Non-thermal plasma reactor for lower power consumption

A segmented element for a dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma reactor comprising:

• a plurality of segments having differentially sized individually energizable electrodes defining a plurality of corona volumes;
• wherein during dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma reactor operation, said individually energizable electrodes are selectively activated to effect variable corona volumes for treating said exhaust stream;
• and further
• wherein additional segments are activated during periods of high exhaust flows.

A method for treating a combustion exhaust stream comprising:

• admitting an exhaust stream into a dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma reactor comprising:
• a housing having a fluid inlet for admitting said exhaust stream and a fluid outlet for discharging a treated stream;
• at least one differentially sized segmented dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma element disposed in said housing, said element comprising a plurality of segments having individually energizable electrodes defining a plurality of corona volumes;
• selectively activating said individually energizable electrodes to effect variable corona volumes for treating said exhaust stream.

A dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma reactor exhaust treatment system for a combustion process comprising:

• a housing having a fluid inlet for admitting an exhaust stream to be treated and a fluid outlet for discharging a treated stream;
• at least one dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma element disposed in said housing, said element comprising a plurality of alternating ground connected segmented electrode plates and non-segmented high voltage electrode plates;
• said ground connected segmented electrode plates having differentially sized individually energizable electrode segments defining a plurality of corona volumes;
• wherein during system operation, said individually energizable electrode segments of said ground connected segmented electrode plates are selectively activated to effect variable corona volumes for treating said exhaust stream.

A segmented element for a dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma reactor comprising:

• a plurality of ground connected segmented dielectric barrier discharge electrode plates, said segmented ground connected electrode plates having a plurality of differentially sized individually energizable electrode segments defining a plurality of corona volumes;
• a plurality of non-segmented high voltage electrode plates arranged in alternating arrangement with said segmented ground connected electrode plates;
• wherein during operation, said individually energizable electrode segments are selectively activated to effect variable corona volumes for treating an exhaust stream;
• and further
• wherein additional electrode segments are activated during periods of high exhaust flows.

A method for treating a combustion exhaust stream comprising:

• admitting an exhaust stream into a dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma reactor comprising a housing having a fluid inlet for admitting said flow of exhaust and a fluid outlet for discharging a treated stream;
• at least one segmented dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma element disposed in said housing;
• said element comprising a plurality of alternating ground connected segmented electrode plates and non-segmented high voltage electrode plates;
• said ground connected segmented electrode plates having differentially sized individually energizable electrode segments defining a plurality of corona volumes;
• and
• selectively activating said individually energizable electrode segments to effect variable corona volumes for treating said exhaust stream.