 5 to 20 kg/m3.

Preferably, the interior space of the hollow block is being filled with the mixture of polyurethane foam components to obtain a closed-cell polyurethane foam of density range from 25 to 80 kg/m3.

Preferably, a clay aggregate bock eg. light expanded clay aggregate (LECA) block or a perlite block or a clay building block or a building concrete block or a foamed glass block or a block produced from at least one of the material is used as a building element.

Preferably, the mixture of polyurethane foam components is being supplied towards the internal space of the block in temperature of a range from -5 to 90°C and air humidity not exceeding 75%.

Preferably, the mixture of polyurethane foam components is being supplied at the pressure value of at least 3.0 MPa.

Preferably, a through-hole is being created within each of the side wall of the building element in such a way that the through-hole is created on a length from 20% to 80% of the element side wall length and then the through-hole is being filled with the mixture of polyurethane foam components to form a separation made of a polyurethane foam within the side wall of the element. Preferably, at least one pair of the tongue and groove joint is being formed within the created separation filled with polyurethane foam, wherein the first part of the joint is formed within the separation of the first side wall of the building element and the second part of the joint is formed within the separation of the second side wall of the element while the tongue part and the groove part of the joint are located in a parallel and opposite relation to each other.

Preferably, at least one pair of the tongue and groove joint is being formed within side wall of the building element.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided the building element for thermal insulation in a form of a component with hollow interior space comprising two side walls, the front wall and the back wall characterized according to the invention that, the interior space of the element is filled with an insulating material and this is obtainable through the process that the known components for producing an open-cell or a closed-cell polyurethane foam are being prepared. Then mixing of the components and before the polyurethane foam is obtained supplying the prepared mixture of the components towards the interior hollow space in such a way that an open-cell or the closed-cell polyurethane foam is obtained in the interior hollow space of the element.

Preferably, the interior hollow space of the element is being filled with the mixture of polyurethane foam components to obtain an open-cell polyurethane foam of density range from 5 to 20 kg/m3 and/or the interior hollow space of the element is being filled with the mixture of polyurethane foam components to obtain a closed-cell polyurethane foam of density range from 25 to 80 kg/m3.

Preferably, a clay aggregate block eg. light expanded clay aggregate (LECA) block or a perlite block or a clay building block or a building concrete block or a foamed glass block or a block produced from at least one of the material is used as a building element.

Preferably, supplying of the polyurethane foam components are being performed in condition of air humidity not exceeding 75% and temperature of a range from -5 to 90°C.

Preferably, the mixture of polyurethane foam components are being supplied towards the hollow space of the element at pressure.

Preferably, a through-hole is created within each of the side wall of the block in such a way that the through-hole has a length from 20% to 80% of the block side wall length and the through-hole is being filled with polyurethane foam to form a separation made of a polyurethane foam within the side wall of the block. Preferably at least one pair of the tongue and groove joint is being formed within the created separation filled with polyurethane foam, wherein the first part of the joint is formed within the separation of the first side wall of the element and the second part of the joint is formed within the separation of the second side wall of the element while the tongue part and the groove part of the joint are located in a parallel relation to each other.

Preferably, at least one pair of the tongue and groove joint is being formed within side wall of the element.

Preferably, the interior hollow space of the element is split into at least two cavities wherein at least one cavity is being filled with an open-cell or a closed-cell polyurethane foam.

Preferably, the interior hollow space of the element is split into at least two cavities wherein at least one cavity is simultaneously being filled with an open-cell and a closed- cell polyurethane foam.

Preferably, the mixture of polyurethane foam components are being supplied towards the hollow space of the element at pressure value at of at least 3.0 MPa.

The object of the present invention is to provide a methodology of interior space of hollow building elements, in a form of hollow blocks or the likes, filled with an insulating material. Unexpectedly, it has turned out that manufacturing of an open-cell or a closed- cell polyurethane foam in such a way that the polyurethane foam is to be obtained directly in the interior space of a hollow element, enables to fill tightly an internal space and fill the hollow space tightly sealed, that it is not achievable when hollow building elements are being filled with prepared insulating materials that are manufactured before products. Additionally, because the components are being mixed before supplying the components into interior space of the building element the invention enables to join the elements in a good way and that gives high quality of the obtained polyurethane foam.

The invention makes thermal insulation of building constructing time shorten and lower costs of building and construction materials production. The process of mixture of the polyurethane foam components starts before supplying the components into interior space of the building element eg. in mixer of automatic injector for foam components before supplying the components into the interior space with nozzles.

