Apparatus and method for generating high-intensity light and a high temperature and mach number plasma stream

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING HEAT AND LIGHT, WHICH COMPRISES: WALL MEANS TO DEFINE A CHAMBER, SAID WALL MEANS HAVING A TRANSPARENT PORTION THROUGH WHICH LIGHT MAY RADIATE FROM SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID WALL MEANS, FIRST AND SECOND ELECTRODES HAVING PORTIONS DISPOSED TO EFFECT AN ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE THEREBETWEEN IN SAID CHAMBER, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ELECTRODES TO EFFECT AN ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE IN SAID CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODE PORTIONS, MEANS TO INTRODUCE GAS CONTINUOUSLY INTO SAID CHAMBER IN SUCH MANNER THAT SAID GAS FLOWS VORTICALLY THEREIN ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODE PORTIONS, AND MEANS TO DRAIN GAS CONTINUOUSLY FROM SAID CHAMBER AT AT LEAST ONE POINT WHICH IS ADJACENT THE REGION WHERE SAID ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE ENGAGES SAID PORTION OF SAID FIRST ELECTRODE, SAID POINT BEING MUCH CLOSER TO SAID AXIS THAN IS THE REGION WHERE SAID GAS IS INTRODUCED INTO SAID CHAMBER, SAID VORTICALLY-FLOWING GAS CAUSING SAID ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE TO BE SMALL IN DIAMETER AND TO FOLLOW A STRAIGHT LINE PATH BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODE PORTIONS THROUGH THE VORTEX PASSAGE OR CANAL IN SAID VORTICALLY-FLOWING GAS.