Temperature-controlled chemical processing reactor

Abstract

This disclosure provides a reactor system that includes a microwave source configured to generate a microwave energy, one or more energy sources configured to generate a thermal energy and a field-enhancing waveguide (FEWG) coupled to the microwave source. The FEWG includes a field-enhancing zone having a cross-sectional area that decreases along a length of the FEWG. The field-enhancing zone includes a supply gas inlet configured to receive a supply gas, a reaction zone configured to generate a plasma in response to excitation of the supply gas by the microwave energy, a process inlet configured to inject a raw material into the reaction zone, and an afterglow region configured to combine the plasma and the raw material in response to the thermal energy. An outlet outputs a plurality of carbon-inclusive particles resulting from the combination of the plasma and the raw material. Electrodes can be positioned proximate to the reaction zone.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.