University of California

Los Alamos National Security, LLC

Other

Louis A Rosocha

Don Mayo Coates

William A Fitzsimmons

Vincent Ferreri

Yongho Kim

A non-thermal plasma assisted combustion fuel injector that uses an inner and outer electrode to create an electric field from a high voltage power supply. A dielectric material is operatively disposed between the two electrodes to prevent arcing and to promote the formation of a non-thermal plasma. A fuel injector, which converts a liquid fuel into a dispersed mist, vapor, or aerosolized fuel, injects into the non-thermal plasma generating energetic electrons and other highly reactive chemical species.

Fuel injector utilizing non-thermal plasma activation

The present invention comprises a field enhanced electrode package for use in a non-thermal plasma processor. The field enhanced electrode package includes a high voltage electrode and a field-enhancing electrode with a dielectric material layer disposed in-between the high voltage electrode and the field-enhancing electrode. The field-enhancing electrode features at least one raised section that includes at least one injection hole that allows plasma discharge streamers to occur primarily within an injected additive gas.

Field-enhanced electrodes for additive-injection non-thermal plasma (NTP) processor

A device for processing gases includes a cylindrical housing in which an electrically grounded, metal injection/extraction gas supply tube is disposed. A dielectric tube surrounds the injection/extraction gas supply tube to establish a gas modification passage therearound. Additionally, a metal high voltage electrode circumscribes the dielectric tube. The high voltage electrode is energizable to create nonthermal electrical microdischarges between the high voltage electrode and the injection/extraction gas supply tube across the dielectric tube within the gas modification passage. An injection/extraction gas and a process gas flow through the nonthermal electrical microdischarges within the gas modification passage and a modified process gas results. Using the device contaminants that are entrained in the process gas can be destroyed to yield a cleaner, modified process gas.

Nonthermal plasma processor utilizing additive-gas injection and/or gas extraction

A fast pulsed nonthermal plasma reactor includes a discharge cell and a charging assembly electrically connected thereto. The charging assembly provides plural high voltage pulses to the discharge cell. Each pulse has a rise time between one and ten nanoseconds and a duration of three to twenty nanoseconds. The pulses create nonthermal plasma discharge within the discharge cell. Accordingly, the nonthermal plasma discharge can be used to remove pollutants from gases or break the gases into smaller molecules so that they can be more efficiently combusted.

Fast pulse nonthermal plasma reactor

A discharge device (10) is disclosed which is capable of providing preionizing ultraviolet wave length photons to the area of a gap between the first (15) and second (35) electrodes of the device. The first electrode (15) includes a core (20) of dielectric material, a conductive plate (23) mounted on one surface of the core, and a conductive grid (26) mounted on an opposed surface of the core which faces the second electrode. The application of a negative voltage pulse to the grid (26), while the plate (23) is maintained at substantially ground potential, causes electrons to discharge between the conductors of the grid and the adjacent surface of the dielectric core, and, in doing so, generates photons having wavelengths in the ultraviolet range. The ultraviolet photons, which are emanated in a two dimensionally uniform pattern over the surface of the dielectric core adjacent the grid, cause ionization of the gas within the main discharge gap between the first and second electrodes. The second electrode may be maintained at ground or other potential higher than the grid such that a sufficient potential difference reached between the second electrode and the grid after the preionization will result in a uniform glow discharge of electrons between the two electrodes. This glow discharge is useful for the firing of gas lasers and in certain chemical reactors, such as ozone generators.

Growing community of inventors

Los Alamos, NM, United States of America

Louis A Rosocha