Hexcel Corporation

James R Watts

Thomas K Owen

Milton F Custer

Kevin D McVicker

Susan M Brinkerhoff

Frank F Lee

William J Swanson

A heat exchanger tube (2, 2a, 2b) is made using a hollow, impermeable, monolithic ceramic inner tube (4) and wrapping the inner tube with a circumferentially extending reinforcing material (12) impregnated with a slurry of ceramic particles, particle carrier medium and thermoset binder. The combination of the inner tube and the impregnated reinforcing material is first heated to solidify the thermoset binder. The combination is then sintered to drive off the particle carrier medium and themoset binder to create a two-layer heat exchanger tube including the inner tube and an outer tube (6).

Heat exchanger tube and method for making

A strong, lightweight composite material having beneficial flexing characteristics is made using a unique reinforcement material. The reinforcement material comprises a fabric incorporating glass rovings with graphite tows in an architectural combination that retains the properties of both materials. Composite structures made using this reinforcement material with a thermosetting or thermoplastic matrix are extremely lightweight, with desirable anisotropic flexing properties. The finished composite structure is extremely useful as an arch support in a shoe to absorb and distribute the forces generated by walking. In distributing forces on the foot such a support will provide the desired stiffness along the longitudinal axis while allowing increased flexibility along the transverse axis.

Materials and processes for fabricating formed composite articles and

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Manteca, CA, United States of America

James R Watts