KR100913543B1 - Catalyst supply device and producing device of carbon nano-tube using it - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a catalyst supply device, and more particularly, to a catalyst supply device for smoothly supplying a catalyst and a carbon nanotube synthesis device having the same.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a catalyst supply device includes a storage unit for storing a catalyst in a powder form, a supply unit for supplying a catalyst stored in the storage unit to a processing unit, and an empty space is generated in a pile formed of a catalyst stored in the storage unit. And an injection unit for injecting gas into the catalyst to fill the empty space with the catalyst.

Catalyst Supply, Carbon Nanotube Synthesis Device

Description

Catalyst supply device and producing device of carbon nano-tube using it}

The present invention relates to a catalyst supply device, and more particularly, to a catalyst supply device for smoothly supplying a catalyst and a carbon nanotube synthesis device having the same.

In general, a catalyst is a substance that plays a role in controlling a reaction rate in a chemical reaction, and may be classified into a normal catalyst and a secondary catalyst. The cocatalyst is a catalyst that speeds up the reaction rate and is mainly used to produce a large amount of material by chemical reaction.

Therefore, a catalyst supply device may be provided to supply a catalyst to a reaction chamber in which a chemical reaction occurs. The catalyst supply device may control the chemical reaction rate in the reaction chamber by controlling the supply speed, the supply amount, the type of catalyst, and the like.

Carbon nanotubes, on the other hand, form a hexagonal honeycomb pattern by combining one carbon atom with three other carbon atoms around it. Carbon nanotubes have excellent electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties compared to conventional devices, and can be applied to various industrial fields such as field emission devices, electrochemical and energy storage, ultra-fine mechatronic systems, and organic and inorganic composite materials.

As a method of synthesizing such carbon nanotubes, a laser ablation method is performed by vaporizing a specimen made of a mixture of metal and graphite powder using a laser, and arc discharge by applying voltage to two carbon rods having different diameters. Arc discharge method for synthesizing and chemical gas deposition (CVD) for injecting gaseous raw gas into the reactor to grow carbon nanotubes by heat or plasma, and liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons. Pyrolysis of hydrocarbon is supplied to a reaction tube heated with a transition metal to decompose hydrocarbons to produce carbon nanotubes in a gaseous state.

Among them, continuous supply of catalysts is important in the synthesis of carbon nanotubes, such as chemical vapor deposition, which induces the growth of carbon nanotubes in catalysts. Catalysts in powder form are difficult to supply using pumps to transfer fluids.

The catalyst in powder form is not easy to move the catalyst due to the nature of the powder form, the empty space is generated on the container for storing the catalyst may cause problems in the catalyst transfer. Therefore, there is a need for a catalyst supply device capable of continuously feeding the catalyst in powder form while preventing the catalyst from flowing down on the storage vessel or preventing free space due to catalyst movement.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a catalyst supply device for continuously supplying a catalyst.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above object, the catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a storage unit for storing the catalyst in powder form; A supply unit for supplying a catalyst stored in the storage unit to a processing apparatus; And an injection unit filling the empty space with a catalyst by injecting a gas into the catalyst when an empty space is generated in the dummy made of the catalyst stored in the storage unit.

In order to achieve the above object, a carbon nanotube synthesis apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a reaction chamber that provides a space for synthesizing carbon nanotubes; A heating unit for heating the reaction chamber; A reaction gas supply unit supplying a reaction gas to the reaction chamber; And a catalyst supply unit supplying a catalyst to the reaction chamber. The catalyst supply unit for storing the catalyst in powder form; A supply unit supplying the catalyst stored in the storage unit to the reaction chamber; And an injection unit filling the empty space with a catalyst by injecting a gas into the catalyst when an empty space is generated in the dummy made of the catalyst stored in the storage unit.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings. Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

According to the present invention, the catalyst can be smoothly supplied by supplying a gas to fill the catalyst. In addition, the cost can be reduced by filling the catalyst through the gas supply unit without using a vibrator for shaking the catalyst supply device.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a perspective view of a catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, the catalyst supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a storage unit 100, a supply unit 200, an injection unit 300, and a catalyst tank unit 130.

