Video Swirling Fluidized Bed Reactor

A swirling fluidized bed reactor design for the preparation of supported nanoparticles is reported. It uses a DC plasma torch that decomposes and vaporizes salt precursors; the cationic part condenses as metal nanoparticles on a powder support. Any fluidizable granular material can be used as support, as long as it withstands the temperatures of the plasma torch. The torch is located at the center of the reactor axis and the powder is fluidized using a cyclonic action (swirl) to minimize the space where the grains could come into direct contact with the plasma zone. The reactor was tested for the production of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) supported on silica-alumina, using silver nitrate as precursor.