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 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.

Nanoparticles are synthesized by suctioning a liquid under a negative pressure with a negative-pressure suction force caused by the rotation of a rotary blade, causing cavitation by stirring the suctioned liquid by the rotary blade, generating plasma generated by a plasma generation mechanism in air bubbles generated in the liquid, and in that case, consuming an electrode containing elements constituting the nanoparticles to be synthesized.

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.

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.

The present invention relates to a method for treating a sample using glow-discharge plasma comprising one or more treatment steps, in which the sample for treatment is subject to plasma treatment in a treatment vessel provided with a temperature control system, wherein during the one or more treatment steps the treatment vessel is rotated about an axis in order to agitate the sample and the temperature control system is used to cool or heat the sample. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for use in such a method.

A system, method and apparatus for creating an electric glow discharge includes a non-conductive housing having a longitudinal axis, a first opening aligned with the longitudinal axis, and a second opening aligned with the longitudinal axis and opposite the first opening, a first electrically conductive screen disposed proximate to the first opening of the housing and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a second electrically conductive screen disposed proximate to the second opening of the housing and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the second electrically conductive screen separated from the first electrically conductive screen by a substantially equidistant gap, a non-conductive granular material disposed within the substantially equidistant gap, and the electric glow discharge is created whenever the first electrically conductive screen has a first polarity, the second electrically conductive screen has a second polarity, and an electrically conductive fluid is introduced into the substantially equidistant gap.

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 wastewater plant and method for treatment of wastewater sludge or other wastewater fluids are described. The wastewater plant utilizes an electrical discharge system configured for receiving a wastewater fluid, and generating a transient voltage and arcing electric current pulse through the received wastewater fluid to create an electro-hydraulic shock wave within the wastewater fluid accompanied by a high electric field, intensive heat and light radiation.