Claims
- 1. A method for supplying heat to a fluid which comprises:
- (a) providing a body of rigid, interconnected, multidirectional and continuous strands of vitreous carbon forming a rigid, porous, three dimensional skeletal structure, said body being so structured that it can withstand sustained heating in air to about nominally 350.degree. C. without cracking or significant electrical resistance change measured at room temperature; and
- (b) supplying electrical or electromagnetic energy to the body such that a fluid flowing in the body is heated by heat transfer.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is air and the body is heated to about 125.degree. C. or less in the presence of air which is forced through the body.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic energy is solar or radiofrequency.
- 4. A method for supplying heat to a fluid which comprises:
- (a) providing a body of rigid, interconnected, multidirectional and continuous strands of vitreous carbon forming a rigid, porous, three dimensional skeletal structure, said body having been heat treated to at least about 1800.degree. C. in a non-reactive atmosphere; and
- (b) supplying electrical or electromagnetic energy to the body such that a fluid flowing in the body is heated by heat transfer, wherein the body is at a temperature such that the body has an electrical resistance measured at room temperatures which remains substantially constant with time in the presence of the heated fluid.
- 5. An apparatus for supplying heat to a fluid stream which comprises:
- (a) a body of rigid, interconnected, multidirectional and continuous strands of vitreous carbon forming a rigid, porous, three dimensional skeletal structure, said body being so structured that it can withstand sustained heating in air to nominally about 350.degree. C. without cracking or significant electrical resistance change measured at room temperature;
- (b) means for supplying electrical or electromagnetic energy to the body, such that the body is heated by the energy; and
- (c) means for supplying a fluid stream through the body such that the fluid stream is heated by heat transfer with the heated body.
- 6. An apparatus for supplying heat to a fluid stream which comprises:
- (a) a body of rigid, interconnected, multidirectional and continuous strands of vitreous carbon forming a rigid, porous, three dimensional skeletal structure, said body having been heat treated to at least about 1800.degree. C. in a non-reactive atmosphere;
- (b) means for supplying electrical or electromagnetic energy to the body, such that the body is heated by the energy; and
- (c) means for supplying a fluid stream through the body such that the fluid stream is heated by heat transfer with the heated body and such that the body has an electrical resistance measured at room temperature which remains substantially constant with time in the presence of the heated fluid stream.
- 7. The apparatus of claims 5 or 6 wherein the electromagnetic energy is solar or radiofrequency.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,486 issued Sept. 2, 1980. Ser. No. 928,051, filed July 26, 1978.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2410999 |
Dec 1974 |
DEX |
WO8000334 |
Jun 1980 |
WOX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Brochure-Reticulated Virtreous Carbon-1976, Chemtronics International Inc. |
Textiles, vol. 77, No. 39, Pub 1972, Ishikawa et al., Carbon Fibres, see p. 69, col. 2, Abstract #166029f, Japan. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
928051 |
Jul 1978 |
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