High density atmospheric plasma jet devices by jet-to-jet interaction
AssigneeClemson University
InventorsSung-O Kim, Jae-Young Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an atmospheric pressure plasma jet device for use in a variety of applications. The disclosed system can include a conduit tubing array that includes multiple individual tubes configured in a honeycomb structure. By altering the linear velocity of the system's gas source, the system can produce multiple non-thermal atmospheric plasma jets that can interact in such a way as to create a single plasma jet as opposed to multiple collimated plasma jets. The single jet formed by the interaction of the multiple conduits can exhibit an increased optical intensity and energy compared to either a plasma jet emitted from a single conduit or well-collimated plasma jets emitted from multiple conduits.
Claims24
A plasma jet system, the plasma jet system comprising:
- a gas source providing a plasma feed gas;
- a conduit tubing array, the array having an outer surface and comprising multiple hollow tubes each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each hollow tube is in fluid communication with the gas source, wherein the multiple hollow tubes each include a dielectric material;
- a single plasma-generating electrode adjacent to the outer surface of the conduit tubing array, wherein the conduit tubing array prevents contact between the single plasma-generating electrode and the plasma feed gas;
- a ground electrode located external to the conduit tubing array;
- and
- a driving circuit for powering the system, wherein the plasma jet system is an atmospheric plasma jet system.
A method for treating a surface with an atmospheric plasma jet system, the method comprising:
- forming a plasma within a conduit tubing array, wherein the conduit tubing array has an outer surface and comprises multiple hollow tubes each having a first end and a second end, wherein the multiple hollow tubes each include a dielectric material, the plasma being formed from a plasma feed gas and in an electric field developed at a single plasma-generating electrode adjacent to the outer surface of the conduit tubing array, wherein the conduit tubing array forms a dielectric barrier between the single plasma-generating electrode and the plasma feed gas to prevent contact between the single plasma-generating electrode and the plasma feed gas, wherein a ground electrode is located external to the conduit tubing array, and further wherein the plasma exits the second end of each of the hollow tubes as a single plasma jet, after which the single plasma jets (1) interact to form a single, intense mode plasma jet, wherein the intense mode plasma jet is formed by interaction between individual plasma jets emitted from each of the multiple hollow tubes or (2) form multiple, well-collimated plasma jets;
- and
- directing the intense mode plasma jet at the surface, wherein a driving circuit provides power to the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.