Process of foam producing starts before supplying the components into the interior space with nozzles as a result of chemical reaction between two fluid components in mixture. Depending on the embodiment of the invention, the components mixing is performed directly before the outlet of the nozzle of an airbrush or automatic injector with multiple nozzles or through mixing of the components in another mixer without using of pressure. In a further embodiment, depending of the methods of supplying the components mixture into the interior space of the building element, the process of producing foam can be postponed and prolonged so its foaming - producing the final product i.e. use such a mixture of foam, with such proportions of its components to make the foaming process started with a delay or lasted longer. It is possible to use so-called overflow foam. In the case, the providing of the mixture of the components into the interior space of the building element can be performed later in a wat to finish foaming process inside the interior hollow space of the building component. Such foams have different proportions of ingredients used and are called floodplains - overflow. Due to the property of closed-cell foam, which grows more slowly than opened-cell foam it is possible to filling the hollow spaces of block by supplying with a mixture of components of different types of foam. It is also possible to fill the hollow space of the block with different types of polyurethane foam.

The embodiments of the invention are described with examples and figures, wherein on fig. 1 and fig. 2 the building element in a form of hollow block is shown before being filled with mixture of foam components and different embodiments of supplying the foam - with nozzles or using hosepipe connected to nozzle, on fig. 3-4 the final building element in a form hollow block after being filled with insulating material in different embodiments, on fig. 5 the different shape of tongue and groove joint are shown.

Example 1

A building pre-element in a form of foamed glass hollow block made of known components is prepared with known method, wherein, as shown on fig. 1, the through- holes are made within the side walls of the block and each hole amounts to approximately 50 % of the wall length of the block, that equals 25 cm.. The interior space of the block is divided into several smaller cavities. The number and the shape of the smaller cavities is optional. Tongue and groove joints are formed within the side walls of the block that enables the building element to be bonded quickly and precisely during construction building with no necessity of vertical welds to be used. The tongue part of the joint is formed within one of the side walls of the block wherein the groove part of the joint is formed within the wall that is opposite to the former one and the parts are located parallel to each other.. There is also optional to use a block with no tongue and groove joints. Such joints of the block shortens time and limits costs of construction building in significant way due to necessity of vertical welds using exclusion.

Such obtained foamed glass hollow block is placed into the auxiliary form - that prevents from uncontrolled expansion of a foam that is produced within the interior space of the block. The form also enables to form additional tongue and groove joints located within the made of foam separations that fill the side wall through holes that were made during block preparation. The additional joints enables to reduce a necessity to use additional connections, thermal bridges and improves building elements bonding to each other. There is also optional to use a form that does not provide to obtain a tongue and groove joints.

Furthermore, the known open-cell foam making components A and B are being prepared. The A component compounds are a polyol mix (oligoetherols and oligoesterols), known chemical accelerators, known stabilizers, known additives and foaming substances, for example: water, to produce an open-cell foam. The B component is isocyanate compound that contains aromatic isocyanates, for example: methylene diphenyl diisocyanate homologues or toluene diisocyanate homologues. The A and B components amounts are such selected to provide a polyurethane open-cell foam of density 9,4 kg/m3. The components are being heated with known method to 45°C.

The high pressure unit is used for supplying the A and B components into the internal space of the hollow block . The high pressure unit works at pressure range of 100 to 180 Bars and is equipped with pumps, warmed up hosepipes, pressure generating section and injector formed into a pistol that is equipped with a mixer and a single nozzle, as shown on fig 1. The high pressure unit doses and dispenses the unmixed A and B components individually under high pressure to the mixer. The components are then rapidly being mixed and dispensed to the nozzle to be injected into the cavities of the hollow block. In order to reduce the mixture splattering it is optional to use a tiny hose being attached to the ending of the nozzle, as shown on fig 2. . Additionally, the warmed up hosepipes of the unit keep set temperature of the components. After the suction hosepipes are mounted and the set value of temperature is reached, the A and B components are individually being sucked by the high pressure unit pumps. The relevant pressure to be gained by the high pressure unit is 150 Bars to deliver the components to the pistol that is located at the other end of the hosepipes. Since the very rapid foaming reaction during the A and B components mixing, the mixing process in the pistol takes very short time in order the nozzle and the mixer not to be damaged during the reaction. It has been experimentally revealed that the pressure value at the outlet of the nozzle higher than 3,0 MPa, that is 30 Bars is sufficient to mix the polyurethane foam components with a preferred effects according to the invention.

