Patent ID: 8076258
Filing Date: 2011-12-13
Classification: A61L,B01J,B22F,F28C,F28D,F28F,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of producing a fixed-bed catalyst with nano-scale structure using a nano-powder production reactor and a filter structure, the method comprising: introducing a starting powder into the nano-powder production reactor, wherein the starting powder comprises catalyst material; the nano-powder production reactor nano-sizing the starting powder, thereby producing an output, wherein the output comprises a nano-powder entrained in a reactor fluid stream, the nano-powder comprising a plurality of nano-particles, each nano-particle comprising the catalyst material; introducing the output from the nano-powder production reactor to the filter structure, wherein the filter structure is fluidly coupled to the nano-powder production reactor; the filter structure separating the nano-particles from the reactor fluid stream, wherein the filter structure collects the nano-particles, thereby forming a structured collection of catalytic nano-particles on the filter structure; removing the filter structure from the nano-powder production reactor, wherein the structured collection of catalytic nano-particles is maintained on the filter structure for use as a fixed-bed catalyst; forming a structured collection of contaminated catalytic nano-particles on the filter structure and a product output; harvesting the contaminated catalytic nano-particles from the filter structure; processing the contaminated catalytic nano-particles to form recycled starting powder from the contaminated catalytic nano-particles, wherein the recycled starting powder comprises the catalyst material; introducing the recycled starting powder into the nano-powder production reactor; and the nano-powder production reactor nano-sizing the recycled starting powder, thereby producing an output, wherein the output comprises a nano-powder entrained in a fluid stream, the nano-powder comprising a plurality of nano-particles, each nano-particle comprising the catalyst material.