Plasma activated water preparation device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of plasma activated water preparation, and discloses a plasma activated water preparation device. The plasma activated water preparation device comprises a plasma generation module. The plasma generation module comprises a tube body, a high-voltage electrode, an insulating medium layer and a low-voltage electrode. An air inlet and a plurality of micropores are formed in the pipe body; at least part of the high-voltage electrode is arranged in the tube body, and a gap is formed between the high-voltage electrode and the inner surface of the tube body; the micropores and the air inlet are communicated with the gap; the outer surface of the high-voltage electrode is covered with an insulating medium layer; the low-voltage electrode is arranged on the outer surface of the tube body and used for making contact with a target activation solution. In the invention, the low-voltage electrode and the high-voltage electrode are respectively arranged on the outer surface and inside the tube body, so that the relative physical space positions of the high-voltage electrode and the low-voltage electrode are always kept unchanged, and field intensity which is not dynamically influenced by bubbles is formed; the problem that an existing plasma activated water preparation device is low in activated water preparation efficiency can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of plasma-activated water preparation technology, and in particular to a plasma-activated water preparation apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, plasma-activated water preparation devices are increasingly widely used in medical, agricultural, and disinfection fields. However, existing technologies still have many key defects, which seriously limit their practical application effects and promotion potential.

[0003] Existing plasma water preparation devices typically include a corrosion-resistant housing, a plasma generation system, a gas supply system, a liquid supply system, and an electrical control system. The plasma generation system is housed within the corrosion-resistant housing. The target treatment solution is injected into the housing via the liquid supply system, gas is supplied to the plasma generation system via the gas supply system, and power is supplied to the plasma generation system via the electrical control system. Taking advantage of the high conductivity of the target activation solution, a metal ground electrode of the plasma generation system is installed within the housing, allowing direct contact between the metal ground electrode and the target activation solution, thus ensuring the entire target activation solution has a potential similar to that of the ground electrode. Although an electric field region is formed between the metal ground electrode and the high-voltage electrode of the plasma generation system, the breakdown field strength established within the microbubbles in existing plasma-activated water preparation devices varies, and the designed electric field range is easily affected by the dynamic changes of the microbubbles. This results in a large number of microbubbles failing to break down and generate plasma, leading to low activation water preparation efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the activation water preparation efficiency of plasma activated water preparation devices, while realizing on-demand activated water, increasing the concentration of short-lived active ingredients, and improving processing efficiency are urgent problems that the industry needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a plasma-activated water preparation device to solve the problems of low activation water preparation efficiency, inability to produce and use activated water immediately, and low concentration of short-lived active ingredients in existing plasma-activated water preparation devices.

[0006] This invention provides a plasma-activated water preparation device, including a plasma generation module; the plasma generation module includes: The tube body has an air inlet and multiple micropores. A high-voltage electrode, at least a portion of which is disposed within the tube, with a gap formed between the high-voltage electrode and the inner surface of the tube; the micropore and the air inlet are both in communication with the gap; An insulating dielectric layer is provided, and the outer surface of the high-voltage electrode is covered with the insulating dielectric layer. A low-pressure electrode is disposed on the outer surface of the tube body for contact with the target activation solution.

[0007] According to the plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention, the high-voltage electrode is arranged coaxially with the tube body; a plurality of micropores are provided on the side wall of the tube body, and the plurality of micropores are arranged at intervals around the central axis of the tube body.

[0008] According to the plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention, the low-pressure electrode is disposed at the bottom of the tube.

[0009] According to the plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention, the plasma generation module further includes: The mounting base is located inside the tube and is installed at the bottom of the tube; the lower end of the high-voltage electrode is installed on the mounting base, and the upper end of the high-voltage electrode extends along its own axis to the outside of the tube.

[0010] According to the plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention, the outer surface of the high-voltage electrode is formed with a plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions correspond one-to-one with the plurality of micropores.

[0011] In the plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention, the thickness of the insulating dielectric layer is greater than 0.03 mm.

[0012] In the plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention, the thickness of the gap is greater than 1 mm.

[0013] The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention further includes: A power module, wherein the high-voltage electrode is connected to the output terminal of the power module, and the low-voltage electrode is connected to the ground terminal of the power module; A gas supply module, wherein the outlet of the gas supply module is connected to the inlet, and is used to supply gas to the gap.

[0014] According to the plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention, the power supply module is an energy storage type unipolar microsecond pulse power supply.

[0015] The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus provided by the present invention further includes: The housing has a mounting cavity; the power module and the gas supply module are mounted in the mounting cavity; the plasma generation module is mounted in the housing, and the micropores are located on the outside of the mounting cavity.

