Modular hybrid plasma reactor and related systems and methods

A plasma reactor apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of interconnected modules cooperatively defining a chamber, each module of the plurality of interconnected modules comprising:
• at least one electrically insulating elongated tube defining a portion of the chamber;
• at least one device configured to generate an electrical arc within the at least one electrically insulating elongated tube at least one device configured to generate an electrical arc comprising an annular anode and an annular cathode each having a respective opening extending therethrough, the openings extending respectively through the annular anode and the annular cathode having average cross-sectional areas less than an average cross-sectional area of a portion of the chamber defined by an inner surface of the at least one electrically insulated elongated tube between the annular anode and the annular cathode;
• at least one device configured to generate a magnetic field within the at least one electrically insulating elongated tube, the magnetic field being configured to selectively displace at least a portion of the electrical arc within the at least one electrically insulating elongated tube;
• and
• at least two electrodes configured to provide an additional electrical arc proximate the inlet of the chamber, the at least two electrodes comprising:
• a first electrode having a substantially cylindrical portion;
• and
• a second electrode having an aperture extending therethrough, an end of the first electrode positioned proximate the aperture of the second electrode so as to define a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the space between the first electrode and the second electrode is in communication with the inlet of the chamber.

A method of generating a plasma comprising:

• flowing matter through a first opening extending through a first annular electrode, into an enclosed reaction chamber at least partially defined by an inner surface of at least one electrically insulating elongated tube, and out from the enclosed reaction chamber through a second opening extending through a second annular electrode, the first annular electrode comprising one of an annular anode and an annular cathode and the second annular electrode comprising the other of the annular anode and the annular cathode;
• providing the second opening of the second annular electrode with an average cross-sectional area less than an average cross-sectional area of a portion of the enclosed reaction chamber defined by the inner surface of the at least one electrically insulating elongated tube between the first annular electrode and the second annular electrode;
• generating a voltage between the annular anode and the annular cathode to establish an electrical arc extending through the at least one electrically insulating elongated tube between an arc endpoint on the annular anode and an arc endpoint on the annular cathode;
• generating at least one magnetic field in at least one region within the at least one electrically insulating elongated tube;
• and
• controlling the at least one magnetic field to selectively move circumferentially a location of at least one of the arc endpoint on the annular anode and the arc endpoint on the annular cathode about a longitudinal axis of the at least one electrically insulating elongated tube.

A method of generating a plasma comprising:

• interconnecting a plurality of modules each comprising an electrically insulating elongated tube disposed between two annular electrodes of an electrode pair to form a chamber having an inlet and an outlet;
• providing an opening extending through each annular electrode of the two annular electrodes of the electrode pair of at least one module with an average cross-sectional area less than an average cross-sectional area of a portion of the chamber defined by an inner surface of the electrically insulating elongated tube of the at least one module between the two annular electrodes of the electrode pair;
• forming at least two ignition electrodes to comprise a first electrode having a substantially cylindrical portion and a second electrode having an aperture extending therethrough, and positioning an end of the first electrode proximate the aperture of the second electrode so as to define a space between the first electrode and the second electrode in communication with the inlet of the chamber;
• generating a voltage between the at least two ignition electrodes to generate an electrical arc proximate the inlet of the chamber;
• generating a voltage between an anode and a cathode of the electrode pair of each module to establish an electrical arc extending through the electrically insulating elongated tube between an arc endpoint on a surface of the cathode and an arc endpoint on a surface of the anode of each respective module of the plurality of modules;
• and
• selectively controlling a magnetic field within each module of the plurality of modules to selectively move circumferentially a location of at least one of the arc endpoint on the surface of the cathode and the arc endpoint on the surface of the anode of each respective module of the plurality of modules.