Advancement in the modeling and simulation of nanoparticle production via FSP

• Grant number: 20/08502-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal researcher: Dirceu Noriler
• Grantee: Pedro Bianchi Neto
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Special attention has been given to inorganic nanomaterials worldwide, given their desirable characteristics in several areas, such as catalysis, pigmentation, pharmaceuticals, food, and others. The Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) process has the potential to produce nanoparticles with high purity and a narrow size distribution range, efficiently and at lower costs, when compared to other techniques. Starting from low-cost precursors, the FSP process is capable of producing fine powders of metallic oxides at a size range between 1 and 200 nm. A comprehensive understanding of this process is crucial for the progress of studies regarding the process scaleup, as well as the production of new materials. The main goal of this project is to create a model that enables the description of mixing behavior in turbulent flames, and also realistic particle distribution, by applying CFD techniques coupled to multivariate PBM. For that, improvements in the resolution of the turbulence description should be made, as well as systematic analyses of process parameter dependency and solution methods for the population balance equation. This proposal also intends to continue a line of research at the School of Chemical Engineering (FEQ) of the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), regarding synthesis and application of metal oxide nano-particles, and strengthen the relationship between this school and the University of Bremen, in Germany. At the end of this project, a complete doctoral thesis is expected, along with publications in international journals and conference proceedings. (AU)