Abstract: Method and device implemented in a reactor for the plasma treatment of carried fragmented material or of pulverized elements by a support gas where the main element is an intermediate temperature plasma (PIT) generator fed by a source of electric pulses, the amplitude of whose current is limited and for which the generating frequency, the duration of the pulses and the duration of the time spans between the pulses are determined in such a way as to generate a nonthermal plasma (PIT) of large extent, the plasma and the carrier gas flux (4) laiden with the fragments of material or of pulverized elements to be treated (5) moving along helical trajectories coaxial with the axis of the reactor at controlled angles a and B respectively relative to the plane perpendicular to the axis of the reactor, the angles a and B being able to vary in a given manner according to the properties of the material to be treated and the technological parameters and the dimensions of the reactor.

Abstract: Method and device implemented in a reactor for the plasma treatment of carried fragmented material or of pulverized elements by a support gas where the main element is an intermediate temperature plasma (PIT) generator fed by a source of electric, pulses, the amplitude of whose current is limited and for which the generating frequency, the duration of the pulses and the duration of the time spans between the pulses are determined in such a way as to generate a nonthermal plasma (PIT) of large extent, the plasma and the carrier gas flux (4) laiden with the fragments of material or of pulverized elements to be treated (5) moving along helical trajectories coaxial with the axis of the reactor at controlled angles a and B respectively relative to the plane perpendicular to the axis of the reactor, the angles a and B being able to vary in a given manner according to the properties of the material to be treated and the technological parameters and the dimensions of the reactor.

Abstract: A process for the sterilization of hermetically sealed containers containing a liquid to be sterilized, comprising transport of the containers to a treatment zone where the containers are immersed in a flux of external fluid, the heating in volume of the liquid to be sterilized by electromagnetic waves at a rate greater than 28° C. per second to a treatment temperature T of between 20° C. and 66° C., agitation of the container during heating of the liquid, and dependant on the value of the treatment temperature T, exposure of the liquid to an alternating electric field in pulses immediately or slightly after heating of the liquid.

Abstract: A process for the sterilisation of hermetically sealed containers containing a liquid to be sterilised, comprising transport of the containers to a treatment zone where the containers are immersed in a flux of external fluid, the heating in volume of the liquid to be sterilised by electromagnetic waves at a rate greater than 28° C. per second to a treatment temperature T of between 20° C. and 66° C., agitation of the container during heating of the liquid, and dependant on the value of the treatment temperature T, exposure of the liquid to an alternating electric field in pulses immediately or slightly after heating of the liquid.

Abstract: A process for plasma treatment of an object's surface to be treated comprising the creation of a plasma, the application of the plasma to the surface to be treated, and the excitation of the surface to be treated, such that it vibrates and undulates. The energy for excitation of the surface may come from the process creating the plasma, from an external source, or from a combination of these two sources. The vibration preferably takes place while the plasma is being applied to the surface to be treated, but depending on the treatment to carry out, it may also take place just prior to and/or just after the application phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surface treatment device comprising: electrodes (24a, 24b) that are used to initiate an electric arc of stabilised plasma (14); a stabilising channel (12) which is disposed in a body (10) in order to confine the electric arc of stabilised plasma; conduits (38, 39) which are disposed in the body and used to introduce a treatment gas Q1, uniformly distributed along the arc, upstream of the arc in a direction that is essentially perpendicular to axis A of said arc in such a way as to form an activated gas curtain (8); means for introducing a complementary treatment gas Q2 downstream of the electric arc; and a support (28) that is used to hold the object or material to be treated in place and to position the object or material surface to be treated in relation to the body (10).

Abstract: A plasma thin-film deposition method for depositing a thin film on the surface of an object, wherein a plasma is generated in one or more inert plasmagenic gases and precursor gases, and the plasma is sprayed onto the surface being treated. The one or more precursor gases include at least two components, namely a first component including saturated organic substances and a second component including unsaturated organic substances, where the first component is a light radical source having a single free bond following a plasmochemical process carried out into the plasma zone, and the second component is a heavy radical source having two or more free bonds.

Abstract: A method of producing powder formed of composite grains comprising a kernel and one or more surface layers. The inventive method comprises the following steps: mixing the grain kernels with a plasmochemical treatment gas; making said kernel/treatment gas mixture flow through a main plasma reactor; and generating a uniform plasma essentially at atmospheric pressure in a treatment region of the main reactor in order to create a plasmochemical reaction between the treatment gas and the surfaces of the kernels so that surface layers form on said surfaces while the mixture flows through the reactor.

Abstract: Process for the surface treatment of an object made of an electrically conductive material, with an atmospheric plasma, including the generation of plasma jets by plasma generators, the application of the plasma jets to a surface of the object to be treated, and the relative displacement of the object relative to the plasma generators. At least one of the plasma jets is a cathodic jet and at least one of the plasma jets is an anodic jet. The anodic jet is applied to a treatment zone on the surface to be treated in the proximity of the cathodic jet.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for treating surfaces of containers with plasma comprising a kinematic system for transporting the containers, and a plurality of plasma generators operating at atmospheric pressure, each generator being designed to treat one container at a time, the plasma generator comprising a treatment gas supply system and an electric power supply system including at least one transistor serving as switch, or an LC adapter, designed to supply pulses to the current.

