Method and apparatus for applying plasma particles to a liquid and use for disinfecting water

摘要

The invention provides a method and apparatus for creating plasma particles and applying the plasma particles to a liquid. Liquid feedstock (e.g., water and/or hydrocarbons mixed with biomass) is pumped through a pipeline; the single-phase stream is then transformed into a biphasic liquid-and-gas stream inside a chamber. The transformation is achieved by transitioning the stream from a high pressure zone to a lower-pressure zone. The pressure drop may occur when the stream further passes through a device for atomizing liquid. Inside the chamber, an electric field is generated with an intensity level that exceeds the threshold of breakdown voltage of the biphasic medium leading to a generation of a plasma state. Furthermore, the invention provides an energy-efficient highly adaptable and versatile method and apparatus for sanitizing water using plasma particles to inactivate biological agents contaminating water.

主权项

1. A method of applying plasma particles to a liquid comprising the steps of:
passing an input stream of liquid into a chamber through a nozzle that atomizes said liquid, wherein the pressure inside said chamber is lower than the vapor pressure of said liquid; obtaining within said chamber a biphasic mixture having a gas portion formed by adiabatic evaporation of a portion of said liquid and having droplets of said liquid suspended within said gas portion; igniting a plasma state in said gas portion of said biphasic mixture within said chamber by applying an electric field having a first voltage, wherein said first voltage exceeds the threshold of breakdown voltage of the biphasic medium, wherein said electric field is generated by applying an electric current to a set of electrodes positioned within said biphasic mixture; sustaining said plasma state in said mixture by applying an electric current having a second voltage, wherein said second voltage is lower than said first voltage; and condensing said biphasic mixture following said igniting and said sustaining said plasma state to obtain an output stream of liquid.