Carbon nanotube recovery device, and carbon nanotube production device

Abstract

To provide a carbon nanotube recovery device and a carbon nanotube production device preventing the clogging of an opening of a recovery chamber communicating with a reaction pipe producing a carbon nanotube.SOLUTION: A carbon nanotube recovery device 20 recovering carbon nanotubes produced in a carbon nanotube production device 10, comprises a recovery chamber 21 comprising an opening 22 communicating with the carbon nanotube production device 10, and a removal mechanism 30 removing carbon nanotube deposit sticking to the wall face around the opening 22, which removal mechanism 30 comprises a removal member 31 to be inserted to the deposit, and a driver 32 moving the removal member 31 between a removal position and a retreat position, with the driver 32 further comprising a configuration rotating the removal member 31 on a rotation axis A, i. e., the moving direction of the removal member 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a carbon nanotube recovery apparatus and a carbon nanotube production apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Carbon nanotubes (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "CNTs") are a new material that has attracted attention in many fields due to their excellent properties such as electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength. Patent Document 1 discloses a CNT manufacturing device that uses a chemical vapor deposition method (CVD method) to generate CNTs by thermally decomposing a carbon-containing raw material (carbon source).

[0003] Patent Document 2 also discloses a CNT manufacturing apparatus equipped with a recovery device for recovering CNTs. In the apparatus described in Patent Document 2, CNT raw materials and a carrier gas are supplied into a tube from the upper end of a reaction tube heated to a high temperature, and the raw materials pass through the inside of the reaction tube to produce CNTs. The produced CNTs are discharged from the lower end of the reaction tube and recovered by a recovery device provided below the reaction tube. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-064918 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2023-056489 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Since the CNTs discharged from the reaction tube tend to adhere to solid objects, during the CNT production process, the CNTs adhere to the wall surface near the opening of the collection chamber that leads to the bottom end of the reaction tube. If subsequent CNTs newly produced in the reaction tube further adhere to the CNTs that have adhered to the wall surface, the CNTs will accumulate, and the opening of the collection chamber may become clogged with the CNT deposits.

[0006] When the opening of the collection chamber is blocked by the deposit of CNTs, the internal pressure of the reaction tube increases. Even if the internal pressure of the reaction tube increases in this way, the increased internal pressure usually causes cracks in the deposit of CNTs, and the CNTs attached to the wall surface fall off together with the gas discharged from the reaction tube passing through the gap formed at that time. In other words, even if the opening of the collection chamber is temporarily blocked by the deposit of CNTs, the discharge state of CNTs naturally returns to a normal state, so the CNT production process can be continued.

