The invention comprises an apparatus, method and system used to treat various liquids, seeds, and soil or other growth media used in cultivating plants by exposure to a plasma discharge. The system comprises a novel electrode structure which utilizes a tapered inner electrode and a porous outer electrode to create a three-dimensional plasma discharge, which is applied to liquid, seeds or growth media through removably attachable sub-assemblies. When used to treat water or seeds, highly-concentrated plasma activated water (PAW) and disease and drought resistant plasma activated seeds (PAS), respectively, are produced, which improve germination rate and efficiency, and eliminate the need for ammonia-based chemical fertilizers.

An electrode for a liquid-cooled plasma arc torch is provided that includes a torch body and a cathodic element. The electrode includes an electrode body having a proximal end and a distal end extending along a central longitudinal axis. The electrode also includes a retention region located at the proximal end of the electrode body. The retention region is shaped to engage a first portion of the torch body for retaining the electrode within the torch body. The electrode additionally includes a current interface region located axially proximal to the retention region on the electrode body. The current interface region configured to slidably engage a second portion of the torch body while electrically communicating with the cathodic element of the plasma arc torch. The electrode further includes a sealing member circumferentially disposed about the electrode body. The sealing member is located axially distal to the current interface region and the retention region.

Plasmatron includes an anode having a cylindrical proximal portion and a cylindrical distal portion, the distal portion having a smaller diameter than the proximal portion; a connecting portion connecting the proximal and distal portions and having walls oriented at 40-60 degrees to a center axis of the anode; a cathode having a generally cylindrical shape in its proximal portion and a tapering at a 30-45 degree angle to the center axis of the anode in its distal portion, with a cylindrical rod on its tip. Gap between the connecting portion of the anode and the distal portion of the cathode is double the gap between the proximal portion of the anode and the proximal portion of the cathode. High voltage power supply provides an operating voltage of 800-2500 volts and a current of 0.3-0.7 A. Length of the rod is approximately 1.5 times its diameter.

Embodiments of the present invention include a plasma cutting torch and plasma cutting torch components, such as electrodes, cathodes, retainer caps, etc. having a unique physical features, including threads relationships. Embodiments include torch components having modified square thread with a specialized thread configuration including a particular relationship between thread crest and root, and included angles of thread sidewalls.

An atmospheric pressure pulsed arc plasma source and method of using including a housing having a housing opening therein; an insulator tube having an insulator tube opening therein, retained within the housing opening; and a conductive tube, retained within the insulator tube opening. A nozzle is retained by the housing. A feed path is defined in the conductive tube and the nozzle and a gas feed port is operatively coupled to the feed path. Feedstock is provided in the feed path and electrically coupled to the conductive tube. A pulsed DC power source provides a pulsed voltage to the conductive tube. The plasma source emits a discharge stream having a temperature that is less than 50 C. from the nozzle and a coating is formed on a substrate.

A plasma torch having an open end from which a plasma plume is emitted in use is disclosed. The plasma torch comprises a central cathode rod and a grounded conductive tube. The grounded conductive tube has an open end and is arranged around the cathode and spaced therefrom to form a first cylindrical cavity open at one end. In use, an arc discharge between the cathode and grounded conductive tube ionizes a feed gas to produce a central thermal plasma emitted from the open end of the first cavity. The central cathode rod also comprises a tapered end which causes the location of the arc discharge on the central cathode rod to be, in use, fixed at the tapered end of the cathode. The grounded conductive tube also comprises a lip which helps to control the energy distribution of the plasma plume emitted. Advantages of the present invention may be that the grounded conductive tube is interchangeable, thus a variety of lip geometries, and hence a variety of energy distributions, may be implemented, which may allow the plasma torch to be used in a much wider range of treatments.

A plasma torch having an open end from which a plume of plasma or plasma effluent, for use in therapeutic treatment of tissue in vivo, preferably skin and/or wounds, is emitted in use. The plasma torch comprising: a cathode rod; and a grounded conductive tube having at least one opening and being arranged around the cathode and spaced therefrom to form a cavity in which, in use, an arc discharge between the cathode and grounded conductor ionizes a feed gas to produce a thermal plasma, the plasma or effluent being emitted in a plume from the opening of the grounded conductor. The opening of the grounded conductor tube comprises a lip, the inwardly facing surface of which defining an orifice, the orifice having a length to an opening width ratio of at least 2.5:1.

An electrode for a liquid-cooled plasma arc torch is provided that includes a torch body and a cathodic element. The electrode includes an electrode body having a proximal end and a distal end extending along a central longitudinal axis. The electrode also includes a retention region located at the proximal end of the electrode body. The retention region is shaped to engage a first portion of the torch body for retaining the electrode within the torch body. The electrode additionally includes a current interface region located axially proximal to the retention region on the electrode body. The current interface region configured to slidably engage a second portion of the torch body while electrically communicating with the cathodic element of the plasma arc torch. The electrode further includes a sealing member circumferentially disposed about the electrode body. The sealing member is located axially distal to the current interface region and the retention region.

Provided is a fluid-cooled melting tool that can be used in methods and systems for manufacturing objects by additive manufacturing techniques, especially titanium and titanium alloy objects. In some configurations, the melting tool is configured to be a plasma transferred arc (PTA) torch and the deposition rate can be increased by increasing the flow rate of electric charge through the electrode made possible by the dual circuit cooling design of the torch. The fluid-cooled melting tools provided herein exhibit stable and repeatable PTA characteristics over wide range of current including current of 400 amps or more, whether pulsed or non-pulsed, and plasma gas flow inputs.

Plasmatron includes an anode having a cylindrical proximal portion and a cylindrical distal portion, the distal portion having a smaller diameter than the proximal portion; a connecting portion connecting the proximal and distal portions and having walls oriented at 40-60 degrees to a center axis of the anode; a cathode having a generally cylindrical shape in its proximal portion and a tapering at a 30-45 degree angle to the center axis of the anode in its distal portion, with a cylindrical rod on its tip. Gap between the connecting portion of the anode and the distal portion of the cathode is double the gap between the proximal portion of the anode and the proximal portion of the cathode. High voltage power supply provides an operating voltage of 800-2500 volts and a current of 0.3-0.7 A. Length of the rod is approximately 1.5 times its diameter.