[0016] The plasma-activated water preparation device provided by this invention features multiple micropores on the tube body that uniformly release plasma-active substances (such as ozone and free radicals), increasing the contact area with the target activation solution and improving activation efficiency. The gap design between the high-voltage electrode and the inner wall of the tube, combined with the airflow at the inlet, forms a stable discharge channel, ensuring continuous and uniform plasma generation. The high-voltage electrode is covered with an insulating dielectric layer to avoid the risk of direct discharge breakdown and to prevent electrode corrosion, thus extending its service life. By placing the low-voltage electrode on the outer surface of the tube body, even when the plasma generation module is placed in the target solution, the low-voltage electrode remains in direct contact with the target solution, ensuring that the potential of the target solution matches the potential of the low-voltage electrode. By placing the high-voltage electrode inside the tube, the relative physical spatial position of the high-voltage and low-voltage electrodes remains constant. This ensures that the high-voltage electrode, insulating dielectric layer, and micropores form a fixed, predetermined breakdown field strength region. This prevents the breakdown field strength of the microbubbles from being affected by changes in the volume of the container holding the target activation solution, facilitating the establishment of an effective breakdown field strength for the microbubbles. This increases the number of microbubbles capable of discharge, thereby improving the efficiency of activated water preparation and solving the problem of low activation efficiency in existing plasma activated water preparation devices. This integrated plasma generation module, with the high-voltage and low-voltage electrodes respectively located inside and outside the tube, allows for direct insertion into the target activation solution during use, enabling on-demand activated water production. Simultaneously, it increases the concentration of short-lived active ingredients, further improving processing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the plasma-activated water preparation device provided by the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is the second schematic diagram of the plasma-activated water preparation device provided by the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the plasma generation module of the plasma-activated water preparation device provided by the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is the second schematic diagram of the plasma generation module of the plasma-activated water preparation device provided by the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit topology of the power supply module of the plasma-activated water preparation device provided by the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the activated water preparation process of the plasma activated water preparation device provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is an image of the high-voltage electrode exothermic reaction of the plasma generation module of the plasma-activated water preparation device provided by the present invention.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a discharge waveform diagram of the high-voltage electrode of the plasma generation module of the plasma-activated water preparation device provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 9 Figure (a) shows the discharge phenomenon of 0.5% saline solution; Figure (b) shows the discharge phenomenon of 0.9% saline solution; and Figure (c) shows the discharge phenomenon of 1.5% saline solution.

[0027] Figure 10 This is a spectral diagram of the types of active ingredients in activated water prepared using the plasma activated water preparation device provided by this invention.

[0028] Figure 11 The graph shows the detection results of active ingredients in four groups of physiological saline with different concentrations. The concentration of physiological saline gradually increases from the first group to the fourth group.

[0029] Figure label: 100. Plasma generation module; 110. Tube body; 120. High-voltage electrode; 130. Insulating dielectric layer; 140. Low-voltage electrode; 150. Gap; 160. Mounting base; 111. Micropore; 112. Air inlet; 121. Protrusion; 200. Power module; 210. Battery; 220. Microsecond pulse power supply; 300. Gas supply module; 310. Gas tank; 320. Air pump; 400. Outer shell. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0031] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] In embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0034] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0035] In embodiments of the present invention, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Furthermore, it should be noted that the serial numbers assigned to the objects described in this invention, such as "first," "second," etc., are only used to distinguish the described objects and do not have any sequential or technical meaning.

[0036] In recent years, researchers have discovered that during the interaction of discharged plasma with distilled water, saline solution, or tap water, the O3 and NO2 products generated by the gas-phase discharge are directly diffused and dissolved into the water through a gas-liquid mass transfer process, producing H2O. + NO 2- NO 3- On the one hand, stable particles are generated; on the other hand, at the interface between plasma and liquid, the plasma reacts with water to produce various strong oxidizing, short-lived free radicals, represented by ·OH, which are eventually converted into H2O2. Due to the presence of these active particles, plasma-treated aqueous solutions have broad application prospects in sterilization, disinfection, fruit and vegetable cleaning, and food preservation.

[0037] The following is combined Figures 1 to 11 The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0038] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the present invention provides a plasma-activated water preparation apparatus. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus includes a plasma generation module 100. The plasma generation module 100 includes a tube body 110, a high-voltage electrode 120, an insulating dielectric layer 130, and a low-voltage electrode 140. The tube body 110 has an air inlet 112 and multiple micropores 111. At least a portion of the high-voltage electrode 120 is disposed within the tube body 110, forming a gap 150 between the high-voltage electrode 120 and the inner surface of the tube body 110. The micropores 111 and the air inlet 112 are both connected to the gap 150. The outer surface of the high-voltage electrode 120 is covered with the insulating dielectric layer 130. The low-voltage electrode 140 is disposed on the outer surface of the tube body 110 for contacting the target activation solution.

[0039] It should be noted that the main mechanism of microbubble discharge is to form a sufficiently high breakdown field on the outer surface of the bubble, achieving gas breakdown inside the bubble to ionize and generate the required discharge plasma. The microbubble then ruptures in the target activation solution, and the plasma within the bubble dissolves into the solution, thereby preparing plasma-activated water with the desired plasma concentration. Therefore, whether the microbubble can generate efficient bubble discharge is crucial to the efficiency of plasma-activated water preparation.