[0007] However, when a large amount of CNTs is produced per unit time, or when CNTs that tend to adhere to solid objects are produced, the CNT deposits may not fall off even if the internal pressure of the reaction tube increases, and the opening of the collection chamber may remain blocked. In such cases, when the internal pressure of the reaction tube increases excessively, the device must be stopped, and the production amount of CNTs decreases.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a carbon nanotube recovery device and a carbon nanotube production apparatus that prevent clogging of the opening of the recovery chamber leading to the reaction tube in which carbon nanotubes are produced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The aspects of the present invention that solve the above problems are exemplified below. (1) A carbon nanotube recovery apparatus for recovering carbon nanotubes generated by a carbon nanotube generation apparatus, comprising: a collection chamber having an opening communicating with the carbon nanotube production apparatus; a removal mechanism for removing a deposit of carbon nanotubes adhering to a wall surface surrounding the opening, The removal mechanism includes: A removal member that is inserted into the deposit; a drive unit that moves the removal member between a removal position and a retracted position, The carbon nanotube recovery device, wherein the drive unit further has a configuration for rotating the removal member with the movement direction of the removal member as a rotation axis. (2) The carbon nanotube recovery device according to (1), wherein the tip of the removal member is not positioned on the rotation shaft. (3) A carbon nanotube recovery apparatus for recovering carbon nanotubes generated by a carbon nanotube generation apparatus, comprising: a collection chamber having an opening communicating with the carbon nanotube production apparatus; a removal mechanism for removing a deposit of carbon nanotubes adhering to a wall surface surrounding the opening, The removal mechanism includes: A removal member that is inserted into the deposit; a drive unit that moves the removal member between a removal position and a retracted position, The carbon nanotube recovery device, wherein the drive unit further has a configuration for moving the removal member in a direction different from a moving direction of the removal member between the removal position and the retreat position. (4) The carbon nanotube recovery device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the removal member extends parallel to the moving direction. (5) The recovery chamber comprises: A first wall portion having the opening; a second wall portion adjacent to the first wall portion, The retracted position is disposed on the second wall portion side, A carbon nanotube recovery device described in any one of (1) to (4), characterized in that a separation member is provided on the inside of the second wall portion, which contacts the carbon nanotubes attached to the removal member and separates the carbon nanotubes from the removal member. (6) The carbon nanotube recovery device according to (5), wherein the separating member has a through hole through which the removing member can pass. (7) A carbon nanotube production apparatus for producing carbon nanotubes, comprising: a carbon nanotube generating device for generating the carbon nanotubes; A carbon nanotube production apparatus comprising: a carbon nanotube recovery apparatus according to any one of (1) to (6). (8) A control unit for controlling an operation of the removal mechanism, The carbon nanotube generating apparatus includes: a reaction tube to which a raw material gas for the carbon nanotubes is supplied; a pressure measuring unit for measuring the internal pressure of the reaction tube, The carbon nanotube production apparatus described in (7) is characterized in that the control unit is configured to execute control to move the removal member from the retracted position to the removal position when the internal pressure of the reaction tube measured by the pressure measuring unit exceeds a predetermined pressure value. (9) A control unit for controlling an operation of the removal mechanism, The carbon nanotube production apparatus described in (7) is characterized in that the control unit is configured to execute control to move the removal member from the retreat position to the removal position when a predetermined time has elapsed since the removal member has completed retreating from the removal position to the retreat position. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a carbon nanotube recovery device and a carbon nanotube production apparatus which prevent clogging of an opening of a recovery chamber communicating with a reaction tube for producing carbon nanotubes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a CNT production apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the CNT recovery device in FIG. 1 as viewed from below. [Diagram 3] 2 is an explanatory diagram of the CNT recovery device in FIG. 1 as viewed from the negative side in the X direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the removal head of the CNT removal mechanism as viewed from the direction of the rotation axis. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a plate that separates CNTs attached to the removal head. [Figure 6] 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining the operation of a CNT removal mechanism. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control flow of a removal mechanism. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of the control flow of the removal mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functional configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted.

[0013] <Carbon nanotube manufacturing equipment> 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a CNT production apparatus 1 for producing carbon nanotubes (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "CNTs") according to this embodiment. In this specification, CNTs are tubular carbon allotropes (typically cylindrical structures with graphite structure), and include so-called single-walled CNTs, multi-walled CNTs, or carbon nanohorns with angular tube tips. The CNT production apparatus 1 is particularly suitable for use in producing single-walled CNTs.

[0014] The CNT production apparatus 1 has a generation apparatus 10 that generates CNTs and a recovery apparatus 20 that recovers the CNTs. In the drawing, the "X direction" is the depth direction of the recovery apparatus 20, the "Y direction" is the width direction of the recovery apparatus 20, and the "Z direction" is the vertical direction. These X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0015] (Carbon nanotube generating device) The CNT generating apparatus 10 is an apparatus for generating CNTs using a chemical vapor deposition method (CVD method) in which a raw material such as a catalytic metal or a catalytic metal compound is thermally decomposed to generate CNTs. When the CNT raw material is supplied to the generating apparatus 10, a carrier gas (e.g., hydrogen gas) is also supplied together with the raw material. In this specification, the raw material supplied together with the carrier gas is referred to as raw material gas.

[0016] The generating apparatus 10 includes a reaction tube 11 to which a raw material gas for CNTs is supplied, and a heater 12 arranged around the reaction tube 11 .

