US 10,477,665 B2Granted

Microwave plasma torch generating laminar flow for materials processing

AssigneeAmastan Technologies LLC

InventorsKamal Hadidi, Makhlouf Redjdal

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A microwave plasma torch providing two laminar flows is described. Two laminar flows are created using a set of at least three concentric, staggered dielectric tubes connected to a pressurized gas source. An inner laminar flow entrains injected particles entering the plasma. An outer laminar flow creates a sheath around the plasma and prevents it from attaching to the walls of the plasma torch. The entry point of the gas source is designed to ensure laminar flow for both the entrainment of the particles and for the shielding of the plasma plume. The uniform processing conditions results in uniform particles and a homogenous materials distribution. This enables a final product with improved thermal properties, improved corrosion and wear resistance and a higher tolerance to interface stresses. The microwave plasma torch can be used for producing nanomaterial powder and for spray coating materials onto various substrates.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A microwave plasma torch comprising:

a microwave radiation source for generating microwave radiation;
a set of concentric progressively smaller tubes comprising an outer tube, a middle tube, and an inner tube;
each of said tubes being manufactured of a dielectric material and each having an inlet end and an outlet end, each of said inlet ends facing in a first direction and each of said outlet ends facing in a diametrically opposite direction, wherein the outlet end of the middle tube extends beyond the outlet end of the inner tube and outlet end of the outer tube extends beyond the outlet end of the middle tube;
a first injection port for injecting gas between the outer tube and the middle tube;
a second injection port for injecting materials between the middle tube and the inner tube;
and
a waveguide positioned entirely downstream of the outlet end of the middle tube, the waveguide dimensioned and configured to guide microwave radiation between the microwave radiation source and an axial section of the outer tube between the outlet end of the middle tube and the outlet end of the outer tube.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.