Apparatus for reactions in dense-medium plasmas

• US 5,534,232 A
• Filed: 08/11/1994
• Issued: 07/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (University of Wisconsin System)
• Original Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (University of Wisconsin System)
• Inventors: Denes, Ferencz S., Young, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayekar, Kishor
• Application Number:
  US08/289,621
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 422/186.22, 422/186.26, 422/186.04, 422/906, 204/165, 204/168
• US Class Current: 422/186.26
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/088 giving rise to electric discharges for heating purposes H05B7/00; for the production of ozone C01B13/11, H01T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00094 Jackets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0894 Processes carried out in the presence of a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32 Gas-filled discharge tubes heating by discharge H05B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 422/906 Plasma or ion generation means

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reacting dense-phase chemicals in an induced plasma state, as well as unique reaction products resulting from the method and apparatus, are described. The dense medium plasma reactor generally includes a reaction vessel containing an upper rotatable electrode and a lower static electrode, a device for rotating the upper electrode, a reactant recirculation line, structural elements capable of maintaining the contents of the reaction vessel at atmospheric temperature, and structural elements for cooling the contents of the reaction vessel. Each electrode constitutes a hollow shaft having a first end and a second end which terminates in a disk-shaped planar face. The electrodes are in vertical alignment with one another so that their disc-shaped planar faces are facing one another with a small planar gap located therebetween. The upper rotatable electrode also includes a plurality of ports located circumferentially about its shaft. The method for reacting dense-phase chemicals includes the steps of loading the dense-phase reactant into the reaction vessel, rapidly rotating the upper rotatable electrode, and applying a low voltage direct electric current to the electrode faces. The apparatus and method produce unique reaction products including polyenes, polyynes and fullerene containing materials which exhibit magnetic properties and absorb electromagnetic radiation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reacting dense-phase chemicals in an induced plasma state comprising:

(a) a reaction vessel having a first upper end, a second lower end, and side walls to define an enclosed area;

(b) a rotatable first electrode comprising a hollow shaft having first and second ends wherein said first electrode extends through the first end of said reaction vessel such that the second end of said first electrode is positioned near an interior center of the reaction vessel;

(c) a static second electrode comprising a hollow shaft having first and second ends wherein said second electrode extends through the second end of said reaction vessel such that the second end of said second electrode is positioned near an interior center of the reaction vessel;

(d) means for rotating said rotatable first electrode; and

(e) means for connecting space within said hollow shaft of said first electrode to said enclosed area of said reaction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a reactant recirculation conduit extending from a location near the second end of the reaction vessel to a location near the first end of the reaction vessel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for introducing and venting a reactive gas.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for maintaining the enclosed area within the reaction vessel at atmospheric pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for maintaining the enclosed area within the reaction vessel at atmospheric pressure comprises:

(a) a positive gas supply introduced into the reaction vessel through an opening in the first end of said static second electrode; and

(b) a gas vent extending from the first upper end of said reaction vessel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for cooling any contents contained in said reaction vessel.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the side walls of said reaction vessel comprise double walls having a space therebetween.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for cooling the contents of the reaction vessel comprises:

(a) a cooling agent located in the space between said double walls of said reaction vessel; and

(b) means for circulating said cooling agent throughout said space.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising at least one thermostat for monitoring and controlling the temperature of the contents contained within the reaction vessel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reaction vessel has a cross-sectional area which is larger than a surface area of the disk-shaped planar faces of the rotatable first electrode and the static second electrode thereby providing for a space located between an edge of the disk-shaped planar faces and the side walls of the reaction vessel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for connecting space within said hollow shaft of said first electrode to said enclosed area of said reaction vessel comprises a plurality of ports located circumferentially about said hollow shaft of said first electrode.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said rotatable first electrode and said static second electrode are comprised of one of the group consisting of stainless steel, copper, graphite, silver, platinum, and nickel.

13. An apparatus for reacting dense-phase chemicals in an induced plasma state comprising:

(a) a cylindrical shaped reaction vessel having a first upper end, a second lower end, and double side walls defining a space therebetween;

(b) a rotatable first electrode extending through the first upper end of said reaction vessel and comprising a first cylindrical hollow shaft having a plurality of circumferential ports located therethrough, a first closed end, and a second open end located within the reaction vessel, said second open end terminating in a planar face having a larger diameter than said first cylindrical hollow shaft wherein an opening in said second open end is located in the center of said planar face and has a diameter equal to an internal diameter of the first cylindrical hollow shaft;

(c) a static second electrode extending through the bottom end of said reaction vessel and comprising a second cylindrical hollow shaft having a first open end and a second open end located within the reaction vessel, said second open end terminating in a planar face having a larger diameter than said second cylindrical hollow shaft wherein an opening in said second open end of said second cylindrical hollow shaft is located in the center of said planar face of said second cylindrical hollow shaft and has a diameter equal to an internal diameter of the second cylindrical hollow shaft; and

(d) means for rotating said rotatable first electrode;

wherein said rotatable first electrode and said static second electrode are in direct vertical alignment with one another such that the planar faces of said first and second hollow cylindrical shafts are positioned directly opposite one another and separated by a planar gap.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first and second hollow cylindrical shafts are equal in diameter, said planar faces of the second ends of said first and second hollow cylindrical shafts are of equal diameter, and a diameter of said reaction vessel is larger than the equal diameters of said planar faces.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said rotatable first electrode and said static second electrode are comprised of one of the group consisting of stainless steel, copper, graphite, silver, platinum, and nickel.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a reactant recirculation conduit extending from a location near the second end of the reaction vessel to a location near the first end of the reaction vessel.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising means for maintaining any contents of said reaction vessel at a high pressure.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising means for maintaining any contents of said reaction vessel at atmospheric pressure.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said means for maintaining the reaction vessel contents at atmospheric pressure comprises:

(a) a positive gas supply introduced into said reaction vessel through said first open end of said second cylindrical hollow shaft; and

(b) a gas vent extending from the first end of said reaction vessel.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising means for cooling any contents contained in said reaction vessel.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said means for cooling the reaction vessel contents comprises:

(a) a cooling agent located in the space between said double walls of the reaction vessel; and

(b) means for circulating said cooling agent throughout said space.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising at least one thermostat for monitoring and controlling a temperature of the contents contained within the reaction vessel.