Systems and methods to generate a self-confined high density air plasma

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9924586-B2
Application number	US-201615147713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2016
Priority date	Jun 17, 2011
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

This disclosure relates to methods and devices for generating electron dense air plasmas at atmospheric pressures. In particular, this disclosure relate to self-contained toroidal air plasmas. Methods and apparatuses have been developed for generating atmospheric toroidal air plasmas. The air plasmas are self-confining, can be projected, and do not require additional support equipment once formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for generating a self-contained toroidal air plasma at an atmospheric pressure comprising:
generating the air plasma in a first ignition region;
restricting radial expansion of the air plasma in the first ignition region; and,
applying a high voltage pulse to the air plasma in a secondary ignition region, wherein the high voltage pulse causes the air plasma to expand in the secondary ignition region, accelerate out of the second ignition region, and become self-contained.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the air plasma is generated from a plasma source and the plasma source is at least one member of a group consisting of an exploding wire, an explosive, a puffed gas plasma, a hollow cathode plasma, a laser, a railgun, a hypervelocity plasma source, and a microwave-driven plasma source.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein restricting radial expansion of the air plasma further comprises:
providing a shielding material around the air plasma source that focuses expansion of the air plasma in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first ignition region and the second ignition region.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the high voltage pulse to the air plasma further comprises:
applying the high voltage pulse across a cathode and an electrode separated by an air gap, wherein the air plasma completes a circuit between the cathode and the electrode.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the air plasma accelerates away from the cathode and the electrode and forms the self-confining toroidal structure at the atmospheric pressure.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the self-confining toroidal structure degenerates into a spherical structure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the self-contained toroidal air plasma has an electron density of at least 10 10 /cm 3 .

8. An apparatus for generating a self-contained toroidal air plasma at an atmospheric pressure comprising:
a primary ignition region comprising a first shielding material that defines a first longitudinal cavity to contain a plasma source;
an ignition device in communication with the primary ignition region to generate an air plasma from the plasma source;
a secondary ignition region adjacent to the primary ignition region, the secondary ignition region comprising a second shielding material that defines a second longitudinal cavity, wherein the second longitudinal cavity is in fluid communication with the first longitudinal cavity to receive the air plasma; and
a high voltage circuit comprising at least one capacitor, the high voltage circuit in communication with a voltage source to apply a high voltage pulse to the air plasma, wherein the high voltage pulse heats and accelerates the air plasma away from the apparatus to form the self-contained toroidal air plasma at the atmospheric pressure.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plasma source is at least one member of a group consisting of an exploding wire, laser, an explosive, a puffed gas plasma, a hollow cathode plasma, a railgun, a hypervelocity plasma source, and a microwave-driven plasma source.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second longitudinal cavity is cylindrical and the air plasma forms a self-confining toroidal structure at the atmospheric pressure.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the self-confined toroidal structure degenerates to a spherical structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the self-contained toroidal air plasma has an electron density of at least 10 10 /cm 3 or higher.

13. A method for generating a self-contained toroidal air plasma at an atmospheric pressure comprising:
generating the air plasma in a first ignition region;
directing a velocity of expansion of the air plasma out of the first region; and,
imparting energy to the air plasma in a secondary ignition region, wherein the imparted energy causes the air plasma to expand, accelerate out of the second ignition region, and become self-contained.

14. A method for generating a self-contained toroidal air plasma at an atmospheric pressure comprising:
generating the air plasma in a first ignition region;
restricting radial expansion of the air plasma; and,
imparting energy to the air plasma in a secondary ignition region, wherein the imparted energy causes the air plasma to expand, accelerate out of the second ignition region, and become self-contained.

15. A method for generating a self-contained air plasma at an atmospheric pressure in an open air apparatus comprising:
generating the air plasma in a first ignition region;
restricting radial expansion of the air plasma in the first ignition region; and,
applying a high voltage pulse to the air plasma in a secondary ignition region, wherein the high voltage pulse causes the air plasma to expand in the secondary ignition region, accelerate out of the second ignition region, and become self-contained.

Assignees

• Curry Randy D
• Univ Missouri

Inventors

• Curry Randy D

Classifications

• H05H1/52 Primary

  using exploding wires or spark gaps (H05H1/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05H2240/10

  at atmospheric pressure · CPC title

• H05H1/24 Primary

  Generating plasma {(nuclear fusion reactors G21B1/00; gas-filled discharge reactors H01J37/32)} · CPC title

• H05H1/54

  Plasma accelerators · CPC title

• H05H2001/4682

  Electricity · mapped topic