Fine Particle Production via Plasma-Heated Gas Circulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fine particle production methods using thermal plasma have low energy efficiency, requiring a large amount of power to produce a large quantity of fine particles, which increases costs and reduces production capacity.

Innovation Solution

A fine particle production apparatus and method that utilizes a vacuum chamber with a material heating and circulation device to heat the material using plasma-heated gas, reducing the energy needed for evaporation and increasing efficiency by recycling gas through piping, thereby enhancing the production of fine particles while minimizing gas consumption and costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If thermal plasma is used to produce fine particles, then dispersibility and composite formation are improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates requiring large power input

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedispersibilityVSAvoidpower input

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The material is pre-heated to a high temperature (e.g., 1000°C or higher) before being introduced into the plasma chamber. This preliminary heating action reduces the energy burden on the plasma system, allowing it to focus on particle formation rather than heating, thus improving overall energy efficiency while maintaining particle quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous plasma generation and continuous material feeding with pre-heating, ensuring that the plasma energy is constantly utilized for particle formation. This continuous operation maximizes the useful action of the plasma and improves energy efficiency compared to intermittent operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Reliability

If thermal plasma is used to produce fine particles, then particle quality is improved, but production quantity is limited due to high energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle qualityVSAvoidproduction quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By pre-heating the material before plasma introduction, the system can process larger quantities of material without proportionally increasing plasma power consumption. This enables higher production quantities while maintaining particle quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the temperature parameter of the material before plasma exposure, heating it to high temperatures in advance. This parameter change allows the plasma to operate at optimal conditions for quality production while handling larger material volumes, thereby increasing productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach improves the evaporation efficiency of materials, allows for the production of a larger quantity of fine particles at a lower cost, and reduces gas consumption by reusing heat from thermal plasma, making the process more efficient and economically viable.

Implementation Method 1

electrodes arranged in the vacuum chamber for generating plasma

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal plasma heating: Plasma

Implementation Method 2

heats the material by heat of a gas inside the vacuum chamber heated by the plasma

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

a material heating and circulation device which heats the material by heat of a gas inside the vacuum chamber heated by the plasma through the piping

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

heats the material by heat of a gas inside the vacuum chamber heated by the plasma through the piping

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 5

evaporating the material in power energy inputted for generating thermal plasma

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 6

chemically obtaining fine particles by electrolysis or reduction and so on

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVaporization: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS10252339B2Fine particle production apparatus and fine particle production method

Publication Date: 2019.04.09 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

To provide an apparatus and a method of producing fine particles capable of increasing evaporation efficiency of a material, increasing the production of fine particles and reducing costs by heating the inputted material by a gas heated by thermal plasma. A fine particle production apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a material feeding device connected to the vacuum chamber and feeding material particles from a material feeding port into the vacuum chamber, electrodes arranged in the vacuum chamber for generating plasma and a collection device connected to the vacuum chamber and collecting fine particles, which produces the fine particles from the material by generating electric discharge inside the vacuum chamber, in which the collection device and the material feeding device are connected by piping, and a material heating and circulation device which heats the material by heat of a gas inside the chamber heated by the plasma through the piping is provided.