US4038165A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Corona reaction method
Assignee: Union Carbide Corp
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Filing: 1975-11-17
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Granted: 1977-07-26
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Expires: 1995-11-17
Abstract
Abstract Corona discharge reactions are efficiently conducted by passing a reactant gas through a corona discharge gap in which pulsed electrical energy is dissipated to accelerate electrons to a productive energy level, and eliminating gas ions from the gap to minimize non-productive energizing of the ions prior to additional corona discharge. In one preferred practice of the process a selective ion neutralization potential is applied to eliminate the non-productive gas ions between corona pulses. In other preferred practices, a reactant gas which is exposed to corona is removed from the corona zone after limited exposure to corona to permit recombination of the heavy gas ions prior to additional exposure to corona and/or an ion neutralizing component is added to the reactant gas stream.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank Eugene Lowther
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 08:24
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/08; B01J19/087; B01J19/088; C; C01; C01B; C01B13/00; C01B13/10; C01B13/11; C01B13/115; H; H01; H01T; H01T19/00; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/08; B01J2219/0803; B01J2219/0805; B01J2219/0845; B01J2219/0849
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for conducting corona discharge reactions between spaced opposing electrodes each having an exposed dielectric surface having a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 10.0 mm and a dielectric constant of from about 2.0 to about 200 relative to vacuum; and a dielectric strength sufficient to withstand applied voltage for forming therebetween a corona discharge gap comprising: passing a reactant gas through said corona discharge gap: periodically establishing a corona discharge between said gap by dissipating narrow pulse electrical power of high voltage in said gap with the width of said pulses being relatively small compared to the pulse period as well as being less than the gas ion transit time across said gap and greater than the electron transit time across said gap; and removing gas ions from said gap before termination of each pulse period.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for conducting corona discharge reactions between spaced opposing electrodes each having an exposed dielectric surface having a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 10.0 mm and a dielectric constant of from about 2.0 to about 200 relative to vacuum; and a dielectric strength sufficient to withstand applied voltage for forming therebetween a corona discharge gap comprising: passing a reactant gas through said corona discharge gap: periodically establishing a corona discharge between said gap by dissipating narrow pulse electrical power of high voltage in said gap with the width of said pulses being relatively small compared to the pulse period as well as being less than the gas ion transit time across said gap and greater than the electron transit time across said gap; and removing gas ions from said gap before termination of each pulse period.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said narrow pulses have a peak voltage of from 2 to 200 K volts and wherein the pulse period is selected from between 0.1 to 200 KH z .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said reactant gas comprises oxygen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said pulses are of the same or alternating polarity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gas ions are removed by withdrawing said reactant gas from said gap to permit recombination of said gas ions prior to exposure of said reactant gas to subsequent corona discharge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said reactant gas is exposed to less than about 100 pulses prior to removal from said gap.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said gap has a width to length ratio of from about 2:1 to 100:1 with respect to the direction of gas flow.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said gas is exposed to 5 to 100 pulses prior to such removal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said gas is subjected to two or more of said exposures to corona.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said gas is held for a period of about 10 - 3 to 10 - 2 seconds before a subsequent exposure to said corona pulses.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said removed gas is cooled prior to subsequent exposure to corona.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gas ions are removed by application of a negatively charged gas ion neutralizing component.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said neutralizing component is selected from the group consisting of finely divided solid particles and liquid particles having a particle size of less than about 0.1 micron.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said liquid particles comprises water supplied in the form of a water aerosol in an amount to provide a water to ozone weight ratio of about 25.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said finely divided solid particles are selected from the group consisting of silica gel and carbon black.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gas ions are removed by selecting the width of the narrow pulses from about 1 to 50 percent of the singly charged gas ion transit time.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising introducing a grid between said spaced electrodes and applying a potential to said grid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-07-25 | 1981-01-24 | 1981-07-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-07-25 | 1985-01-24 | 1985-07-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-07-25 | 1989-01-24 | 1989-07-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |