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US 7,678,339 B2Granted
Fine particle powder production
OwnerKurnia Wirainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vaporised flow quenching reactor for producing a fine-powder from one or more reactant materials. The reactor comprises a first heat source selected from one of a DC plasma torch and RF plasma torch, a first reaction chamber within which energized reactant materials react and a first convergent-divergent nozzle for quenching the heated reactant materials from the first reaction chamber. The reactor also comprises a second reaction chamber provided for congregation of nano particles formed therefrom and a second convergent-divergent nozzle to deliver the nano particles to a collection chamber.
Claims43
A vapourised flow quenching reactor for producing a fine-powder from one or more reactant materials comprising
- (1) first heat creating means selected from one of a DC plasma torch and RF plasma torch, said first heat creating means including
- (i) a reactant stream inlet for at least one input material selected from at least one gas phase and at least one non gas phase material, said non gas phase material to be vapourised by said first heat creating means and
- (ii) a reactant stream outlet
- (2) a first reaction chamber to receive said gaseous reactant stream from said reactant stream outlet of said first heat creating means wherein in said first reaction chamber said mixing and/or reaction of said reactant stream occurs, said first reaction chamber including an outlet for said reactant stream
- (3) a first convergent-divergent nozzle to receive via an inlet thereof said reactant stream from said outlet of said first reaction chamber to rapidly cool the reactant stream axially flowing there through, as a result of adiabatic and is entropic expansion of the reactant stream, said first convergent-divergent nozzle including an outlet for said reactant stream
- (4) a second reaction chamber including
- (i) a first inlet to receive said reactant stream of material from said outlet of said first convergent-divergent nozzle, and
- (ii) a second inlet for delivery of a second reaction stream into said second reaction chamber, said second reaction stream having been generated by second heat creating means selected from one of a DC plasma torch and RF plasma torch, said second heat creating means including
- (a) a reactant stream inlet for at least one input material selected from at least one gas phase and at least one non gas phase material, said non gas phase material to be vapourised by said second heat creating means and
- (b) a second reactant stream outlet to deliver said second reactant stream via said second inlet of said second reaction chamber, into said second reaction chamber, and
- (iii) an outlet of said second reaction chamber
- (5) a second convergent-divergent nozzle to receive via an inlet thereof said resultant reactant stream (resultant from said first and/or second reactant streams) from said outlet of said second reaction chamber to rapidly cool the resultant reactant stream axially flowing there through as a result of adiabatic and is entropic expansion of the resultant reactant stream, said second convergent-divergent nozzle including an outlet for said reactant stream
- (6) a collection chamber to receive material from said outlet of said second convergent-divergent nozzle.
10 more elements
A fine powder production process including a vapourised flow quenching reactor for producing a fine-powder from one or more reactant materials comprising
- (1) first heat creating means selected from one of a DC plasma torch and RF plasma torch, said first heat creating means including
- (i) a reactant stream inlet for at least one input material selected from at least one gas phase and at least one non gas phase material, said non gas phase material to be vapourised by said first heat creating means and
- (ii) a reactant stream outlet
- (2) a first reaction chamber to receive said gaseous reactant stream from said reactant stream outlet of said first heat creating means wherein in said first reaction chamber said mixing and/or reaction of said reactant stream occurs, said first reaction chamber including an outlet for said reactant stream
- (3) a first convergent-divergent nozzle to receive via an inlet thereof said reactant stream from said outlet of said first reaction chamber to rapidly cool the reactant stream axially flowing there through, as a result of adiabatic and is entropic expansion of the reactant stream, said first convergent-divergent nozzle including an outlet for said reactant stream
- (4) a second reaction chamber including
- (i) a first inlet to receive said reactant stream of material from said outlet of said first convergent-divergent nozzle, and
- (ii) a second inlet for delivery of a second reaction stream into said second reaction chamber, said second reaction stream having been generated by second heat creating means selected from one of a DC plasma torch and RF plasma torch, said second heat creating means including
- (a) a reactant stream inlet for at least one input material selected from at least one gas phase and at least one non gas phase material, said non gas phase material to be vapourised by said second heat creating means and
- (b) a second reactant stream outlet to deliver said second reactant stream via said second inlet of said second reaction chamber, into said second reaction chamber, and
- (iii) an outlet of said second reaction chamber
- (5) a second convergent-divergent nozzle to receive via an inlet thereof said resultant reactant stream (resultant from said first and/or second reactant streams) from said outlet of said second reaction chamber to rapidly cool the resultant reactant stream axially flowing there through as a result of adiabatic and is entropic expansion of the resultant reactant stream, said second convergent-divergent nozzle including an outlet for said reactant stream
- (6) a collection chamber to receive material from said outlet of said second convergent-divergent nozzle
- wherein said process has three modes of operation:
- i. a first mode wherein reactant flow through said first heat creating means is established and reactant flow through said second heat creating means is established, and
- ii. a second mode wherein reactant flow through said first heat creating means is established and no reactant flow through said second heat creating means is established, and
- iii. a third mode wherein no reactant flow through said first heat creating means is established and reactant flow from said second heat creating means is established.
14 more elements
A fine powder production process as claimed in 36
- further comprising
- i. a fifth mode wherein reactant flow through said first heat creating means is established and reactant flow originating from said second heat creating means is established, and material is delivered via said third inlet to said second reaction chamber.
A convergent-divergent nozzle for quenching the flow of a heated gas flow entrained vapourised material for the purposes of producing a nano sized particle containing powder as a consequence of the rapid quenching of said vapourised material passing through said convergent-divergent nozzle, said convergent-divergent nozzle comprising:
- a means to affect the flow path of said heated gas flow entrained vapourised material through said convergent said convergent-divergent nozzle which includes
- a means to inject a flow modifying gas into the flow path of said heated gas flow entrained vapourised material upstream of a divergent portion of said convergent-divergent nozzle which is injected via at least one delivery opening at an angle having a tangential component to the axial direction of said convergent-divergent nozzle;
- wherein said the flow modifying gas is injected via at least one opening of said nozzle into the flow path of said heated gas flow entrained vapourised material at the throat of said nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.