Can Induction Plasma Technology be Nano-safe, 'Green' and Energy Efficient?

With the rapid development of interest in the commercial scale production of nanopowders and nano-structured materials an increasing concern is being voiced about the safety measures that are taken in the design and construction of such facilities. This paper deals with such an important issue and describes the main design and manufacturing safeguards that were implemented during the design and commissioning of a recently inaugurated Tekna Advanced Materials powder production facility in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. The team of engineers from Tekna Plasma Systems was in charge of the design of multiple-units powder synthesis and processing facility to produce a wide range of nano- and micro-sized powders. The main design issues were process safety, environmental friendliness without compromising the overall processing economics. The bottom-up approach used was based on the integration of standard processing units, offered by Tekna Plasma Systems, housed in dedicated production facility equipped with process-specific hardware and operation procedures and safeguards in order to warrant the superior protection for process operators and the surrounding environment.