Plasma generator and method for producing radical, and cleaning and purifying apparatus and small-sized electrical appliance using the same

A plasma generator, comprising:

• a case member;
• a liquid storage section that is provided inside the case member, and which stores a liquid containing water;
• a gas storage section that is provided inside the case member, and which stores a gas;
• a partition provided with a gas passage to introduce the gas in the gas storage section into the liquid storage section, the partition dividing the case member into an upper area and a lower area, and separating the liquid storage section from the gas storage section in such a manner that the liquid storage section is located in the upper area and the gas storage section is located in the lower area;
• a doughnut-shaped first electrode provided in the gas storage section and positioned so as to have its center located on the gas passage;
• a doughnut-shaped second electrode separated from the first electrode, the doughnut-shaped second electrode is positioned so as to have its center located on the gas passage, and is provided in such a manner that at least a portion coupled with the first electrode comes into contact with the liquid in the liquid storage section;
• a gas supply unit that supplies a gas containing oxygen to the gas storage section so that the gas in the gas storage section is delivered under pressure into the liquid storage section via the gas passage;
• and
• a plasma power source that applies a predetermined voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode to cause electrical discharge between the first electrode and the second electrode, thereby converting the gas introduced into the gas storage section into plasma.