Abstract: A horizontal heat treatment device continuously subjects an untreated continuous flat object to heat treatment while horizontally transferring the untreated object within a heat treatment chamber. Seal chambers are interconnected to the untreated-object loading opening and treated-object unloading opening of the heat treatment chamber. A passage is connected to an opening of each of the seal chambers, the opening located on the side opposite the heat treatment chamber. The untreated-object passage loading opening interconnected to the untreated-object seal chamber loading opening and the treated-object passage unloading opening interconnected to the treated-object seal chamber unloading opening are the untreated-object loading opening and treated-object unloading opening of the heat treatment device. A pair of gas ejection nozzles are provided at upper and lower positions of the passages. The nozzles eject gas in specific directions, and the nozzle openings have a specific shape, a direction, and a length.

Abstract: There is provided a dry-wet spinning device for an acrylic precursor fiber bundle for manufacturing carbon fibers, the device enabling stable spinning by making the coagulability of spun yarn (2) uniform by suppressing the vibration of the coagulating liquid surface to make the spun yarn (2) spun downward from a spinneret (1) without the liquid surface being in contact with the spinning surface of the spinneret less susceptible to an accompanying flow reflected by the bottom surface of a spinning bath. To this end, in the present invention, a horizontal flow straightening plate (8) produced from a porous plate or a plate material extending in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the spun yarn (2) is spun is disposed in a coagulation bath so as to surround the circumference of the yarn spun downward from the spinneret (1).

Abstract: The invention provides a packaged tow being characterized in that a carbon fiber precursor tow having a flattened shape in cross section and having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface is layered and packaged in a packaging container in untwisted state. A front end and a back end of the carbon fiber precursor tow thus packaged are placed on a top of the fully-packaged carbon fiber precursor tow. When the front end and a back end of the tow are respectively applied with top/bottom surface identification means to identify top and bottom surfaces thereof, top and bottom surfaces on front ends and back ends of tows packaged in a plurality of packaging containers can be correctly identified and joined. As a result, thread breakage due to heat accumulation in twisted parts in a flame proofing process can be prevented from happening.

Abstract: Disclosed are a wet spinning apparatus and a wet spinning method, which enable to manufacture fibers with excellent quality by controlling the flow of a coagulation liquid in a spinning bath and which enable to cope with high speed spinning (or high speed drawing). A wet spinning apparatus comprises a spinning bath at one end in which there are provided a nozzle for discharging a spinning raw liquid and coagulation liquid discharge ports and for discharging a coagulation liquid, at the other end in which there are provided a drawing roll for drawing coagulated filaments and a coagulation liquid recovery portion into which the coagulation liquid flows out. The spinning bath has a coagulation bath portion having a cross sectional area gradually reduced from one end to the other end, for coagulating the spinning raw liquid, and a filament running portion having a cross sectional area gradually enlarged from one end to the other end, for allowing the coagulated filaments to run therein.

Abstract: Provided is a pressure steam treatment apparatus of a fiber bundle and a producing method of a carbon fiber precursor fiber bundle for producing a carbonated precursor fiber bundle to suppress an influence of a leakage of a pressure steam to the outside of the apparatus so as to hold down a pressure steam supply amount to the minimum, simultaneously reduce a broken yarn, improve a yield ratio and have a high productivity. A pressure steam treatment apparatus is provided with labyrinth sealing chambers in back and forth of a pressure steam treatment chamber, and treats a plurality of fiber bundles traveling in parallel like a sheet along a fiber bundle travel path in a lump under a pressure steam atmosphere. The fiber bundle travel path of the labyrinth sealing chamber is divided in parallel to the fiber bundle.

Abstract: A horizontal heat treatment device continuously subjects an untreated continuous flat object to heat treatment while horizontally transferring the untreated object within a heat treatment chamber. Seal chambers are interconnected to the untreated-object loading opening and treated-object unloading opening of the heat treatment chamber. A passage is connected to an opening of each of the seal chambers, the opening located on the side opposite the heat treatment chamber. The untreated-object passage loading opening interconnected to the untreated-object seal chamber loading opening and the treated-object passage unloading opening interconnected to the treated-object seal chamber unloading opening are the untreated-object loading opening and treated-object unloading opening of the heat treatment device. A pair of gas ejection nozzles are provided at upper and lower positions of the passages. The nozzles eject gas in specific directions, and the nozzle openings have a specific shape, a direction, and a length.

