Chemical reactor and method for chemically converting a first material into a second material

1. A method for chemically converting a borate into a borohydride, comprising:

providing a feed stream of a borate which is to be converted into a borohydride;

combusting the borate to produce a combustion flame, and a resulting gas; and

passing an electrical arc through the combustion flame and resulting gas to facilitate the production of the borohydride.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and wherein the step of passing the electrical arc through the combustion flame, and the resulting gas produces a high temperature plasma.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising:

providing a source of hydrogen which is chemically reacted with the borate to produce the borohydride.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and wherein the step of passing the electrical arc through the combustion flame facilitates a substantially one-step chemical reaction to produce the borohydride.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising:

providing a source of carbon which chemically reacts with the borate to produce the borohydride.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 , and wherein the source of carbon comprises a hydrocarbon.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising:

increasing the exposure time of the combustion flame and the resulting gas to the effects of the electrical arc to facilitate the production of the borohydride.

8. A method for chemically converting a borate into a borohydride, comprising:

combusting a borate to produce a chemical flame which has a major dimension; and passing an electrical arc through the combustion flame to create a plasma which extends along the major dimension of the flame and which facilitates the production of a borohydride.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 , and further comprising:

providing a chemical reactor which defines a passageway having opposite first and second ends, and wherein the chemical flame extends, at least in part, into the passageway, and wherein the passageway confines, at least in part the chemical flame.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 , and wherein the electrical arc extends between the first and second ends of the passageway.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 , and further comprising:

providing a first electrode which is positioned near the first end of the passageway;

providing a second electrode which is positioned near the second end of the passageway; and

providing a source of electricity and selectively coupling the source of electricity to the first and second electrodes to generate the electrical arc, and wherein the electrical arc extends along the passageway, and between the first and second ends of the passageway.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9 , and wherein the step of combusting the borate to produce the chemical flame further comprises:

providing a chemical torch and positioning the chemical torch near the first end of the passageway, and wherein the chemical torch is electrically insulated from the reaction chamber; and

supplying the borate to the chemical torch to be combusted.

13. A method as claimed in claim 9 , and further comprising:

providing a collection chamber, and positioning the collection chamber in receiving relation relative to the second end of the passageway, and wherein the collection chamber is electrically isolated from the chemical reactor.

14. A method as claimed in claim 9 , and further comprising:

cooling a region of the chemical reactor which is located intermediate the first and second ends of the passageway.

15. A method as claimed in claim 8 , and wherein the chemical flame has a major and a minor dimension, and wherein the electrical arc extends along less than about 50% of a distance as measured along the major dimension of the chemical flame.

16. A method as claimed in claim 8 , and wherein the chemical flame has a major and a minor dimension, and wherein the electrical arc extends along greater than about 50% of a distance as measured along the major dimension of the chemical flame.

17. A method as claimed in claim 8 , and wherein the method further comprises:

supplying sources of carbon and hydrogen and combusting the sources of carbon and hydrogen with the borate to produce the borohydride.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 , and wherein the sources of carbon and hydrogen a hydrocarbon.

19. A method for chemically converting a borate into a borohydride, comprising:

providing a feed stream of a borate;

providing a chemical torch, and combusting the borate in the chemical torch to produce a chemical flame;

providing a first electrode which is positioned adjacent to the chemical torch, and the chemical flame;

providing a second electrode which is positioned in spaced relation, and downstream of the first electrode, and which is further located adjacent to the chemical flame;

providing a source of electricity coupled to the respective first and second electrodes, and wherein the source of electricity produces an electrical arc which passes through the chemical flame, and which facilitates a chemical reaction of the borate to produce a borohydride; and

collecting the borohydride produced by the chemical reaction of the borate at a location downstream of the second electrode.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 , and further comprising:

providing a chemical reactor having opposite first and second ends, and wherein the chemical reactor defines a passageway which extends between the first and second ends thereof, and wherein the first and second electrodes are borne by the chemical reactor and individually positioned near the respective first and second ends of the chemical reactor, and wherein the chemical torch is positioned near the first end of the chemical reactor.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 , and further comprising:

cooling a region of the chemical reactor which is positioned intermediate the first and second ends.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19 , and wherein the feed stream includes a source of hydrogen which is combusted with the borate.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 , and wherein the electrical arc converts the chemical flame into a plasma, and wherein the plasma simultaneously reduces and then hydrogenates the borate to produce the borohydride.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20 , and wherein the step of collecting the borohydride further comprises providing a collection chamber and positioning the collection chamber downstream of the second electrode, and wherein the method further comprises:

positioning the chemical torch and the collection chamber in an electrically nonconductive orientation relative to the chemical reactor.

25. A method as claimed in claim 20 , and wherein a region of the chemical reactor positioned between the first and second electrodes is electrically nonconductive.

26. A method as claimed in claim 19 , and wherein the borate comprises sodium borate, and borohydride comprises sodium borohydride, and wherein the method further comprises:

providing a source of methane and combusting the sodium borate and methane to produce the chemical flame, and wherein the electrical arc converts the chemical flame into a plasma which increases the temperature of the flame and facilitates the reduction of the sodium borate and the simultaneous hydrogenation of the sodium borate to produce the sodium borohydride in a single step chemical reaction.

27. A method as claimed in claim 19 , and wherein after the steps of providing the first and second electrodes, the method further comprises:

positioning the first and second electrodes at a given distance apart which facilitates the chemical reaction of the borate to produce the borohydride.

28. A method as claimed in claim 26 , and wherein the passageway as defined by the chemical reactor has a major length dimension and a minor transverse dimension, and wherein the plasma created by the electrical arc extends substantially along the major length dimension of the passageway.