Vertically oriented plasma reactor
AssigneeBoard of Trustees of Michigan State University
InventorsQi Hua Fan, Martin E. Toomajian, Thomas Schuelke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vertically oriented plasma reactor is provided. In another aspect, a plasma reactor includes a vertically elongated vacuum chamber, a wall internally projecting within a middle section of the housing, magnets, electrodes and a radio frequency source. A further aspect employs a workpiece-entry port and an opposite workpiece material-exit port, with one located adjacent a top end and the other adjacent a bottom end of a vertically elongated reactor housing or vacuum chamber. Yet another aspect employs a moving or falling-bed plasma reactor for use in activating biochar material.
Claims28
A falling-bed plasma reactor comprising:
- an outer housing elongated in a substantially vertical direction;
- a wall internally projecting within a middle section of the housing, the wall having an upper surface offset angled relative to the vertical direction and a horizontal direction;
- magnets located adjacent at least one of:
- the wall and the housing, the magnets being vertically spaced apart from each other;
- electrodes located adjacent or being part of at least one of:
- the wall and the housing;
- a radio frequency source configured to generate an RF electrical field within the outer housing;
- a workpiece material-entry port located adjacent one of:
- a top end or a bottom end, of the housing;
- and
- a workpiece material-exit port located adjacent the other of:
- the top end or the bottom end, of the housing opposite the entry port.
A plasma reactor system comprising:
- an outer housing elongated in a substantially vertical direction;
- a baffle surface or slide surface internally projecting within the housing;
- permanent magnets located adjacent or being part of at least one of:
- the baffle surface, the slide surface, and the housing;
- electrodes located adjacent or being part of at least one of:
- the baffle surface, the slide surface, and the housing;
- a material-entry port located adjacent a top end or a bottom end of the housing;
- a material-exit port located adjacent one of the ends of the housing opposite the entry port;
- and
- biochar material vertically moving within the housing between the ports, contacting the baffle surface or the slide surface, and being activated with the assistance of the magnets and the electrodes.
A plasma reactor comprising:
- a vacuum chamber elongated in a substantially vertical direction;
- a set of alternating baffles each having an upper surface offset angled relative to the vertical direction and a horizontal direction;
- magnets located adjacent at least some of the baffles;
- at least one of the baffles being coupled to or acting as an electrode;
- and
- a workpiece material-entry port located adjacent a top end of a housing.
A falling-bed plasma reactor comprising:
- a vacuum chamber elongated in a substantially vertical direction;
- permanent magnets located adjacent the vacuum chamber;
- a central electrode located centrally within the vacuum chamber and being elongated in the substantially vertical direction;
- an outer electrode located outside of the vacuum chamber and being elongated in the substantially vertical direction;
- the electrodes always being spaced apart from each other;
- a radio frequency source connected to at least one of the electrodes;
- a biochar-entry port located adjacent a top end or a bottom end of the vacuum chamber;
- and
- a biochar-exit port located adjacent an end of the vacuum chamber substantially opposite the entry port.
A method of using a plasma reactor, the method comprising:
- (a) vertically moving workpiece material through a vacuum chamber from an upper inlet to a lower outlet;
- (b) moving the workpiece material along a declining baffle wall or slide wall during step (a);
- (c) supplying magnetism to the wall with a permanent magnet;
- (d) supplying a radio frequency within the vacuum chamber;
- and
- (e) creating a plasma within the vacuum chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.