[0017] A raw material supply port (not shown) for supplying a raw material gas for CNTs is formed at the upper end of the reaction tube 11. CNTs are produced while the raw material gas supplied from the raw material supply port passes through the heated reaction tube 11, and the produced CNTs are discharged from the lower end of the reaction tube 11.

[0018] The reaction tube 11 is a straight tube, but the shape of the reaction tube 11 is not particularly limited. The shape of the cross section perpendicular to the axis of the reaction tube 11 may be a rounded shape such as a circle, an ellipse, or an egg, or a polygonal shape. The material of the reaction tube 11 is selected by appropriately considering the heat resistance to the heating temperature during CNT generation, the thermal shock resistance, the weather resistance to the atmospheric gas at that temperature, the corrosion resistance, and the like. For example, alumina (Al2O3), mullite, silicon carbide (SiC), quartz glass, Kanthal (iron-chromium-aluminum alloy), Inconel, carbon, and the like are used.

[0019] The length of the reaction tube 11 is, for example, 0.5 to 4.0 m, preferably 1.0 to 3.0 m, and more preferably 2.0 to 2.5 m. The inner diameter of the reaction tube 11 is, for example, 10 to 300 mm, preferably 50 to 200 mm, and more preferably 80 to 120 mm.

[0020] The shape and heating method of the heater 12 are not particularly limited as long as they can heat the reaction tube 11 to a temperature suitable for CNT generation. For example, a tungsten heater capable of heating the reaction tube 11 to 500° C. to 2000° C., or a carbon heater or silicon carbide heater (SiC heater) capable of heating the reaction tube 11 to 600° C. to 1600° C. can be used as the heater 12.

[0021] In the CNT production apparatus 10, a pressure gauge 13 is provided as a pressure measurement unit that measures the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11. During the CNT production process, the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 is monitored by the pressure gauge 13. Information on the pressure measured by the pressure gauge 13 is output to a control unit 50 described later.

[0022] (Carbon nanotube collection device) Next, a schematic configuration of the CNT recovery device 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 in addition to Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the recovery device 20 in Fig. 1 as viewed from below. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the recovery device 20 in Fig. 1 as viewed from the negative side in the X direction.

[0023] The recovery device 20 is disposed below the production device 10. The recovery device 20 has a recovery chamber 21 that recovers CNTs, and the recovery chamber 21 is formed, for example, in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. An opening 22 that communicates with the lower end of the reaction tube 11 of the production device 10 is formed in a ceiling wall portion 21a serving as a first wall portion of the recovery chamber 21. The CNTs discharged from the lower end of the reaction tube 11 pass through the opening 22 and enter the recovery chamber 21.

[0024] A roller 23 is provided in the recovery chamber 21 as a winding member for winding up the CNTs that have passed through the opening 22. The roller 23 is arranged to extend from a side wall portion 21b, which serves as a second wall portion adjacent to the ceiling wall portion 21a, to the negative side in the X direction. The roller 23 is installed so as to be rotatable about the X direction as a rotation axis by a drive mechanism (not shown) provided outside the recovery chamber 21. A total of four rollers 23 are installed at intervals in both the Y and Z directions.

[0025] The above-mentioned multiple rollers 23 each rotate during the CNT production process, and wind up the CNTs discharged from the reaction tube 11. The CNTs wound around any of the rotating rollers 23 become a donut-shaped wound body, and the wound body is recovered from the recovery chamber 21.

[0026] (CNT removal mechanism) Next, a description will be given of the CNT removal mechanism 30. The removal mechanism 30 has a function of removing the CNT deposits when the CNTs adhere to and accumulate on the wall surface around the opening 22.

[0027] The removal mechanism 30 has a removal head 31 as a removal member that is inserted into the CNT deposit, and a drive unit 32 for moving the removal head 31 forward, backward, and rotating it.

