Thermal synthesis apparatus and process

A method for thermal conversion of one or more reactants in a thermodynamically stable high temperature gaseous stream to a desired end product in the form of a gas or ultrafine solid particles, the method comprising:

• introducing a stream of plasma arc gas between electrodes of a plasma torch including at least one pair of electrodes positioned adjacent to an inlet end of an axial reactor chamber, the stream of plasma arc gas being introduced at a selected plasma gas flow rate while the electrodes are subjected to a selected plasma input power level to produce a plasma in a restricted diameter injection line;
• forming a gaseous stream by injecting at least one reactant into the injection line and thoroughly mixing the reactant into the plasma within the injection line and prior to entry thereof into a reactor chamber;
• introducing the gaseous stream into a reactor chamber;
• maintaining a volume defined by the reactor chamber at a substantially uniform temperature as the thoroughly mixed stream passes therethrough;
• bringing the mixed reactant stream to an equilibrium state;
• cooling the gaseous stream including passing the gaseous stream through a nozzle at an outlet end of the reactor chamber;
• and
• separating the desired end product from gases remaining in the cooled gaseous stream.

A method for thermally converting one or more reactants in a thermodynamically stable high temperature gaseous stream to a desired end product in the form of a gas or ultrafine solid particles, the method comprising:

• introducing a reactant stream into an axial reactor at an upstream end thereof;
• heating the reactant stream as the reactant stream flows axially through an injection line;
• passing the reactant stream axially through a volume defined by a reactor chamber of the axial reactor;
• maintaining the volume defined by the reactor chamber at a substantially uniform temperature;
• producing a stream containing the desired product stream at a location adjacent an outlet end of the reactor chamber;
• and
• cooling stream containing the desired end product exiting from the reactor chamber.

A method of forming a metal, metal oxide or metal alloy from a metal-containing compound, the method comprising:

• providing a plasma formed from a gas comprising an inert gas, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof;
• providing a reagent or a reagent mixture, the reagent or reagent mixture comprising a gaseous or volatilized compound of a selected metal;
• thoroughly mixing the reagent or reagent mixture with the plasma at a location upstream from an axial reactor chamber to produce a reactant stream;
• passing the reactant stream axially through the reactor chamber;
• maintaining the reactor chamber at a substantially uniform temperature;
• producing a product stream at a location adjacent an outlet end of the reactor chamber, the product stream including an equilibrium mixture comprising the selected metal, metal oxide or metal alloy, wherein the selected metal, metal oxide or metal alloy being thermodynamically stable;
• cooling the product stream exiting the outlet end of the reactor chamber;
• and
• separating the metal, metal oxide or metal alloy from gases remaining in the cooled product stream.