Abstract: A pressure steam treatment apparatus according to the invention includes a pressure steam treatment chamber and labyrinth sealing chambers. The labyrinth sealing chambers are respectively arranged on a fiber bundle inlet and on a fiber bundle outlet of the steam treatment apparatus, having a running path of the fiber bundle in a horizontal direction and having plural labyrinth nozzles on top and bottom of the running path. The difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the distance in the perpendicular direction of the top and bottom side labyrinth nozzles, of a pair of opposing labyrinth nozzles is 0.5 mm or smaller when the ambient temperature of the labyrinth sealing chamber is 140° C. This structure ensures that the energy cost can be reduced, the deformation of the apparatus and also, the raise of fuzz on the fiber bundle and fiber bundle breakage can be prevented at the same time.

Abstract: There is provided a dry-wet spinning device for an acrylic precursor fiber bundle for manufacturing carbon fibers, the device enabling stable spinning by making the coagulability of spun yarn (2) uniform by suppressing the vibration of the coagulating liquid surface to make the spun yarn (2) spun downward from a spinneret (1) without the liquid surface being in contact with the spinning surface of the spinneret less susceptible to an accompanying flow reflected by the bottom surface of a spinning bath. To this end, in the present invention, a horizontal flow straightening plate (8) produced from a porous plate or a plate material extending in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the spun yarn (2) is spun is disposed in a coagulation bath so as to surround the circumference of the yarn spun downward from the spinneret (1).

Abstract: A pressure steam treatment apparatus according to the invention includes a pressure steam treatment chamber and labyrinth sealing chambers. The labyrinth sealing chambers are respectively arranged on a fiber bundle inlet and on a fiber bundle outlet of the steam treatment apparatus, having a running path of the fiber bundle in a horizontal direction and having plural labyrinth nozzles on top and bottom of the running path. The difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the distance in the perpendicular direction of the top and bottom side labyrinth nozzles, of a pair of opposing labyrinth nozzles is 0.5 mm or smaller when the ambient temperature of the labyrinth sealing chamber is 140° C. This structure ensures that the energy cost can be reduced, the deformation of the apparatus and also, the raise of fuzz on the fiber bundle and fiber bundle breakage can be prevented at the same time.

Abstract: Provided is a pressure steam treatment apparatus of a fiber bundle and a producing method of a carbon fiber precursor fiber bundle which are suitable for producing a carbonated precursor fiber bundle which can suppress an influence of a leakage of a pressure steam to the outside of the apparatus so as to hold down a pressure steam supply amount to the minimum, simultaneously reduce a broken yarn, improve a yield ratio and have a high productivity. A pressure steam treatment apparatus (1) is provided with labyrinth sealing chambers (3) in back and forth of a pressure steam treatment chamber (2), and treats a plurality of fiber bundles traveling in parallel like a sheet along a fiber bundle travel path (5?) in a lump under a pressure steam atmosphere. The fiber bundle travel path (5?) of the labyrinth sealing chamber (3) is divided in parallel to the fiber bundle. Preferably, it is divided into a plurality of paths by a partition plate (3e).

Abstract: Disclosed are a wet spinning apparatus and a wet spinning method, which enable to manufacture fibers with excellent quality by controlling the flow of a coagulation liquid in a spinning bath and which enable to cope with high speed spinning (or high speed drawing). A wet spinning apparatus comprises a spinning bath at one end in which there are provided a nozzle for discharging a spinning raw liquid and coagulation liquid discharge ports and for discharging a coagulation liquid, at the other end in which there are provided a drawing roll for drawing coagulated filaments and a coagulation liquid recovery portion into which the coagulation liquid flows out. The spinning bath has a coagulation bath portion having a cross sectional area gradually reduced from one end to the other end, for coagulating the spinning raw liquid, and a filament running portion having a cross sectional area gradually enlarged from one end to the other end, for allowing the coagulated filaments to run therein.