[0040] The key factors affecting the ionization breakdown of microbubbles mainly lie in two aspects. First, the size and quantity of the generated microbubbles must be sufficiently small. Extremely small bubbles can undergo ionization breakdown under lower applied driving voltages, and a sufficient number of microbubbles discharging ensures more discharge plasma is generated within the same timeframe, increasing the efficiency of activated water preparation. Second, the breakdown electric field strength added to the outer surface of the microbubbles must be sufficiently high and uniform. Therefore, establishing a sufficiently high and uniform breakdown field strength around numerous small microbubbles is also a key technology for improving the efficiency of activated water preparation.

[0041] like Figure 6 As shown, in use, the plasma-activated water preparation apparatus of the present invention first introduces gas into the gap 150 through the gas inlet 112, then places the plasma generation module 100 in the target activation solution, with the micropores 111 located below the liquid surface of the target activation solution. This prevents the target activation solution from entering the gap 150 through the micropores 111 and affecting the high-voltage electrode 120. Then, a driving voltage is applied to the high-voltage electrode 120, which discharges the gas in the gap 150 and the micropores 111. The ionized plasma in the micropores 111 forms microbubbles on the outer surface of the tube 110. The microbubbles diffuse into the target activation solution, and after the microbubbles burst, the plasma dissolves in the target activation solution, thus realizing the preparation of activated water.

[0042] In this embodiment, multiple micropores 111 on the tube 110 can uniformly release plasma-active substances (such as ozone, free radicals, etc.), increasing the contact area with the target activation solution and improving activation efficiency. The gap 150 between the high-voltage electrode 120 and the inner wall of the tube 110, combined with the airflow from the air inlet 112, can form a stable discharge channel, ensuring continuous and uniform plasma generation. The high-voltage electrode 120 is covered with an insulating dielectric layer 130 to avoid the risk of direct discharge breakdown and to prevent electrode corrosion, thus extending its service life. The low-voltage electrode 140 is disposed on the outer surface of the tube 110. When the plasma generation module 100 is placed in the target solution, the low-voltage electrode 140 is in direct contact with the target solution, making the potential of the target solution consistent with the potential of the low-voltage electrode 140. By placing the high-voltage electrode 120 inside the tube 110, the relative physical spatial position of the high-voltage electrode 120 and the low-voltage electrode 140 remains constant. This ensures that the high-voltage electrode 120, the insulating dielectric layer 130, and the micropores 111 form a fixed, predetermined breakdown field strength region. This prevents the breakdown field strength of the microbubbles from being affected by changes in the volume of the container holding the target activation solution, facilitating the establishment of an effective breakdown field strength for the microbubbles. This increases the number of microbubbles capable of discharge, thereby improving the efficiency of activated water preparation and solving the problem of low activation water preparation efficiency in existing plasma activated water preparation devices. The integrated plasma generation module, with the high-voltage electrode 120 and the low-voltage electrode 140 respectively positioned on the inner and outer sides of the tube 110, allows for direct insertion into the target activation solution during use, enabling on-demand activated water production. Simultaneously, it increases the concentration of short-lived active ingredients, improving processing efficiency.

[0043] In addition, although the generation of microbubbles will affect the equivalent conductivity of the target activation solution, the relative physical spatial position of the high-voltage electrode 120 and the low-voltage electrode 140 will never change. Therefore, the effective breakdown field strength under dynamic microbubble conditions can be established by finely adjusting the external driving voltage of the high-voltage electrode 120.

[0044] In existing solutions for microbubble discharge applications in activated water preparation, a high conductivity of the target solution is often required. Furthermore, the establishment of the effective breakdown field strength region is related to the spatial arrangement of the high-voltage electrode 120 and the low-voltage electrode 140 (i.e., the ground electrode). This means that the size and structure of the water tank in the entire activated water device will affect the establishment of this effective breakdown field strength. Simultaneously, the plasma composition within the water tank will affect the conductivity parameters of the entire solution; the farther the solution is from the ground electrode installation position, the higher the conductivity. The original applied electric field will result in a lower effective breakdown field strength at the microbubble furthest from the ground electrode installation position, leading to inconsistent discharge across the electrode array. If the amplitude of the applied driving voltage is increased to compensate for the loss of the far-end breakdown field strength under dynamic microbubble conditions, it will lead to an excessively high near-end breakdown field strength, causing over-discharge, or even breaking down the insulating dielectric layer 130 and triggering arc discharge, representing an irreconcilable contradiction.

[0045] In an embodiment of the present invention, by placing the low-voltage electrode 140 on the outer surface of the tube body 110 and placing the high-voltage electrode 120 inside the tube body 110, the relevant physical spatial positions of the high-voltage electrode 120 and the low-voltage electrode 140 remain unchanged. This can establish a more uniform and effective breakdown field strength, avoiding the problem of inconsistent discharge. When the external driving voltage is increased, the problem of excessively high near-end breakdown field strength will not occur, thus avoiding the phenomenon of arc discharge.

[0046] It should be noted that the material of tube 110 has good insulation properties and is resistant to high temperatures and corrosion.

[0047] In some embodiments, the material of the tube body 110 can be inorganic materials such as quartz glass, zirconium oxide, and alumina, or organic materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene, silicone rubber, phenolic resin, and epoxy resin.

[0048] Optionally, the tube body 110 can be a quartz glass tube.

[0049] Optionally, the tube body 110 can also be a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plastic tube.