[0028] The removal head 31 is a member extending in a direction (X direction) parallel to the axial direction of the roller 23. The tip shape of the removal head 31 is preferably sharp so as to easily penetrate the CNT deposit. The installation position of the removal head 31 in the vertical direction (Z direction) is higher than the roller 23 and lower than the opening 22. The specific installation position of the removal head 31 between the roller 23 and the opening 22 may be appropriately changed according to, for example, the inner diameter of the reaction tube 11. When the amount of CNT discharged per hour is large, the amount of CNT deposited on the wall surface around the opening 22 also increases, so even if the removal head 31 is installed at a position away from the opening 22, the removal head 31 can be brought into contact with the CNT deposit and the CNT deposit can be removed. On the other hand, when the amount of CNT discharged per hour is small, CNT deposits occur in an area relatively close to the opening 22, causing the opening 22 to become clogged, so the removal head 31 can be installed as close to the opening 22 as possible to remove the CNT deposit.

[0029] The overall length of the removal head 31 is preferably longer than the diameter of the opening 22. This allows the removal range of the CNT deposits adhering to the wall surface around the opening 22 to be expanded, and the effect of preventing the opening 22 from being blocked can be improved.

[0030] The material of the removal head 31 is preferably a material that does not deform when the removal head 31 is used to scoop up the CNT deposits, and that does not deteriorate due to the heat of the gas discharged from the reaction tube 11. For example, materials such as molybdenum, tungsten, and steel are selected.

[0031] From the viewpoint of facilitating removal from the removal head 31 of the CNTs adhering to the surface of the removal head 31 after entangling the CNT deposits, it is preferable to reduce the surface roughness of the removal head 31. Alternatively, the surface of the removal head 31 may be coated with Teflon (registered trademark).

[0032] It should be noted that the removal head 31 is not limited to being configured as a single needle-shaped member extending linearly, but may be configured as a plurality of members, for example, in a bifurcated or trifurcated shape.

[0033] The drive unit 32 includes a rotating rod 33 as a rod to which the removal head 31 is attached, a rotary motor 34 as a rotary drive source for rotating the rotating rod 33, and a cylinder 35 as a mechanism for linearly moving the rotating rod 33 in one direction.

[0034] The rotating rod 33 is a member formed, for example, in a columnar or cylindrical shape and extending in the X direction. The removal head 31 is attached to the end of the rotating rod 33 on the collection chamber 21 side, and a rotating motor 34 is connected to the opposite end. The rotating rod 33 rotates about a rotation axis A as a rotation center when driven by the rotating motor 34.

[0035] The removal head 31 extends in a direction parallel to the rotation axis A of the rotating rod 33, but is disposed offset from the rotation axis A. Therefore, the tip 31a of the removal head 31 is not positioned coaxially with the rotation axis A of the rotating rod 33, and as shown in Fig. 4, when the removal head 31 is viewed from the tip 31a side, the tip 31a of the removal head 31 is in a position different from the rotation axis A.

[0036] 1, the cylinder 35 is installed outside the side wall portion 21b of the recovery chamber 21 and below the rotating rod 33 so as to be extendable and contractible in the X direction. An end of a cylinder tube 35a of the cylinder 35 is fixed to the side wall portion 21b. The rotating rod 33 and the cylinder rod 35b are arranged parallel to each other, and the end of the rotating rod 33 on the rotation motor 34 side and the end of the cylinder rod 35b are connected by a connecting plate 36 serving as a connecting member.

[0037] According to the configuration of the drive unit 32 described above, the rotating rod 33 moves in the X direction as the cylinder 35 expands and contracts, and the rotating rod 33 rotates about the rotation axis A as driven by the rotation motor 34. Similarly, the removal head 31 attached to the rotating rod 33 also moves in the X direction as the cylinder 35 expands and contracts, and rotates about the rotation axis A.

[0038] The removal head 31 is movable in the X direction, and thus can move between a "removal position" where the head removes the CNT deposits adhering to the wall surface surrounding the opening 22, and a "retraction position" where the head does not impede the recovery of the CNTs passing through the opening 22. The specific positions of the removal position and the retraction position are appropriately set according to the configuration of the recovery device 20, but the removal position and the retraction position in this embodiment are as follows.

