Steam Cracker Tar Pitch Composition for Reliable Carbon Fiber Spinning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of carbon fiber and carbon fiber composites limits their widespread use despite their remarkable properties, and existing production methods from petroleum pitch suffer from batch dependencies due to feed variability and process changes, leading to unreliable commercial supply of isotropic and mesophase pitch.
Innovation Solution
A process for producing pitch compositions from steam cracking of crude oils, involving steam cracking, pretreatment, and heat treatment to produce pitch products with controlled mesophase content and softening point, suitable for spinning into fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If petroleum pitch is used to produce carbon fibers, then carbon fiber production is achieved, but batch dependencies occur due to feed variability and process changes resulting in unreliable commercial supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the feedstock parameter from petroleum pitch to steam cracker tar, and controls reaction parameters (temperature 200-800°C, residence time 0.1-10 hours) to produce pitch with consistent properties (MCR 40-95 wt%, softening point 50-400°C) regardless of crude oil feed variations, thereby improving supply reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal pitch production process that can handle multiple crude oil feedstocks with varying compositions and still produce consistent pitch products suitable for carbon fiber production, making the process robust against feed variability
2Reliability
If traditional carbon fiber production methods are used, then carbon fiber properties are achieved, but high production cost limits widespread use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses steam cracker tar, a byproduct of ethylene production, as feedstock instead of expensive petroleum pitch. This byproduct is readily available and inexpensive, significantly reducing raw material costs while producing pitch suitable for carbon fiber manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes heat treatment parameters (temperature range 200-800°C, residence time 0.1-10 hours) to efficiently convert steam cracker tar into high-quality pitch, maximizing yield and product quality while minimizing energy consumption and processing costs
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
The process enables cost-effective production of pitch compositions with flexible feedstocks, achieving high mesophase content and softening points suitable for spinning into fibers, addressing the reliability and cost issues of traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
steam cracking of one or more crude oils in a steam cracking zone to produce a first effluent comprising a heavy oil mixture comprising a steam cracker tar, a second effluent comprising a mixture of gaseous products and liquid products
Implementation Method 2
heat treating the first effluent, the first effluent pretreated product, the second effluent, the second effluent pretreated product, the third effluent, the third effluent pretreated product, or any combination thereof, in the reaction zone to a temperature in the range of about 200° C. to about 800° C. to produce a first reaction effluent comprising a pitch product
Data Source
AI summary
Pitch compositions may be obtained by subjecting one or more crude oils to steam cracking. Processes for producing pitch compositions suitable for spinning into fibers from steam cracking of crude oils may comprise: steam cracking of one or more crude oils in a steam cracking zone to produce a first effluent comprising a heavy oil mixture comprising a steam cracker tar, a second effluent comprising a mixture of gaseous products and liquid products, and a third effluent comprising one or more bottoms products; pretreating and heat treating the first, second and/or third effluent to produce a pitch composition having a mesophase content from 0 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the pitch product, an MCR in the range of about 40 wt % to about 95 wt %, and a softening point Tsp in the range of about 50° C. to about 400° C.