The prepared foamed glass hollow block is placed into the form and with the injecting pistol the mixed foam components are being directly injected under pressure into the hollow block interior empty space. The value of the pressure at the outlet of the nozzle is approximately 60 Bars. The foaming reaction takes place when the components A and B conjugate and it is a rapid process, so that it is important that the mixture of the components leave the pistol as quick as possible. The mixing process should take the shortest time possible to supply the mixture into interior space of the block just before the foaming process started within the mixer or at least immediately after the process started in order to obtain the final product, that the foam is, just within the interior space of the hollow brick, so it is recommended that the entire foaming process takes place within the interior space of the block or at least the conclusion of the process takes place within the interior space of the hollow block. Normally, the foam is obtained approximately 4 seconds after the components are mixed. The rapid mixing of the components in the mixer allows to obtain the foam exactly within the interior space of the brick. This way all the cavities of the interior space of the blocked are to be efficiently filled with the foam. . The whole process is performed in external temperature of 20°C and air humidity of 50%.

After the foam being produced within the interior space of the block, the filled with foam block is removed from the form and the excess foam that grown over the level of the block is equated with the knife to the upper level of the block. Such obtained building element is shown on fig. 3. The embodiment without the tongue and groove joints is shown on fig 4. The previously made through-holes within the side walls of the block after the process are being filled with foam, that constitutes the made of polyurethane foam separations of the side walls of the block. Such solution enables to obtain additional insulating space among the building elements that are to be placed in line during construction building. The space in the side walls filled with foam provide additional insulation barrier within two such foam created separations. The insulation barrier enables the direct junction of the building elements placed in line in construction building and reduce a necessity of thermal bridges to be used. This provision impacts on the quality of thermal insulation of the building construction, partition with its significant improve.

Moreover, , within the made of foam separation two pairs of the tongue and groove joint are being created, wherein the parts of the one pair joint, groove and tongue part are located in parallel at the opposite sides of the building element, as shown on fig. 5 .. The joint enables to bond the building elements in more precise, more tight and more monolithic way and influence on time shortening and costs reducing of construction building. The tongue and groove connection can be created in any part of the made of foam partial separations within the walls of the block and also more than one pair of the connections can be created within the separation. The joint are obtained with shape of the form, that the hollow block before being filled with A and B components is placed into.

Such obtained construction building element in a form of the homogeneously filled with foam hollow block is suitable to be used within building partition constructing, that requires high level of insulation providing. The construction materials can be used as building material of residential as well as industrial buildings.

The building elements that provide heat insulation are characterized with efficiency and simplicity of bonding during construction wall building., The building elements are bonded in a linear way by tongue and groove joints, that reduces the necessity of vertical welds using. Heat insulating mortar is used for horizontal bonding. The thickness of the mortar is determined by producer’s recommendation. Vapor permeable external and internal plasters are used to building finishing.

With regard to high parameters of insulation of the obtained building elements there is no necessity to additionally insulate buildings walls, made of the elements.

The obtained building element is characterized with the following features: high level of warmth retention, lightness, high vapor permeability, low water absorption, high frost resistance. The polyurethane foam also provides antibacterial performance. The overall heat transfer coefficient of the construction material is lower than U= 0,08 W(m2*K) at building partition width of 50 cm. The using of the building elements obtained according the invention enables to significantly lower costs of characterized with such high insulation parameters building partition constructing.

Example 2

The method is performed with the flooding, overflow, method in such a way that the internal space of a structural clay hollow block is filled with a polyurethane foam with usage of a container, that the mixture of the A and B components is prepared in.

Structural hollow clay block is prepared with known in the art method and of known compounds wherein several through-holes of 5 cm in length are created within each of the two side walls of the block that equals 50 % of the entire side wall length. The interior space of the block is divided into several smaller cavities.

Then the prepared structural clay block is placed into the form that prevents from uncontrolled expansion of a foam that is being produced inside the internal space of the block. The form also enables to shape foam within the side walls of the block making foam separations and additional to manufacture tongue and groove joints located within the created through-holes during block preparation.

Then the known components A and B that a closed-cell polyurethane foam is obtained of are being prepared, . The A and B components amounts are such selected to obtain a polyurethane a closed -cell foam of density 35-80 kg/m3 of density eg. 36,0 kg/m3 of density .

The process is to be performed in such conditions, that the foam components are not allowed to accidentally encounter with each other. The recommended ambient temperature is l6-24°C. the recommended temperature of the components is 20°C. The performance is similar to the components mixing at high pressure, as described in the example 1.

