Abstract: Ionizing bars for delivering charged carriers to charge neutralization target objects may include an ion emitter for establishing an ion cloud of charge carriers in response to application of an ionizing voltage. Disclosed bars may also include a reference electrode that presents a non-ionizing electric field to urge ions to move away from the ion emitter. The disclosed bars may also include a manifold. The manifold may receive and divide gas into plural gas streams directed past the ion emitter in a pattern to thereby urge charge carriers toward the target. The manifold may have plural apertures with nozzled inserts received therein. At least some of the inserts may have at least one aperture through which gas may flow and the nozzle inserts may collectively direct the divided gas streams away from the manifold and toward the target in one or more predetermined patterns.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for low emission charge neutralization, comprising: generating a high frequency alternating current (AC) voltage; transmitting the high frequency AC voltage to at least one non-metallic emitter; wherein the at least one non-metallic emitter comprises at least 70% silicon by weight and less than 99.99% silicon by weight; wherein the at least one emitter comprises at least one treated surface section with a destroyed oxidation layer; and generating ions from the at least one non-metallic emitter in response to the high frequency AC voltage. Another embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus for low emission charge neutralization wherein the apparatus can perform the above-described operations.

Abstract: Ionizing bars for delivering charged carriers to charge neutralization target objects may include an ion emitter for establishing an ion cloud of charge carriers in response to application of an ionizing voltage. Disclosed bars may also include a reference electrode that presents a non-ionizing electric field to urge ions to move away from the ion emitter. The disclosed bars may also include a manifold. The manifold may receive and divide gas into plural gas streams directed past the ion emitter in a pattern to thereby urge charge carriers toward the target. The manifold may have plural apertures with nozzled inserts received therein. At least some of the inserts may have at least one aperture through which gas may flow and the nozzle inserts may collectively direct the divided gas streams away from the manifold and toward the target in one or more predetermined patterns.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method of automatically balancing ionized air stream created in bipolar corona discharge is provided. The method comprises: providing an air moving device with at least one ion emitter and reference electrode connected to a micro-pulsed AC power source, and a control system with at least one ion balance monitor and corona discharge adjustment control; generating variable polarity groups of short duration ionizing micro-pulses: wherein said micro-pulses are predominantly asymmetric in amplitude and duration of both polarity voltages and have a magnitude of at least one polarity ionizing pulses exceed the corona threshold.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method of automatically balancing ionized air stream created in bipolar corona discharge is provided. The method comprises: providing an air moving device with at least one ion emitter and reference electrode connected to a micro-pulsed AC power source, and a control system with at least one ion balance monitor and corona discharge adjustment control; generating variable polarity groups of short duration ionizing micro-pulses: wherein said micro-pulses are predominantly asymmetric in amplitude and duration of both polarity voltages and have a magnitude of at least one polarity ionizing pulses exceed the corona threshold.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for static charge neutralization in variable pressure environments are disclosed. In particular, barrier discharge ionization apparatus may include a hollow dielectric channel disposed within a variable pressure environment and may have at least one open end, a reference emitter disposed on the outer surface of the channel, and a high voltage electrode disposed within the channel. The high voltage electrode may present a high intensity electric field to the reference emitter through the dielectric channel in response to the provision of a variable-waveform signal dictated by conditions in the variable pressure environment. This results in the generation of a plasma region with electrically balanced charge carriers within the variable pressure environment due to barrier discharge occurring at the interface of the reference emitter and the outer surface of the dielectric channel. The disclosed apparatus are compatible with either radio frequency or micro-pulse voltage power supplies.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method of automatically balancing ionized air stream created in bipolar corona discharge is provided. The method comprises: providing an air moving device with at least one ion emitter and reference electrode connected to a micro-pulsed AC power source, and a control system with at least one ion balance monitor and corona discharge adjustment control; generating variable polarity groups of short duration ionizing micro-pulses: wherein said micro-pulses are predominantly asymmetric in amplitude and duration of both polarity voltages and have a magnitude of at least one polarity ionizing pulses exceed the corona threshold.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for generating ions within a space separating an emitter and a reference electrode, the method comprising: generating a variable number of small sharp pulses and rate of the pulses depending on the distance of the target from the emitter.

Abstract: Self-balancing, corona discharge for the stable production of electrically balanced and ultra-clean ionized gas streams is disclosed. This result is achieved by promoting the electronic conversion of free electrons into negative ions without adding oxygen or another electronegative gas to the gas stream. The invention may be used with electronegative and/or electropositive or noble gas streams and may include the use of a closed loop corona discharge control system.

Abstract: A multi-sectional linear ionizing bar with at least four elements is disclosed. First, disclosed bars may include at least one ionization cell with at least one axis-defining linear ion emitter for establishing an ion cloud along the length thereof. Second, disclosed bars may include at least one reference electrode. Third, disclosed bars may include a manifold for receiving gas or air from a source and for delivering same past the linear emitter(s) such that substantially none of the gas/air flows into the ion cloud. Fourth, disclosed bars may include means for receiving the ionizing voltage and for delivering same to the linear emitter(s) to thereby establish the ion cloud. In this way, disclosed ionizing bars may transport ions from the plasma region toward a charge neutralization target without inducing substantial vibration of the linear emitter and without substantial contaminants from the gas/air flow reaching the linear emitter.