[0050] Optionally, the thickness of the tube 110 is between 1 mm and 3 mm. A thickness of at least 1 mm facilitates successful fabrication of the tube 110 and reduces the risk of breakage during the micropore formation process, ensuring the tube 110's strength. A thickness of at least 3 mm ensures that the depth of the micropores 111 is at least 3 mm, guaranteeing the microbubble generation rate and preventing issues such as low microbubble generation rates affecting the efficiency of activated water preparation.

[0051] In some embodiments, the pore size of the micropore 111 is no greater than 100 micrometers. This ensures the generation of sufficiently small microbubbles, which can undergo ionization and breakdown under lower applied driving voltage conditions. With a constant applied driving electric field, this ensures that a sufficient number of microbubbles discharge, i.e., that more discharge plasma is generated in the same amount of time, thereby improving the efficiency of activated water preparation and increasing the mass transfer efficiency of the activated aqueous solution.

[0052] Optionally, the pore size of the micropores 111 is 10 to 50 micrometers. This can generate microbubbles with diameters ranging from 10 to 50 micrometers. Microbubbles of this size can persist in water for a longer period of time. Due to their small size and large specific surface area, they can provide a larger gas-liquid contact area, thereby improving gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency.

[0053] Optionally, the depth of the micropore 111 is consistent with the thickness of the tube body 110, and the depth of the micropore 111 is 1 mm to 3 mm.

[0054] For example, the tube body 110 has a thickness of 2 mm, and the micropores 111 have a depth of 2 mm. This balances the strength of the tube body 110 with the rate of microbubble generation.

[0055] Optionally, multiple rows of arrayed micropores 111 are formed at the end of the sidewall of the tube 110. Optionally, each row of micropores 111 includes at least two micropores 111, and the micropores 111 in each row are spaced apart along the central axis of the tube 110; multiple rows of micropores 111 are spaced apart around the central axis of the tube 110. This allows the plasma active material to be uniformly released into the target activation solution, avoiding excessively high or low local concentrations and improving the consistency of the activation effect.

[0056] It should be noted that the high-voltage electrode 120 needs to have good conductivity.

[0057] In some embodiments, the high-voltage electrode 120 may be made of conductive metals such as gold, silver, copper, tungsten, or stainless steel. The high-voltage electrode 120 may also be made of graphite.

[0058] Optionally, the high-voltage electrode 120 may be made of at least one of gold, silver, copper, tungsten, or stainless steel.

[0059] Optionally, the high-voltage electrode 120 can be cylindrical or polygonal in shape.

[0060] Optionally, the cross-sectional area of ​​the high-voltage electrode 120 is not less than 0.785 square millimeters. This design can reduce the risk of tip discharge in the high-voltage electrode 120, and may even prevent tip discharge from occurring in the high-voltage electrode 120.

[0061] For example, the high-voltage electrode 120 is cylindrical in shape, and the diameter of the high-voltage electrode 120 is not less than 1 mm.

[0062] In some embodiments, the low-voltage electrode 140 may be made of conductive metals such as gold, silver, copper, tungsten, or stainless steel. The low-voltage electrode 140 may also be made of graphite.

[0063] Optionally, the low-voltage electrode 140 may be made of at least one of gold, silver, copper, tungsten, or stainless steel.

[0064] Optionally, the low-voltage electrode 140 can be a plate-like structure. The plate-like low-voltage electrode 140 covers the outer surface of the tube body 110.

[0065] For example, a plate-shaped low-voltage electrode 140 is disposed at the bottom of the tube body 110.

[0066] Optionally, the upper side of the plate-shaped low-voltage electrode 140 is provided with a mounting hole, and the bottom of the tube body 110 is mounted in the mounting hole.

[0067] In some embodiments, the high-voltage electrode 120 and the tube body 110 are arranged coaxially. Multiple micropores 111 are formed on the sidewall of the tube body 110, and these micropores 111 are spaced apart around the central axis of the tube body 110. This design allows for the formation of a more uniform and fixed preset breakdown field strength region between the high-voltage electrode 120 and the micropores 111, preventing excessively strong or weak local discharges. This ensures uniform plasma generation within the tube body 110 and the micropores 111, ensuring the consistency of the effective breakdown field strength of the microbubbles. By adjusting the applied driving voltage, the effective breakdown field strength of all microbubbles can be synchronously adjusted, enabling more microbubbles to discharge and generate plasma, thus improving the efficiency of activated water preparation. The spaced arrangement of multiple micropores 111 around the central axis allows for the uniform release of plasma-active substances into the target activation solution, avoiding excessively high or low local concentrations and improving the consistency of the activation effect. The coaxial structure allows for smoother gas flow within the gap 150 between the high-voltage electrode 120 and the tube body 110, reducing turbulence and dead zones, and ensuring sufficient gas plasmaification. The coaxial structure can also make the discharge more stable, avoid the risk of local arcing or breakdown, reduce the fluctuation of high voltage power supply, and improve system reliability.

[0068] Optionally, multiple micropores 111 are evenly distributed on the sidewall of the tube body 110. The uniform arrangement of the micropores 111 can prevent gas from being concentrated and ejected from a few holes, improve gas utilization, reduce waste, and enhance the contact efficiency between plasma and solution.

