NKK Subsidiary Recycling Aluminum/Carbon Filters

NKK Corp., and its subsidiary, Kokan Drum Co., have begun recycling aluminum-liner carbon-fiber reinforced plastic oxygen containers in Japan.

The containers are recycled using new technology for reuse in the steel-making process. Previously, the containers simply were buried as waste.

After crushing the containers, the aluminum is recovered for use as a deoxidizing agent. The carbon plastic components are extracted for use as a sublimation-heating agent.  Both agents are used in oxygen steel-making converters.

Additionally, NKK and Kokan Drum have an integrated system for the sale and disposal of these containers.

The companies also intend to apply this technology to automotive fuel cylinders with the same materials that are used for compressed natural gas in fuel cells.

The two companies are allied with Dynetek Industries Ltd. of Canada involving automotive fuel cylinders for compressed natural gas and fuel cells.  Kokan Drum is a major supplier of fiber-reinforced plastic cylinders - imported from Canada - for storing hydrogen gas in automotive fuel cells.  It also purchases steel cylinders from Faber Industrie SpA of Italy.  The company then combines these cylinders with valves and other components, which it supplies to Japanese automakers.  The Dynetek cylinder features a thin aluminum liner reinforced with carbon fiber.

Kokan Drum has been Dynetek's sole agent in Japan since 1998 and recently acquired a 3 percent share in the Calgary-based company.  It is exploring the possibility of joint manufacture of these cylinders in Japan.