The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 28, 1991
Filed:
Feb. 22, 1990
William M Sackinger, Fairbanks, AK (US);
University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK (US);
Abstract
An electrical device is provided for the conversion of low-molecular-weight molecules, such as methane, into higher weight molecules, such as heptane and octane. The reaction chamber contains an array of parallel dielectric tubes, with a semiconducting layer beneath their inner surfaces which carries a current. During operation, electrons strike the inner surfaces of the tubes, ionizing molecules absorbed on the surfaces, which are then accelerated by the electric field and are carries to a new surface location, where they combine with absorbed molecules there to form a variety of new larger molecules. Excess hydrogen in the ionized condition is removed, being accelerated by the electric field to the opposite ends of the tubes. Under some conditions of operation, large molecules can be segmented into smaller ones. The controlled electron impact ionization in the device can also produce reactions among several molecular species which would be unlikely or impossible under normal chemical equilibrium conditions, or with normal catalysts.