[0069] Furthermore, a low-pressure electrode 140 is disposed at the bottom of the tube 110. This avoids the low-pressure electrode 140 occupying the sidewall space of the tube 110, allowing for the creation of more micropores 111 on the limited sidewall. The high-pressure electrode 120 and the low-pressure electrode 140 at the bottom can form an axial electric field. Compared to a lateral electric field, the electric field lines are more uniformly distributed, reducing the risk of uneven local discharge or arcing and improving the stability of plasma generation. The bottom electrode directly faces the high-pressure electrode 120, resulting in a more concentrated electric field intensity, which can improve discharge efficiency and enhance the yield of active materials. The plasma released by the bursting of microbubbles can diffuse downwards under the action of the electric field. The low-pressure electrode 140 located at the bottom can promote the full mixing of plasma and the target activation solution, improving activation efficiency. The low-pressure electrode 140 is located at the bottom, eliminating the need to disassemble the entire tube 110 for inspection or replacement, reducing maintenance difficulty.

[0070] In some embodiments, the plasma generation module 100 further includes a mounting base 160; the mounting base 160 is located inside the tube body 110 and mounted at the bottom of the tube body 110; the lower end of the high-voltage electrode 120 is mounted on the mounting base 160, and the upper end of the high-voltage electrode 120 extends axially to the outside of the tube body 110. The mounting base 160 provides stable support for the high-voltage electrode 120, preventing the high-voltage electrode 120 from shifting in airflow or vibration, ensuring coaxiality with the tube body 110, and maintaining a uniform gap 150. The high-voltage electrode 120 is pre-fixed by the mounting base 160, and can be inserted into or removed from the tube body 110 as a whole, facilitating quick assembly or replacement of the high-voltage electrode 120 and reducing maintenance complexity. The upper end of the high-voltage electrode 120 extends to the outside of the tube body 110, allowing direct connection to an external high-voltage power supply, avoiding wiring inside the tube body 110, reducing insulation risks and maintenance difficulty.

[0071] Optionally, the mounting base 160 and the tube body 110 are arranged coaxially. The concentricity of the mounting base 160 and the tube body 110 can be ensured by machining, so that the high-voltage electrode 120 is always in the center of the tube body 110, which can optimize the electric field distribution and prevent uneven partial discharge.

[0072] Optionally, the mounting base 160, tube body 110, and high-voltage electrode 120 are arranged coaxially; the low-voltage electrode 140 has a plate-like structure and is located at the bottom of the tube body 110. This design can form a more uniform and fixed preset breakdown field strength area around the high-voltage electrode 120.

[0073] In some embodiments, a plurality of protrusions 121 are formed on the outer surface of the high-voltage electrode 120, and each of the protrusions 121 corresponds to a plurality of micropores 111. By providing protrusions 121 that correspond one-to-one with the micropores 111, a tip effect can be formed on the protrusions 121, generating a stronger local electric field during discharge and producing a stronger discharge effect. With the magnitude of the applied driving voltage remaining constant, the breakdown electric field strength of the microbubbles formed by the corresponding micropores 111 can be increased, allowing more microbubbles to be broken down to generate spherical particles, thereby improving the efficiency of activated water preparation. In addition, the protrusions 121 can also disperse the discharge points, preventing the formation of a continuous arc between the high-voltage electrode 120 and the tube body 110, and improving system stability.

[0074] Optionally, the protrusion 121 is aligned with the corresponding micropore 111.

[0075] Optionally, the protrusion 121 has a tip on the side facing the corresponding micropore 111.

[0076] Optionally, the side of the protrusion 121 facing the corresponding micropore 111 is an arc-shaped surface.

[0077] In some embodiments, the thickness of the insulating dielectric layer 130 is greater than 0.03 mm. This can reduce the discharge ground initiation voltage, making the plasma easier to excite and reducing energy consumption.

[0078] Optionally, the thickness of the insulating dielectric layer 130 is 0.03 mm to 0.05 mm. The thickness is precisely controlled at the micrometer level to avoid insulation failure due to excessive thinness or a sharp increase in voltage demand due to excessive thickness.

[0079] Optionally, the material of the insulating dielectric layer 130 is selected from at least one of alumina, zirconium oxide, and silicon oxide.

[0080] In some embodiments, the thickness of the gap 150 is greater than 1 mm. This avoids frequent arcing caused by an excessively small gap 150, while also preventing a surge in energy consumption due to the need for excessively high voltage when the gap 150 is too large.

[0081] Optionally, the thickness of the gap 150 is 3 mm to 4 mm. A 3 mm to 4 mm gap 150 allows for efficient airflow velocity to carry the plasma active components, avoiding the problem of high airflow resistance and easy clogging of the micropores 111 caused by an excessively narrow gap 150; it also avoids the problem of low airflow velocity and loss of active materials due to recombination within the gap 150 caused by an excessively wide gap 150. Therefore, the 3 mm to 4 mm gap 150 in this embodiment can improve the yield of active materials (e.g., ozone). The 3 mm to 4 mm gap 150 also provides both convective heat dissipation and insulation. The 3 mm to 4 mm gap 150 has moderate requirements for the concentricity of the high-voltage electrode 120 and the tube body 110, making it easier to process and improving the yield.

