Patent ID: 7678339

Claim:
A vapourised flow quenching reactor for producing a fine-powder from one or more reactant materials comprising (1) first heat creating means selected from one of a DC plasma torch and RF plasma torch, said first heat creating means including (i) a reactant stream inlet for at least one input material selected from at least one gas phase and at least one non gas phase material, said non gas phase material to be vapourised by said first heat creating means and (ii) a reactant stream outlet (2) a first reaction chamber to receive said gaseous reactant stream from said reactant stream outlet of said first heat creating means wherein in said first reaction chamber said mixing and/or reaction of said reactant stream occurs, said first reaction chamber including an outlet for said reactant stream (3) a first convergent-divergent nozzle to receive via an inlet thereof said reactant stream from said outlet of said first reaction chamber to rapidly cool the reactant stream axially flowing there through, as a result of adiabatic and is entropic expansion of the reactant stream, said first convergent-divergent nozzle including an outlet for said reactant stream (4) a second reaction chamber including (i) a first inlet to receive said reactant stream of material from said outlet of said first convergent-divergent nozzle, and (ii) a second inlet for delivery of a second reaction stream into said second reaction chamber, said second reaction stream having been generated by second heat creating means selected from one of a DC plasma torch and RF plasma torch, said second heat creating means including (a) a reactant stream inlet for at least one input material selected from at least one gas phase and at least one non gas phase material, said non gas phase material to be vapourised by said second heat creating means and (b) a second reactant stream outlet to deliver said second reactant stream via said second inlet of said second reaction chamber, into said second reaction chamber, and (iii) an outlet of said second reaction chamber (5) a second convergent-divergent nozzle to receive via an inlet thereof said resultant reactant stream (resultant from said first and/or second reactant streams) from said outlet of said second reaction chamber to rapidly cool the resultant reactant stream axially flowing there through as a result of adiabatic and is entropic expansion of the resultant reactant stream, said second convergent-divergent nozzle including an outlet for said reactant stream (6) a collection chamber to receive material from said outlet of said second convergent-divergent nozzle.