Hypersonic Disc Apparatus for Nanoparticle Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current top-down methods for producing nanoparticles are inefficient, with mechanical mills producing less than 5% nanoparticles from input material, causing blade damage, contamination, and high energy consumption, and often require chemicals.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a core comprising two discs with hypersonic blades arranged in concentric rings, where the blades have sharp leading and trailing edges and suction surfaces to accelerate and collide material, reducing impact with blades and enhancing particle production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional mechanical mills with aerodynamical blades are used for top-down nanoparticle production, then material can be processed, but blade damage and abrasion occur leading to contamination and low nanoparticle yield (less than 5%)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional aerodynamical blades with hypersonic blades that operate on different mechanical principles. The hypersonic blades are designed to minimize direct contact and collision with input material, using shock wave generation and expansion waves instead of traditional aerodynamic forces, thereby reducing blade damage while maintaining processing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using hypersonic speeds and specific blade geometries (sharp leading edge, sharp trailing edge, suction surface, pressure surface) to generate expansion waves. This changes the interaction mechanism from direct mechanical collision to wave-based material acceleration and collision, improving nanoparticle yield while reducing blade wear
2Productivity
If traditional mechanical mills are used, then material processing is achieved, but material collisions with blades cause contamination and environmental damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes traditional blade collision mechanisms with hypersonic blade-generated expansion waves that accelerate material particles. This reduces direct blade-material contact, minimizing material removal from blades and subsequent contamination of the processed nanoparticles and environment
3Productivity
If traditional bottom-up processes are used for nanoparticle production, then nanoparticles can be produced, but chemical usage and high energy consumption are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical bottom-up processes with a mechanical top-down approach using hypersonic blades. This substitution eliminates the need for chemical reagents and reduces energy consumption by using direct mechanical acceleration and collision rather than thermal or chemical processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the production approach from chemical synthesis to mechanical size reduction using hypersonic blade geometry and shock wave generation, achieving nanoparticle production with lower energy input and without chemical additives
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
The apparatus effectively produces nanoparticles by minimizing material-blade collisions, reducing contamination, and achieving higher yields while minimizing energy consumption and blade damage.
Implementation Method 1
The hypersonic blades comprise a sharp leading edge, a sharp trailing edge and a suction surface and pressure surface configured to produce an expansion wave
Implementation Method 2
The hypersonic blades comprise a sharp leading edge, a sharp trailing edge and a suction surface and pressure surface configured to produce an expansion wave
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6A~6B
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to apparatuses for producing (nano)particles and optionally to sinter materials, and to top-down methods for producing nanoparticles using such apparatuses. A core of such an apparatus comprises a first disc and a second disc including hypersonic blades arranged in concentric rings and channels between those rings. The first disc and the second disc are arranged such that the channels of each disc surround at least in part the hypersonic blades of the other disc.