[0082] Existing plasma-activated water preparation devices inject the target activation solution into a corrosion-resistant shell via an external circulating water cooling system. Activated water is then prepared using a plasma generation system housed within the shell. Specifically, gas is supplied to the plasma generation system, followed by power; after a certain time, the activated water is discharged from the shell. Clearly, this type of device is bulky and complex to operate, making it unsuitable for immediate application.

[0083] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the plasma activated water preparation device further includes a power supply module 200 and a gas supply module 300; the high-voltage electrode 120 is connected to the output terminal of the power supply module 200, and the low-voltage electrode 140 is connected to the ground terminal of the power supply module 200; the gas outlet of the gas supply module 300 is connected to the gas inlet 112 for supplying gas to the gap 150.

[0084] In this embodiment, a water circulation system is not required; in other words, there is no need to pump the target activation solution into the housing. The plasma-activated water preparation device in this embodiment directly places the plasma generation module 100 into the target activation solution, and then combines it with the power supply module 200 and the gas supply module 300 to prepare activated water. Compared with existing preparation devices with water circulation systems, the activated water preparation device in this embodiment has a simpler structure and can be applied immediately. Wherever activated water needs to be prepared, the plasma generation module 100 of the plasma-activated water preparation device can be placed in the target activation solution, thus expanding its applicability.

[0085] Optionally, the power module 200 is an energy storage type unipolar microsecond pulse power supply. This ensures the stability of the discharge drive without generating too much heat, while also enabling the miniaturization of the power supply, ensuring the portability of the entire device. This facilitates applications where activated water can be prepared and used immediately, improving the efficiency of actual activated water treatment.

[0086] like Figure 2 As shown, optionally, the energy storage type unipolar microsecond pulse power supply includes a battery 210 and a microsecond pulse power supply 220. The battery 210 is connected to the input terminal of the microsecond pulse power supply 220; the output terminal of the microsecond pulse power supply 220 is connected to the high-voltage electrode 120, and the ground terminal of the microsecond pulse power supply 220 is connected to the low-voltage electrode 140.

[0087] like Figure 5As shown, optionally, the topology of the microsecond pulse power supply 220 is used to convert DC voltage into pulse voltage. This topology includes a first capacitor Cin, a MOSFET Q, a transformer, a second diode D2, and a third diode D3. One end of the primary winding of the transformer is electrically connected to one end of the first capacitor Cin, and the other end of the primary winding is electrically connected to the drain of the MOSFET Q. The gate of the MOSFET Q is electrically connected to a pulse signal generator, and the source of the MOSFET Q is grounded. One end of the first capacitor Cin is also electrically connected to the positive terminal of the battery 210, and the other end of the first capacitor Cin and the negative terminal of the battery 210 are both grounded. One end of the secondary winding of the transformer is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the second diode D2, and the other end of the secondary winding is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the third diode D3. The positive terminal of the second diode D2 is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the third diode D3, and the negative terminal of the second diode D2 is also electrically connected to one end of the load capacitor Cload. The negative terminal of the third diode D3 is also electrically connected to the other end of the load capacitor Cload. In this configuration, one end of the load capacitor Cload corresponds to the high-voltage electrode 120, and the other end corresponds to the low-voltage electrode 140. In other words, the cathode of the second diode D2 is also electrically connected to the high-voltage electrode 120, and the cathode of the third diode D3 is also electrically connected to the low-voltage electrode 140.

[0088] When the pulse signal generator outputs a high-level PWM signal, the MOSFET Q is turned on. At this time, Upri equals Udc, and the primary winding of the transformer converts electrical energy into magnetic energy for storage. Ipri rises linearly, and the corresponding terminal of the secondary winding is at a low potential, with Isec being 0. When the PWM signal is low, the MOSFET Q is turned off, and the current in the primary winding of the transformer is 0. Since the inductor current cannot change abruptly, a reverse induced electromotive force is generated in the primary winding of the transformer. At this time, the corresponding terminal of the secondary winding is at a high potential, and the magnetic energy previously stored in the transformer is converted into electrical energy through the primary winding, generating a pulse current Isec to charge the load capacitor Cload (i.e., the high-voltage electrode 120 and the low-voltage electrode 140). Upri increases and reaches its maximum when Isec drops to 0.

[0089] Optionally, the battery is a lithium-ion battery.

[0090] Optionally, the voltage amplitude of the energy storage unipolar microsecond pulse power supply is between several thousand volts and tens of kilovolts, and the frequency is between several thousand hertz and tens of kilohertz.

[0091] For example, the voltage amplitude of the energy storage unipolar microsecond pulse power supply is 7 kV and the frequency is 1 kHz.

[0092] like Figure 1As shown, in some embodiments, the air supply module 300 includes an air pump 320; the air outlet of the air pump 320 is connected to the air inlet 112 of the pipe body 110, for delivering atmospheric air to the gap 150.

