Oxidation Furnace Hot Air Deflection Roller Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
In oxidation furnaces for carbon fiber production, a significant portion of energy is wasted reheating fibers that cool down after passing deflection rollers, leading to an inefficient energy balance, with up to 80% of furnace energy used for reheating rather than maintaining process temperature.
Innovation Solution
The air supply device is configured to direct hot air over the deflection rollers before the fibers re-enter the processing space, maintaining their temperature and reducing heat loss, while the deflection rollers are fluidically separated from the process space to ensure constant temperature and reduce heat exchange with the environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If deflection rollers are arranged outside the furnace housing in the ambient atmosphere, then the fibers can be guided through the processing chamber in a serpentine manner, but a high percentage (up to 80%) of the energy required to operate the oxidation furnace is used to repeatedly heat the fibers to the required oxidation temperature
Solution Approach 1:
Hot air is introduced as an intermediary medium between the deflection rollers and the processing chamber. This hot air flow pre-heats the fibers as they pass over the deflection rollers, preventing excessive cooling and reducing the energy burden on the main heating system when fibers re-enter the processing chamber
Solution Approach 2:
The air supply device performs preliminary heating action by directing hot air over the deflection rollers before the fibers re-enter the processing chamber. This preliminary thermal treatment maintains fiber temperature, avoiding the need for intensive reheating and thereby reducing overall energy consumption
2Temperature
If hot air is released into an area between the deflection rollers and the processing space, then the fibers are heated, but the fibers cool down on their way over the deflection roller since they have left the processing space
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply device ensures continuous hot air supply to the deflection roller area, maintaining a continuous thermal environment for the fibers throughout their path over the rollers. This continuous heating action prevents temperature drops and eliminates the need for reheating cycles, reducing energy loss
3Loss of energy
If the deflection rollers are shielded from the atmosphere surrounding the oxidation furnace by a housing element, then heat exchange with the environment is reduced, but access to the deflection rollers for maintenance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The housing element is designed with movable or removable sections that can be dynamically adjusted. During normal operation, the housing provides thermal insulation. During maintenance, specific sections can be opened or removed to provide access to deflection rollers, combining thermal protection with maintenance accessibility
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances the energy efficiency of the oxidation furnace by minimizing the energy required to maintain the process temperature, reducing fiber cooling, and allowing for safer maintenance access by controlling airflow to the deflection rollers.
Implementation Method 1
hot air is guided to the side of the deflection rollers remote from the processing space, so that hot air flows there over the respective deflection roller and the fibers
Implementation Method 2
If the deflection rollers can be shielded from the atmosphere surrounding the oxidation furnace by a housing element, there is no or only reduced heat exchange with the environment surrounding the oxidation furnace
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an oxidation furnace for the oxidative treatment of fibers, in particular for producing carbon fibers, comprising a housing (12), which is gas-tight, apart from passage areas (18a, 18b) for the carbon fibers, and a process chamber (28) located in the interior (14) of the housing (12). Hot air can be blown into the process chamber (28) by means of at least one air inlet device (36, 38). Deflecting rollers (32) flanking the process chamber (28) guide the fibers (20) arranged side by side in the form of a carpet through the process chamber (28) in a serpentine manner, wherein each fiber carpet spans a plane between opposite deflecting rollers (32). The air inlet device (36, 38) is designed such that hot air can be diverted to the side (58) of the deflecting rollers (32) facing away from the process chamber (28) such that there hot air flows over the respective deflecting roller (32) and the fibers (20) before it enters the process chamber (28).