With regard to graphitization treatment, as the competition to advance material properties becomes intense and the firing process requires a higher temperature than the current operation of 2,700~2,800°C, ThermVac has recently developed a resistance heating type of ultra-high temperature vacuum furnace which can stably operate under 3,000°C mass production process. They supplied it to company T, a carbon catalyst manufacturer. In case of over 2,800°C, the furnaces have conventionally been manufactured using the induction-heating method because resistance-heating type carbon heater is extremely consumed. In this case, however, the cost of the induction power device is excessive and the temperature in the hot zone is not uniform. This time, ThermVac has succeeded in lowering the temperature of the carbon heater as much as possible, securing the standard for a 3,000°C resistance-heating furnace that can stably maintain the life of the heater.

Meanwhile, ThermVac developed a two-chamber type graphitization furnace where the heating and cooling chambers are separated, and has tested the graphitization process for more than two years, securing the durability and stability of the equipment through complementary work. The commercialization model of the two-chamber graphitization furnace will be launched in the first half of 2022. This two-chamber furnace heats a product while maintaining the hot zone at 800°C to 2,400°C at all times, and then transfers it to the cooling chamber for rapid cooling. Thereby, the process cycle, which previously took 2 to 3 days, can be shortened to less than one day, and electricity consumption can be reduced to 60% or less.

In addition, with respect to carbon purification treatment, ThermVac is diversifying the types of furnaces into horizontal and vertical types. It is also developing related purification processes along with equipment types to be suitable for various graphite products such as graphite fibers and felts as well as bulk materials.