[0093] Furthermore, the gas supply module 300 also includes a gas tank 310; the gas tank 310 stores gas, and the gas outlet of the gas tank 310 is connected to the gas inlet 112 of the pipe body 110 through the gas pump 320, for supplying gas to the gap 150.

[0094] Optional, the gas includes, but is not limited to, air.

[0095] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the plasma-activated water device further includes a housing 400; the housing 400 has a mounting cavity; a power module 200 and a gas supply module 300 are mounted in the mounting cavity; a plasma generation module 100 is mounted in the housing 400, and micropores 111 are located on the outside of the mounting cavity. By integrating the power module 200, the gas supply module 300, and the plasma generation module 100 into the housing 400, the entire device becomes more portable, meeting the portability and ready-to-use requirements of bedside treatment, field emergency care, or home care in medical settings.

[0096] Optionally, the housing 400 can be made of plastic.

[0097] In one embodiment of the present invention, the plasma-activated water preparation device includes a plasma generation module 100, a power supply module 200, a gas supply module 300, and a housing 400; the power supply module 200 and the gas supply module 300 are installed in the mounting cavity of the housing 400; the upper end of the plasma generation module 100 is fitted into the mounting hole of the housing 400.

[0098] The plasma generation module 100 includes a quartz glass tube (i.e., tube body 110), a high-voltage electrode 120, an insulating dielectric layer 130, and a low-voltage electrode 140. An air inlet 112 is provided at the upper end of the tube body 110, and multiple micro-holes 111 are formed on the sidewall of the tube body 110, evenly arranged around the central axis of the tube body 110. A mounting base 160 is provided at the lower end of the tube body 110. The lower end of the high-voltage electrode 120 is mounted on the mounting base 160, and the upper end of the high-voltage electrode 120 extends upward into the outer casing 400, electrically connected to the output terminal of the power module 200. The low-voltage electrode 140 has a plate-like structure, is arranged on the outer surface of the tube body 110, and is located at the bottom of the tube body 110. The low-voltage electrode 140 is connected to the grounding terminal of the power module 200 via a wire. The mounting base 160, high-voltage electrode 120, and tube body 110 are arranged coaxially. A gap 150 is formed between the high-voltage electrode 120 and the inner surface of the tube body 110. The outer surface of the high-voltage electrode 120 is covered with an insulating dielectric layer 130. The air inlet 112 and the micropores 111 are both connected to the gap 150.

[0099] The power module 200 is an energy storage type unipolar microsecond pulse power supply.

[0100] The gas supply module 300 includes a gas tank 310 and a gas pump 320; the gas tank 310 is used to store gas, the air inlet of the gas pump 320 is connected to the gas tank 310, and the air outlet of the gas pump 320 is connected to the air inlet 112, which is used to pump the gas in the gas tank 310 through the gap 150.

[0101] The plasma-activated water preparation device provided by this invention coats the outside of the high-voltage electrode 120 with an insulating dielectric layer 130 of a certain thickness, forming a gas breakdown field within the microbubbles to generate DBD (dielectric barrier) discharge. The low-voltage electrode 140, in contact with the solution, serves as the reference ground for the discharge current loop and forms a bulk electrode with the solution. Therefore, the loop current is small, and the metal electrode does not heat up or corrode, solving the problem of arc corrosion of traditional high-voltage metal electrodes that contaminates the activated water solution and ensuring the biosafety of the activated water.

[0102] The plasma-activated water preparation device provided by this invention integrates both the high-voltage electrode 120 and the low-voltage electrode 140 on the inner and outer sides of the tube body 110 with a small and fixed physical distance. Regardless of whether the target solution has high or low conductivity, i.e., it does not depend on parameters such as solution conductivity and pH value, the electric field region will not be significantly attenuated due to the characteristics of the solution, thereby ensuring the stability and compatibility of the discharge. It can directly process pure water, physiological saline or complex liquids, improve solution adaptability, and broaden application scenarios.

[0103] The plasma-activated water preparation device provided by this invention uses a plasma generation module 100 based on a low-power DBD discharge mode. For a pulsed power supply, this acts as a capacitive load, with only discharge and displacement currents present. No static current is required, thus avoiding the problem of static current heating the target solution and causing overheating. This reduces energy consumption and temperature rise, while effectively preventing the overheating of active components (such as H2O2 and NO) from escalating. 3- Decomposition ensures long-term effectiveness.

[0104] The plasma-activated water preparation device provided by this invention is small and portable. By rationally optimizing the circuit topology of the pulse power supply and using energy storage unipolar microsecond pulse drive, the stability of the discharge drive can be guaranteed, while the power supply size can be miniaturized, ensuring the portability of the entire device. This facilitates applications where activated water can be prepared and used immediately, and improves the efficiency of actual activated water treatment.

[0105] The complete device of the present invention solves the problem of electrode arc corrosion, reduces component wear, simplifies the maintenance process, improves the reliability of the whole machine operation, and reduces long-term use costs.

