Device and method for the treatment of a gaseous medium and use of the device for the treatment of a gaseous medium, liquid, solid, surface or any combination thereof

Abstract

The device for the treatment of a gaseous medium according to the invention comprises in flow direction of the gaseous medium a plasma-generating device for the generation of a plasma in the gaseous medium. The plasma comprises in particular excited molecules, radicals, ions, free electrons, photons and any combination thereof. Furthermore, the device according to the invention comprises at least one dielectric structure, in particular at least one fused silica tube. The plasma is conveyable into the at least one dielectric structure, in particular after generation in the plasma-generating device.

Claims

1. A device for the treatment of a gaseous medium, wherein the device comprises in a flow direction of the gaseous medium: a plasma-generating device for generation of a plasma in the gaseous medium, at least one dielectric structure formed as least one fused silica tube, wherein the plasma is conveyable into the at least one dielectric structure, an interaction-chamber with an inferior space with at least one wall is located downstream of the at least one dielectric structure, and the at least one wall exhibits at least a partial diamond coating on an inwardly facing surface thereof.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein no microwave radiation is applied to the at least one dielectric structure.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the interaction-chamber comprises at least one electrode.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one electrode exhibits a partial diamond coating.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the interaction-chamber comprises an amplification structure, and the amplification structure comprises at least a partial diamond coating.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein a substantially cylindrical structure is arranged in a volume enclosed by the amplification structure, which is conically formed, and the cylindrical structure comprises at least a partial diamond coating.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises, in a flow direction of the gaseous medium downstream of the interaction-chamber, at least one further dielectric structure, and the plasma is conveyable into the at least one further dielectric structure from the interaction-chamber.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the device comprises, in the flow direction of the gaseous medium downstream of the at least one further dielectric structure, a further chamber for extinction of the plasma.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the further chamber exhibits, in the flow direction, a tapered section inside the further chamber.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises means for conveying a reaction gas into the device.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the interaction-chamber comprises means for amplification of photons.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one plasma-device inlet for conveying the gaseous medium into the plasma-generating device, and the at least one plasma-device inlet exhibits, in the flow direction, a tapered inlet-section.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one plasma-device inlet for conveying the gaseous medium into the plasma-generating device, and a deflector for the gaseous medium for generating turbulence in the flow of the gaseous medium is arranged downstream of the at least one plasma-device inlet.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the plasma-generating device comprises a magnetron with at least a first magnetron-electrode and at least one counter-electrode, and at least one further electrode is arranged in the plasma-generating device in a zone formed by a projection of the plasma-device inlet along an average flow of the gaseous medium through the plasma-device inlet.

15. The device according the claim 14, wherein the at least one counter-electrode comprises a first counter-electrode and the at least one further electrode comprises a first further electrode, and the deflector is arranged such that the deflector does not prevent a line of sight between the first counter-electrode and the first further electrode.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein an inner space of the plasma-generating device is in at least one section substantially convergent in an average flow direction of the gaseous medium and the interior space of the interaction-chamber is in at least one section substantially divergent in the average flow direction of the gaseous medium for increasing turbulence in the device.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plasma-generating device comprises at least one wall with a fused silica surface inside the plasma-generating device.

18. A device for the treatment of a gaseous medium, wherein the device comprises in a flow direction of the gaseous medium; a plasma-generating device for generation of a plasma in the gaseous medium, at least, one dielectric structure formed as at least one fused silica tube, wherein the plasma is conveyable into the at least one dielectric structure, an interaction-chamber with an interior space with at least one wall is located downstream of the at least one dielectric structure, and the plasma-generating device comprises a magnetron with a first magnetron-electrode, a counter-electrode and a loop-shaped electrode in a form a closed loop enveloping an area, the first magnetron-electrode is arranged in the area, a further electrode is arranged outside the area, the loop-shaped electrode comprises at least one inward-member arranged in the area, the at least one inward-member is arranged substantially parallel to an axis perpendicular to the loop-shaped electrode, between the loop-shaped electrode and the first magnetron-electrode, and at least one outward-member arranged outside the area substantially parallel to the axis perpendicular to the loop-shaped electrode, between the loop-shaped electrode and the further electrode.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the loop-shaped electrode comprises at least two inward-members, and one of the at least two inward-members exhibits a first length and the other of the at least two inward-members exhibits a second different length.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one inward-member and the at least one outward-member are arranged on the loop-shaped electrode at different positions along the loop.

