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:
Apr. 25, 1995
Filed:
Jul. 27, 1994
William M Sackinger, Fairbanks, AK (US);
University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK (US);
Abstract
An electrical apparatus is provided for the conversion of compounds, elements, or mixtures which are in particulate form, into new compounds, elements or mixtures in gaseous, liquid, or particulate form. In a reaction chamber, particulates are mechanically transported into a first region of high electric field, where they acquire a charge and are projected into a second region in which a low-density plasma is maintained. Energetic plasma ions strike the surfaces of the particulates, causing chemical reactions and release of both neutral and ionic products species. Charge exchange on particulates causes the reduced-size particles to fall back into the first region, where the charging recurs and the cycle is repeated. Gaseous and particulate products are removed from the chamber. In one application, naturally-occurring ores may be reduced by a methane plasma; in another, coal may be converted in a methane plasma to intermediate range hydrocarbons.