MATERIALS | CARBON COMPOSITES
Morgan already offers a variety of
Carbon Current Collector Pantograph
Strips for overhead pantograph
applications which uniquely allows
a reduction in pan head mass,
therefore reducing service and
maintenance costs. However, as
many in the electric train, tram and
bus industry will know, energy
efficiency needs to be improved to
reduce the overall carbon footprint.
Thus, more conductive collector
strips are continually in demand in
transportation markets.
In order to find even better
efficiency over the lifetime of
the pantograph, in-depth
research will be conducted
on how pantographs
made from carboncarbon
composites can
Not only do
carbon seals and
bearings reduce energy
usage during the pumping
process, but they are also
safer and more hygienic.
If carbon materials aren’t
used, then invariably a
secondary lubricant
needs to be added...
offer better electrical
conductivity. By doing
so, pantograph-powered
systems will be able to run
with less power consumption
and under a wider variety of
conditions. This includes extremes
in temperature, or in adverse weather
conditions, which are currently
constant challenges for these systems.
Other conditions that can affect
pantograph performance include
the different types of overhead wire
system being used, as well as the
speed the train is travelling.
Achieving a more environmentally
and sustainable composite for
pantographs also has benefits on
commercial savings, value and global
issues. By making trains more energy
efficient, cost savings could hopefully
be passed on to travellers, while the
overall transportation carbon footprint
will be reduced.
TURNING UP THE HEAT
Soft carbon felt has also long been the
standard for use as thermal insulation
in high temperature, vacuum furnaces
and inert gas, electric furnaces.
Once heated to a high temperature
carbon fibre becomes a pure carbon
thermal insulator, wrapping the
furnace interior like a blanket. During
this collaboration, Prof Kinloch and
Morgan will be looking into how the
carbon can be weaved to reflect the
heat more efficiently.
A crucial element of this research
project is looking at how to use
carbon felt within the solar panel
industry, testing graphene
or nanotubes to enhance
insulating properties. The
solar cell market is expanding
at a rapid rate; annual worldwide
market growth rates are projected
at 20% for the foreseeable future.
Solar cell production relies on the
production of silicon ingots produced
in a high-temperature furnace;
expansion of ingot production
requires larger furnaces, requiring
more carbon insulation.
Cost pressures on the steps of
solar cell production are intensifying
as solar cells become commoditised.
For carbon insulation producers like
Morgan, that translates into a need to
develop more thermally insulating
material and at lower cost.
HANDLING THE PRESSURE
Pumping water is a huge industry,
and quite simply, cannot afford to fail.
Key to keeping the industry’s pumps
going are the seals and bearings.
These parts undergo huge
amounts of pressure to ensure no
leaks occur, while pumping water
in high volumes, and are used from
large-scale industrial pumps all
the way through to pumps in coffee
machines.
However, water-pumping is
hard on mechanical systems; due
to water’s lack of natural lubrication.
This is where carbon materials really
excel, as they are self-lubricating.
The planar sheets of carbon in
graphite structures can slide relative
to each other, relieving stress at
material interfaces like those at
mechanical seal interfaces in pumps.
This reduction in friction lowers the
required energy to pump the water.
Not only do carbon seals and
bearings reduce energy usage
during the pumping process, but they
are also safer and more hygienic. If
carbon materials aren’t used, then
invariably a secondary lubricant
needs to be added into the pumping
process. This brings the risk of
mixing chemicals into the solution.
Research shows that 20% of
industrial energy consumption
is expended through pumping
operations; thus, even incremental
improvements in pumping efficiency
would result in significant savings.
Prof Kinloch’s work will focus on the
fundamental mechanisms within
carbon materials that dictate friction
and wear at interfaces; Morgan’s
strategy is to use this added
understanding to create longer lasting
seals and bearings.
During this research project Prof
Kinloch will collaborate with Morgan
Advanced Materials through its new
Carbon Science Centre of Excellence
at Penn State University in the USA. As
a strong supporter of manufacturing
and education in the UK, Prof Kinloch
and Morgan are eager to find carboncarbon
composite solutions to help
bring step-changes across many
industries. !
38 WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK | FEBRUARY 2020
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