Wave generating apparatus and method

Shock wave-generating apparatus for creating a predetermined change in material comprising:

• a reactor having a reaction chamber,
• said reaction chamber defining:
• a wave-generating zone and
• a reaction zone,
• means joining the two zones so as to define a continuous fluid column,
• means for intermittently generating shock waves within said wave-generating zone,
• means for directing said shock waves from said wave-generating zone to said reaction zone,
• means for controllably intermittently admitting a working material to said reaction zone which working material is capable of being chemically changed by the shock waves directed into said reaction zone,
• means for removing the products of reaction from said reaction zone,
• means for controlling the operation of said admitting means to admit fluid to said reaction chamber in synchronization with the operation of said means for generating shock waves in said wave-generating zone whereby the shock waves passed to said reaction zone are caused to predeterminately react upon and effect changes in matter admitted to said reaction chamber, and
• means for periodically removing material from said reaction zone after it has been reacted upon by at least one of said shock waves directed thereagainst from said shock wave-generating zone.

Shock wave-generating apparatus for creating a predetermined change in material comprising:

• a reactor having a reaction chamber defining a reaction zone,
• means for intermittently injecting material to be reacted on into said reaction zone of said reaction chamber,
• means for generating a plurality of separate shock waves and means for simultaneously directing said separate shock waves into said reaction zone in a manner such that said separate shock waves are directed towards each other and respectively converge on the material injected into said reaction zone and wherein said material is substantially simultaneously subjected to the heat and pressure of each of said shock waves in said reaction zone and,
• means for removing material from said reaction zone after said material has been reacted upon by said simultaneously generated shock waves.

In a shock wave generating apparatus for creating a predetermined change in matter comprising:

• a reactor including a reaction chamber defining a reaction zone,
• means for controllably admitting matter to be reacted on to said reaction zone of said reaction chamber,
• means for simultaneously generating and directing a plurality of separate shock waves at matter disposed within said reaction zone wherein said separate shock waves converge on said matter in said reaction zone and simultaneously react on said matter by subjecting said matter to the heat and pressure of said shock waves, and
• means for removing matter from said reaction zone after a reaction has taken place within said reaction zone by the simultaneous action of said plurality of shock waves.