The Future of High Capacity
Carbon Fiber Production
Presenter: James Fry
Applications Engineer, Harper International
Introduction
Challenge: Carbon fiber applications for ground
transportation exert market pressure towards
increased capacity and lower cost.
How can our industry meet the demand?
1
Agenda
• About Harper
• Automotive Materials Usage
• Current Carbon Fiber Production Lines
• 10,000 Tons Per Year Carbon Fiber Lines
•
Space Requirements
•
Energy Consumption
•
Technical Challenges
2
About Harper
Headquartered outside of Buffalo, NY
An Employee-Owned Company
Onsite Technology Center
Multi-disciplined engineering talent
– Chemical
– Ceramic
– Mechanical
– Electrical
– Industrial
– Process & Integration
3
About Harper
-> Established Leader in Thermal Processing Systems
-> Key Partner in Advanced Materials Scale Up
Primary Technical Focus:
 New / Challenging / Advanced
Material Processing
–
200°C 3000°C
–
Batch and Continuous processing
–
Precise atmospheric controls
–
High purity requirements
–
Complex gas-solid interactions
Harper Pilot Line at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
4
Technology Focus
Materials:
•Fibers & Filaments
•Metal Oxides & Powders
•Technical Ceramics
•Energy Materials
•Nano Materials
•Rare Earths
•Graphene
Applications:
•Sintering
•Solid-solid reaction
•Drying
•Gas-solid reaction
•Calcination
•Purification
•Reduction
•Metalizing
•Controlled oxidation •Debinding
•Carbonization
•Parts processing
•Carburization
•Phase transformation
5
Thermal Processing Systems
Custom Advanced Systems for High Temperature Processing
Range of Sizes:
•Research Scale
•Piloting Systems
•Full Scale Production
Design Expertise:
•Rotary Tube
•Pusher Tunnel
•Belt Conveyor
•Vertical
•Slot
•Elevator
Comprehensive Solutions:
•Material Handling
•Waste Gas Treatment
•Control Systems
6
Agenda
• About Harper
• Automotive Materials Usage
• Current Carbon Fiber Production Lines
• 10,000 Tons Per Year Carbon Fiber Lines
•
Space Requirements
•
Energy Consumption
•
Technical Challenges
7
Historical PAN-based Carbon Fiber Supply
Worldwide Nominal PAN CF Capacity
120,000
96,300
100,000
tonnes
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
-
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Source: Growth Opportunities in the Global Carbon Fiber Market 2011-2016, Lucintel, 2011
8
Global Carbon Fiber Capacity vs
Automotive Material Demand
Material Comparisons
100
90
80
Thousands of Tonnes
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Carbon Fiber - Global CF Capacity
9
Global Carbon Fiber Capacity vs
Automotive Material Demand
Material Comparisons
25000
Thousands of Tonnes
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
Carbon Fiber - Global CF Capacity
Aluminum - Global Automotive Industry
Consumption
Source: http://www.aluminiumleader.com/economics/world_market/
10
Global Carbon Fiber Capacity vs
Automotive Material Demand
Material Comparisons
90000
80000
Thousands of Tonnes
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
Carbon Fiber - Global CF Capacity
Aluminum - Global Automotive Industry
Consumption
Steel - Global Automotive Industry
Consumption
Source: https://www.worldsteel.org/Steel-markets/Automotive.html/
11
The Drive For Efficiency
USA Corporate Average Fuel Economy Mandates
1975-2025
70
Mandated Fuel Economy (mpg)
