Harper: Carbon fiber processing line for ORNL

Harper International (Buffalo, N.Y.; www.harperintl.com) has finalized a contract with the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for a full pilot scale carbon fiber process line valued at greater than $12 million. The line is a custom designed conversion process to support ORNL’s Low Cost Carbon Fiber research and technology transfer. The facility, to be a collaborative research center, is designed as one of the most sophisticated and capable facilities in the industry. Harper was selected for the contract due to its capability to successfully design, manufacture, install, and commission a fully integrated carbon fiber process line. Harper was chosen after an open public tender as the technical and implementation partner for engineering, process equipment, installation and startup of the line, which will support operation under multiple precursor platforms. The custom-designed line incorporates Harper’s proprietary multi-flow oxidation oven technology, advanced LT and HT slot furnaces rated for 1,000°C and 2,000°C respectively, pre- and post-treatment fiber conditioning, gas treatment and handling, and material transport systems. Harper focuses on holistic designs to link the…