Plasma reactor

Abstract

A method of making carbon black. Such method is described including generating a plasma by subjecting a plasma gas to a plasma arc, mixing a feedstock material with the plasma gas and combining the mixture in a reactor at a given reactor temperature to produce carbon black, wherein the feedstock is mixed with the plasma gas outside of the area occupied by the plasma arc. The carbon black produced by such process is also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making carbon black comprising generating a torch plasma by subjecting a plasma gas to a plasma arc, mixing a feedstock material with the plasma gas and combining the mixture in a reactor at a given reactor temperature to produce carbon black, wherein the feedstock is mixed with the plasma gas outside of the area occupied by the plasma arc. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock is natural gas. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the natural gas and plasma are mixed at a high intensity. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the mixing is turbulent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  resulting in substantial elimination of torch fouling. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  resulting in the production of high quality carbon black, having more uniform time temperature carbon black production history, higher surface area per degree of reactor temperature, higher surface area per specific energy input, higher product structure, higher tinting strength, reduced product grit, and reduced product extract. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the feedstock is injected so as to fully form the carbon black product prior to contact with any solid surface present in the reactor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claims 3  wherein the high intensity mixing region is expanded after feedstock injection to detatch flow from the wall so as to create recirculation of fully formed carbon black product and keep the forming product off the wall of the reactor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the recirculation counteracts the wake generated by injecting the feedstock to prevent the wake from causing the feedstock to contact the wall prior to fully forming the product. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein increasing the reactor temperature reduces the required time for the carbon black product to fully form. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the carbon black product produced is quenched after sufficient residence time in the reactor so as to reduce product extract levels. 
     
     
         12 . The carbon black product produced by the process of  claim 1 .