Description

(1) Further objects, advantages and novel features according to the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, accompanied by the following schematical drawings:

(2) FIG. 1: Schematic overview of a device for the treatment of air according to the invention comprising a plasma-generating device and dielectric tubes;

(3) FIG. 2: Schematic overview of an alternative embodiment of the device for the treatment of air according to the invention comprising a further interaction-chamber;

(4) FIG. 3: Schematic overview of a further alternative device for the treatment of air according to the invention comprising further dielectric tubes;

(5) FIG. 4: Schematic overview of another alternative device for the treatment of air according to the invention comprising an additional, i.e. relaxation chamber.

(6) FIG. 5: perspective overview of an alternative embodiment of an alternative embodiment of the plasma-generating device;

(7) FIG. 6: plan view of a device for the treatment of air according to the invention comprising a plasma-generating device, dielectric tubes and a further interaction-chamber;

(8) FIG. 7: perspective view of an amplification structure for use in the interaction-chamber;

(9) FIG. 8: perspective view of the encapsulated device;

(10) FIG. 9: plan view of the encapsulated device according to FIG. 8.

(11) FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for the treatment of air comprising a plasma-generating device 2 for the generation of a plasma 21. The plasma-generating device 2 is a device as suggested in WO 2005/079123 A2.

(12) Air 20 is conveyed into the plasma-generating device 2 by external means not shown in the schematic drawing. However, conveying means may include inter alia external ventilation means.

(13) Air 20 is conveyed into the plasma-generating device 2 through plasma-device inlet 5. Inside the plasma-generating device 2 a plasma 21 is generated in the air 20, i.e. air 20 is converted into plasma 21. The plasma 21 exhibits atmospheric pressure, i.e. pressure in the range of 0.8 bar to 1.2 bar, and a temperature in the range of 15 C. to 45 C.

(14) The plasma 21 is conveyed through plasma-device outlets 6 into three fused silica tubes and is subsequently conveyed along the fused silica tubes to the interaction-chamber inlet 7. This has the effect of accelerating at least a fraction of the electrons in the plasma 21. This plasma 21 as modified in the fused silica tubes 3 interacts with contaminants suchlike airborne microbes or chemical toxins thus reducing the amount of such contaminants in the plasma 21. Hence, the plasma 21 exiting interaction-chamber inlet 7 contains a lower degree of contaminants.

(15) FIG. 2 shows an alternative schematic overview of the device 1 for the treatment of air with a further interaction-chamber 10. The alternative embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 2 comprises elements already described in FIG. 1 which will not be explained further here. From here an henceforth, parts with the same reference numeral denominate the same parts in the figures.

(16) Plasma 21 exits the two fused silica tubes 3 through interaction-chamber inlet 7 and is conveyed into the interaction-chamber 10 with an interior space 11. In the interaction-chamber 10, two electrodes 15 are placed inside the interior space 11. The electrodes 15 are coated with a complete diamond coating. A voltage of 10 kV is applied to the electrodes 15 with a power supply (not shown). This has the effect of supporting the plasma generation and maintaining the plasma present in the interaction-chamber.

(17) In the interior space 11 of the interaction-chamber 10, the plasma 21 interacts further with the contaminants comprised in the plasma 21 thus reducing the amount of contaminants in the plasma 21 even further.

(18) Plasma 21 is subsequently conveyed through two interaction-chamber outlets 8.

(19) FIG. 3 shows a schematic overview of a further device 1 for the treatment of air. FIG. 3 shows a similar device 1 as depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 with further fused silica tubes 3 downstream of an interaction-chamber 10. Same reference numerals denominate the same parts as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

(20) The plasma 21 exits the interaction-chamber 10 through interaction-chamber outlets 8 and is conveyed into further fused silica tubes 3. These fused silica tubes 3 have the same function as the fused silica tubes 3 upstream of the interaction-chamber 10. The plasma 21 subsequently exits the further fused silica tubes 3 through further-chamber inlets 9.

(21) Interaction-chamber 10 has a wall 12 with a diamond coating 13. The electrodes 15 are coated with a complete diamond coating 13.

(22) FIG. 4 shows a further schematic overview of a device 1 for the treatment of air according to the invention comprising a further chamber 16, i.e. a relaxation chamber, for the extinction of the plasma 21.

(23) The device 1 for the treatment of air comprises a plasma-generating device. This plasma-generating device 2 is a magnetron 30. Air 20 is conveyed by external ventilation (not shown) into the plasma-generating device 2 through plasma-device-inlet 5. In the plasma-generating device 2 a plasma 21 is generated with the magnetron. This plasma 21 exhibits a pressure in the range of 0.7 to 1.3 bar and a temperature in the range of 20 C. to 40 C. Plasma 21 is conveyed through plasma-device-outlets 6 into the fused silica tubes 3 which exhibit a coating with pigments 4 for wavelength conversion of electromagnetic radiation to longer wavelength.

