IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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| 출원번호 |
US-0746193
(2013-01-21)
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| 등록번호 |
US-8785808
(2014-07-22)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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| 출원인 / 주소 |
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| 대리인 / 주소 |
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| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
91 |
초록
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An apparatus for synergistically combining a plasma with a comminution means such as a fluid kinetic energy mill (jet mill), preferably in a single reactor and/or in a single process step is provided by the present invention. Within the apparatus of the invention potential energy is converted into k
An apparatus for synergistically combining a plasma with a comminution means such as a fluid kinetic energy mill (jet mill), preferably in a single reactor and/or in a single process step is provided by the present invention. Within the apparatus of the invention potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and subsequently into angular momentum by means of wave energy, for comminuting, reacting and separation of feed materials. Methods of use of the apparatus in the practice of various processes are also provided by the present invention.
대표청구항
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1. A method for producing hydrogen from a carbon-based material comprising: providing a vessel having an interior defined by a cylindrical portion disposed between a first end and a closed second end, an outlet in said first end that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion, a
1. A method for producing hydrogen from a carbon-based material comprising: providing a vessel having an interior defined by a cylindrical portion disposed between a first end and a closed second end, an outlet in said first end that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion, and at least one inlet in said first end, and two or more jets or slits mounted tangentially in said cylindrical portion;atomizing and directing a fluid or gas into said interior of said vessel via said two or more jets or slits to feed a plasma and create angular momentum in said plasma;generating said plasma from said atomized fluid or gas using said a set of radio frequency coils disposed around or within said cylindrical portion to form a plasma vortex that circulates around said longitudinal axis; andproducing said hydrogen by directing said carbon-based material into said plasma vortex via said at least one inlet such that said plasma vortex reacts with said carbon-based material, wherein said hydrogen that exits through said outlet in said first end. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of feeding said material into said inlet using a conveyor, a hopper, a gravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or a combination thereof. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein: said carbon-based material comprises a gas, a fluid, a semi-solid, a solid or a combination thereof; andwherein said plasma vortex circulates around a central void. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said carbon-based material comprises household garbage, industrial waste, municipal solid waste, package materials, drill cuttings, metal cuttings, sludge, medical waste, red mud, waste electrical and electronic equipment, saw dust, wood chips, black liquor, bagasse, rice straw, animal manure, radioactive waste, coke, coal fines, flyash, biomass, salt cake, unburned carbon, unreacted carbon, volatile organic carbon, flare gas, tail gas, spent acid, fluff, particulate matter or a combination thereof. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid or gas comprises water, steam, carbon dioxide, air, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, volatile organic carbon, an ionizable fluid, an ionizable gas or a combination thereof. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a plasma torch disposed within said closed second end that is aligned with said longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion to introduce a second plasma into said interior of said vessel. 7. A method for producing hydrogen from a carbon-based material comprising: providing a vessel having an interior defined by a cylindrical portion disposed proximate to a first end and a cone shaped portion disposed proximate to said cylindrical portion that forms a first outlet at a second end that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion, one or more inlets in said first end, a second outlet at said first end that is aligned with said longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion, and two or more jets or slits mounted tangentially within said cylindrical portion;introducing a plasma into said interior using a first plasma source comprising a plasma torch connected to said first end and aligned with said longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion;adding energy to said plasma using a second plasma source comprising a set of radio frequency coils disposed around or within said cylindrical portion;creating angular momentum in said plasma to form a plasma vortex by directing a fluid or a gas into said interior using said two or more jets or slits, wherein said plasma vortex circulates around said longitudinal axis; andproducing said hydrogen and a carbon by directing said carbon-based material into said plasma vortex via said one or more inlets such that said plasma vortex reacts with said carbon-based material, wherein said hydrogen that exits through said second outlet in said first end and said carbon exits through said first outlet in said second end. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of creating angular momentum in said plasma before said plasma enters said interior of said vessel by directing a carrier gas into a tube having two or more inlets or slits disposed between said first end and said plasma torch. 