US3777279A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Deposition of power in a moving gas stream by electric discharge means
Assignee: RTX Corp
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Filing: 1972-03-30
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1992-03-30
Abstract
Abstract An alternating electric field is capacitively coupled to a direct current electric discharge to enhance the power deposition while maintaining the discharge in a diffuse glow mode. The invention is explained in the practical context of laser applications.
Inventors
- 👤 A Eckbreth
- 👤 A Mensing
- 👤 R Meyerand
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 01:14
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J61/00; H01J61/02; H01J61/54; H01J61/545; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/02; H01S3/03; H01S3/036; H01S3/038; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/07; H01S3/073; H01S3/076; H01S3/08; H01S3/081; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0975; H01S3/0979
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
The method of operating a glow mode electric discharge in a gas across a discharge region having cathode and anode electrode means comprising the steps of: flowing a gas through the discharge region; providing a direct current electric field between the cathode and anode to ionize the gas in the discharge region and to produce a glow mode electric discharge plasma; providing a first alternating electric field to the discharge region at a first angle to the direction of the direct current discharge to suppress the inherent instabilities in the plasma that induce the discharge to transition from a diffuse glow mode to a constricted arc-like mode in the plasma bulk volume; increasing the amount of power dissipation in the gas by the direct current field, while maintaining the discharge in a glow mode, to a level which is greater than the direct current dissipation possible without the first alternating frequency field thereby enhancing the total power dissipation in the gas; and maintaining the total power dissipation within the range of two hundred to three hundred kilowatts per pound mass per second of flowing gas.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
185 words
The method of operating a glow mode electric discharge in a gas across a discharge region having cathode and anode electrode means comprising the steps of: flowing a gas through the discharge region; providing a direct current electric field between the cathode and anode to ionize the gas in the discharge region and to produce a glow mode electric discharge plasma; providing a first alternating electric field to the discharge region at a first angle to the direction of the direct current discharge to suppress the inherent instabilities in the plasma that induce the discharge to transition from a diffuse glow mode to a constricted arc-like mode in the plasma bulk volume; increasing the amount of power dissipation in the gas by the direct current field, while maintaining the discharge in a glow mode, to a level which is greater than the direct current dissipation possible without the first alternating frequency field thereby enhancing the total power dissipation in the gas; and maintaining the total power dissipation within the range of two hundred to three hundred kilowatts per pound mass per second of flowing gas.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
201 words
The method of operating a glow mode electric discharge in a gas across a discharge region having cathode and anode electrode means comprising the steps of: flowing a gas through the discharge region; providing a direct current electric field between the cathode and anode to ionize the gas in the discharge region and to produce a glow mode electric discharge plasma; providing a first alternating electric field to the discharge region at a first angle to the direction of the direct current discharge to suppress the inherent instabilities in the plasma that induce the discharge to transition from a diffuse glow mode to a constricted arc-like mode in the plAsma bulk volume; increasing the amount of power dissipation in the gas by the direct current field, while maintaining the discharge in a glow mode, to a level which is greater than the direct current dissipation possible without the first alternating frequency field thereby enhancing the total power dissipation in the gas; and providing a second alternating electric field to the discharge region at a second angle to the direction of the direct current discharge to suppress the inherent instabilities in the plasma, the second angle being different from the first angle.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
201 words
The method of operating a glow mode electric discharge in a gas across a discharge region having cathode and anode electrode means comprising the steps of: flowing a gas through the discharge region; providing a direct current electric field between the cathode and anode to ionize the gas in the discharge region and to produce a glow mode electric discharge plasma; providing a first alternating electric field to the discharge region at a first angle to the direction of the direct current discharge to suppress the inherent instabilities in the plasma that induce the discharge to transition from a diffuse glow mode to a constricted arc-like mode in the plAsma bulk volume; increasing the amount of power dissipation in the gas by the direct current field, while maintaining the discharge in a glow mode, to a level which is greater than the direct current dissipation possible without the first alternating frequency field thereby enhancing the total power dissipation in the gas; and providing a second alternating electric field to the discharge region at a second angle to the direction of the direct current discharge to suppress the inherent instabilities in the plasma, the second angle being different from the first angle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 2 including the additional step of: phasing the two alternating electric fields to spatially rotate the total current density vector of the electric discharge on a conical locus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