Abstract: The invention relates to an atmospheric plasma surface treatment method consisting in generating at least two plasma jets using plasma generators, said plasma jets being created by an electric discharge in the flows of gas or input gaseous mixture having an ionisation enthalpy of less than that of the ambient gaseous environment. The inventive method is characterised in that an electric discharge zone, which is disposed between the aforementioned plasma jets acting as electrodes, is non-autonomous and generates a plasma formed mainly by an activated gas which is used to treat the surface, the intensity E of the electrical field creating the discharge that meets the following condition: (JnQ/e)input gas?E?(JnQ/e)ambient gas, wherein J is the gas particle activation energy, n is the density of the particles of said gas, Q is the effective section of elastic collisions of electrons with the particles of the gas, and e is the electron charge.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing powder formed of composite grains comprising a kernel and one or more surface layers. The inventive method comprises the following steps: mixing the grain kernels with a plasmochemical treatment gas; making said kernel/treatment gas mixture flow through a main plasma reactor; and generating a uniform plasma essentially at atmospheric pressure in a treatment region of the main reactor in order to create a plasmochemical reaction between the treatment gas and the surfaces of the kernels so that surface layers form on said surfaces while the mixture flows through the reactor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surface treatment device comprising: electrodes (24a, 24b) that are used to initiate an electric arc of stabilised plasma (14); a stabilising channel (12) which is disposed in a body (10) in order to confine the electric arc of stabilised plasma; conduits (38, 39) which are disposed in the body and used to introduce a treatment gas Q1, uniformly distributed along the arc, upstream of the arc in a direction that is essentially perpendicular to axis A of said arc in such a way as to form an activated gas curtain (8); means for introducing a complementary treatment gas Q2 downstream of the electric arc; and a support (28) that is used to hold the object or material to be treated in place and to position the object or material surface to be treated in relation to the body (10).

Abstract: The invention concerns an atmospheric plasma method for treating an object to be treated made of an electricity conducting material, comprising generating plasma jets with plasma generators on a surface to be treated of the treated object, and the relative displacement of the treated object relative to the plasma generators. At least one of the plasma jets is a cathodic jet and at least one of the plasma jets is an anodic jet, the anodic jet being applied in a treating zone on the surface to be treated proximate to the cathodic jet.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for sterilising a liquid comprising a step or steps which consist(s) in heating a liquid to a temperature higher than about 60° C. and in applying an electric field of the order of magnitude of about 102 V/cm or more.

Abstract: A process for plasma treatment of an object's surface to be treated comprising the creation of a plasma, the application of the plasma to the surface to be treated, and the excitation of the surface to be treated, such that it vibrates and undulates. The energy for excitation of the surface may come from the process creating the plasma, from an external source, or from a combination of these two sources. The vibration preferably takes place while the plasma is being applied to the surface to be treated, but depending on the treatment to carry out, it may also take place just prior to and/or just after the application phase.

Abstract: In the present invention, a process for plasma treatment of an object's surface to be treated comprises the creation of a plasma, the application of the plasma to the surface to be treated, and the excitation of the surface to be treated, such that it undulates. The energy for excitation of the surface may come from the process creating the plasma, from an external source, or from a combination of these two sources. The vibration of the surface to be treated preferably takes place while the plasma is being applied to the surface to be treated, but depending on the treatment to carry out, it may also take place just prior to and/or just after the application phase.

Abstract: A surface treatment method wherein one or more active particle streams are generated and aimed at a surface to be treated so that the particle stream interacts therewith. The active particle stream consists of activated particles forming chemically active sites on the surface, and modifying particles occupying said sites. The energy of the activated particles is greater than the energy at break of the inhibited surface bonds of the surface, and lower than the radiative flaw formation energy on the surface. The strength of the particle stream at the treated surface is greater than a quantity N/t where N is the surface density of the inhibited bonds to be broken and t is the duration of exposure of any point on the treated surface to the stream. A device for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: A four-nozzle plasma generator comprising two anode electrode chambers and two cathode electrode chambers connected to DC power sources and generating four plasma jets of which the shape and the path are determined by an external magnetic field system. The plasma jets converge on a central area into which the material to be processed is injected, in order to form a single plasma stream. The nozzles are symmetrically arranged on a hood which includes a flat water-cooled diaphragm provided with a central aperture.

Abstract: A surface treatment method wherein one or more active particle streams are generated and aimed at a surface to be treated so that the particle stream interacts therewith. The active particle stream consists of activated particles forming chemically active sites on the surface, and modifying particles occupying said sites. The energy of the activated particles is greater than the energy at break of the inhibited surface bonds of the surface, and lower than the radiative flaw formation energy on the surface. The strength of the particle stream at the treated surface is greater than a quantity N/t where N is the surface density of the inhibited bonds to be broken and t is the duration of exposure of any point on the treated surface to the stream. A device for carrying out the method is also provided.