Abstract: The parent gas to be purified is passed end-to-end through a porous electrically conductive cylinder or its equivalent having a small wire electrode disposed along its longitudinal axis. A voltage is applied between the cylinder and wire sufficient to produce a corona discharge and ionize gas in the vicinity of the wire. Substantially only contaminants having an ionization potential less than that of the parent gas are or remain ionized and due to the electric field producing the corona discharge, are simultaneously caused to move toward the cylinder. Similarly, only electronegative gases become negatively charged in a negative corona and are likewise removed. A slightly lower pressure is maintained outside the cylinder effective to capture and remove the contaminant that has migrated to or adjacent the inner surface of the cylinder along with a small amount of the parent gas. Purified gas exits from the outlet of the cylinder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the power of a laser beam issuing from a gaseous working medium in a working region wherein the gas is subjected to an electric field and an ionizing beam is directed to the gas, ionizing the gas and producing therein secondary electrons sufficient to support laser action wherein the power of the laser beam is controlled by controlling the power of the electron beam and the electron beam power is controlled by an electrical feedback signal from a radiation detector that detects a fraction of the laser beam reflected from a plurality of reflective small wires carried by a rotatable hub which causes the wires to sequentially pass through the laser beam and reflect a small fraction of the laser beam towards the radiation detector.

Abstract: A method of producing a lasable gaseous mixture for use in and operation of electron beam-sustainer carbon dioxide lasers comprising burning a hydrocarbon fuel to produce substantially oxygen free products of combustion, removing undesirable constituents to leave a gaseous mixture which can support laser oscillation comprising substantially only carbon dioxide, nitrogen and hydrogen, collecting the resulting gaseous mixture, and thereafter supply and use it as the active medium in an electron beam-sustainer laser.

Abstract: Working gas for an electron beam discharge laser is generated by an airbreathing, hydrocarbon fuel burning, turbocompressor engine and shaft power of the engine may be utilized to drive a generator to provide electric power to the laser or to drive a compressor to put the turbocompressor exhaust gases in compressed storage for later use in the laser, either mode affording savings in weight and cost of operating materials and/or specific energy conversion efficiency compared to prior art, electric, chemical and gas dynamic laser systems.