SpraySyn-A standardized burner configuration for nanoparticle synthesis in spray flames

Area of Science:

• Nanoparticle synthesis
• Combustion science
• Chemical engineering

Background:

• Standardized experiments are crucial for scientific progress and process understanding.
• Spray-flame synthesis of nanoparticles requires well-defined experimental conditions.
• Existing burners often lack simulation-friendly parameters and diagnostic accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce the SpraySyn burner, a novel standard for free-jet spray-flame synthesis.
• Provide well-defined, simulation-friendly boundary conditions and geometries.
• Establish a reproducible method for nanoparticle synthesis research.

Main Methods:

• Design and construction of the SpraySyn burner with a central capillary for precursor solution and oxygen dispersion.
• Stabilization of the spray flame using a methane/oxygen pilot flame and nitrogen coflow.
• Validation through large-eddy simulations and development of a consumer-camera-based flame characterization scheme.

Main Results:

• The SpraySyn burner offers well-defined, simulation-friendly conditions and accessibility for diagnostics.
• Large-eddy simulations confirm the burner's suitability for computational fluid dynamics.
• A flame characterization scheme using consumer cameras allows for reproducible assessment of flame geometry.

Conclusions:

• The SpraySyn burner serves as a new standard for reproducible nanoparticle synthesis via spray-flame synthesis.
• It facilitates accurate computational fluid dynamics simulations and cross-laboratory benchmarking.
• This standardized approach advances the understanding and control of nanoparticle formation processes.