Method and installation for heat treating carbon bodies containing sodium
AssigneeSnecma Propulsion Solide
InventorsJean-Etienne Loncle, Jacky Minet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Carbon bodies are heated in an oven under low pressure and while being swept with an inert gas, gaseous effluent containing elemental or compound sodium in sublimed form being continuously extracted from the oven via an effluent exhaust pipe. At least one sodium-neutralizing agent is injected into the effluent exhaust pipe immediately downstream from the outlet for exhausting gaseous effluent from the oven. The sodium-neutralizing agent is selected from carbon dioxide and steam, and it can be injected continuously into the flow of gaseous effluent.
Claims8
A method for continuously purifying a carbon fiber body by heat treating the carbon fiber body to remove sodium contained in carbon fibers, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing the carbon fiber body to be treated in an oven having a gas inlet and an effluent gas outlet connected to an exhaust pipe;
- heating the carbon fiber body in the oven at a temperature at which sodium contained in the carbon fibers is sublimed, under an atmosphere of inert gas supplied through the gas inlet;
- continuously extracting a gaseous effluent containing said inert gas and sodium in sublimed form from the oven through the effluent gas outlet and via the exhaust pipe, while maintaining within the oven a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, and
- injecting at least one sodium-neutralizing agent continuously into the gaseous effluent extracted from the oven during heat treatment at a location immediately downstream from the gas effluent outlet while maintaining any sodium contained in the gaseous effluent in sublimed form at the location of injection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.