(24) Subsequently, plasma 21 is conveyed into interaction-chamber 10 through interaction-chamber-inlet 7. The interaction-chamber 10 has an interior space 11 and a wall 12 coated with a complete diamond coating 13. The whole interior space 11 is coated. The plasma 21 interacts with the contaminants comprised in the flow, wherein the plasma 21 is subsequently conveyed into fused silica tubes 3.

(25) Plasma 21 is subsequently conveyed through further-chamber inlets 9 into a further chamber 16 for the extinction of the plasma 21.

(26) The further chamber 16 exhibits in flow direction a tapered section 17. The flow of air 20, which is substantially not plasma 21 anymore in the vicinity of further-chamber outlet 18, exits the device 1 through said further-chamber outlet 18.

(27) FIG. 5 shows a plasma-generating device with a wall 12 with several deflectors 19 for generating turbulence in the flow of the air conveyed into the plasma-generating device 2. The plasma-generating device 2 further comprises a fused-silica surface 22 arranged opposite of the plasma-device inlet (not shown). Further electrodes 33 are arranged in the plasma-generating device in a zone formed by a projection of the plasma-inlet (not shown) along the average flow direction of the gaseous medium through the plasma-device inlet.

(28) In the wall exhibiting the fused-silica surface, plasma-device outlets 6 and dielectric structures 3 are arranged for conveying the plasma out of the plasma-generating device.

(29) The plasma-generating device 2 comprises furthermore a magnetron-electrode 31 and a loop-shaped electrode 32 with outward-members 35 and inward-members 34. The loop-shaped electrode 32 is ring-shaped. The outward-members 35 are arranged such that they are each arranged parallel to a straight line connecting the magnetron-electrode 31 and a further electrode 33.

(30) The inward-members 34 are each arranged parallel to a straight line connecting the magnetron-electrode 31 and the loop-shaped electrode 32. The inward-members 34 exhibit different lengths, wherein one type of inward-member is twice as long as the shorter inward-member type, i.e. the ratio is 2:1.

(31) FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the device 1 for the treatment of a gaseous medium according to the present invention with a plasma-generating device 2 and a further chamber 10.

(32) The plan view as shown in FIG. 6 comprises the plasma-generating device as depicted in FIG. 5. Downstream of the plasma-generating device, fused-silica tubes 3 which exhibit a coating with pigments 4 for wavelengths conversion of electromagnetic radiation to a longer wavelength.

(33) The plasma-device inlet 5 exhibits in flow direction a tapered inlet-section 14.

(34) Counter-electrode 36 in the form of a ring with wall sections arranged substantially parallel to the radius of the ring with a perforated wall is also shown.

(35) The plasma can be conveyed through the interaction-chamber inlet 7 into the interaction-chamber 10 where electrodes 15 are arranged for maintaining the plasma in the interaction-chamber 10.

(36) The interaction-chamber 10 furthermore comprises an amplification structure 23 in the form of an epicycloid and a cylindrical structure 24 arranged in the volume enclosed by the amplification structure 23 the amplification structure, the cylindrical structure and the wall 12 each exhibit a diamond coating 13.

(37) The plasma is conveyed through interaction-chamber outlets 8 into fused-silica tubes 3.

(38) The inner space 26 is substantially convergent in the average flow direction of the gaseous medium and the interior space 11 of the interaction-chamber 10 is substantially divergent in the average flow direction of the gaseous medium.

(39) FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the amplification structure 23, cylindrical structure 24 and a wall 12, wherein the amplification structure 23, the cylindrical structure 24 and the wall 12 each exhibit a diamond coating.

(40) FIG. 8 depicts an encapsulated device 1. Here, only the plasma-device inlets 5 are visible. The plasma-device inlets 5 arranged adjacent to the outer radius have guiding channels 25 formed helically in the walls.

(41) FIG. 9 depicts a plan view of the device 1 according to FIG. 8. The device 1 according to FIG. 9 has a similar configuration as the device shown in FIG. 6 between the plasma-device inlets 5 for conveying air 20 into the device 1 and the interaction-chamber outlets 8.

(42) The device 1 according to FIG. 9 has in addition to the device shown in FIG. 6 guiding channels 25 in the plasma-device inlets 5 and the deflector 19 for increasing the turbulence in the flow.

(43) Downstream of the interaction-chamber outlets 8 are arranged further dielectric structures 3 in the form of dielectric tubes which are in flow communication with the further-chamber inlets 9.

(44) The plasma can be conveyed through further-chamber inlets 9 into further chamber 16. The further chamber 16 exhibits a tapered section 17 for conveying the treated gaseous medium, which is substantially not plasma anymore, through further-chamber outlet 18 out of the device 1.