# US 11,998,904 B2 · Fluidized bed reactors for post-processing powdered carbon > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,904 B2 - Document ID: US11998904B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/875,173 - Filed: 2022-07-27 - Published: 2023-11-09 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-09 - Assignees: Lyten, Inc. - Applicants: Lyten, Inc. - Inventors: Jacques F. Nicole; Pawel A. Piotrowicz; Michael W. Stowell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998904B2 ## CPC - B01J 8/42: with fluidised bed subjected to electric current or to radiations {this sub-group includes the fluidised bed subjected to electric or magnetic fields} - C01B 32/15: Nano-sized carbon materials - B01J 4/007: {provided with moving parts} - B01J 8/1809: {Controlling processes} - B01J 8/1827: {the fluidising gas being a reactant} - C01B 32/05: Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30 - B01J 2204/002: the feeding side being of particular interest - B01J 2208/00539: Pressure - B01J 2208/00548: Flow - B01J 2208/00769: Details of feeding or discharging - B01J 2208/00893: Feeding means for the reactants - B01J 2208/06: Details of tube reactors containing solid particles - B01J 2219/0894: Processes carried out in the presence of a plasma - C01P 2004/34: hollow - C01P 2004/64: Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS ## Abstract A system for post-processing carbon powders includes a fluidized-bed reactor having an interior containing a fluidized-bed region. The system may include a gas feed source, a gas inlet value, a gas-solid separator, and an energy source coupled to the fluidized-bed reactor. Carbon nano-particulates may be loaded, in powder form, into the fluidized-bed region prior to operation. The gas feed source may output a gas-phase mixture into the interior of the fluidized-bed reactor, and the energy source may electromagnetically excite the gas-phase mixture and generate a plasma-phase mixture formed in a plasma region positioned adjacent to or within the interior of the fluidized-bed reactor. The energy source may be positioned at one or more positions relative to the gas inlet valve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system including a fluidized-bed reactor, comprising: a gas feed source configured to flow a gas-phase mixture into an interior of the fluidized-bed reactor; a gas inlet valve coupled with and in fluid communication with the gas feed source, the gas inlet valve configured to regulate the flow of the gas-phase mixture into the interior of the fluidized-bed reactor; a gas-solid separator positioned upstream of the gas inlet valve within the fluidized-bed reactor; an energy source configured to generate a plasma-phase mixture responsive to electromagnetic excitation of the gas-phase mixture, the plasma-phase mixture formed in a plasma region adjacent to or within the interior of the fluidized-bed reactor; a pressure control assembly configured to adjust one or more of a pressure or a velocity of at least some of a plurality of carbon nano-particulates within the interior of the fluidized-bed reactor; and an energy management apparatus external to the fluidized-bed reactor, the energy management apparatus configured to control energetic excitement of the gas-phase mixture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fluidized-bed reactor is formed as an elongated tube including an outlet configured to output the gas-phase mixture and one or more gases produced in conjunction with generating the plasma-phase mixture. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises a microwave coupled plasma torch configured to operate in either a pulsed mode or a continuous mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the microwave coupled plasma torch is configured to operate at a pressure between 1 millitorr (mTorr) and 760 Torr. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein a cross-sectional area of the fluidized-bed reactor is one of a rectangle, a square, a bell, a circle, or an oval. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the microwave coupled plasma torch is positioned along one or more sides of the fluidized-bed reactor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the microwave coupled plasma torch is configured to disperse additional amounts of the plasma-phase mixture into the interior of the fluidized-bed reactor, the additional amounts of the plasma-phase mixture configured to energetically excite one or more of the gas-phase mixture, the plasma-phase mixture, or the plurality of carbon nano-particulates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gas-phase mixture is configured to prevent an escape of the carbon nano-particulates from the fluidized-bed reactor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a side port formed in the fluidized-bed reactor, the side port configured to supply an additional gas-phase mixture into the fluidized-bed reactor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy source is external to the fluidized-bed reactor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fluidized-bed reactor is configured to modify a crystal structure of at least some of the carbon nano-particulates. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fluidized-bed reactor is configured to chemically alter one or more exposed surfaces of at least some of the carbon nano-particulates. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy source is configured to generate the plasma-phase mixture in either a thermal equilibrium state or a non-thermal equilibrium state in response to a control signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the thermal equilibrium state is configured to control a plurality of energetic properties associated with one or more of the plasma-phase mixture or the gas-phase mixture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of energetic properties includes an energy transfer rate between the plasma-phase mixture and the gas-phase mixture. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fluidized-bed reactor is configured to homogenize at least some of the plurality of carbon nano-particulates in the powder. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fluidized-bed reactor is configured to control a residence time of a matching network associated with the energy management apparatus. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of carbon nano-particulates includes one or more non-hollow carbon spherical (NHCS) particles. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a powder pre-loaded into the interior of the fluidized-bed reactor, the powder including a plurality of carbon nano-particulates configured to be fluidized above the gas-solid separator responsive to the flow of the gas-phase mixture into the interior of the fluidized-bed reactor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy management apparatus includes a matching network coupled to the energy source.