A method and apparatus for making carbon black. A plasma gas is flowed into a plasma forming region containing at least one, magnetically isolated, plasma torch containing at least one electrode, and forming a plasma. Collecting the plasma formed in a cooled header and flowing the plasma through at least one reaction region to heat the reaction region, and injecting carbon black forming feedstock into the reaction region, resulting in the formation of at least one grade of carbon black. An apparatus for making carbon black is also described including a plasma forming section containing at least one, magnetically isolated plasma torch containing at least one electrode, in fluid flow communication with at least one carbon black forming reactor section, the plasma section and reactor section separated by a plasma formed collection header.

A metal ion detection equipment and a metal ion detection method are provided. The metal ion detection equipment includes a porous silicon resonant cavity structure, an electrochemical device and a spectrum detecting device. A sample solution permeates into the porous silicon resonant cavity structure. A to-be-detected metal ion of the sample solution in the porous silicon resonant cavity structure is reduced into a to-be-detected metal by the electrochemical device. The spectrum detecting device detects a spectral variation of a reflective light from the porous silicon resonant cavity structure.

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 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 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.

An electrode assembly having a tubular support jacket that defines an internal compartment. The internal compartment is actively cooled by coolant. An electrode tip is coupled to the tubular support jacket. The electrode tip receives electricity through the tubular support jacket. An insulator construct surrounds at least part of the tubular support jacket. The insulator construct includes an insulation base, an insulation tube and an insulation cap. A gas supply conduit is interposed between the tubular support jacket and the insulation tube, wherein the gas supply conduit receives a working gas from a working gas supply. A thermally conductive casing surrounds at least part of the insulator construct. The thermally conductive casing is actively cooled. The thermally conductive casing actively cools the insulator construct, the underlying tubular support jacket, and thus the electrode tip. The active cooling reduces over-heating of the electrode tip and prevents excessive consumption and erosion.

A liquid activation and electrolytic apparatus includes: a liquid activation apparatus that includes a liquid activator with a black radiation sintered body radiating electromagnetic waves and an electromagnetic wave converging body and assembled bodies integrated together with the black radiation sintered body on the outside, the electromagnetic wave converging body on the inside, and a liquid activation region by the electromagnetic waves formed on the inside of the electromagnetic wave converging body and activates, in the above region, a liquid portion of a liquid electrolytic solution; and an electrolytic unit that includes an electrolysis container using a titanium or platinum electrode as a negative electrode and a platinum electrode as a positive electrode and containing the electrolytic solution and a power source applying a variable direct-current voltage to the negative and positive electrodes and performs the electrolysis of the electrolytic solution with the activated liquid portion in the electrolysis container.

A dielectric barrier discharge reactor for catalytic nonthermal plasma production of hydrogen from methane. The dielectric barrier discharge reactor includes two end pieces connected by a dielectric tube, two steam generators, two catalyst cages, two perforated tube center electrodes, a center electrode rod, a grounding electrode. In one aspect, the end pieces and the dielectric tube are fabricated from ceramic and fused quartz respectively. In another aspect, the dielectric barrier discharge reactor further includes catalyst cages. In yet another aspect, the catalyst cages contain catalysts in form of pellets. In an alternate aspect, the dielectric barrier discharge reactor acts to cause a reaction between incoming reactant gases. The reaction is achieved under a plasma which is generated between the perforated tubular center electrode and the ground electrode. In yet another alternate aspect, the dielectric barrier discharge reactor is used at home to generate hydrogen from methane.

A plasma abatement process for abating effluent containing compounds from a processing chamber is described. A plasma abatement process takes gaseous foreline effluent from a processing chamber, such as a deposition chamber, and reacts the effluent within a plasma chamber placed in the foreline path. The plasma dissociates the compounds within the effluent, converting the effluent into more benign compounds. Abating reagents may assist in the abating of the compounds. The abatement process may be a volatizing or a condensing abatement process. Representative volatilizing abating reagents include, for example, CH.sub.4, H.sub.2O, H.sub.2, NF.sub.3, SF.sub.6, F.sub.2, HCl, HF, Cl.sub.2, and HBr. Representative condensing abating reagents include, for example, H.sub.2, H.sub.2O, O.sub.2, N.sub.2, O.sub.3, CO, CO.sub.2, NH.sub.3, N.sub.2O, CH.sub.4, and combinations thereof.