9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of introducing a second plasma into said interior of said vessel using a second plasma torch disposed within said outlet at said second end and aligned with said longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion. 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising an eductor with a longitudinal axis, connected to said vessel at said second end around said outlet opening with said longitudinal axis of said eductor in coaxial alignment with said longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion of said vessel. 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of feeding said carbon-based material into said inlet using a conveyor, a hopper, a gravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or a combination thereof. 12. The method of claim 7, wherein each plasma source comprises an AC plasma torch, DC plasma torch, a microwave plasma torch, an inductively coupled plasma torch or a combination thereof. 13. The method of claim 7, wherein: said carbon-based material comprises a gas, a fluid, a semi-solid, a solid or a combination thereof; andwherein said plasma vortex circulates around a central void. 14. The method of claim 7, wherein said carbon-based material comprises household garbage, industrial waste, municipal solid waste, package materials, drill cuttings, metal cuttings, sludge, medical waste, red mud, waste electrical and electronic equipment, saw dust, wood chips, black liquor, bagasse, rice straw, animal manure, radioactive waste, coke, coal fines, flyash, biomass, salt cake, unburned carbon, unreacted carbon, volatile organic carbon, flare gas, tail gas, spent acid, fluff, particulate matter or a combination thereof. 15. The method of claim 7, wherein each plasma source comprises a plasma jet nozzle fed by a fluid. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said fluid comprises water, steam, carbon dioxide, air, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, volatile organic carbon, an ionizable fluid, an ionizable gas or a combination thereof. 17. A method for producing hydrogen from a carbon-based material comprising: providing a vessel having a vertical longitudinal axis, a cylindrical middle portion aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis, a top portion, a bottom portion, one or more inlets disposed in said top portion, a top outlet aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis and disposed in said top portion, and a bottom outlet aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis and disposed in said bottom portion;providing two or more plasma torches mounted tangentially in said cylindrical middle portion such that said plasma torches are substantially aligned with one another in a horizontal plane with respect to said vertical longitudinal axis;combining said plasma from said plasma torches together to create sufficient angular momentum to form a plasma vortex that circulates around said vertical longitudinal axis within said vessel; andproducing said hydrogen and a carbon by directing said carbon-based material into said plasma vortex via said one or more inlets such that said plasma vortex reacts with said carbon-based material, wherein said hydrogen that exits through said top outlet and a carbon that exits through said bottom outlet. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of feeding said carbon-based material into said one or more inlets using a conveyor, a hopper, a gravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or a combination thereof. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein each plasma torch comprises an AC plasma torch, DC plasma torch, a microwave plasma torch, an inductively coupled plasma torch or a combination thereof. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein: said bottom portion is cone shaped or substantially flat; orsaid vessel is pancake-shaped, cylindrically-shaped or shaped like a cyclone separator. 21. The method of claim 17, further comprising a set of radio frequency generating coils disposed around an exterior of said circular middle portion, or said circular middle portion and at least a portion of said bottom portion. 22. The method of claim 17, wherein: said carbon-based material comprises a gas, a fluid, a semi-solid, a solid or a combination thereof; andwherein said plasma vortex circulates around a central void. 23. The method of claim 17, wherein said carbon-based material comprises household garbage, industrial waste, municipal solid waste, package materials, drill cuttings, metal cuttings, sludge, medical waste, red mud, waste electrical and electronic equipment, saw dust, wood chips, black liquor, bagasse, rice straw, animal manure, radioactive waste, coke, coal fines, flyash, biomass, salt cake, unburned carbon, unreacted carbon, volatile organic carbon, flare gas, tail gas, spent acid, fluff, particulate matter or a combination thereof. 24. The method of claim 17, further comprising another plasma source disposed within said outlet and aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis. 25. The method of claim 17, further comprising an eductor attached to said bottom outlet and aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis. 26. The method of claim 17, wherein said two or more plasma torches comprise a first set of plasma torches and said horizontal plane is a first horizontal plane, and further comprising a second set of two or more plasma torches mounted tangentially in said cylindrical middle portion either above or below said first set of plasma torches such that said second set of plasma torches are substantially aligned with one another in a second horizontal plane with respect to said vertical longitudinal axis, and wherein said second set of plasma torches are fed by said fluid or gas, atomize said fluid or gas and direct said atomized fluid or gas into said interior of said vessel. 