Apparatus and method for generating high-enthalpy plasma under high-pressure conditions

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING PLASMA, WHICH COMPRISES WALL MEANS TO DEFINE A GAS-PRESSURE CHAMBER THE WALL OF WHICH IS A SURFACE OF REVOLUTION ABOUT A CENTRAL AXIS, NOZZLE AND BACK ELECTRODES MOUNTED IN SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING ANNULAR PORTIONS DISPOSED IN OPPOSED RELATIONSHIP COAXIALLY OF SAID MEMBER, THE NOZZLE PASSAGE IN SAID NOZZLE ELECTRODE COMMUNICATING WITH THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER, MEANS TO MAINTAIN A HIGH-CURRENT ELECTRIC ARC BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES, MEANS TO INTRODUCE GAS TANGENTIALLY INTO SAID CHAMBER FOR VORTICAL FLOW ABOUT SAID AXIS TO THEREBY STABILIZE SAID ARC AND ROTATE BOTH FOOTPOINTS THEREOF ABOUT SAID AXIS, SAID GAS BEING HEATED BY SAID ARC AND DISCHARGING THROUGH SAID NOZZLE PASSAGE, MEANS TO GENERATE IN SAID CHAMBER A MAGNETIC FIELD ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID VORTICALLY-FLOWING GAS IN STABILIZING SAID ARC AND EFFECTING SAID ROTATION OF SAID FOOTPOINTS, AND CONSTRICTOR MEANS PROVIDE IN SAID CHAMBER RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE GAP BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED ANNULAR PORTIONS OF SAID ELECTRODES, SAID CONSTRICTOR MEANS BEING COAXIAL WITH SAID AXIS AND SERVING TO EFFECT RADIALINWARD CROWDING OF SAID GAS INTO SAID GAP TO THEREBY CONSTRICT AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF SAID ARC.