Non-thermal plasma treatment apparatus, method and system
AssigneeGreenPath Industries, LLC
InventorJoseph E Lewis, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention comprises an apparatus, method and system used to treat various liquids, seeds, and soil or other growth media used in cultivating plants by exposure to a plasma discharge. The system comprises a novel electrode structure which utilizes a tapered inner electrode and a porous outer electrode to create a three-dimensional plasma discharge, which is applied to liquid, seeds or growth media through removably attachable sub-assemblies. When used to treat water or seeds, highly-concentrated plasma activated water (PAW) and disease and drought resistant plasma activated seeds (PAS), respectively, are produced, which improve germination rate and efficiency, and eliminate the need for ammonia-based chemical fertilizers.
Claims13
A device for non-thermal plasma treatment of liquids, seeds, and growth media, comprising:
- a) One or more plasma reactor vessel assemblies, further comprising:
- i. a center electrode
- ii. a center electrode insulator
- iii. a plasma reactor housing
- iv. a porous outer electrode
- v. a reaction zone that includes the area between the center electrode and the porous outer electrode, and above a discharge aperture;
- vi. a discharge aperture at the end of the reaction zone where plasma is released from the plasma reactor vessel assembly and directed to one or more system component sub-assemblies;
- b) an electrical system including ignition connection hardware and a plasma ignition unit electronically connected to the center electrode and the porous outer electrode, wherein said plasma ignition unit is configured to operate at either a set voltage and frequency or at an oscillating voltage and frequency;
- c) an air supply unit further comprising:
- an air pump removably attached to an air filter and in contact with an external air supply, said air pump pressurizes filtered air and releases it to a large air hose, said large air hose is connected at a first end to the air pump and connected at a second end by a Y-fitting to a plurality of small air hoses which are removably connected to the plasma reactor housing at one or more gas inlet pipes in said plasma reactor housing;
- d) a water injection unit further comprising a water supply, an external pressurized water supply line connected to said water supply;
- a manual shutoff valve on said external pressurized water supply line between the solenoid valve and a water flow regulator;
- a first water injection hose with a first end connected to the water flow regulator and a second end connected to a T-fitting and a second water injection hose with a first end connected to a first connection of a T-fitting and a second end connected to water injection port;
- e) interchangeable and removably attached sub-assemblies, including
- i. a liquid treatment system component
- ii. a seed treatment system component;
- and
- iii. a growth media system component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.