Method of and apparatus for microwave-plasma production
AssigneeEA Technology Limited
InventorXiaoming Duan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microwave-plasma apparatus produces a plasma substantially at or above atmospheric pressure. A vessel contains gas substantially at or above atmospheric pressure and a plasma once initiated. Microwave energy is radiated into said vessel to produce a plasma therein. The plasma is initiated. The vessel is shaped to confine said plasma in a volume to prevent dissipation of said plasma once initiated, and the device for radiating microwave energy includes a power controller to control the power level of the microwave energy to sustain said plasma once initiated.
Claims25
A microwave plasma apparatus for producing a plasma substantially at or above atmospheric pressure, comprising a vessel for containing gas substantially at or above atmospheric pressure and for containing a plasma once initiated, a microwave energy supply for delivering microwave energy into said vessel to maintain a plasma therein and means for initiating a plasma in the vessel;
- said vessel having a roof and sides whereby a volume of plasma formed and maintained in said vessel floats in said vessel and is trapped under said roof and between said sides of the vessel;
- and
- said microwave energy supply having a microwave power control to control the microwave power being delivered to said vessel to be a value not less than the power absorbed by said trapped volume of plasma which is required to maintain said trapped plasma volume constant when substantially at or above atmospheric pressure.
A method of producing a plasma substantially at or above atmospheric pressure using microwave energy, the method comprising the steps of delivering microwave energy into a vessel containing a gas to initiate a plasma therein;
- using a roof and sides of said vessel to trap a volume of plasma floating in said vessel, and subsequently controlling the microwave power delivered to the vessel to be a value not less than the power absorbed by said trapped volume of plasma which is required to maintain said trapped plasma volume constant when substantially at or above atmospheric pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.