144 words
In an apparatus for the transfer of electric power to a stream of flowing gas, the combination comprising: a flow channel to direct the stream of gas through the apparatus; electrode means located within the channel to transfer electric power to the stream of gas as a uniform, stable, glow mode, electric discharge having a positive column, the electrode means comprising an upstream electrode and a downstream electrode; and a pair of electrode plates each one of which is located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the flow channel, the electrode plates extending along the channel to provide a first alternating electric field transverse to the direction of the gas stream for supplying additional electrical power to the discharge and for suppressing inherent instabilities in the discharge which precipitate collapse of the discharge from a glow mode to a constricted arc type discharge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
144 words
In an apparatus for the transfer of electric power to a stream of flowing gas, the combination comprising: a flow channel to direct the stream of gas through the apparatus; electrode means located within the channel to transfer electric power to the stream of gas as a uniform, stable, glow mode, electric discharge having a positive column, the electrode means comprising an upstream electrode and a downstream electrode; and a pair of electrode plates each one of which is located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the flow channel, the electrode plates extending along the channel to provide a first alternating electric field transverse to the direction of the gas stream for supplying additional electrical power to the discharge and for suppressing inherent instabilities in the discharge which precipitate collapse of the discharge from a glow mode to a constricted arc type discharge.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 including further a second pair of electrode plates each one of which is located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the channel and extending along the channel to provide a second alternating electric field transverse to the direction of the gas stream and at an angle to the direction of the first electric field.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention according to claim 4 wherein each of the electrode plates is inclined with respect to the direction of gas flow through the channel, the angle defined by the facing surfaces of the inclined plates being less than ninety degrees.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
208 words
In a convection laser apparatus for the transfer of electric power to a stream of flowing gas, the combination comprising: a rectangular flow channel to direct the flow of the gas through the apparatus; electrode means located within the channel to transfer electric power to the stream of gas as a uniform, stable, glow mode, electric discharge having a positive column which is substantially symmetric about a plane extending through the channel, the electrode means comprising: a plurality of upstream electrodes positioned about a plane which is transverse to the direction of flow and at an upstream station in the channel; and a downstream electrode positioned about a plane which is transverse to the direction of flow and at a downstream station in the channel, the downstream electrode extending substantially across the entire channel; and a pair of flat electrode plates each one of which is located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the flow channel, the electrode plates to provide a first alternating electric field transverse to the flow direction of the gas stream for supplying additional electrical power to the discharge and for suppressing inherent instabilities in the discharge which precipitate collapse of the discharge from a glow mode to a constricted arc type discharge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
208 words
In a convection laser apparatus for the transfer of electric power to a stream of flowing gas, the combination comprising: a rectangular flow channel to direct the flow of the gas through the apparatus; electrode means located within the channel to transfer electric power to the stream of gas as a uniform, stable, glow mode, electric discharge having a positive column which is substantially symmetric about a plane extending through the channel, the electrode means comprising: a plurality of upstream electrodes positioned about a plane which is transverse to the direction of flow and at an upstream station in the channel; and a downstream electrode positioned about a plane which is transverse to the direction of flow and at a downstream station in the channel, the downstream electrode extending substantially across the entire channel; and a pair of flat electrode plates each one of which is located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the flow channel, the electrode plates to provide a first alternating electric field transverse to the flow direction of the gas stream for supplying additional electrical power to the discharge and for suppressing inherent instabilities in the discharge which precipitate collapse of the discharge from a glow mode to a constricted arc type discharge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus according to claim 7 including further a second pair of electrode plates each one of which is located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the channel to provide a second alternating electric field transverse to the direction of the gas stream and at an angle to the direction of the second electric field.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3633125A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |