Discharge Nozzle Plates for Center-to-End Fiber Oxidation Furnaces

Abstract

One embodiment relates to a furnace for heating fibers. The furnace includes a supply structure disposed within the furnace between a first end and a second end of the furnace. The supply structure includes a plurality of air chambers stacked on top of each other with gaps therebetween. The plenum is in fluid communication with the heating system. at least one plenum comprising at least one side wall including a plurality of passages formed therein, the at least one plenum configured to direct at least a portion of the heated gas from the plurality of passages into an interior of the furnace . Each of the plurality of passages formed in the at least one air chamber has a corresponding conical cross-sectional shape.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 076,746, filed November 7, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Background technique [0003] Oxidation furnaces are commonly used to produce carbon fibers from precursors such as acrylic, pitch or cellulose fibers. One common processing method involves continuously drawing fiber segments of precursor material through one or more oxidation furnaces. [0004] Each of the oxidation furnaces includes a respective oxidation chamber in which oxidation of the fiber segments takes place. Each fiber segment may be drawn into a first oxidation furnace as a carbon fiber precursor and then passed through each oxidation furnace multiple times before exiting the final oxidation furnace as an oxidized fiber segment. Rollers and tensioners are used to draw the fiber segments through the oxidation chamber of the furnace. Each oxidation ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0010] However, it can be difficult to precisely align openings in a hexagonal sheet of material with corresponding nozzles in a thin nozzle sheet

Misalignment of the openings of the hexagonal material with the nozzles in the nozzle sheet can cause the air exiting the nozzles to exit the nozzles in a less uniform and less parallel flow

Additionally, adding two sheets of hexagonal material to each air chamber increases the cost of manufacturing and assembling each air chamber

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