Plasma spouted/fluidized bed for materials processing

Abstract

Plasma when coupled with spout/fluidized bed reactor for gas-solid reaction brings in several advantages such as high rate of heat and mass transfer, generation of high bulk temperature using a thin jet of plasma itself as a heat source. The science and technology of plasma and fluidization or spouted bed are well established except of these two put together for high temperature application. Plasma heating of fluid/ spouted bed can bring down the size of the equipment and increase the productivity. However the theory and practice of the hybrid technology has not been tested in a variety of applications that involves high temperature synthesis of materials, TRISO particle coating for nuclear fuel particle, thermal decomposition of refractory type ore, halogenations of minerals, particulate processes and synthesis of advanced materials. This paper gives an account of the use and exploitation of plasma coupled with spouted/ fluidized bed especially for material processing and also addresses the issues for adapting the same in the era of developing advanced high temperature materials. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.