The foam component A, located in a huge container is being taken in amount of 50 ml with a clean jar or with a relevant syringe to being poured to the container with a paddle. Then the foam component B, that is located in the other container is taken in amount of 50 ml to being poured to the same container with a paddle. The weight ratio of the components is A:B 100: 1 10. The volume ratio of the components is A:B 100: 100. After the components are mixed, the mixture is supplied into the interior space of the hollow block. After the components being precisely mixed, the foam is obtained after 15 seconds. The entire process, contrarily to the one described in the example 1 is performed within atmospheric pressure. To obtain the foam components mixture, the container, that the formerly taken components are poured into, is in use. The components taking has to be performed with usage of the separate jars, to prevent from a contact between the components. Then the taken components are being mixed with the usage of the paddle for 8 seconds. The recommended number of revolutions during the mixing is 1200 rev/min. With regard to the properties of the closed-cell polyurethane foam, the foaming process is lengthened. It is possible to select such a components of the foam, depending on its composition, that enables to launch the foaming process after 40 seconds and last for 200 seconds. After quick mixing the mixed components are being poured directly into the cavities of the hollow brick, where the process of foaming starts or continues, but is not finished before the mixture of the foam components is poured into the cavities. The foam with its growth tightly fills the interior space of the hollow brick.

The prepared structural clay hollow block is located in a form and the container containing previously prepared mixture of the A and B components of the polyurethane foam is being approached to the hollow block. And then the content of the container is being poured into the still empty cavities of the hollow block. The A and B components mixing in the container enables to obtain the mixture of the foam components and foaming reaction performance just after the mixture being poured into the interior space of the hollow block. The process is performed in external temperature of l8°C and air humidity of 45%. The obtained element is characterized with significantly better insulation properties than the one obtained with the method described in example 1, that ensues of the closed-cell foam being used within.

Example 3

The method of building element production is performed similar as described in the example 1 , wherein a light expanded clay aggregate (LECA) block is used within the method. The automatic injector with several nozzles is used to filling the block with the mixture of the foam components. Several nozzles using enables simultaneous filling of several cavities of the block. A light expanded clay aggregate (LECA) block is being prepared with known in the art method and of known components and subsequently the through hole is made within each side walls of the block and the hole length is 15 cm, that is 35 % of the block side wall length. The interior space of the block is divided into several smaller cavities.

Then the prepared light expanded clay aggregate block is placed into the form that prevents from uncontrolled expansion of a foam that is being produced inside the internal space of the block. The form also enables to shape foam within the side walls of the block making foam separations and additional to manufacture tongue and groove joints located within the created through-holes during block preparation.

Then the known components A and B that an open-cell polyurethane foam is obtained of are being prepared, as described in example 1. The A and B components amounts are such selected to obtain a polyurethane open-cell foam of density 7,5 kg/m3. The components are being heated to the temperature of 52°C, with known method.

The high pressure unit is used for supplying the A and B components into the internal space of the hollow block. The high pressure unit works at pressure range of 100 to 180 Bars and is equipped with pumps, warmed up hosepipes, pressure generating section and automatic injector that is equipped with several nozzles. The nozzles location is adjusted to the composition of the cavities of the block in such a way that at least one nozzle is to be located above one cavity of the block. The number of nozzles is adjusted to the numbers of the cavities of the block in such a way, that all cavities are enabled to be filled with a foam during one cycle of the process. The injector might optionally be equipped with a sole nozzle, being programmed to move and fill with a foam the subsequent cavities of the hollow block. The high pressure unit doses and dispenses the unmixed A and B components individually under high pressure to the mixer, that is located within the automatic injector. Additionally, the warmed up hosepipes of the unit keep set temperature. After the suction warmed up hosepipes are mounted and the set value of temperature is reached, the A and B components are individually being sucked by the high pressure unit pumps. The relevant pressure to be gained by the high pressure unit is 150 Bars to deliver the components to the automatic injector that is located at the other end of the hosepipes. The provided foam components mix in the mixer, that is located before the nozzle. Since the mixer using the mixing of the foam components is precise and the expected properties of the foam are obtained: lower density and lower overall heat transfer coefficient in comparison to situation, when the foam components are mixed at the outlet of the nozzle.

The automatic injector that supply the mixture of the foam components is located above the hollow brick in such a way, that its nozzles are placed inside the cavity of the interior space of the block or directly above the cavity, and the mixture of the foam components is supplied simultaneously in such a way, that the stream of the mixture is being supplied inside the cavity of the block.

