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US 4,399,012 AGranted
Nitrogen fixation method and apparatus
OwnerHao-Lin Cheninventor
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for achieving nitrogen fixation includes a volumetric electric discharge chamber. The volumetric discharge chamber provides an even distribution of an electron beam, and enables the chamber to be maintained at a controlled energy to pressure (E/p) ratio. An E/p ratio of from 5 to 15 kV/atm of O.sub.2 /cm promotes the formation of vibrationally excited N.sub.2. Atomic oxygen interacts with vibrationally excited N.sub.2 at a much quicker rate than unexcited N.sub.2, greatly improving the rate at which NO is formed.
Claims5
A method of nitrogen fixation, comprising:
- providing an electric discharge chamber which produces a substantially equal volumetric electron discharge therein;
- maintaining said discharge chamber at a voltage to pressure ratio of about 5 to 15 kV/atm of O.sub.2 /cm;
- introducing air into said discharge chamber;
- passing an electrical discharge through said discharge chamber while air is disposed therein;
- forming O and vibrationally excited N.sub.2 in said discharge chamber;
- interacting O and vibrationally excited N.sub.2 within said discharge chamber to form NO and N;
- interacting N and O.sub.2 within said discharge chamber and form NO and O;
- and
- removing NO from said discharge chamber prior to its decomposition.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.