Process gas decomposition reactor
First Claim
1. A process gas decomposition reactor comprising,a reactor chamber having a gas inflow port spaced apart from a gas outflow port in a manner defining a gas flow path through a central region of the chamber, a gas flow stream traversing the reactor chamber from the inflow port to the outflow port, the gas flow including process gas effluent and reaction gas, first and second intertwined helical coils surrounding the gas flow path, first and second spaced apart microwave frequency waveguides, exterior to the reaction chamber, each respectively joined to one of the first and second helical coils, and first and second microwave energy oscillators feeding respective first and second waveguides, each waveguide feeding microwave energy to a respective one of the first and second helical coils, wherein reactive gases in the reaction chamber are heated to ionization by said energy for breakdown of the process gas effluent and recombination with the reaction gas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process gas decomposition reactor featuring two intertwined helical coils surrounding a gas flow path. Each of the two coils is energized by a separate magnetron having an associated waveguide and an inductive structural element which couples the microwave energy into the coil. The magnetic flux lines from the coil serve to confine ions and electrons within the coil, causing collisions and hence ionization of gas entering a flow path through the coil. The gas, containing HFCs and PFCs is broken down by such collisions with ions and electrons within the gas plasma. The gas displaced at the end of the coil contains decomposition products from the HFCs and PFCs.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A process gas decomposition reactor comprising,
a reactor chamber having a gas inflow port spaced apart from a gas outflow port in a manner defining a gas flow path through a central region of the chamber, a gas flow stream traversing the reactor chamber from the inflow port to the outflow port, the gas flow including process gas effluent and reaction gas, first and second intertwined helical coils surrounding the gas flow path, first and second spaced apart microwave frequency waveguides, exterior to the reaction chamber, each respectively joined to one of the first and second helical coils, and first and second microwave energy oscillators feeding respective first and second waveguides, each waveguide feeding microwave energy to a respective one of the first and second helical coils, wherein reactive gases in the reaction chamber are heated to ionization by said energy for breakdown of the process gas effluent and recombination with the reaction gas.
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15. A process gas decomposition reactor comprising,
first and second coaxial intertwined helical coils insulated from each other and carrying current in opposite directions, first and second spaced apart microwave oscillators, first and second microwave waveguides electromagnetically connected between respective microwave oscillators and respective first and second helical coils, and a gas flow path defined by a cylindrical housing having a flow axis coaxial with the helical coils.
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22. A process gas decomposition reactor comprising,
a cylindrical reactor chamber having spaced apart mounting flanges for insertion in a process gas line, the chamber having an axis defining a gas flow path from one flange to the other, first and second intertwined helical coils coaxially surrounding the gas flow path, first and second housing containing microwave oscillators therein, the housings spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the mounting flanges for the chamber, first and second microwave frequency waveguides spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the mounting flanges of the chamber, the microwave oscillators communicating electromagnetic energy to the waveguides from the microwave oscillators which, in turn communicate with each of the coils, wherein the intertwined coils develop opposing magnetic flux lines parallel to the gas flow path causing electrons and ions spiraling about the flux lines to collide with gases traveling along the gas flow path thereby causing breakdown of said gases.
Specification