[0039] The removal position is a position where the tip of the removal head 31 is located closer to the side wall portion 21c than the opening 22, and is exemplified by the position of the removal head 31 shown by the two-dot chain line in Figures 1 and 2. Note that the side wall portion 21c is a wall portion facing the side wall portion 21b.

[0040] The retracted position is a position where the tip of the removal head 31 is located outside the inner surface of the side wall portion 21b.

[0041] An adapter 37 is provided on the side wall 21b of the recovery chamber 21 as a cylindrical member that accommodates a portion of the rotating rod 33 and the removal head 31. The adapter 37 extends in the X direction, and one end of the adapter 37 is fixed to the side wall 21b. The space inside the adapter 37 communicates with the inside of the recovery chamber 21, and the atmosphere inside the adapter 37 is the same as the atmosphere inside the recovery chamber 21. A seal material 38 is provided on the other end of the adapter 37 to block the outflow of atmosphere from the inside to the outside of the adapter 37 and the inflow of atmosphere from the outside to the inside of the adapter 37.

[0042] Further, a passage opening 39 through which the removal head 31 and the rotating rod 33 pass is formed in the side wall portion 21b of the recovery chamber 21. A plate 40 serving as a separation member for separating the CNTs adhering to the removal head 31 from the removal head 31 is provided on the inner surface of the side wall portion 21b around the passage opening 39.

[0043] 5, the plate 40 is formed in a disk shape and is attached to the inner surface of the side wall portion 21b by a fixing means such as bolt fastening. A through hole 41 is formed in the center of the plate 40, through which the removal head 31 and the rotating rod 33 pass when the removal head 31 advances or retreats.

[0044] The through hole 41 is an opening that is slightly larger than the peripheral shapes of the removal head 31 and the rotating rod 33, and has the same peripheral shape as the peripheral shapes of the removal head 31 and the rotating rod 33. In the present embodiment, the outer shape of the rotating rod 33 is circular, and the initial position of the removal head 31 before rotation is the apex position on the rotation trajectory. Therefore, the shape of the through hole 41 seen from the direction of the rotation axis A is a combination of a circular opening and an opening that extends upward from the apex of the opening in a substantially linear manner.

[0045] Such plate 40 comes into contact with the CNTs adhering to the removal head 31 when the removal head 31 retracts from within the collection chamber 21. Then, as the removal head 31 retracts further in this state, only the CNTs in contact with the plate 40 remain in the collection chamber 21. Thereafter, the removal head 31 retracts until the tip 31a of the removal head 31 is positioned outside the collection chamber 21 relative to the plate 40, whereby the CNTs are separated from the removal head 31.

[0046] It is preferable that the plate 40 is detachably attached to the side wall portion 21b so that it can be replaced with another plate having a different shape of the through hole 41. This allows a plate having a through hole 41 suitable for the shape of the removal head 31 to be appropriately selected and used, improving the versatility of the recovery device 20.

[0047] The material of the plate 40 may be, for example, molybdenum, tungsten, steel, etc. In order to facilitate the CNTs removed from the removal head 31 to fall off the plate 40, the surface of the plate 40 may be coated with Teflon (registered trademark).

[0048] The separating member for separating the CNTs attached to the removal head 31 is provided as necessary, and is not limited to the plate 40 described in this embodiment. The separating member may be any member that can come into contact with the CNTs attached to the removal head 31 when the removal head 31 is retracted, and separate the CNTs from the removal head 31. In addition, the separating member is not limited to being fixed to the inner surface of the side wall portion 21b.

[0049] 6, according to the removal mechanism 30 described above, when CNTs adhere to the wall surface around the opening 22 during the CNT generation process to form a substantially hemispherical deposit, the removal head 31 can be advanced from the retreated position to the removal position. This allows the removal head 31 to be inserted into the CNT deposit.

[0050] Furthermore, with the removal mechanism 30, while the removal head 31 is inserted into the CNT deposit, the rotating rod 33 can be rotated to rotate the removal head 31 about the rotation axis A. This allows the removal head 31 to entangle the CNT deposit, and remove the CNTs adhering to the wall surface around the opening 22.

