US 12,264,109 B1
Continuous manufacturing of carbon foam structures at atmospheric pressure
Rudolph Andrew Olson, III, Triadelphia, WV (US); Douglas R. Amie, Adena, OH (US); Bruce M. Hines, Jacobsburg, OH (US); Brian H. Nichols, Weirton, WV (US); and Tatianna Englebert, Woodland, CA (US)
Assigned to CONSOL Innovations, LLC, Triadelphia, WV (US)
Appl. No. 18/838,514
Filed by CONSOL Innovations LLC, Triadelphia, WV (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 13, 2023, PCT No. PCT/US2023/012887
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 14, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/167778, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 7, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/315,235, filed on Mar. 1, 2022.
Int. Cl. C04B 35/532 (2006.01); C04B 35/634 (2006.01); C04B 38/10 (2006.01)
CPC C04B 35/532 (2013.01) [C04B 35/63496 (2013.01); C04B 38/10 (2013.01); C04B 2235/6562 (2013.01); C04B 2235/6567 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
6. An essentially crack-free carbon foam structure made by a continuous method, comprising the steps of:
pulverizing a carbonaceous starting material consisting of bituminous coal. subbituminous coal, anthracitic coal, lignitic coal, and combinations thereof into a powder;
blending the powder and at least one of a chemical or particulate additive to form a coal mixture;
placing the coal mixture into a carbon foam structure mold configured for continuous processing in a kiln under inert atmosphere at atmospheric pressure;
heating the mold and coal mixture at a rate of about 6° F. per minute in a kiln temperature of about 700° F. under an inert gas;
maintaining the kiln temperature at about 700° F. for a period of time for thermally processing the coal mixture;
further heating mold and coal mixture in a kiln temperature of about 900° F. until a carbon foam structure is formed; and
cooling the carbon foam structure at atmospheric conditions;
wherein the carbon foam structure has a compressive strength of less than 2000 psi or 13.8 MPa, a density of less than 50 pounds per cubic foot or 0.8 grams per cubic centimeter and is essentially crack-free.