Method and apparatus for producing fine carbon particles

• US 20060034746A1
• Filed: 08/16/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clean Technology International Corp.
• Original Assignee: Clean Technology International Corp.
• Inventors: Wagner, Anthony S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/445.R
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/24 Stationary reactors without moving elements inside B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence; with stationary particles B01J8/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/26 Nozzle-type reactors, i.e. the distribution of the initial reactants within the reactor is effected by their introduction or injection through nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00123 adding a temperature modifying medium to the reactants
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/05 Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/205 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/844 Growth by vaporization or dissociation of carbon source using a high-energy heat source, e.g. electric arc, laser, plasma, e-beam

Abstract

A method includes producing an isolation atmosphere in a phase changing area above a reactant liquid and then injecting a feed material into the reactant liquid. The feed material preferably comprises a quantity of a hydrocarbon compound. The method further includes maintaining the molecules of the injected hydrocarbon compound and any reaction products in contact with the reactant liquid for a period of time sufficient to liberate carbon atoms from the hydrocarbon compound or reaction products and place the liberated carbon atoms in an excited state. Liberated carbon atoms in the excited state are then allowed to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and flow along a particle formation path through the phase changing area so that the liberated carbon atoms may phase change to the ground state while suspended in the phase changing area.

Claims

1. A method including:

(a) producing an isolation atmosphere in a phase changing area above a reactant liquid;

(b) injecting a feed material into the reactant liquid, the feed material including a carbon bearing material;

(c) maintaining the carbon bearing material and any reaction products in contact with the reactant liquid for a period of time sufficient to liberate carbon atoms from the carbon bearing material or reaction products and place the liberated carbon atoms in an excited state; and

(d) enabling the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid and flow along a particle formation path through the phase changing area so that the liberated carbon atoms are enabled to phase change to the ground state in the phase changing area.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the liberated carbon atoms are enabled to phase change to the ground state while suspended in the phase changing area.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactant liquid includes liquid aluminum at a temperature at or above 650 degrees Celsius.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling liberated carbon atoms to flow along the particle formation path includes directing an isolation fluid along a boundary surface defining the phase changing area.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of maintaining a boundary surface defining the phase changing area under a negative electrical charge.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the isolation atmosphere includes one or more purge gases selected from a group consisting of nitrogen, helium, argon, carbon monoxide, and heater burner flue gasses.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of injecting an inert gas into the phase changing area to maintain a phase changing temperature in the phase changing area.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of maintaining the phase changing area at a temperature between approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit and 3500 degrees Celsius.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of maintaining the carbon bearing material and any reaction products in contact with the reactant liquid includes placing the carbon bearing material and reaction products in contact with the reactant liquid under a pressure of at least approximately 2.4 psig.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of maintaining the carbon bearing material and any reaction products in contact with the reactant liquid includes trapping the carbon bearing material and reaction products in a reaction chamber having an upper surface below the surface of the reactant liquid.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of injecting the carbon bearing material into the reactant liquid comprises injecting the carbon bearing material into a bath of reactant liquid at a depth sufficient to produce at least approximately 2.4 psig of pressure on the injected carbon bearing material by the column of reactant liquid above the carbon bearing material.

12. A method including:

(a) liberating carbon atoms from a carbon bearing material by reaction with or in a reactant liquid and maintaining the liberated carbon atoms in an excited state;

(b) enabling the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state to traverse a surface of the reactant liquid; and

(c) directing the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state through a phase changing area under isolation conditions at which the liberated carbon atoms in the excited state phase change to a ground state while such liberated carbon atoms are suspended in the phase changing area.

13. The method of claim 12 further including a boundary surface under a negative electrical charge, the boundary surface comprising a surface that defines the phase changing area.

14. The method of claim 12 further including the step directing an isolation fluid along a boundary surface defining the phase changing area.

15. The method of claim 12 further including the step of injecting an inert gas into the phase changing area to maintain a phase changing temperature in the phase changing area.

16. The method of claim 12 including the step of maintaining the temperature in the phase changing temperature between approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit and 3500 degrees Celsius.

17. The method of claim 12 further including the step of maintaining the carbon bearing material and reaction products under a pressure of at least approximately 2.4 psig prior to traversing the surface of the reactant liquid.

18. The method of claim 12 further including the step of injecting a feed mixture made up of carbon bearing material in an inert gas.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of liberating carbon atoms from carbon bearing material includes trapping the carbon bearing material and other reaction products in a reaction chamber having an upper surface below the surface of the reactant liquid.

20. An apparatus including:

(a) a reactant liquid vessel for containing a reactant liquid at a reactant liquid level;

(b) an injection arrangement for injecting a stream of feed material into the reactant liquid vessel at a point below the reactant liquid level;

(c) a phase changing chamber positioned to receive effluent escaping from the reactant liquid in the reactant liquid vessel in an effluent ejection area; and

(d) an isolation condition maintaining arrangement for maintaining isolation conditions in the phase changing chamber to enable chemically excited carbon in the effluent to phase change to a ground state while suspended in the phase changing chamber.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the isolation condition maintaining arrangement includes an isolation fluid jacket surrounding at least a portion of the phase changing chamber and an arrangement for directing an isolation fluid along an inner surface of the phase changing chamber.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the isolation condition maintaining arrangement includes one or more inert gas injectors positioned to inject an isolation fluid into the phase changing chamber.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 further including a feed material mixing arrangement connected to a carbon bearing material supply and to an inert gas supply.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 further including an arrangement for maintaining negative electrical charge on an inner surface of the phase changing chamber.