GLOW DISCHARGE HEATING APPARATUS

摘要

The present invention provides a glow discharge heating apparatus comprising a pair of main electrodes opposing each other through a predetermined gap. An auxiliary electrode is disposed within the gap and an arrangement is provided for causing a pilot glow discharge between either of the main electrodes and the auxiliary electrode and causing a glow discharge between the main electrodes through the induction of the pilot glow discharge to heat a heated liquid with thermal energy injected into the main electrodes. The auxiliary electrode has applied thereto a pulse voltage superposed on a voltage due to the full-wave rectification of an AC voltage. The pulse voltage rises before a time point where a voltage applied across the main electrodes reaches a glow discharge hold minimum voltage across the main electrodes and also falls before that time point. The pulse voltage effects the discharge breakdown between the main electrodes and the auxiliary electrode and the full-wave rectified voltage supplies a current for the pilot glow discharge after the discharge breakdown.