[0051] The CNT recovery device 20 according to this embodiment has been described above. In this recovery device 20, the removal mechanism 30 is provided, so that the CNT deposits adhering to the wall surfaces around the openings 22 during the CNT production process can be removed. In other words, the occurrence of blockage of the openings 22 by the CNT deposits can be suppressed without stopping the CNT production process, so that the productivity of CNTs can be improved.

[0052] In addition, at least one of the forward movement, rotation, and backward movement of the removal head 31 may be started based on the judgment and operation of an on-site worker, but may also be started automatically by an instruction from, for example, a control unit 50 (Figure 1) provided in the CNT manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0053] The control unit 50 is, for example, a computer equipped with a CPU, a memory, and the like, and has a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores various programs including, for example, commands for controlling the operation of the removal mechanism 30. For example, the program storage unit stores programs for executing the controls described in the following control examples. Note that these programs may be recorded in a computer-readable storage medium and installed in the control unit 50 from the storage medium.

[0054] (Control example 1) 7 is a diagram showing an example of a control flow of the removal mechanism 30. In this control example, the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 during the CNT production process is monitored, and the operation of the removal mechanism 30 is controlled based on the internal pressure. Note that the time measured by the timer in the following description is the time counted in the control unit 50.

[0055] During the CNT production process, when the amount of CNTs deposited on the wall surface around the opening 22 increases, the flow path of the gas discharged from the reaction tube 11 narrows, and the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 increases. When the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 increases at this time and exceeds a predetermined pressure value, the control unit 50 determines that the increase in the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 is abnormal. The "predetermined pressure value" is set appropriately depending on the configuration of the production apparatus 1, the properties of the CNTs to be produced, and the like.

[0056] Thereafter, based on a control signal from the control unit 50, the cylinder 35 contracts, and the removal head 31 advances from the retreated position to the removal position. The advancing removal head 31 stops after reaching the removal position. At this stage, the removal head 31 is inserted into the CNT deposit adhering to the wall surface around the opening 22.

[0057] Next, based on a control signal from the control unit 50, the rotary motor 34 is driven and the removal head 31 starts to rotate. As a result, the CNT deposits are entangled by the removal head 31, and the flow path of the gas discharged from the reaction tube 11 is expanded. As a result, the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 decreases.

[0058] The rotation of the removal head 31 may be stopped when the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 falls to a predetermined pressure value or lower, but at this stage, although the blockage of the opening 22 is eliminated, some CNT deposits may remain on the wall surface around the opening 22. For this reason, it is preferable to continue rotating the removal head 31 in order to further reduce the amount of CNT deposits.

[0059] Therefore, in the control example shown in FIG. 7, after the abnormality in the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 is resolved, the rotation continuation timer is operated to start measuring time, and the rotation of the removal head 31 is continued until the time of the rotation continuation timer reaches a predetermined time.

[0060] Thereafter, when the time of the rotation continuation timer reaches a predetermined time, a rotation stop operation of the removal head 31 is started based on a control signal from the control unit 50. The rotation stop operation is an operation of rotating the removal head 31 to a position where the removal head 31 can pass through the through-hole 41 of the plate 40 shown in FIG. 5. The "predetermined time" mentioned here is set appropriately depending on the configuration of the production apparatus 1, the properties of the CNTs to be produced, etc.

[0061] After the removal head 31 has rotated to the rotation stop position, the cylinder 35 extends based on a control signal from the control unit 50. This causes the removal head 31 to start retracting, and after the removal head 31 has retracted from the removal position to the retracted position, the extension operation of the cylinder 35 stops, and the removal head 31 stops retracting.

[0062] According to this control example, the removal mechanism 30 can be operated only when the opening 22 is clogged with a deposit of CNTs.

[0063] (Control example 2) 8 is a diagram showing another example of the control flow of the removal mechanism 30. In this control example, the timing of the next operation of the removal mechanism 30 is controlled based on the elapsed time from the previous operation of the removal mechanism 30. Note that the time measured by the timer in the following description is the time counted within the control unit 50.