The action of foam components mixture supplying is performed in such a way that to the prepared block that is located in the form the automatic injector equipped with nozzles is being approached and the mixture of the foam components is being directly injected into the cavities of the internal space of the block under the pressure and the pressure value at the outlet of the nozzles is over 30 Bars, averagely 70 Bars. An immediate mixing of the foam components inside the mixer and the mixture providing to the nozzles allows to obtain the foam just within the internal space of the block, that allows to obtain a homogeneous filling of the internal space of the block. The entire process is performed in an external temperature of l7°C and air humidity of 42%. The obtained building element for a building partition is characterized with the highest insulating properties since the using of such kind of hollow block. The overall heat transfer coefficient of the building partition of width of 50 cm is U=0,l 1 W/(m2*K).

Example 4

The method of manufacture a building element is performed similarly as described in the example 1, wherein the lightweight concrete hollow obtained by mixing of light expanded clay aggregate, foamed glass and perlite, made of known components is being prepared with known in the art method. The block comprises two side walls with no through hole. The interior space of the block is divided into several smaller cavities. The shape and number of the cavities is optional . Within the side walls tongue and groove joints are being formed that enables the building elements to be bonded quickly and precisely during construction building with no necessity of vertical welds to be used. This is also optional to use a block with no tongue and groove joints. Then the known components A and B are being prepared, that open-cell polyurethane foam inside the interior space of the block is being obtained of. The density of the obtained open-cell polyurethane foam is 7,5 kg/m3. The components are being heated with known method to 60°C.

The process of filling the cavities of the internal space of the block with the polyurethane foam is similar as described in example 1.

The obtained building material - component is characterized with similar features as the building element described in the example 1. The overall heat transfer coefficient is U=0,14 W/(m2*K) at the building element width of 45 cm. While the block with no additional opened cavity on the side and with no tongue and groove joints is used, the parameters of heat transfer are less advantageous since a necessity of vertical welds of insulating mortar using.

Example 5

The method of manufacture of building element is performed similarly as described in the example 1, wherein the A and B foam components are such selected to provide a polyurethane closed-cell foam of density 42 kg/m3 and its thermal conductivity of l=0,023 W/mK.

The obtained building element is characterized with a different properties as described in the example 1. The overall heat transfer coefficient is much lower and is U=0,06 W/(m2*K) at building partition width of 50 cm. The building element is also characterized with increased humidity resistance, in connection with low absorbability of the closed-cell foam. The vapor permeability is also lowered.

Example 6

The method of building element production is performed similarly as described in the example 1 wherein the perlite hollow brick is used within the method. The A and B foam components are selected in such a way to obtain inside the internal space of the hollow block a closed-cell polyurethane foam of density of 60 kg/m3 of thermal conductivity of l=0,021 W/mK and an open-cell polyurethane foam of thermal conductivity of l=0,034 W/mK. To the prepared perlite block that is located in the form the pistol is being approached and the mixture of the foam components is being directly injected into the cavities of the internal space of the block under the pressure and the pressure value at the outlet of the nozzles is approximately 60 Bars. The foaming process takes place when the components are mixed and it is a rapid process, so that it is important to supply the mixture of the components as immediate as possible into the internal space of the block, so that to obtain the final product, that is a foam, just before foaming. The mixing process lasts few seconds. After the components are mixed the foaming process lasts 4 seconds. The mixing of the A and B components in the mixer of the injector allows to obtain a foam just in the interior space of the block. The interior space of the block is supplied with the mixture of the open-cell foam components from the external wall. Then the pistol is being approached and the mixture of the closed-cell foam components is being injected directly into the cavities of the interior space of the block that are located at the internal side of the building wall. With regard to high resistance to compaction, that characterized a closed-cell polyurethane foam the entire element is becoming hardened. It is optional to perform the method in an inverse way: an open-cell foam being obtained within the external part of the block and a close-cell foam being obtained within the internal part of the block. It depends on the expected properties of the element to be obtained. The entire process is performed in an external temperature of 20°C and air humidity of 50%. The obtained building element is characterized with high level of warmth retention and high vapor permeability, since a closed-cell foam using.

It is optional to fill the particular cavities of the interior space of the block concurrently with open-cell foam components and a close-cell foam components. For this purpose, a close-cell foam mixture is initially injected into the cavities of the interior space of the block so that the walls of the cavities are being finally covered with a thin layer of the close-cell foam and then an open-cell foam mixture is injected inside the internal space of the block to enable remaining space to be filled with. Such a combination allows to reduce costs of the process since an closed-cell foam is significantly more expensive than an opencell foam. The obtained building element is characterized with high moisture resistance and advantageous parameters of heat insulation. The overall heat transfer coefficient is U=0,13 W/(m2*K) at a building partition width of approximately 40 cm.