Carbon Nanomaterial Collection via Gravitational Sedimentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional carbon nanotube and nanomaterial production apparatuses face challenges in efficiently collecting large amounts of carbon nanomaterials, requiring complex filter replacement and refining processes to separate nanomaterials from catalyst carriers.
Innovation Solution
A carbon nanomaterial production apparatus featuring a reaction tube with a main reaction section, a separation section, and a collection tube, where carbon nanomaterials are grown, peeled from catalyst carriers, and collected through gravitational sedimentation, with a connection tube inclining to facilitate smooth flow and prevent stagnation, and a collection tube with a discharge section and trapping section to efficiently separate and trap nanomaterials without the need for filter replacement or acid treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional filter-based collection is used, then carbon nanotubes can be collected, but the collection operation becomes complicated when large amounts exceed filter trapping capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The collection tube is divided into a discharge section and a trapping section, with the trapping section having a larger cross-sectional area to provide increased trapping capacity for large amounts of carbon nanomaterials, eliminating the need for sequential filter replacement
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from horizontal filter-based collection to vertical gravitational sedimentation-based collection, utilizing the vertical dimension for material accumulation in the trapping section, thereby greatly increasing collection capacity
2Ease of operation
If carbon nanomaterials are collected with catalyst carriers, then collection is simplified, but refining by acid treatment is necessary to separate them
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes catalyst carriers from the reaction zone before the collection stage, allowing only carbon nanomaterials to be carried by carrier gas to the collection tube, thereby eliminating the need for subsequent acid treatment and refining processes
Solution Approach 2:
The separation of catalyst carriers from carbon nanomaterials is performed preliminarily in the reaction tube before collection, using carrier gas flow to carry away only the nanomaterials, thus simplifying the subsequent collection operation
3Productivity
If carrier gas flow rate is increased to peel carbon nanomaterial from catalyst carriers, then peeling efficiency improves, but catalyst carrier separation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction tube is segmented into a main reaction section and a separation section with different cross-sectional areas, allowing the main reaction section to use high carrier gas flow for effective peeling while the separation section uses lower flow for effective catalyst carrier separation
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the reaction tube have different local qualities in terms of cross-sectional area and carrier gas flow rate, with the main reaction section optimized for peeling and the separation section optimized for catalyst carrier separation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy and efficient collection of large amounts of carbon nanomaterials, reducing production time and enhancing efficiency by separating nanomaterials from catalyst carriers using carrier gas flow, and producing highly pure nanomaterials without the need for refining processes.
Implementation Method 1
a trapping section 31 that is located below the junction 33 with the connection tube 4 and configured to trap the carbon nanomaterial that is separated from the mixture by gravitational sedimentation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
The present invention provides a carbon nanomaterial production apparatus 1 that includes a reaction tube 2 into which raw material gas and carrier gas are supplied and accordingly in which carbon nanomaterial is grown, a connection tube 4 that is connected to the reaction tube 2 and through which an aerosol-like mixture of the carbon nanomaterial and the carrier gas passes, and a collection tube 3 that is connected to the connection tube 4 and collects the carbon nanomaterial from the mixture. The collection tube 3 includes a discharge section 32 that is located above a junction 33 with the connection tube 4 and discharges the carrier gas contained in the mixture to outside, and a trapping section 31 that is located below the junction 33 with the connection tube 4 and traps the carbon nanomaterial that is separated from the mixture by gravitational sedimentation.