[0064] In this control example, first, the removal mechanism timer operates during the CNT generation process, and the removal mechanism timer measures the elapsed time since the removal mechanism 30 was last operated. Then, when the time of the removal mechanism timer reaches a predetermined time, the cylinder 35 contracts and the removal head 31 advances from the retracted position to the removal position based on a control signal from the control unit 50. Note that the "predetermined time" referred to here is set appropriately depending on the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 1, the properties of the CNTs to be generated, and the like.

[0065] After the advancing removal head 31 reaches the removal position and stops, the rotation motor 34 is driven based on a control signal from the control unit 50 to start rotating the removal head 31. At this point, a rotation operation timer is operated to measure the time since the removal head 31 started rotating.

[0066] Thereafter, when a predetermined time has elapsed on the rotation operation timer, the removal head 31 starts to stop rotating based on a control signal from the control unit 50. Note that the "predetermined time" mentioned here is set appropriately depending on the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 1, the properties of the CNTs to be generated, and the like.

[0067] After the removal head 31 has rotated to the rotation stop position, the cylinder 35 extends based on a control signal from the control unit 50. This causes the removal head 31 to start retracting, and after the removal head 31 has retracted from the removal position to the retracted position, the extension operation of the cylinder 35 stops, and the removal head 31 stops retracting.

[0068] After the removal head 31 stops retracting, the removal mechanism timer is activated to start measuring time, and the removal mechanism 30 goes into a standby state until the next operation timing.

[0069] According to this control example, the removal mechanism 30 can be operated periodically at regular intervals. Therefore, even if the pressure gauge 13 that measures the internal pressure of the reaction tube 11 does not function due to a breakdown, the occurrence of blockage of the opening 22 due to the deposit of CNTs can be suppressed.

[0070] (Other configuration examples) In the above example, the movement direction of the removal head 31 when moving forward and backward is the X direction, but the movement direction of the removal head 31 may be a direction different from the extension direction of the roller 23, for example, the Y direction. In other words, the movement direction of the removal head 31 is not particularly limited as long as it can move between the removal position and the retracted position.

[0071] Furthermore, for example, the removal mechanism 30 may include a mechanism for moving the removal head 31, which is at the CNT removal position, toward the opening 22. With such a removal mechanism 30, for example, it is possible to move the removal head 31 closer to the opening 22 after moving the head 31 forward, making it easier to remove the CNTs deposited on the wall surface around the opening 22. This can enhance the effect of suppressing clogging of the opening 22.

[0072] The shape of the removal head 31 is preferably linear so that the entangled CNTs can easily fall off from the removal head 31, but it may be nonlinear, for example, wavy or spiral. In the above example, the attachment position of the removal head 31 to the rotating rod 33 is offset from the rotation axis A, but if the removal head 31 is nonlinear, for example, the attachment positions of the removal head 31 and the rotating rod 33 may be coaxial with the rotation axis A. Even in this case, if the removal head 31 is nonlinear, it is possible for the removal head 31 to rotate around the rotation axis A to entangle the CNT deposits.

[0073] In the above example, the CNT deposits are caught by advancing, rotating, and retreating the removal head 31, but instead of rotating, the removal head 31 may be moved in a direction different from the moving direction of the removal head 31 moving between the removal position and the retreat position (for example, two directions perpendicular to the moving direction of the removal head 31 when advancing or retreating). Specifically, for example, after advancing the removal head 31 to the removal position, the removal head 31 may be repeatedly moved in the order of the positive side in the Z direction, the positive side in the Y direction, the negative side in the Z direction, and the negative side in the Y direction. In this case, the movement trajectory of the tip 31a of the removal head 31 is a rectangle, but even in this case, the CNT deposits can be caught in the same way as when the removal head 31 is rotated around the rotation axis A.

[0074] However, if the removal head 31 is not rotated, a mechanism for moving the removal head 31 in three axes is required. For this reason, from the viewpoint of simplifying the device configuration and reducing the size, it is preferable to employ a mechanism for rotating the removal head 31. Note that the mechanism for realizing the advancement, rotation, and retreat of the removal head 31 is not limited to the mechanism using the rotating rod 33, the rotating motor 34, and the cylinder 35 exemplified in the above embodiment.