Storage unit 100 serves as a container for storing the catalyst. The storage unit 100 temporarily stores the catalyst in powder form before supplying the catalyst. Storage unit 100 is a container having a constant capacity, the cross-sectional area of the lower portion of the storage unit 100 may be in the form of reducing than the top. This is because the catalyst stacked in the upper portion is sequentially moved to the lower side while supplying the catalyst to the reaction chamber by the supply unit. In other words, the lower part of the storage part 100 may be manufactured in a form similar to placing a cone, a polygonal horn, or the like. In this type of storage part 100, the catalyst flows on the wall of the storage part 100. You can get off.

The storage unit 100 may include a pressurizing unit capable of maintaining a constant pressure in the empty space of the storage unit 100. The pressurizing unit 150 may be connected to the upper portion of the storage unit 100 through the tube 160 to control the pressure in the storage unit 100. The pressurizing part 150 may include a gas tank 170 for supplying gas through the pipe 160.

The catalyst tank 130 supplies the catalyst to the storage 100 in case the catalyst stored in the storage 100 is consumed. The catalyst tank 130 holds the catalyst in a container that is relatively larger than the storage 100 and then opens and closes the pipe 132 and the pipe 132 connected to supply the catalyst to the storage 100. 134 and the like.

The supply unit 200 serves to supply a catalyst to the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber uses a catalyst to control the reaction rate and allows the catalyst to be produced in a short time. The reaction chamber may be a chamber of a carbon synthesizing apparatus.

The supply unit 200 includes a supply pipe 210 which provides a passage for supplying the catalyst of the storage unit 100 to the process equipment, a catalyst injector 220 which generates gas pressure and injects the catalyst into the supply pipe 210, and a driving gas passes therethrough. It may include a gas pipe 230 to provide a passage.

Supply pipe 210 provides a passage for connecting the reservoir 100 and the chamber of the process equipment. Supply pipe 210 may be made in the form of a tube to move the catalyst in the form of powder.

Catalyst injector 220 provides a driving force to move the catalyst to the supply pipe (210). The catalyst injector 220 supplies a driving gas to move the catalyst to the supply pipe 210. The driving gas is supplied through the gas pipe 230 surrounding the outside of the supply pipe 210 as shown in FIG. 2, and the driving gas may include not only air but also all kinds of gases that are not reactive with the catalyst.

Therefore, when the catalyst injector 220 injects a driving gas to generate gas pressure through the gas pipe 230, the catalyst is moved to the supply pipe 210 having a relatively low pressure by the gas pressure. In other words, since the force due to the pressure difference is applied from the high pressure part to the low pressure part, the catalyst is pushed into the low pressure supply pipe 210 by the pressure difference generated at the inlet of the supply pipe 210. It can be fed to the reaction chamber.

The injection unit 300 serves to fill the catalyst stored in the storage unit 100. In the storage unit 100, an empty space may be temporarily generated after the catalyst is supplied through the supply pipe 210. In particular, the catalyst should be filled immediately after the catalyst is injected into the inlet of the feed pipe 210, but due to the powdered catalyst, an empty space is formed around the inlet of the feed pipe 210, and thus it may not be possible to continuously supply the catalyst. The injection unit 300 is attached to the side surface to the storage unit 100 to temporarily inject a gas to fill the catalyst. The injection unit 300 may be attached to the side surface of the lower portion of the storage unit 100 in the form of a tube. The injection unit 300 has an outlet closed and temporarily opens when injecting gas to inject gas into the catalyst. The injection unit 300 may include a gas tank 310 having a constant pressure as a source of gas.

Referring to the operation of the catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are as follows. Figure 3 shows the action of the injection unit in the catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, first, the catalyst tank 130 supplies a catalyst to the storage 100. The catalyst is stored in the storage unit 100 by a predetermined height, and a predetermined gas is inputted and injected into the empty space of the storage unit 100 by the pressurizing unit 150 of the storage unit 100. Therefore, the catalyst is stored in the lower portion of the storage unit 100 and a gas of a constant pressure is positioned in the upper portion of the storage unit 100.