Abstract: Self-balancing, corona discharge for the stable production of electrically balanced and ultra-clean ionized gas streams is disclosed. This result is achieved by promoting the electronic conversion of free electrons into negative ions without adding oxygen or another electronegative gas to the gas stream. The invention may be used with electronegative and/or electropositive or noble gas streams and may include the use of a closed loop corona discharge control system.

Abstract: A low maintenance AC gas-flow driven static neutralizer, comprising at least one emitter and at least one reference electrode; a power supply having an output electrically coupled to the emitter(s) and a reference terminal electrically coupled to the reference electrode(s) with the power supply disposed to produce an output waveform that creates ions by corona discharge and to produce an electrical field when this output waveform is applied to the emitter(s); a gas flow source disposed to produce a gas flow across a first region that includes these generated ions and the emitter(s), the gas flow including a flow velocity; and wherein, during a first time duration, the output waveform decreases an electrical force created by the electrical field, enabling the gas flow to carry away from the emitter(s) a contamination particle that may be located within a second region surrounding the emitter(s), and to minimize a likelihood of the contamination particle from accumulating on the emitter(s).

Abstract: A multi-sectional linear ionizing bar with at least four elements is disclosed. First, disclosed bars may include at least one ionization cell with at least one axis-defining linear ion emitter for establishing an ion cloud along the length thereof. Second, disclosed bars may include at least one reference electrode. Third, disclosed bars may include a manifold for receiving gas or air from a source and for delivering same past the linear emitter(s) such that substantially none of the gas/air flows into the ion cloud. Fourth, disclosed bars may include means for receiving the ionizing voltage and for delivering same to the linear emitter(s) to thereby establish the ion cloud. In this way, disclosed ionizing bars may transport ions from the plasma region toward a charge neutralization target without inducing substantial vibration of the linear emitter and without substantial contaminants from the gas/air flow reaching the linear emitter.

Abstract: A multi-sectional linear ionizing bar with at least four elements is disclosed. First, disclosed bars may include at least one ionization cell with at least one axis-defining linear ion emitter for establishing an ion cloud along the length thereof. Second, disclosed bars may include at least one reference electrode. Third, disclosed bars may include a manifold for receiving gas or air from a source and for delivering same past the linear emitter(s) such that substantially none of the gas/air flows into the ion cloud. Fourth, disclosed bars may include means for receiving the ionizing voltage and for delivering same to the linear emitter(s) to thereby establish the ion cloud. In this way, disclosed ionizing bars may transportions from the plasma region toward a charge neutralization target without inducing substantial vibration of the linear emitter and without substantial contaminants from the gas/air flow reaching the linear emitter.

Abstract: A multi-sectional linear ionizing bar with at least four elements is disclosed. First, disclosed bars may include at least one ionization cell with at least one axis-defining linear ion emitter for establishing an ion cloud along the length thereof. Second, disclosed bars may include at least one reference electrode. Third, disclosed bars may include a manifold for receiving gas or air from a source and for delivering same past the linear emitter(s) such that substantially none of the gas/air flows into the ion cloud. Fourth, disclosed bars may include means for receiving the ionizing voltage and for delivering same to the linear emitter(s) to thereby establish the ion cloud. In this way, disclosed ionizing bars may transport ions from the plasma region toward a charge neutralization target without inducing substantial vibration of the linear emitter and without substantial contaminants from the gas/air flow reaching the linear emitter.

Abstract: Clean corona gas ionization by separating contaminant byproducts from corona generated ions includes establishing a non-ionized gas stream having a pressure and flowing in a downstream direction, establishing a plasma region of ions and contaminant byproducts in which the pressure is sufficiently lower than the pressure of the non-ionized gas stream to prevent at least a substantial portion of the byproducts from migrating into the non-ionized gas stream, and applying an electric field to the plasma region sufficient to induce at least a substantial portion of the ions to migrate into the non-ionized gas stream.

Abstract: Self-balancing, corona discharge for the stable production of electrically balanced and ultra-clean ionized gas streams is disclosed. This result is achieved by promoting the electronic conversion of free electrons into negative ions without adding oxygen or another electronegative gas to the gas stream. The invention may be used with electronegative and/or electropositive or noble gas streams and may include the use of a closed loop corona discharge control system.

Abstract: Self-balancing, corona discharge for the stable production of electrically balanced and ultra-clean ionized gas streams is disclosed. This result is achieved by promoting the electronic conversion of free electrons into negative ions without adding oxygen or another electronegative gas to the gas stream. The invention may be used with electronegative and/or electropositive or noble gas streams and may include the use of a closed loop corona discharge control system.

Abstract: Self-balancing, corona discharge for the stable production of electrically balanced and ultra-clean ionized gas streams is disclosed. This result is achieved by promoting the electronic conversion of free electrons into negative ions without adding oxygen or another electronegative gas to the gas stream. The invention may be used with electronegative and/or electropositive or noble gas streams and may include the use of a closed loop corona discharge control system.