Nanosecond pulsing electric field generated microplasmas
AssigneeNew York University
InventorsRyan L. HARTMAN, Jasmine C. SABIO, Yukun LIU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for producing plasma reactors are provided. Plasma reactors may include microfluidic channels to control flows of liquids and gases within a reaction volume. Electrodes provide an electrical field across at least a portion of the reaction volume, generating a plasma within the reactor. The plasma may be controlled through adjustment of the input to the electrodes. A method of using a plasma reactor to generate reactions between chemical reactants in a liquid phase and the plasma phase is also provided. Catalysts may be used to increase selectivity and efficiency of the reactions.
Claims20
A method of producing a chemical product, the method comprising:
- providing a first plasma reactor comprising:
- a reaction volume in liquid communication with a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, the reaction volume including reaction channels to direct a flow of liquids within the first plasma reactor;
- a first electrode positioned adjacent at least a portion of a first side of the reaction volume;
- and
- a second electrode positioned adjacent at least a portion of the second side of the reaction volume;
- providing an electrical field generator electrically connected to the first electrode of the first plasma reactor and to the second electrode of the first plasma reactor, and operating the electrical field generator to generate an electrical field across at least a portion of the reaction volume of the first plasma reactor;
- feeding a first stream containing a first chemical reactant in a gaseous state through the first inlet of the first plasma reactor into the reaction volume such that at least a portion of the first stream contacts at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode and generates a non-thermal plasma within the reaction volume of the first plasma reactor;
- feeding a second stream containing a second chemical reactant in a liquid state into the reaction volume through the second inlet of the first plasma reactor;
- controlling properties of the non-thermal plasma through adjustment of a waveform, pulse rate, amplitude, or voltage of the electrical field generated by the electrical field generator;
- and
- collecting a product stream containing the chemical product from the outlet of the first plasma reactor.
A method of hydroalkylation of a chemical reactant, the method comprising:
- providing a liquid phase comprising an organometallic catalyst and the chemical reactant;
- exposing a hydrocarbon to an electric field to generate a low temperature alkyl plasma;
- and
- interfacing the low temperature alkyl plasma with the liquid phase.
A method of determining a chemical reaction coefficient for a plasma-liquid reaction system, the method comprising:
- feeding a first stream containing a first chemical reactant in a gaseous state at a gaseous volumetric feed rate to a reaction volume of a plasma reactor;
- feeding a second stream containing a second chemical reactant in a liquid state at a liquid volumetric feed rate into the reaction volume;
- providing an electrical field across at least a portion of the reaction volume to generate a non-thermal plasma within the reaction volume of the plasma reactor;
- determining a liquid hold up (epsilon) according to the gaseous volumetric feed rate and the liquid volumetric feed rate;
- adjusting at least one of the gaseous volumetric feed rate and the liquid volumetric feed rate to determine an optimum epsilon value that corresponds to one of a plasma ignition event or a plasma extinction event, wherein the plasma ignition event or the plasma extinction event is determined by infrared thermography;
- determining a mass transfer coefficient according to the optimum epsilon value;
- and
- determining the chemical reaction coefficient according to the mass transfer coefficient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.