A process for continuously upgrading heavy oil to produce light hydrocarbon gases which are recycled in the process as a carrier gas used in spark-discharge hydrocarbon cracking within the process. The process also produces light hydrocarbon liquids which are used to upgrade the heavy oil. An apparatus for continuously upgrading heavy oil to produce light hydrocarbon gases which are recycled in the as a carrier gas used in spark-discharge hydrocarbon cracking within the apparatus. The apparatus also produces light hydrocarbon liquids which are used to upgrade the heavy oil.

A dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor, for activating a gas-phase chemical reaction, includes at least one tubular pipe made of dielectric material, an inner electrode and an outer electrode. The inner electrode is limited to the inlet of an active zone of the reactor, so that voltage pulses applied between both electrodes generate propagating discharges in the active zone. The reactor produces a volume-contact between a gas stream containing reactants and a plasma created by the discharges, allowing effective transfer of activation energy between the plasma and the reactants.

A vortex water generator forms a vortex water flow for passing arc discharge. The vortex water flow generator includes a cylindrical portion configured to form a vortex water flow along an inner circumference; first middle partition and second middle partition protruding from the inner circumference of the cylindrical portion, a rear partition formed in a rear end side of the cylindrical portion, and a front partition provided in a front end side of the cylindrical portion. Each partition has an opening to include a center axis line position of the cylindrical portion. Each opening has a different opening shape in size. The middle partition and the front partition have negative electrode side surfaces formed by tapered surfaces receding from the negative electrode as close to the center axis line. Arc-shaped beveled portions are formed between the tapered surfaces and inner circumferential surfaces of the openings.

A powder plasma processing apparatus is disclosed. The powder plasma processing apparatus includes: a chamber configured to perform plasma processing on a powder; a powder supply unit disposed in an upper portion of the chamber; and a plurality of plate-like surface discharge plasma modules disposed below the powder supply unit and positioned within the chamber, wherein surfaces of the surface discharge plasma modules are spaced apart from each other. According to the powder plasma processing apparatus, the powder can be uniformly processed, and the time that the powder spends in contact with the plasma can be controlled, thereby allowing efficient powder processing to be performed.

Presented are systems and methods to simultaneously produce and store energy in the form of chemical products such as hydrogen and other chemical products, thereby, reducing or eliminating the need to store energy in lithium-ion batteries. In various embodiments this is accomplished by converting energy from a renewable energy source to generate and accelerate an electron beam so as to generate electromagnetic radiation at frequencies equal to absorption frequencies of chemical reactants in order to produce the desired chemical products.

A method for generating a hybrid reaction flows feedstock gas that is also a plasma medium through microchannels. Plasma is generated with the plasma medium via excitation with a time-varying voltage. UV or VUV emissions are generated at a wavelength selected to break a chemical bond in the feedstock gas. The UV or VUV emissions are directed into the microchannels to interact with the plasma medium and generate a reaction product from the plasma medium. A hybrid reactor device includes a microchannel plasma array having inlets and outlets for respectively flowing gas feedstock into and reaction product out of the microchannel plasma array. A UV or VUV emission lamp has its emissions directed into microchannels of the microchannel plasma array. Electrodes ignite plasma in the microchannels and stimulating the UV or VUV emission lamp to generate UV or VUV emissions. One common or plural phased time-varying voltage sources drive the plasma array and the UV or VUV emission lamp.

A process for continuously upgrading heavy oil to produce light hydrocarbon gases which are recycled in the process as a carrier gas used in spark-discharge hydrocarbon cracking within the process. The process also produces light hydrocarbon liquids which are used to upgrade the heavy oil. An apparatus for continuously upgrading heavy oil to produce light hydrocarbon gases which are recycled in the as a carrier gas used in spark-discharge hydrocarbon cracking within the apparatus. The apparatus also produces light hydrocarbon liquids which are used to upgrade the heavy oil.

A powder plasma processing apparatus is disclosed. The powder plasma processing apparatus includes: a chamber configured to perform plasma processing on a powder; a powder supply unit disposed in an upper portion of the chamber; and a plurality of plate-like surface discharge plasma modules disposed below the powder supply unit and positioned within the chamber, wherein surfaces of the surface discharge plasma modules are spaced apart from each other. According to the powder plasma processing apparatus, the powder can be uniformly processed, and the time that the powder spends in contact with the plasma can be controlled, thereby allowing efficient powder processing to be performed.

The present disclosure relates to a spark plasma sintering-joined polycrystalline diamond and methods of joining polycrystalline diamond segments by spark plasma sintering. Spark plasma sintering produces plasma from a reactant gas found in the pores in the polycrystalline diamond segments. The plasma forms diamond bonds and/or carbide structures in the pores, which join the polycrystalline diamond segments to form a polycrystalline diamond element.

This disclose provides a ceramic electrode structure including a first ceramic body, a second ceramic body, a metal electrode, and an inorganic bonding material. The second ceramic body is disposed to be corresponding to the first ceramic body. The metal electrode is disposed between the first ceramic body and the second ceramic body. The inorganic bonding material is filled in a gap between the first ceramic body and the second ceramic body and surrounds the metal electrode. The second ceramic body is bent to have a concave surface facing the first ceramic body and a convex surface that is opposite to the concave surface. A plurality of components of the inorganic bonding material comprise oxygen, sodium, magnesium, calcium, aluminum and silicon.