A thruster comprising: a chamber to contain a fluid; a plurality of nozzles to exhaust neutral particles derived from the fluid in the chamber, wherein each nozzle has a converging section and the converging section includes a first electrode; a second electrode located distal to the first electrode to provide a voltage differential between the first and second electrodes sufficient to create plasma ions from the fluid and the voltage differential accelerates the plasma ions on a flow path through the converging section, and wherein at least one or more of the accelerated plasma ions are neutralised to form the neutral particles by charge exchange with other neutral particles, or by recombination with electrons, on the flow path.

A nitric oxide generator generates nitric oxide from a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen such as air treated by a pulsating electrical discharge. The desired concentration of nitric oxide is obtained by controlling at least one of a frequency of the pulsating electrical discharge and duration of each electrical discharge pulse.

An electronic device incorporating a high voltage power supply connected to a pair of metal plates spaced to maintain a continuous high current arc of electricity creating an Ion Plasma discharge for the purpose of vaporizing documents placed between the plates. Magnetic containment coils around the outside of the metal plates are phase synchronized to the magnetic field created by the Ion Plasma arc to maintain the position of the arc between the plates and to direct the position of the arc in a predetermined pattern to search for any material between the plates that has not been disintegrated.

A novel plasma generation and containment system includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a power source, and an electromagnet. The first electrode and the second electrode are electrically coupled via a wire to form an open circuit. The voltage is asserted on the open circuit to form a spark between the first electrode and the second electrode to form a closed circuit. Then, a current is asserted on the closed circuit to form a plasma between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electromagnet provides a magnetic field to contain and compress the plasma.

A plasma control method for an exhaust gas treating apparatus includes providing an exhaust gas treating apparatus having a plasma discharge space, a coil disposed on an outer circumference of the plasma discharge space, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode; generating plasma in the plasma discharge space; controlling the state of the plasma generated in the plasma discharge space by generating a magnetic field in the plasma discharge space between the upper electrode and the lower electrode; and cooling the reaction tube using a water cooled jacket disposed around the reaction tube. The magnetic field is generated by applying a current to the coil.

A plasma control method for an exhaust gas treating apparatus includes providing an exhaust gas treating apparatus having a plasma discharge space, a coil disposed on an outer circumference of the plasma discharge space, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode; generating plasma in the plasma discharge space; controlling the state of the plasma generated in the plasma discharge space by generating a magnetic field in the plasma discharge space between the upper electrode and the lower electrode; and cooling the reaction tube using a water cooled jacket disposed around the reaction tube. The magnetic field is generated by applying a current to the coil.

Apparatus (1) for generating condensed plasmoids. The apparatus (1) includes a reactor (4) with a chamber (15) for containing a reactant gas. A cathode (17) and an anode (18) extend into the chamber (15) with an interelectrode gap formed between the electrodes (17,18). The electrodes (17, 18) are connectable to an electrical circuit (13) having a power supply (12) for applying an electric potential difference between the electrodes (17, 18) to form a plasma of the reactant gas in the interelectrode gap (19). An interelectrode discharge (21) traverses the interelectrode gap (19). The cathode (17) has an electron discharge material (22) from which clusters (63) of electrons emit, thereby generating condensed plasmoids (62) in the interelectrode discharge (21). The electron discharge material (22) includes a semiconductor material.

Apparatus (1) for generating condensed plasmoids. The apparatus (1) includes a reactor (4) with a chamber (15) for containing a reactant gas. A cathode (17) and an anode (18) extend into the chamber (15) with an interelectrode gap formed between the electrodes (17,18). The electrodes (17, 18) are connectable to an electrical circuit (13) having a power supply (12) for applying an electric potential difference between the electrodes (17, 18) to form a plasma of the reactant gas in the interelectrode gap (19). An interelectrode discharge (21) traverses the interelectrode gap (19). The cathode (17) has an electron discharge material (22) from which clusters (63) of electrons emit, thereby generating condensed plasmoids (62) in the interelectrode discharge (21). The electron discharge material (22) includes a semiconductor material.

A plasma treatment system includes a plasma arc torch, a tee attached to a hollow electrode nozzle of the plasma arc torch, and a screw feed unit or a ram feed unit having an inlet and an outlet attached to the tee. The plasma arc torch includes a cylindrical vessel having a first end and a second end, a first tangential inlet/outlet connected to or proximate to the first end, a second tangential inlet/outlet connected to or proximate to the second end, an electrode housing connected to the first end of the cylindrical vessel such that a first electrode is (a) aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical vessel, and (b) extends into the cylindrical vessel, and a hollow electrode nozzle connected to the second end of the cylindrical vessel such that a centerline of the hollow electrode nozzle is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical vessel.

A nitric oxide generator generates nitric oxide from a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen such as air treated by a pulsating electrical discharge. The desired concentration of nitric oxide is obtained by controlling at least one of a frequency of the pulsating electrical discharge and duration of each electrical discharge pulse.