Claims
- 1. An intense ultraviolet radiation source comprising:
a combustion flame exiting an orifice, the combustion flame having a longitudinal axis; at least two electrodes, wherein at least one electrode is a cathode and at least one electrode is an anode, wherein the cathode and the anode are located substantially at opposite ends of the longitudinal axis of the combustion flame; and an electrical input discharged into the combustion flame, wherein the electrical input is capable of causing a current to pass between the cathode and the anode
- 2. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein the orifice comprises a nozzle.
- 3. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode comprises a hollow tube, needle, or mesh.
- 4. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein fuel for combustion of the flame comprises diesel fuel, hydrogen, acetylene, propane, butane, or methane, or mixtures thereof.
- 5. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 4, wherein the fuel feed rate is approximately 1 to 3 cm3/min.
- 6. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 4, wherein the fuel further comprises an oxidizer.
- 7. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 6, wherein the oxidizer comprises oxygen, fluorine, chlorine, or air, or mixtures thereof.
- 8. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein the cathode is in contact with the orifice.
- 9. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein the orifice comprises the cathode.
- 10. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein the anode is approximately about 1 cm to about 10 cm from the cathode.
- 11. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 10, wherein the anode is approximately about 5 cm from the cathode.
- 12. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein the electrical input comprises a voltage of about 1 kV to about 20 kV applied substantially to the cathode.
- 13. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 12, wherein the electrical input comprises a voltage of about 10 kV applied substantially to the cathode.
- 14. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein the electrical input comprises a pulsed current discharge.
- 15. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein a capacitor is connectively placed between the anode and the cathode.
- 16. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, further comprising an external electromagnetic radiation source.
- 17. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 16, wherein the external electromagnetic radiation source comprises a laser, a microwave generator, or a radio-frequency induction heater.
- 18. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, further comprising a focusing grid.
- 19. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 18, further comprising a magnetic field.
- 20. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, further comprising an annular gas jet substantially surrounding the orifice.
- 21. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, further comprising impurities in the combustion flame, wherein the impurities comprise helium, neon, argon, and xenon or combinations thereof.
- 22. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 21 wherein the impurities are added to at least one of the fuel or the oxidizer.
- 23. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, further comprising reflecting walls.
- 24. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode is cooled by a cooling gas flow.
- 25. The intense ultraviolet source of claim 25, wherein the cooling gas flow comprises impurities, which include helium, neon, argon, and xenon or combinations thereof.
- 26. The intense UV source of claim 1, wherein the combustion flame emits at least about 500 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 27. The intense UV source of claim 26, wherein the combustion flame emits at least about 1000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 28. The intense UV source of claim 26, wherein the combustion flame emits at least about 2000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 29. The intense UV source of claim 26, wherein there is no barrier between the UV source and a working environment in which the UV source is placed.
- 30. A method for creating an intense ultraviolet source comprising:
creating a combustion flame; and discharging an electrical input into the combustion flame; wherein the combustion flame is substantially aligned axially between two electrodes such that the electrical input causes an electrical discharge between the two electrodes.
- 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the electrical input comprises a pulse discharged into the combustion flame.
- 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the electrical input is discharged substantially into one of the electrodes, wherein further the electrodes are connected by a capacitor.
- 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising adding impurities to the combustion flame, wherein the impurities comprise helium, neon, argon, and xenon or combinations thereof.
- 34. The method of claim 33, further comprising intensifying the combustion flame by use of a focusing grid, a magnetic field, or an annular gas jet flow.
- 35. The method of claim 34, further comprising an auxiliary electrical input comprising an external electromagnetic radiation source.
- 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the external electromagnetic radiation source comprises a laser, a microwave generator, or a radio-frequency induction heater.
- 37. The method of claim 30, wherein the combustion flame emits at least about 1000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 38. A method of causing the molecular dissociation of contaminants, pollutants or a combination of contaminants and pollutants comprising:
placing an intense ultraviolet source substantially in an axial direction to the flow of the contaminants, pollutants or a combination of contaminants and pollutants; and exposing contaminants and/or pollutants to the radiation of a combustion flame, wherein the intense ultraviolet source is formed by the combustion flame, which is aligned substantially axially between two electrodes; and discharging an electrical input such that the electrical input causes an electrical discharge between the two electrodes substantially through at least a portion of the combustion flame,
- 39. The method of claim 38 wherein the contaminants, pollutants or the combination of contaminants and pollutants comprise at least one of nitric oxides, nitrogen dioxides, nitrous oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide.
- 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the electrodes are connectively related by a capacitor.
- 41. The method of claim 38, wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 500 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 1000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 2000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 44. The method of claim 38, wherein there is no barrier between the UV source and the contaminants, pollutants or the combination of contaminants and pollutants.
- 45. A system to treat contaminants, pollutants or a combination of contaminants and pollutants by molecular dissociation, comprising:
an intense ultraviolet source; and a conduit capable of carrying a stream containing the contaminants, pollutants or combination of contaminants and pollutants; wherein the intense ultraviolet source comprises: a combustion flame having a longitudinal axis; at least two electrodes, wherein at least one electrode is a cathode and wherein at least one electrode is an anode, wherein the cathode and the anode are located substantially at opposite ends of the longitudinal axis of the combustion flame; and an electrical input discharged into the combustion flame, wherein the electrical input is capable of causing a current to pass substantially between the cathode and the anode, wherein further the contaminants, pollutants or the combination of contaminants and pollutants in the pipe are exposed to the radiation output of the combustion flame.
- 46. The system of claim 45 wherein there is no barrier between the UV source and the contaminants, pollutants or the combination of contaminants and pollutants.
- 47. The system of claim 45 wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 500 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 48. The system of claim 47 wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 1000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 49. The system of claim 48 wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 2000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 50. A system to treat contaminants, pollutants or a combination of contaminants and pollutants by chemical reaction, comprising:
an intense ultraviolet source; and a conduit capable of carrying a stream containing the contaminants, pollutants or combination of contaminants and pollutants; wherein the intense ultraviolet source comprises: a combustion flame having a longitudinal axis; at least two electrodes, wherein at least one electrode is a cathode and wherein at least one electrode is an anode, wherein the cathode and the anode are located substantially at opposite ends of the longitudinal axis of the combustion flame; and an electrical input discharged into the combustion flame, wherein the electrical input is capable of causing a current to pass substantially between the cathode and the anode, wherein further the contaminants, pollutants or the combination of contaminants and pollutants in the pipe are exposed to the radiation output of the combustion flame.
- 51. The system of claim 50 wherein there is no barrier between the UV source and the contaminants, pollutants or the combination of contaminants and pollutants.
- 52. The system of claim 50 wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 500 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 53. The system of claim 52 wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 1000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
- 54. The system of claim 53 wherein the combustion flame is capable of emitting at least about 2000 W per meter length of the combustion flame.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §1.119(e) from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/312,088, filed Aug. 15, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference, to the extent it is consistent with this invention and this application.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60312088 |
Aug 2001 |
US |