When it is necessary to supply a catalyst to the reaction chamber, a catalyst gas is injected from the catalyst injector 220 of the supply unit 200. The catalyst injector 220 injects the catalyst into the supply pipe 210 by the driving gas supplied through the gas pipe 230 surrounding the supply pipe 210. The pressure of the driving gas is higher than the pressure of the supply pipe 210 by the catalyst injector 220, so that the catalyst is pushed into the supply pipe 210 according to the pressure difference.

When the catalyst is pushed into the supply pipe 210 is filled with the catalyst located around. However, if the catalyst is not a fluid, the surrounding space may be emptied after the catalyst is pushed into the supply pipe 210. This is because the force for maintaining the space by the catalyst in powder form is greater than the force for the powder to be filled with empty space.

Therefore, the gas is injected from the injection unit 300 on the side of the storage unit 100 to fill the empty space to induce the movement of the catalyst. By moving the catalyst by the gas injected from the injection unit 300, it is possible to destroy the catalyst pile to maintain the empty space. As the catalyst pile collapses, the empty space is filled, and the shape of the storage part 100 is pointed downward so that the catalyst may be automatically filled.

As such, by supplying the gas through the injection unit 300 to temporarily move the catalyst, the empty space around the inlet of the supply pipe 210 may be filled with the catalyst. This is much cheaper in terms of cost than the method of filling the empty space with a catalyst by shaking the storage 100 by applying vibration to the storage 100. There is no need for a vibrator for vibrating the storage unit 100, and the storage unit 100 may further include an injection unit 300 formed of a predetermined tube, so that the structure 100 may be easily manufactured.

4 is a cross-sectional view showing a carbon nanotube synthesis apparatus having a catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the carbon nanotube synthesis apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a reaction chamber 500, a heating unit 510, a reaction gas supply unit 520, and a catalyst supply unit 530.

The reaction chamber 500 provides a space in which carbon nanotubes are synthesized. The reaction chamber 500 is made of a heat resistant material such as quartz or graphite.

The heating unit 510 heats the reaction chamber 500 to a process temperature at which the process is performed. The heating unit 510 may heat the reaction chamber 500 by the heating wire or the induction coil as a whole while surrounding the reaction chamber 500.

The reaction gas supply unit 520 supplies a reaction gas that reacts with the catalyst such that the process is performed in the reaction chamber 500. The reaction gas supply unit 520 may be used in one or a combination of acetylene, ethylene, methane, benzene, xylene, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The reaction gas is decomposed into radicals by pyrolysis, and the decomposed radicals react with the catalyst to synthesize carbon nanotubes.

The catalyst supply unit 530 supplies a catalyst to the reaction chamber 500. The catalyst supply unit 530 may include a storage unit 100, a supply unit 200, and an injection unit 300.

Storage unit 100 serves as a container for storing the catalyst. The storage unit 100 stores the catalyst in powder form, and the cross-sectional area of the lower portion of the storage unit 100 may be reduced compared to the upper portion so that the catalyst naturally moves to the lower portion of the storage unit 100 while the catalyst is supplied. In addition, the empty space above the storage unit 100 may be occupied by a gas having a constant pressure.

The supply unit 200 supplies the catalyst of the storage unit 100 to the reaction chamber 500. The supply unit 200 includes a supply pipe 210 which is a passage through which the catalyst moves and a catalyst injector 220 that injects the catalyst into the supply pipe. The supply pipe 210 is directly connected to the reaction chamber 500 to supply a catalyst in powder form to the reaction chamber 500. The catalyst injector 220 injects the catalyst into the supply pipe 210 by gas pressure. The catalyst injector 220 may inject the catalyst into the supply pipe 210 having a relatively low pressure due to the pressure difference, and the catalyst into the reaction chamber 500 through the supply pipe 210 by the pressure injection of the catalyst injector 220. Can be supplied.

The injection unit 300 fills the catalyst stored in the storage unit 100. The injection unit 300 serves to fill the empty space with the catalyst when the empty space is generated around the inlet of the supply pipe 210 after the catalyst is supplied through the supply pipe 210. The injection unit 300 may be attached to one or more sides of the storage unit 100 to induce the movement of the catalyst by temporarily injecting gas through the pipe.