27. A method for producing hydrogen from a carbon-based material comprising: providing a vessel having a vertical longitudinal axis, a cylindrical middle portion aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis, a top portion, a bottom portion, one or more inlets disposed in said top portion, a top outlet aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis and disposed in said top portion, a bottom outlet aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis and disposed in said bottom portion, and two or more jet nozzles mounted tangentially in said cylindrical middle portion such that said jet nozzles are substantially aligned with one another in a horizontal plane with respect to said vertical longitudinal axis;atomizing and directing a fluid or gas into said interior of said vessel via said jet nozzles to feed a plasma and create angular momentum in said plasma;generating said plasma from said atomized fluid or gas within said vessel using a radio frequency source proximate to said plasma jet nozzles to form a plasma vortex that circulates around said vertical longitudinal axis within said vessel; andproducing said hydrogen and a carbon by directing said carbon-based material into said plasma vortex via said one or more inlets such that said plasma vortex reacts with said carbon-based material, wherein said hydrogen that exits through said top outlet and said carbon that exits through said bottom outlet. 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of feeding said carbon-based material into said one or more inlets using a conveyor, a hopper, a gravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or a combination thereof. 29. The method of claim 27, wherein: said carbon-based material comprises a gas, a fluid, a semi-solid, a solid or a combination thereof; andwherein said plasma vortex circulates around a central void. 30. The method of claim 27, wherein said carbon-based material comprises household garbage, industrial waste, municipal solid waste, package materials, drill cuttings, metal cuttings, sludge, medical waste, red mud, waste electrical and electronic equipment, saw dust, wood chips, black liquor, bagasse, rice straw, animal manure, radioactive waste, coke, coal fines, flyash, biomass, salt cake, unburned carbon, unreacted carbon, volatile organic carbon, flare gas, tail gas, spent acid, fluff, particulate matter or a combination thereof. 31. The method of claim 27, wherein said fluid or gas comprises water, steam, carbon dioxide, air, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, volatile organic carbon, an ionizable fluid, an ionizable gas or a combination thereof. 32. The method of claim 27, wherein said radio frequency source comprises a set of radio frequency generating coils disposed around an exterior of said circular middle portion, or said circular middle portion and at least a portion of said bottom portion. 33. The method of claim 27, wherein the radio frequency source comprises a microwave plasma torch. 34. The method of claim 27, wherein said two or more jet nozzles comprise a first set of jet nozzles and said horizontal plane is a first horizontal plane, and further comprising a second set of two or more nozzles mounted tangentially in said cylindrical middle portion either above or below said first set of jet nozzles such that said second set of jet nozzles are substantially aligned with one another in a second horizontal plane with respect to said vertical longitudinal axis, and wherein said second set of jet nozzles are fed by said fluid or gas, atomize said fluid or gas and direct said atomized fluid or gas into said interior of said vessel. 35. A method for producing hydrogen from a carbon-based material comprising: providing a vessel having an interior defined by a cylindrical portion disposed proximate to a first end and a cone shaped portion disposed proximate to said cylindrical portion that forms a second outlet at a second end that is aligned with said longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion, a first outlet in said first end that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion, at least one inlet in said first end, and two or more jets or slits mounted tangentially in said cylindrical portion;atomizing and directing a fluid or gas into said interior via said two or more jets or slits to feed a plasma and create angular momentum in said plasma;generating said plasma from said atomized fluid or gas using a set of radio frequency coils disposed around or within said cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion to form a plasma vortex that circulates around said longitudinal axis; andproducing said hydrogen and a carbon by directing said carbon-based material into said plasma vortex via said at least one inlet such that said plasma vortex reacts with said carbon-based material, wherein said hydrogen exits through said first outlet in said first end and a carbon that exits through said second outlet in said second end. 36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of feeding said material into said inlet using a conveyor, a hopper, a gravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or a combination thereof. 37. The method of claim 35, wherein: said carbon-based material comprises a gas, a fluid, a semi-solid, a solid or a combination thereof; andwherein said plasma vortex circulates around a central void. 38. The method of claim 35, wherein said carbon-based material comprises household garbage, industrial waste, municipal solid waste, package materials, drill cuttings, metal cuttings, sludge, medical waste, red mud, waste electrical and electronic equipment, saw dust, wood chips, black liquor, bagasse, rice straw, animal manure, radioactive waste, coke, coal fines, flyash, biomass, salt cake, unburned carbon, unreacted carbon, volatile organic carbon, flare gas, tail gas, spent acid, fluff, particulate matter or a combination thereof. 39. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of introducing a second plasma into said interior of said vessel using a plasma torch disposed within said second outlet at said second end and aligned with said longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion. 40. The method of claim 35, further comprising an eductor attached to said outlet and aligned with said longitudinal axis.
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