60
50
40
All Cars 1978-2011
Small Cars 2011-2025
30
Big Cars 2012-2025
20
10
0
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, http://www.nhtsa.gov/fuel-economy
12
The Drive For Efficiency
USA Corporate Average Fuel Economy Mandates
1975-2025
70
Mandated Fuel Economy (mpg)
60
50
All Cars 1978-2011
40
Small Cars 2011-2025
Big Cars 2012-2025
30
Actuals
20
10
0
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, http://www.nhtsa.gov/fuel-economy
13
The Drive For Efficiency
USA Corporate Average Fuel Economy Mandates
1975-2025
70
200
180
60
50
140
120
40
100
30
80
60
20
Aluminum (kg/vehicle)
Mandated Fuel Economy (mpg)
160
All Cars 1978-2011
Small Cars 2011-2025
Big Cars 2012-2025
Actuals
Aluminum Per Vehicle
40
10
20
0
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
0
2030
Source: 2015 North American Light Vehicle Aluminum Content Study, Ducker Worldwide, 2014
14
Example C7 (2014+) Corvette Stingray
Every roof and hood CFRP
 8.2kg CF per Coupe
2014 General Motors
What If
•
49,000 Tons CF
37,288 Vehicles (71% Coupes)
~261 tons CF
6.03 Million Vehicles
2014 Ford
• 6.3 Million Vehicles
51,000 Tons CF
Carbon Fiber
2014 Volkswagen AG
• 10.1 Million Vehicles
82,000 Tons CF
2014 Global Industry
• 87.9 Million Vehicles
Image © General Motors
718,000 Tons CF
Sources: plasancarbon.com; corvetteblogger.com; GM, Ford, and VW Annual Reports
15
Agenda
• About Harper
• Automotive Materials Usage
• Current Carbon Fiber Production Lines
• 10,000 Tons Per Year Carbon Fiber Lines
•
Space Requirements
•
Energy Consumption
•
Technical Challenges
16
Carbon Fiber Current Production Lines
1500 to 2500 Tons Per Year
3 Meter Processing Width
3 Meter Wide Harper Oxidation Oven Section
17
Current Production Lines
Floor Space Requirements
Up to 300 meters long
VENT TO RTO (VE)
MAKE-UP AIR (MA)
THERMAL OXIDIZER
CREEL STATION
PRECURSOR
MOISTENING
DRIVE 1
OXIDATION OVEN STACK 1 DRIVES 2&3
OXIDATION OVEN STACK 2 DRIVES 4&5
OXIDATION OVEN STACK 3
DRIVE 6
LT FURNACE SYSTEM
DRIVE 7
HT FURNACE SYSTEM
DRIVE 8
SURFACE TREATMENT SYSTEM
DRIVE 9
ONLINE WINDING
18
Harper Estimated Cost Structure
Cost of Manufacturing (CF) Based on
Cost of Manufacturing (CF)
1500 TPY 12k (90min, 90s, 90s RT)
Based on 1500 TPY 12k (90min, 90s, 90s RT)
Equipment
Depreciation
Depriciation
12%
Precursor
51%
Facility
Depreciation
12%
Labor
12%
• Energy ~10% of total
• Oxidation = 30-40%
• ~6 MW total consumption
• $4MM USD per year (energy)
Electricity
5%
Natural Gas
Nitrogen
6%
2%
19
Agenda
• About Harper
• Automotive Materials Usage
• Current Carbon Fiber Production Lines
• 10,000 Tons Per Year Carbon Fiber Lines
•
Space Requirements
•
Energy Consumption
•
Technical Challenges
20
Step Change From 2,500 to 10,000
Carbonization Line Productivity
10000
9000
2000 f/mm 10m/min
8000
2500 f/mm 10 m/min
Annual Capacity (mton/year)
3000 f/mm 10 m/min
7000
2000 f/mm 15 m/min
2500 f/mm 15 m/min
6000
3000 f/mm 15 m/min
2000 f/mm 20 m/min
5000
2500 f/mm 20 m/min
4000
3000 f/mm 20 m/min
3000
2000
1000
0
0
1
2
3
4
Line Width (meters)
5
6
7
21
Today vs Tomorrow
Production
2,500 TPY
10,000 TPY
Filament
Density
2500 f/mm
3000 f/mm
Line Width
3 Meters
5 Meters
Line Speed
10 m/min
20 m/min
Tow Type
Tow Spacing
(mm)
Number of
Tows
Tow Spacing
(mm)
Number of
Tows
12k
4.6
650
3.8
3.8
1300
1300
24k
9.2
325
7.6
