Other

Ashland Oil, Inc.

Larry D Veneziano

William P Hettinger, Jr

Donald M Lee

Roy E Booth

Joseph J Lauer

Willard E Jones

Catherine Berkebile, Administratrix

Donald C Berkebile

Donald C Berkebile, Deceased

There are provided improved processes for the manufacture of enriched pitches, carbon fiber precursors, carbon fibers, and graphite fibers. The improvement comprises employing an elevated wiped-film evaporator in a wiped-film evaporator system comprising the wiped-film evaporator and a means for recovering enriched pitch, such as a positive displacement pump, to form an enriched pitch from catalytic pitch and regulating the operating conditions of the wiped-film evaporator system to provide the desired enriched pitch. The wiped-film evaporator is located a specific distance above the means for recovering enriched pitch. The vertical distance between the outlet of the wiped-film evaporator and the inlet of the means for recovering enriched pitch is within the range of about 10 feet to about 40 feet, preferably about 20 feet to about 40 feet.

Processes for the manufacture of enriched pitches and carbon fibers

A large number of melt blown carbon fibers from petroleum pitch through a multi-orifice die under continuous formation, are fed onto the periphery of a continuously moving endless conveyor surface whose surface speed is matched to the linear velocity of the melt blown carbon fibers to cause the fibers to be deposited in parallel alignment on the conveyor surface and to be maintained in fiber axial alignment to form a non-woven mat of aligned carbon fibers. The speed of the conveyor surface may be slightly less than the linear speed of the fibers to form a loose fiber mat to facilitate subsequent fiber oxidation and carbonization by permitting gas flow through the aligned fiber mat. The endless conveyor may comprise a cylindrical drum whose surface is perforated to facilitate gas flow and oxidation of the carbon fibers subsequent to non-woven mat formation. The drum circumference may be set to the desired fiber length and the mat severed transversely to permit removal of the aligned fibers of desired length in bundle form.

Process of making a loosely formed non-woven mat of aligned carbon fibers

Rotating drum accumulator for semi-aligned carbon fibers and process of

Growing community of inventors

Simi, CA, United States of America

Larry D Veneziano