Centrifugal casting of graphite for rigid insulation

A cylindrical casting formed by a method comprising:

• combining carbon-containing fibers with a binder to form a mixture;
• centrifuging the mixture in a foraminous drum, the binder passing through apertures in the drum to form a generally cylindrical preform;
• and
• heating the preform to a sufficient temperature to carbonize the fibers and form the cylindrical casting.

A centrifugal casting system comprising:

• a formaminous drum;
• an inlet pipe which carries a mixture of fibers and binder into the drum;
• a means for rotating the drum;
• and
• a filter lining the drum, the fibers building up on the filter to form a generally cylindrical preform as the drum rotates.

A method of forming a generally cylindrical casting suited to use as a thermal insulation material at temperatures of over 1000° C. comprising:

• mixing carbon-containing fibers with a liquid binder comprising a carbonizable material;
• pumping the mixture through a feed pipe into a foraminous drum lined with a filter;
• rotating the foraminous drum, the fibers collecting on the filter to form a cylindrical preform;
• and
• heating the cylindrical preform to a suitable temperature to carbonize the carbonizable material.