Spinning cold plasma apparatus and methods relating thereto

• Main Authors: CHANG CHOONGSEOCK, PARK JAEYOUNG, KANG JEMO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.05.2008
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; LIGHTING; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; WEAPONS

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for generating a spinning cold plasma. A preferred embodiment of the spinning cold plasma apparatus is portable and includes a vortex tube having an inner wall to form a vortex reaction chamber. The vortex tube preferably has a cold gas outlet formed at a first end of the vortex tube and a hot gas outlet formed at a second end of the vortex tube. The vortex tube preferably has a plurality of gas inlet openings formed therein for directing pressurized gas tangentially to the inner wall into the vortex reaction chamber. A preferred embodiment of the portable spinning cold plasma apparatus also includes a valve positioned at least partially within the cold gas outlet and a valve positioned at least partially within the hot gas outlet. The portable device preferably also includes an ionizing device, such as an RF source or microwave source, for transmitting electromagnetic energy into the vortex reaction chamber to ionize pressurized gas therein. Additional apparatus and methods are also disclosed herein.