Granted Patent B2

US 12,286,540 · App. 18/638,484 · Granted Apr 29, 2025

Inventors: Ned J. Hardman (Lincoln, NE); Roscoe W. Taylor (Kingwood, TX); Robert J. Hanson (Lincoln, NE); Peter L. Johnson (Mountain View, CA)

Assignee: Monolith Materials, Inc.

C09C1/485B01J19/088B01J2219/0809B01J2219/0869B01J2219/0871B01J2219/0875B01J2219/0898C01P2006/12C01P2006/19

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A system comprising:

(a) an enclosed particle generating reactor, comprising a plasma generating section containing one or more sets of plasma generating electrodes, connected to a reactor section containing hydrocarbon injectors, an interior dimension of the reactor section being reduced by at least 10% downstream from the plasma generating electrodes, and the hydrocarbon injectors being either at the point of maximum reactor size reduction or further downstream from the plasma generating electrodes,

(b) a degas apparatus coupled to the reactor, and

(c) a pelletizer coupled to the degas apparatus.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interior dimension of the reactor section is reduced by at least 20% downstream from the plasma generating electrodes.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interior dimension of the reactor section is reduced by at least 30% downstream from the plasma generating electrodes.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interior dimension of the reactor section is reduced by at least 40% downstream from the plasma generating electrodes.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger connected to the reactor, a filter connected to the heat exchanger, the degas apparatus connected to the filter, a binder mixing tank connected to the pelletizer, and a dryer connected to the pelletizer.

6. An enclosed particle generating reactor, comprising:

plasma generating electrodes in the reactor, wherein an interior dimension of the reactor is at least 10% smaller downstream of the plasma generating electrodes; and

injectors configured to inject hydrocarbon either at a point where the interior dimension is smallest or further downstream from the plasma generating electrodes to form carbon black particles with combustible gas in pores therebetween,

wherein a sum of diameters of the injectors is greater than 5% of a circumference of a cross-sectional plane of the reactor where the injectors are co-located.

7. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 6 , further comprising an inert gas replacement system configured to replace a first amount of a combustible gas in pores between the carbon particles with an inert gas.

8. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 7 , wherein the first amount of the combustible gas in pores between the carbon particles is at least 90% of a total amount of combustible gas in pores between the carbon particles.

9. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 7 , wherein a concentration of the combustible gas in pores between the carbon particles is greater than 30% by volume on a dry basis.

10. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 7 , wherein the combustible gas is hydrogen.

11. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 7 , wherein the inert gas is one or more of a noble gas, nitrogen, steam, and/or carbon dioxide.

12. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 6 , wherein the interior dimension of the reactor section is at least 20% smaller downstream from the plasma generating electrodes.

13. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 6 , wherein the interior dimension of the reactor section is at least 30% smaller downstream from the plasma generating electrodes.

14. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 6 , wherein the interior dimension of the reactor section is at least 40% smaller downstream from the plasma generating electrodes.

15. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 6 , further comprising a magnetic field of about 20 millitesla to about 100 millitesla configured for application to the plasma generating electrodes to create a rotating arc discharge.

16. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 6 , wherein the plasma generating electrodes are AC electrodes.

17. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 6 , wherein the plasma generating electrodes are concentrically arranged.

18. The enclosed particle generating reactor of claim 6 , wherein the reactor is configured to subject the hydrocarbon to a heat from a plasma generated from the plasma generating electrodes of at least about 1000° C. but no more than about 3500° C. in the reactor.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)