Kumho upgrading Chinese plant with electron accelerator

Nanjing, China – Kumho Tire is upgrading its manufacturing site in Nanjing with the installation of an electron beam accelerator as part of a second-phase upgrade to its high-performance new energy vehicle (NEV) tire production line.

In a 4 Feb filing published by the Nanjing environmental bureau, Kumho said the project involves the installation of one EB500 self-shielded electron accelerator at Nanjing Kumho Tire Co. Ltd.’s facility in the Pukou Economic Development Zone.

Total investment in the project is Yuan6.5 million (€800,000), with Yuan2.0 million allocated to environmental protection measures.

The EB500 unit will be used for the “irradiation modification” of tire textile cord, a process designed to enhance material performance to meet production requirements for high-performance tires.

The accelerator will operate at a maximum energy level of 0.5 MeV, with a beam current of 170 mA and installed power of 85 kW, and is classified as a Class II radiation device under China’s regulatory framework, said the Chinese-language filing.

According to the filing, the system will operate for up to 2,400 hours per year under a single-shift regime.

The upgrade, said Kumho, will help improve the company's production efficiency and product quality.