Referring to the operation of the catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

First, the reaction chamber 500 is heated by the heating unit 510. The heating unit 510 is heated to a process temperature at which the synthesis of the carbon nanotubes is performed. When the reaction chamber 500 is heated to the process temperature, the reaction gas is injected into the reaction chamber 500. The reaction gas is injected into the reaction chamber 500 to form a fluidized bed while passing through the injection plate 550 of the reaction chamber 500. The reaction gas may be thermally decomposed by high temperature heat inside the reaction chamber 500 to be decomposed into radicals. The decomposed radicals react with the catalyst to synthesize carbon nanotubes.

As the carbon nanotubes are synthesized, the catalyst is supplied into the reaction chamber 500 by the catalyst supply unit 530. The catalyst supply unit 530 injects the catalyst stored in the storage unit 100 into the supply pipe 210 by the catalyst injector 220, and supplies the catalyst to the reaction chamber 500 by moving the injected catalyst.

However, as the catalyst is injected into the supply pipe 210, an empty space may be generated around the inlet of the supply pipe 210 in the storage 100. This is because the catalyst is in the form of a powder, and the force to maintain the shape having a predetermined empty space by the catalyst may act.

At this time, the injection unit 300 injects a gas toward the catalyst to cause the catalyst to flow. The catalyst located around the inlet of the supply pipe 210 is unable to maintain the empty space by the injected gas and thus collapses, and thus the catalyst may fill the empty space around the inlet of the supply pipe 210. Thus, it is possible to supply the catalyst to the reaction chamber 500 by the catalyst injector 220, it is possible to supply a continuous catalyst.

As described above, the carbon nanotube synthesis apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can reduce the time for synthesizing the carbon nanotubes by supplying a continuous catalyst. When an empty space occurs in the catalyst stored in the storage unit 100 in the catalyst supply unit 530, the empty space is filled by supplying a gas through a predetermined pipe of the injection unit 300 to easily fill the catalyst in the storage unit 100. Can be.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains have various permutations, modifications, and modifications without departing from the spirit or essential features of the present invention. It is to be understood that modifications may be made and other embodiments may be embodied. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive.

1 is a perspective view of a catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the catalyst supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows the action of the injection unit in the catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view showing a carbon nanotube synthesis apparatus having a catalyst supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the main parts of the drawings *

100: storage 130: catalyst tank

200: supply unit 210: supply pipe

220: catalyst injector 300: injection unit

500: reaction chamber 510: heating

520: reaction gas supply unit 530: catalyst supply unit

Claims (6)

A storage unit for storing the catalyst in powder form; A supply unit for supplying a catalyst stored in the storage unit to a processing apparatus; And When the empty space is generated in the pile of the catalyst stored in the storage unit, the catalyst supply comprising a spraying unit for filling the empty space with a catalyst by injecting a gas to the stored catalyst through a predetermined tube on the side of the storage unit Device. The method of claim 1, wherein the injection unit And a gas tank for providing gas injected through the pipe. The method of claim 1, wherein the supply unit Injecting a driving gas to the catalyst stored in the storage unit, the catalyst supply device for supplying the catalyst through a supply pipe by using the pressure difference of the drive gas. The method of claim 1, wherein the supply unit A supply pipe providing a passage for supplying a catalyst of the storage unit to a processing apparatus; And And a gas injector for injecting the catalyst into the supply pipe by a driving gas. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage unit Catalyst supply apparatus, the cross-sectional area of the lower portion of the reservoir is formed narrower than the cross-sectional area of the upper portion of the reservoir A reaction chamber providing space for synthesizing carbon nanotubes; A heating unit for heating the reaction chamber; A reaction gas supply unit supplying a reaction gas to the reaction chamber; And It includes a catalyst supply for supplying a catalyst to the reaction chamber, The catalyst supply unit A storage unit for storing the catalyst in powder form; A supply unit supplying the catalyst stored in the storage unit to the reaction chamber; And When the empty space is generated in the pile made of the catalyst stored in the storage unit, the carbon nano comprising a spraying unit for filling the empty space with a catalyst by injecting a gas to the stored catalyst through a predetermined tube on the side of the storage unit, carbon nano Tube synthesis apparatus.

Images