650
48k
18.4
162
15.2
325
**Dual Tow Bands May Be Necessary
22
Dual Tow Bands
Parallel Oxidation
Shared
Carbonization
Single Plant
• Shared Controls
• Common Utilities
• Common Creels / Winders
• Etc
23
Floor Space as a Function of Line Configuration
400
Creel-to-Winders Inclusive Length (m)
380
360
340
3 m, 12K, 1500 f/mm
320
3 m, 12K, 2500 f/mm
3m, 24K, 3500 f/mm
300
4 m, 12K, 1500 f/mm
4 m, 12K, 2500 f/mm
280
4 m, 24K, 3500 f/mm
5 m, 12K, 2500 f/mm
260
5 m, 24K, 3500 f/mm
240
220
200
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
Line Capacity (mton/year)
24
10,000 Tons Per Year Line 48k Tow
5 Meters Wide
~310 meters long
Residence Times 60/60/60
(Minutes Oxidation / Seconds LT, Seconds HT)
VENT TO RTO (VE)
MAKE-UP AIR (MA)
THERMAL OXIDIZER
325 Tows Pitched 15.2mm Apart, Single Band
20 m/min Line Speed
CREEL STATION
PRECURSOR
MOISTENING
DRIVE 1
OXIDATION OVEN STACK 1 DRIVES 2&3
OXIDATION OVEN STACK 2 DRIVES 4&5
OXIDATION OVEN STACK 3
DRIVE 6
LT FURNACE SYSTEM
DRIVE 7
HT FURNACE SYSTEM
DRIVE 8
SURFACE TREATMENT SYSTEM
DRIVE 9
ONLINE WINDING
Oxidation
Carbonization, Each Furnace
3 Stacks, 15 Passes per Stack
10 Zones
26m Pass Length
20m Heated Length
1170m Total Heated Length
25
10,000 Tons Per Year Line Energy Consumption
Power Consumption
10,000 Tons Per Year Single CF Line
1483
1933
Ovens
LT
HT
2244
9735
Abatement
Auxiliary
1320
16.7 Megawatts!
1500 TPY, 6MW = 30 kw/kg
10,000 TPY, 16.7MW = 12.5 kw/kg
26
Technical Challenges
Today
Tomorrow
Increase
2,500 TPY
10,000 TPY
400%
3 meters wide
5 meters wide
167%
10 m/min
20 m/min
200%
2,500 filaments/mm
3,000 filaments/mm
120%
For Faster Speed & Greater Precision…
Better Process Stability
Oxidation Oven Stability
“Focus on the Bottleneck”
27
PAN Oxidation
“Like toasting a
marshmallow on a
camp fire.”
-Dr. Renee Bagwell
•
Achieve uniform thermal processing
•
Prevent runaway exotherm
•
Key: airflow uniformity
 Straight
 Smooth
 Even
28
Harper Oxidation Oven Flow Pattern
Inlet Nozzle
Collector Plenum
TowTow
Processing
Volume
Processing
Volume
Fan Inlet
Flow Just
Downstream
of Heater
29
Oxidation Unstable Airflow
Inlet Nozzle
Collector Plenum
TowTow
Processing
Volume
Processing
Volume
Fan Inlet
Flow Just
Downstream
of Heater
30
Harper Oxidation Oven Stable Airflow
Inlet Nozzle
Collector Plenum
Tow Processing Volume
Fan Inlet
Flow Just
Downstream
of Heater
31
Harper Oxidation Oven - Stable Data
32
Harper Oxidation Oven Safety Features
448kg PAN in Each Zone
=878,000 kJ Energy
=25 Liters Gasoline
Water Injection
Deflagration Management
33
Furnaces
Length OK
• Harper Has Furnaces >18m in Operation
Width is Challenging
• Multiple Vent Ports?
• Dual Muffles?
Harper LT : ~5.2 meter wide tow system in final assembly,
Two (2) muffles 2.6 meter each
34
Conclusions
Adoption of CFRP as an
automotive material will force
rethinking of plant
configuration.
16.7 Megawatts!
1500 TPY, 6MW = 30 kw/kg
10,000 PTY, 19.2MW = 12.5 kw/kg
Tousands of Tonnes
Material Comparisons
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
Carbon Fiber Aluminum - Global
Global CF Capacity
Automotive
Industry
Consumption
Steel - Global
Automotive
Industry
Consumption
Significant cost savings will be
realized.
Precision equipment
will be paramount to
success.
35
Thank You!
Visit us at harperintl.com
or stop by booth Hall 6, Booth C56
36