Proprietary cure module and method for impregnating graphite
AssigneeGodfrey & Wing, LLC
InventorsTroy Sutton, Adam Haviland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device and method for curing solvent-impregnated (or saturated) graphite parts includes a cure module, wherein graphite parts saturated with a sealant are positioned in the cure module. Water is then placed in the cure module until the graphite parts are immersed in the water. The cure module is then pressurized to between 1 bar-20 Bar or more and the temperature of the water is maintained at any temperature from 90° C.-225° C. or more.
Claims21
A method for curing one or more graphite sheets impregnated with a sealant, the one or more impregnated graphite sheets being cured utilizing a cure module having a first chamber and a second chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) adding the one or more impregnated graphite sheets to the first chamber of the cure module;
- (b) adding heated water from the second chamber to the first chamber;
- (c) maintaining the heated water in the first chamber for 10-45 minutes at a temperature of 90° C.-225° C. and keeping the first chamber at a pressure above 1 bar to thereby cure the one or more impregnated graphite sheets;
- (d) removing the heated water from the first chamber;
- and
- (e) removing the one or more impregnated graphite sheets from the first chamber.
A method of curing a liquid sealant in one or more graphite parts, wherein the method comprises (a) placing the one or more graphite parts impregnated with the liquid sealant into a cure module, (b) closing the cure module with the impregnated graphite parts inside, (c) adding a heating medium into the cure module to immerse the impregnated graphite parts in the heating medium, (d) raising the pressure in the cure module to above 1 Bar, and (e) raising the temperature of the heating medium in the cure module to any temperature from 90° C. or higher, wherein the heating medium is water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.