Abstract: Disclosed are a wet spinning apparatus and a wet spinning method, which enable to manufacture fibers with excellent quality by controlling the flow of a coagulation liquid in a spinning bath and which enable to cope with high speed spinning (or high speed drawing). A wet spinning apparatus (1) comprises a spinning bath (2), at one end in which there are provided a nozzle (5) for discharging a spinning raw liquid and coagulation liquid discharge ports (4a) and (4b) for discharging a coagulation liquid (C), at the other end in which there are provided a drawing roll (10) for drawing coagulated filaments (13) and a coagulation liquid recovery portion (3) into which the coagulation liquid (C) flows out.

Abstract: The invention provides a packaged tow being characterized in that a carbon fiber precursor tow (1) having a flattened shape in cross section and having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface is layered and packaged in a packaging container in untwisted state. A front end and a back end of the carbon fiber precursor tow (1) thus packaged are placed on a top of the fully-packaged carbon fiber precursor tow. There is no twist in a part of the tow from a bottom parted of the packaged tow to a front end (1a) placed on the top of the carbon fiber precursor tow (1). When the front end (1a) and a back end (1b) of the tow are respectively applied with top/bottom surface identification means to identify top and bottom surfaces thereof, top and bottom surfaces on front ends (1a) and back ends (1b) of tows packaged in a plurality of packaging containers (4) can be correctly identified and joined.

Abstract: Disclosed are a wet spinning apparatus and a wet spinning method, which enable to manufacture fibers with excellent quality by controlling the flow of a coagulation liquid in a spinning bath and which enable to cope with high speed spinning (or high speed drawing). A wet spinning apparatus (1) comprises a spinning bath (2), at one end in which there are provided a nozzle (5) for discharging a spinning raw liquid and coagulation liquid discharge ports (4a) and (4b) for discharging a coagulation liquid (C), at the other end in which there are provided a drawing roll (10) for drawing coagulated filaments (13) and a coagulation liquid recovery portion (3) into which the coagulation liquid (C) flows out.

Abstract: The invention discloses a process for the production of a particulate polymer which contains few fine particles and has a narrow particle size distribution and a controlled bulk specific gravity. Characteristic features of the process of this invention reside in that a polymer latex obtained by emulsion polymerization is successively processed through the following steps (I) and (II):Step (I) The polymer latex is coagulated into a slurry in which particles thus coagulated are dispersed in water.Step (II) The slurry obtained in Step (I), an organic liquid almost insoluble in water and incapable of dissolving the polymer and water are mixed for granulation under the conditions that(a) The proportion of water in the whole mixture is 50-85 wt. %,(b) The amount of the organic liquid is 15-150 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polymer in the polymer latex, and(c) The temperature T (.degree.C.) of the whole mixture is maintained for 0.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a particulate polymer prepared by the agglomeration of polymer particles contained in a polymer latex. The particulate polymer is composed of primary particles having particle sizes of at least 20 .mu.m and/or secondary particles formed by the agglomeration of at least some of the primary particles and is in the form of a compact mass substantially free of voids. The particulate polymer is prepared by coagulating the polymer latex in the presence of a coagulant and an organic liquid having low solubility in water. The particulate polymer has a high bulk specific gravity and contains few fine particles. It is thus easy to handle and allows the consumption of energy to be reduced in the drying step.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a particulate polymer prepared by the agglomeration of polymer particles contained in a polymer latex. The particulate polymer is composed of primary particles having particle sizes of at least 20 .mu.m and/or secondary particles formed by the agglomeration of at least some of the primary particles and is in the form of a compact mass substantially free of voids. The particulate polymer is prepared by coagulating the polymer latex in the presence of a coagulant and an organic liquid having low solubility in water. The particulate polymer has a high bulk specific gravity and contains few fine particles. It is thus easy to handle and allows the consumption of energy to be reduced in the drying step.