Systems, methods and devices for nitric oxide generation are provided for use with various ventilation and/or medical devices and having a humidity control system associated therewith. In some embodiments, a system for generating nitric oxide comprises at least one pair of electrodes configured to generate a product gas containing nitric oxide from a reactant gas, a scrubber configured to remove nitric dioxide NO.sub.2 from the product gas, and a humidity control device configured to alter a water content of at least one of the reactant gas and the product gas to control humidity within the system.

A device and method for forming NO-containing gas flow to treat a biological object is disclosed. The device may include an anode, a cathode, an interelectrode area between the cathode and the anode, an NO-containing gas flow outlet channel leading from the interelectrode area to a nozzle for directing and releasing the NO-containing gas flow from the device and a mechanism to adjust a relative position between the anode and the cathode to produce varying concentrations of NO. In addition, the device may include one or more features for interconnecting the various components to ensure proper and consistent assembly of the device.

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.

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.

A device and a process to propagate molecular growth of hydrocarbons, either straight or branched chain structures, that naturally occur in the gas phase to a molecular size sufficient to shift the natural occurring phase to a liquid or solid state is provided. According to one embodiment, the device includes a grounded reactor vessel having a gas inlet, a liquid outlet, and an electrode within the vessel; a power supply coupled to the electrode for creating an electrostatic field within the vessel for converting the gas to a liquid and or solid state.

A method, system and equipment (31) for activating biochar (29) includes flowing a reactive gas into a chamber (33; 305), using an electrical field to create a plasma (75) in the chamber, using a magnetic field (105) to increase density of the plasma and activating biochar with the plasma in the chamber. Use of inductive magnetic coil(s) (131) with an essentially closed loop magnetic field, and/or a permanent magnet(s) (101; 317) are also provided in a further aspect of the present method and apparatus. Another aspect causes magnetic densification of one or multiple plasmas in a chamber (305) to treat a previously produced layer of thin film (303).

A liquid processing apparatus includes a processing tank, a first electrode, an insulator, a liquid introduction port, a discharge portion, a second electrode, an opening portion, and a power supply. The first electrode is disposed at the first end of the processing tank. The insulator covers at least a part of a side surface of the first electrode disposed to protrude from an inner wall of the first end of the processing tank into the processing tank. The liquid introduction port causes a liquid to swirl by introducing the liquid in a tangential direction of the processing tank and generates a gas phase in a swirling flow of the liquid. An outer diameter of the insulator is smaller than an outer diameter of a gas-phase generating space where the gas phase is generated in the processing tank.

A plasma chemical reactor including an anode having a generally cylindrical shape and an axis of rotational symmetry; a cathode inside the anode and co-axial with the anode; a hot plasma channel between the between the anode and the cathode; a gas input module providing gas flow into the anode; a gas output module at a distal end of the anode; and a high voltage power supply providing with a current in a range of 0.1-1.0 A. The high voltage power supply provides a voltage to the cathode in a range of 0-5 kV, a power of at least 1 kW, and a voltage/current ratio of at least 1000 V/A.

A method and apparatus for making carbon black having increased surface area, reduced grit and/or reduced extract levels. A plasma gas is flowed into a plasma forming region to form a plasma. The plasma then flows through a throat region which is narrower than the plasma forming section, which is connected to a separate carbon black forming region. This causes the plasma to accelerate and become turbulent prior to the exit point in the throat region. The carbon black forming feedstock is injected into the turbulence created by the throat region at a point above, at or near the exit point, resulting in the formation of a carbon black in the separate carbon black forming region. The throat region and/or injector region can be cooled, e.g., water plasma gas cooled.

The disclosure relates to a process to perform a catalytic cracking reaction of hydrocarbons having at least four carbons, said process comprising the steps of providing a fluidized bed reactor comprising at least two electrodes and a bed comprising particles, wherein the particles are put in a fluidized state to obtain a fluidized bed; heating said bed to a temperature between 500? C. and 850? C. by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed to conduct the reaction. The process is remarkable in that the particles of the bed comprise electrically conductive particles and particles of a catalytic composition, wherein at least 10 wt. % of the particles are electrically conductive particles and have a resistivity from 0.001 to 500 Ohm.cm at 500? C. and in that the step of heating the fluidized bed is performed by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed.