Apparatus and method for electrically killing plants

A method of using an apparatus to electrically kill a plant or at least attenuate plant growth, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining an apparatus comprising an electrical energy processing unit, an applicator unit comprising an applicator electrode, and a return unit comprising a return electrode, wherein the electrical energy processing unit comprising a converter operable to receive unprocessed electrical energy from an electrical energy source, to convert the unprocessed electrical energy to processed electrical energy having an electrical current and to transmit the processed electrical energy between the applicator electrode of the applicator unit and the return electrode of the return unit, wherein each of the applicator unit and the return unit is electrically coupled to the converter, and wherein each of the applicator electrode and the return electrode comprises an electrically conductive material;
• directly contacting a portion of a plant that extends above the ground with the applicator electrode;
• disposing the return electrode to receive the processed electrical energy transmitted from the applicator unit through a load comprising the plant;
• supplying processed electrical energy directly to the plant with the apparatus, wherein the processed electrical energy comprises a voltage of at least 1 kV and with an electrical current of at least 10 mA, wherein the applicator electrode directly transmits the processed electrical energy to the portion of the plant that extends above the ground such that the electrical current travels through the at least part of the plant above ground as part of a circuit and the electrical current returns to the return electrode;
• and
• controlling an aspect of the processed electrical energy comprising one or a combination of the voltage, current, and power, the said aspect controlled to be:
• maintained substantially at a predetermined value;
• or
• below or above a predetermined value;
• or
• within a particular range, which is determined by a first predetermined value and second different predetermined value.

An apparatus to electrically kill a plant or at least attenuate plant growth, the apparatus comprising:

• an electrical energy processing unit comprising a converter operable to receive unprocessed electrical energy from an electrical energy source, to convert the unprocessed electrical energy to processed electrical energy having an electrical current and to transmit the processed electrical energy between an applicator electrode of an applicator unit and a return electrode of a return unit,
• the applicator unit comprising the applicator electrode, wherein the applicator electrode comprises an electrically conductive material, the applicator unit being electrically coupled to the converter of the electrical energy processing unit wherein the applicator unit is operable to receive the processed electrical energy and to apply the processed electrical energy directly to at least a portion of a plant that extends above the ground;
• and
• the return unit comprising the return electrode, wherein the return electrode comprises an electrically conductive material, the return unit being electrically coupled to the converter, wherein the return unit is operable to receive the processed electrical energy transmitted from the applicator unit through a load comprising the plant;
• and
• wherein the applicator electrode is configured for direct transmission of the processed electrical energy to at least part of the plant above ground such that the electrical current travels through the at least part of the plant above ground as part of a circuit and the electrical current returns to the return electrode, wherein the processed electrical energy comprises a waveform with a frequency of at least 18 kHz and with a peak voltage of at least 1 kV and with an electrical current of at least 10 mA rms.