Single walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were produced by a novel aerosol method. Catalyst particles were formed by a hot wire generator and introduced into a laminar flow reactor. The size of catalyst particles was approximately 1-3 nm, while the diameter of formed CNTs was 0.6-2 nm. The average length of CNTs was about 50 nm. The important role of hydrogen in the process of CNTs growth was shown. The results of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations to determine the temperature and velocity profiles, mixing conditions of the species in the reactor are presented. Different types of multiwalled CNTs were produced by a CVD method. in which the aerosol introduction of catalyst particles was used. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.