Plasma arc process for the production of chemical products in power form

Abstract

A plasma-arc process is disclosed for the production of powders of various chemical products, according to endothermic reactions, such as TiC and the like. The process consists essentially in carrying out, in a furnace with an anodic function without dissipative cooling, a series of steps comprising: (a) forming a chemically reactive fluidodynamic mass having a high thermal content and a high concentration of the desired reactive species, by injecting into the electronic column of a plasma-arc of a noble gas at least one reactant selected from the class consisting of metal and metalloid halides, the injection taking place, with mixing through a choker-injector-mixer nozzle which is electrically insulated; (b) causing the electronic condensation of said mass inside a main nozzle anode without dissipative cooling; and (c) injecting into said electronically condensed mass the residual part of said reactants necessary to the desired main chemical reaction for producing the chemical powder. The total volume of the reactants is equal to or greater than 20% of the total aeriform volume formed by the total volume of the reactants plus the volume of noble gas that pilots and stabilizes the plasma-arc itself. The electronic condensation takes place inside a nozzle-shaped main anode without dissipative (forced) cooling, which nozzle anode is made of tungsten or graphite, and preferably the latter. Powders having the function of nucleation such as dispersion agents, may also be introduced into the reaction zone. If desired, a subsequent reaction may be brought about by the chemical and/or physical interreaction of one or more reactants introduced into a zone of the furnace located below the zone in which the main reaction takes place. The process also contemplates the use of hydrogen only as a reactant of a desired chemical reaction, said hydrogen being injected into the fluidodynamic mass only after this latter has condensed itself electronically inside the nozzle-shaped main anode. Examples are given wherein TiC powder is produced from TiCl.sub.4 and CH.sub.4, employing only argon as the gas for the plasma-arc.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.