Mesosystems Technology, Inc.

James S Millar

Joseph G Birmingham

Donald J Hammerstrom

Charles John Call

A non-thermal plasma or corona discharge is generated at multiple points and distributed to decontaminate surfaces and objects contaminated with chemical or biological agents. The corona discharge can be generated using very short high voltage pulses. The pulsed corona discharge can be directed at a contaminated surface through the unbraided strands at an end of a dielectric covered conductor. Another pulsed discharge embodiment incorporates a primary coil surrounding a chamber having a void filled with a plurality of secondary coils. A silent corona discharge can be generated using a variety of different configurations of a dielectric coated electrode and a bare electrode. The silent discharge is produced at all intersections between the dielectric covered electrode and the bare electrode. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a blanket-like structure that is useful for decontaminating surfaces or decontaminating a fluid passing between spaced-apart bare electrodes.

Decontamination of fluids or objects contaminated with chemical or biological agents using a distributed plasma reactor

Apparatus and method for using a non-thermal plasma or corona discharge generated at multiple points and distributed to decontaminate surfaces and objects contaminated with chemical or biological agents. The corona discharge can be generated using very short high voltage pulses. The pulsed corona discharge can be directed at a contaminated surface through the unbraided strands at an end of a dielectric covered conductor. Another pulsed discharge embodiment incorporates a primary coil surrounding a chamber having a void filled with a plurality of secondary coils. A silent corona discharge can be generated using a variety of different configurations of a dielectric coated electrode and a bare electrode. The silent discharge is produced at all intersections between the dielectric covered electrode and the bare electrode. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a blanket-like structure that is useful for decontaminating surfaces or decontaminating a fluid passing between spaced-apart bare electrodes.

Apparatus for using a non-thermal plasma or corona discharge generated at multiple points and distributed to decontaminate surfaces and objects contaminated with chemical or biological agents. The corona discharge can be generated using very short high voltage pulses (pulsed discharge) produced by a Tesla coil. The pulsed corona discharge can be directed at a contaminated surface through the unbraided strands at an end of a dielectric covered conductor. Another pulsed discharge embodiment incorporates a primary coil surrounding a chamber having a void filled with a plurality of secondary coils. A silent corona discharge can be generated using a variety of different configurations of a dielectric coated electrode and a bare electrode. The silent discharge is produced at all intersections between the dielectric covered electrode and the bare electrode. The bare electrode can be woven with the dielectric covered electrode or can be coiled helically around, or plated onto, the dielectric covered electrode. In one embodiment, the bare electrode is formed as a sheet through which the dielectric coated electrodes pass. In another embodiment, the bare electrode is formed in accordion pleats, and a plurality of dielectric covered electrodes pass through each pleat. Alternatively, the bare electrodes and dielectric covered electrodes can be woven into a loose mesh. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a blanket-like structure that is useful for decontaminating a surfaces or decontaminating a fluid passing between spaced-apart bare electrodes. In another embodiment the bare electrodes define an internal treatment volume through which a contaminated fluid flows.

Apparatus and a method for separating particulates from a fluid in which the particulates are entrained. An impact collection surface is coated with a material that improves the efficiency with which the particulates are separated from the fluid and collected. In one embodiment, the coating retains the particulates when dry, but readily releases the particulates when wetted with a liquid. In another embodiment, the coating is a material that has a relatively low coefficient of friction, so that the particulates that have impacted on the coating are readily washed from it with a liquid. The coating may be selected to retain specific biological particulates by including an antibody that selectively links with antigens on the biological particulates. The coated impact collection surface may be used to purify water by removing biological contaminants and other particulates from the water passing over the coated impact collection surface. In one embodiment of a particle impact collector using coatings like those just described, the coated impact collection surface is on a flexible tape that is moved past a point of collection and onto a take-up reel.

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West Richland, WA, United States of America

James S Millar