Abstract: An electrochlorination and electrochemical system for the on-site generation and treatment of municipal water supplies and other reservoirs of water, by using a custom mixed oxidant and mixed reductant generating system for the enhanced destruction of water borne contaminants by creating custom oxidation-reduction-reactant chemistries with real time monitoring. A range of chemical precursors are provided that when acted upon in an electrochemical cell either create an enhanced oxidation, or reduction environment for the destruction or control of contaminants. Chemical agents that can be used to control standard water quality parameters such as total hardness, total alkalinity, pH, total dissolved solids, and the like are introduced via the chemical precursor injection subsystem infrequently or in real time based on sensor inputs and controller set points.

Abstract: A system employs a closed electrolyzer vessel into which water is circulated, and an electrode plate assembly is immersed to dissociate water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Only water is used as the electrolyte fluid. An air injector in the water return line injects air bubbling for enhanced dissociation of water. The electrode plate assembly is formed by one or more unit stacks of 7-plates each, including two outer cathode plates, a middle anode plate, and spaced inner plates. The generated gases are maintained in a stable condition by an electromagnetic coil assembly that separates the hydrogen gas from oxygen gas. The system can obtain 180% reduction in fuel usage in a vehicle engine, and 20 times reduction in carbon exhaust. It can obtain a 500% increase in fuel efficiency in an electrical power generator.

Abstract: An apparatus for growing nano-clusters includes a pair of electrodes separated by an electrode pair spacing and a field generation module that generates a corona discharge across the electrodes. The corona discharge generates an electromagnetic field near the electrodes. A voltage potential across the electrodes is a medium voltage. The field generation module includes a medium voltage module that generates a medium voltage waveform, which is transmitted to the electrodes to generate the corona discharge. The field generation module includes a broad frequency generation module that generates a broad spectrum of frequencies within the medium voltage waveform. A raw material feeder module feeds particles of a raw material through the electromagnetic field. The electromagnetic field with the broad spectrum of frequencies is operative to separate at least a portion of the raw material fed through the electromagnetic field into free atoms.

Abstract: A hybrid fuel and methods of making the same are disclosed. A process for making a hybrid fuel includes the steps of combining a biofuel emulsion blend and a liquid fuel product to form a hybrid fuel. Optionally, the hybrid fuel can be combined with water in a water-in-oil process and include oxygenate additives and additive packages. A hybrid fuel includes blends of biofuel emulsions and liquid fuel products, including light gas diesel. Optionally, the hybrid fuel can include water, oxygenate additives, and other additive packages.

Abstract: Processes or apparatuses for producing silicon by a carbon reduction in an arc furnace using a raw silica material having an iron content, an aluminum content, a calcium content, and a titanium content of 0.1% by mass or less, respectively and using a carbon material, wherein during the carbon reduction, an overcurrent which flows through an electrode of the arc furnace is mitigated using a power regulation unit or that the arc furnace is operated at a hearth power density PD (W/cm2) of 90 (W/cm2) or higher.

Abstract: A moving bed reactor system is provided. The system comprises at least one gas inlet, a distributor, a temperature control, a plurality of electrodes, and a spark control circuit. The spark control circuit drives the electrodes and generates a multi-arc discharge when the system is loaded with particles and a gas at approximately atmospheric pressure or greater is being pumped through the system. The multi-arc discharge is useful to create activated species which may improve the rate of a chemical reaction taking place in the moving bed reactor system.

Abstract: A novel apparatus and method is disclosed for a plasmatron fuel converter (“plasmatron”) that efficiently uses electrical energy to produce hydrogen rich gas. The volume and shape of the plasma discharge is controlled by a fluid flow established in a plasma discharge volume. A plasmatron according to this invention produces a substantially large effective plasma discharge volume allowing for substantially greater volumetric efficiency in the initiation of chemical reactions within a volume of bulk fluid reactant flowing through the plasmatron.

Abstract: A system and method for developing a solid state stripper device is described that more effectively strips off negative carbon ions to produce positively charged carbon ions. In one embodiment the solid state stripping device is a self-supporting aggregate of nanotubes or Buckminster-Fullerenes. Such devices provide, among other things, carbon stripper foil for use in a tandem generator.

Abstract: A fuse for an electrical discharge reactor made up of a fuse apparatus (10) and a power supply shut down procedure. The fuse apparatus (10) has an end cap (12) that encloses a spring (30) and a rivet (13) or piercing end (14) that is electrically connected to an arcing tube (18), secured to a near end of a strain wire (20), a lower terminal (32) secured to a far end of the strain wire (20), and a contact (24) that is electrically connected to the lower terminal (32). Preferably, the arcing tube (18), strain wire (20), and lower terminal (32) are sheathed in a structure (16) that provides support and electrical insulation such as a quartz tube while ensuring protection of the fuse internal components from the corrosive environment.