[0075] In the above example, the axial direction of the reaction tube 11 is vertical, but the axial direction may be horizontal or in another direction.

[0076] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or altered examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0077] For example, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any desired manner. Any combination will naturally provide the functions and advantages of each of the components in the combination, and will also provide other functions and advantages that will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of this specification.

[0078] In addition, the effects described in this specification are merely explanatory or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the description of this specification in addition to or in place of the above effects. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] The present invention can be applied to a carbon nanotube recovery device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. CNT manufacturing equipment (carbon nanotube manufacturing equipment) 10 CNT generation device (carbon nanotube generation device) 11 Reaction tube 12 Heater 13 Pressure gauge 20 CNT recovery device (carbon nanotube recovery device) 21 Recovery Room 21a Ceiling wall section 21b Side wall part 21c Side wall part 22 Opening 23 Laura 30 Removal mechanism 31 Removal Head 31a Removal head tip 32 Drive unit 33 Rotating Rod 34 Rotational Motor 35 Cylinder 36 Connecting plate 37 Adapter 38 Sealing material 39 Passage gate 40 Plate 41 Through hole 50 Control section

Claims

1. A carbon nanotube recovery apparatus for recovering carbon nanotubes generated by a carbon nanotube generation apparatus, comprising: a collection chamber having an opening communicating with the carbon nanotube production apparatus; a removal mechanism for removing a deposit of carbon nanotubes adhering to a wall surface surrounding the opening, The removal mechanism includes: A removal member that is inserted into the deposit; a drive unit that moves the removal member between a removal position and a retracted position, The carbon nanotube recovery device, wherein the drive unit further has a configuration for rotating the removal member with the movement direction of the removal member as a rotation axis.

2. 2. The carbon nanotube recovery device according to claim 1, wherein a tip of said removal member is not positioned on said rotation shaft.

3. A carbon nanotube recovery apparatus for recovering carbon nanotubes generated by a carbon nanotube generation apparatus, comprising: a collection chamber having an opening communicating with the carbon nanotube production apparatus; a removal mechanism for removing a deposit of carbon nanotubes adhering to a wall surface surrounding the opening, The removal mechanism includes: A removal member that is inserted into the deposit; a drive unit that moves the removal member between a removal position and a retracted position, The carbon nanotube recovery device, wherein the drive unit further has a configuration for moving the removal member in a direction different from a moving direction of the removal member between the removal position and the retreat position.

4. 4. The carbon nanotube recovery device according to claim 1, wherein the removal member extends parallel to the movement direction.

5. The recovery chamber comprises: A first wall portion having the opening; a second wall portion adjacent to the first wall portion, The retracted position is disposed on the second wall portion side, A carbon nanotube recovery device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a separation member is provided on the inside of the second wall portion to contact the carbon nanotubes adhered to the removal member and separate the carbon nanotubes from the removal member.

6. 6. The carbon nanotube recovery device according to claim 5, wherein the separating member has a through hole through which the removing member can pass.

7. A carbon nanotube production apparatus for producing carbon nanotubes, comprising: a carbon nanotube generating device for generating the carbon nanotubes; A carbon nanotube production apparatus comprising: the carbon nanotube recovery apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. A control unit for controlling the operation of the removal mechanism, The carbon nanotube generating apparatus includes: a reaction tube to which a raw material gas for the carbon nanotubes is supplied; a pressure measuring unit for measuring the internal pressure of the reaction tube, 8. The carbon nanotube production apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit is configured to execute control to move the removal member from the evacuation position to the removal position when the internal pressure of the reaction tube measured by the pressure measuring unit exceeds a predetermined pressure value.

9. A control unit for controlling the operation of the removal mechanism, The carbon nanotube production apparatus of claim 7, characterized in that the control unit is configured to execute control to move the removal member from the evacuation position to the removal position when a predetermined time has elapsed since the retraction operation from the removal position to the evacuation position has stopped.

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