Provided is an ion wind generation device which is capable of providing a wide range of ion delivery and providing ion wind having a reduced ozone concentration near a nozzle without use of a filter or the like.

The ion wind generation device includes an electrode pair including a discharge electrode body having a discharge portion and a counter electrode body having a plurality of end portions, and generates ion wind by corona discharge that occurs due to a potential difference generated between the discharge portion and the end portions. The end portions are located spaced apart from one another in a single plane and disposed around an axis of the discharge electrode body in the single plane or disposed along a line in the single plane.

Method and apparatus for synthesizing compounds by a low temperature plasma dual-electric field aided gas phase reaction are provided. The method utilizes two different electrode corona discharge fields in a plasma aided reactor to form a plasma dual-electric field, using electric energy to convert gas into gas molecules, atoms, ions and/or free radicals, and then reforming and reducing to obtain organic compounds such as aliphatic hydrocarbons, higher carbon ethers, higher carbon alcohols, higher carbon esters, lower carbon alcohols, and the like; also inorganic compounds such as N.sub.2, O.sub.2, H.sub.2SO.sub.4, NH.sub.3, and the like. The apparatus includes a reactor having a plasma region of two different corona discharge fields, wherein an alternating current corona discharge field or a positive corona discharge field is set in the first electric field, and a negative corona discharge field is set in the second electric field.

A voltage application device according to the present disclosure includes a voltage application circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit causes the voltage application circuit to alternately repeat a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is a mode that raises a voltage while time elapses, and generates a discharge current by promoting corona discharge to dielectric breakdown. The second mode is a mode that lowers the voltage to cut off the discharge current by causing a load to be in an overload state against the voltage application circuit. This can suppress an amount of ozone generated, while increasing an amount of radicals produced.

Disclosed microreactors operate in an electrical discharge mode, such as a pulse mode, an arc mode or a corona discharge mode, and most preferably in a corona discharge mode. A microreactor may comprise multiple, simultaneously operating corona discharges. The microreactor typically has at least one feature measured on a millimeter scale. Certain disclosed microreactors comprised multiple reactor plates in a stack. Each plate comprised plural corona discharge electrodes positioned in series along each of plural corresponding microchannels. A method for using disclosed microreactors and systems comprising disclosed microreactors, such as for chemical transformations, fluid purifications, or both, also is disclosed.

The present invention concerns a reactor for the conversion of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide into hydrocarbon and/or alcohol comprising a support made from an electrically and thermally conductive material, forming the wall or walls of at least one longitudinal channel that passes through the support and also acting as the cathode of the reactor, at least one wire electrode forming an anode of the reactor, and extending within each longitudinal channel, and being arranged at a distance from the wall or walls of the longitudinal channel, each wire electrode optionally being covered with an electrically insulating layer along the part of the wire electrode extending within the longitudinal channel, a catalyst capable of catalysing a conversion reaction for the conversion of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide into hydrocarbon and/or alcohol, the catalyst being situated between the wire electrode and the wall or walls of each longitudinal channel.

A system is described that is capable of operating as an energy conversion system that functions as a fuel cell and generates electrical current from a fuel or fuels, or as a reactor for conversion of starter materials into more complex molecules through ion-ion and ion-molecules and which may preferably be adapted to operate as a gas to liquid (GTL) process. The system ionises at least one fuel or starter material and manipulates, selects and transports ions for reaction by means of suitable electrostatic or electrodynamic ion guides, filters or drift tubes. The system of the present application replaces the electrolyte, catalyst and/or membrane found in classic fuel cells or GTL processes with an electrostatic or electrodynamic ion manipulation region such as an ion guide, analyser, drift tube or filter.

The invention relates to a process for preparing polysilanes by converting monosilane in the presence of hydrogen in a plasma, and to a plant for performing the process.

This invention relates to a method of increasing the size of particulates in a gas comprising particulates, e.g. a gas that is formed from the combustion of fuels. The method comprises mixing an ionised gas stream with the gas comprising particulates.

A voltage application device according to the present disclosure includes a voltage application circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit causes the voltage application circuit to alternately repeat a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is a mode that raises a voltage while time elapses, and generates a discharge current by promoting corona discharge to dielectric breakdown. The second mode is a mode that lowers the voltage to cut off the discharge current by causing a load to be in an overload state against the voltage application circuit. This can suppress an amount of ozone generated, while increasing an amount of radicals produced.

The present invention relates to a spark discharge generator. The spark discharge system of the present invention includes a plurality of columnar electrodes and a ground plate having a plurality of outlet holes at positions corresponding to the columnar electrodes. The use of the spark discharge generator enables the production of a three-dimensionally shaped nanostructure array on a large area in a uniform and rapid manner.