Abstract: The treatment of effluents in which a flow of the effluents is subjected to a pulsed electric field that modifies physicochemical and biologic characteristics of the medium, this modification being used during a solid/liquid separation operation, of the settlement or membrane filtration type. The solid/liquid separation operation and the application of a pulsed electric field are operations carried out at different locations along the effluent flow. The pulsed electric field has voltage value, current value, pulse repetition frequency, and voltage front shape characteristics chosen such that the required effluent treatment can be achieved as a function of the locations at which these membrane filtration operations are carried out and a pulsed electric field is applied.

Abstract: A novel apparatus and method is disclosed for a plasmatron fuel converter (“plasmatron”) that efficiently uses electrical energy to produce hydrogen rich gas. The volume and shape of the plasma discharge is controlled by a fluid flow established in a plasma discharge volume. A plasmatron according to this invention produces a substantially large effective plasma discharge volume allowing for substantially greater volumetric efficiency in the initiation of chemical reactions within a volume of bulk fluid reactant flowing through the plasmatron.

Abstract: A charged particle generating method in which mode is changeable between an ion generation mode and an electron generation mode. In the ion generation mode, a raw material is supplied to a tip end of a charged particle generating electrode through a raw-material passage formed in the charged particle generating electrode. A first electric field, in which the charged particle generating electrode is positive and the charged particle extract electrode is negative, is generated to emit ions from the raw material at the charged particle generating electrode. In the electron generation mode, supplying the raw material from the raw-material supply section is stopped. A second electric field, in which the charged particle generating electrode is negative and the charged particle extract electrode is positive, is generated to emit electrons from the raw material at the charged particle generating electrode.

Abstract: A fuel reforming assembly has a control unit electrically coupled to a temperature sensor to determine the temperature of a catalyst positioned in the reaction chamber of a plasma fuel reformer. Based on the temperature of the catalyst, operation of the reformer's plasma-generating assembly may be selectively actuated and deactuated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a power feedback control system for controllably maintaining a predetermined average power value of a power applied to a plasma of a sterilization system. The power has a frequency of from 0 to approximately 200 kHz. The power feedback control system includes a power monitor including a current monitor and a voltage monitor. The current monitor is adapted to produce a first signal indicative of a current applied to the plasma. The voltage monitor is adapted to produce a second signal indicative of a voltage applied to the plasma. The power monitor is adapted to produce a third signal in response to the first signal and second signal. The third signal is indicative of the power applied to the plasma. The power feedback control system further includes a power control module adapted to produce a fourth signal in response to the third signal from the power monitor and to a reference signal corresponding to the predetermined average power value.

Abstract: A sterilization system and method applies low frequency power to a plasma within a vacuum chamber to remove gas or vapor species from an article. The sterilization system includes a switching module adapted to pulsate the low frequency power applied to the plasma and a low frequency power feedback control system for controllably adjusting the low frequency power applied to the plasma. A power monitor is adapted to produce a first signal indicative of the low frequency power applied to the plasma within the vacuum chamber. A power control module is adapted to produce a second signal in response to the first signal from the power monitor, and a power controller is adapted to adjust, in response to the second signal, the low frequency power applied to the plasma to maintain a substantially stable average low frequency power applied to the plasma while the article is being processed.

Abstract: The plasma fuel converter includes an electrically conductive structure for forming a first electrode and a second electrode is disposed to create a gap with respect to the first electrode in a reaction chamber. A fuel-air mixture is introduced into the gap and the power supply is connected to the first and second electrodes to provide voltage in the range of approximately 100 volts to 40 kilovolts and current in the range of approximately 10 milliamperes to 1 ampere to generate a glow discharge to reform the fuel. The high voltage low current plasmatron of the invention is low cost, has long electrode life, utilizes a simple power supply and control and eliminates the need for an air compressor.

Abstract: An apparatus for remediating a contaminated fluent material, such as a gas, utilizes a pulsed corona discharge. The apparatus includes a reactor section and a power supply section. The reactor section has a plurality of first electrodes electrically interconnected to a header plate and a plurality of second electrodes concentrically disposed about each first electrode and electrically interconnected to a reactor plate. The electrical contact between the header plate and the power supply is by a compression spring. When fluent material is flowing within channels defined by the second electrodes and a high voltage pulse is applied to the header plate, a stream of high energy electrons flows between the first electrodes and the second electrodes forming corona discharges effective to destroy polluting compounds contained in the contaminated fluent material.

Abstract: A system for producing a clean burning combustible gas comprising an electrically conductive first electrode and an electrically conductive second electrode. A motor coupled to the first electrode is adapted to move the first electrode with respect to the second electrode to continuously move the arc away from the plasma created by the arc. A water tight container for the electrodes is provided with a quantity of water within the tank sufficient to submerge the electrodes.