[0106] This invention features a compact design, resulting in a small and lightweight device that can be directly immersed in various household containers for solution treatment. Its core breakthrough lies in its optimized electrode structure, which enables direct gas-liquid two-phase discharge, increasing the efficiency of activated water preparation by more than three times. Furthermore, the 400mm outer casing design ensures both operational safety and convenience. Compared to traditional equipment, this device requires no complex installation and is ready to use immediately, making it particularly suitable for everyday applications in home kitchens such as drinking water purification and fruit and vegetable washing.

[0107] To verify the feasibility of the plasma-activated water preparation device provided by this invention, a test experiment was conducted using physiological saline to prepare activated water.

[0108] The plasma generation module 100 provided in this embodiment of the invention is inserted into a certain volume of physiological saline. First, the gas pump 320 is started to send the gas in the gas tank 310 into the gap 150. Then, the energy storage unipolar microsecond pulse power supply is started. The voltage amplitude of the energy storage unipolar microsecond pulse power supply is 7 kV and the frequency is 1 kHz. It runs normally for 10 minutes.

[0109] The thermal effect of the discharge was observed using a thermal imager during steady-state operation, and the resulting thermal image is shown below. Figure 7 As shown, the discharge waveform of the high-voltage electrode 120 is as follows. Figure 8 As shown, through Figure 7 and Figure 8 It can be seen that the temperature is controlled within a reasonable range, with a maximum of around 23℃.

[0110] Discharge phenomena were tested using physiological saline solutions of varying concentrations but the same volume. The results are as follows: Figure 9 As shown, the discharge phenomenon of 0.5% physiological saline is as follows: Figure 9 As shown in Figure (a), the discharge phenomenon of 0.9% physiological saline is as follows: Figure 9 As shown in Figure (b), the discharge phenomenon of 1.5% physiological saline is as follows: Figure 9 As shown in Figure (c). From Figure 9 It is known that electrical discharge can occur with physiological saline solutions of different concentrations.

[0111] The plasma generated by atmospheric pressure air discharge contains various active groups (such as ·OH, O3, H2O2, etc.). These active components dissolve in water to form plasma-activated water with strong redox capabilities. Spectroscopic analysis shows that, for example... Figure 10 As shown, the horizontal axis of the emission spectrum represents the wavelength of the emitted light (in nanometers, nm), and the vertical axis represents the emission intensity, covering the spectral range from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared (approximately 200 nm to 800 nm). A strong OH (A–X) ground state transition peak (approximately 306 nm to 310 nm) appears in the near-ultraviolet region, indicating the presence of a large number of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) in the system. At slightly higher wavelengths, a typical second positive band structure of nitrogen molecules (N2(CB)) emission bands appear, including vibrational band-head peaks such as 0–0, 0–1, and 1–2 (approximately 316 nm, 337 nm, 358 nm, etc.); simultaneously, the nitrogen ion N2 is visible. + The (BX) spectrum (around 390 nm to 420 nm) shows visible Balmer lines for hydrogen atoms, such as H_β (approximately 486.1 nm) and H_α (656.3 nm), indicating the presence of hydrogen atoms or protons in the plasma. A distinct doublet of sodium D lines (Na D2 / D1, approximately 589.0 nm / 589.6 nm) is also observed in the visible region, with relatively high intensities, indicating the presence of trace amounts of sodium in the system. In the near-infrared region, an oxygen atom O (3P→3S) transition line (approximately 777.4 nm) is visible on the right side, consistent with typical characteristics of dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) in atmospheric pressure air. This spectrum shows that under the influence of plasma, water molecules are efficiently excited and fragmented, generating abundant OH, H, and O atoms, which are key reactive particles in highly reactive water. Therefore, the spectral data indicates that the plasma system has a good ability to activate water molecules. The activated water prepared is expected to have good performance in terms of oxidation capacity, bactericidal ability, and surface activity, and has significant potential for practical application.

[0112] The concentrations of nitrate, hydrogen peroxide, and nitrite in the prepared plasma-activated water were determined by analyzing the active components. Figure 11As shown, these active ingredients collectively constitute the functional characteristics of the activated water: 1. Hydrogen peroxide provides the main bactericidal ability; 2. Nitrate and nitrite ions act as long-lasting active ingredients; 3. The synergistic effect of these three components allows the activated water to maintain its continuous activity for more than 48 hours. Test data shows that the concentration of active ingredients in the activated water prepared by this device is significantly higher than that of conventional treatment methods, with the hydrogen peroxide concentration reaching 3 to 5 times that of ordinary electrolyzed water. This explains its superior performance in sterilization and pesticide residue degradation. These quantitative results provide a scientific basis for the application of this activated water in medical and health fields such as sterilization, disinfection, and wound healing, and its prospects can also be extended to agriculture, food, and other fields.

[0113] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A plasma-activated water preparation device, characterized in that, Includes a plasma generation module (100), the plasma generation module (100) comprising: The tube body (110) is provided with an air inlet (112) and multiple micro-holes (111). A high-voltage electrode (120) is disposed in at least part of the tube body (110), and a gap (150) is formed between the high-voltage electrode (120) and the inner surface of the tube body (110); the micropore (111) and the air inlet (112) are both connected to the gap (150); An insulating dielectric layer (130) is provided, and the outer surface of the high voltage electrode (120) is covered by the insulating dielectric layer (130). A low-pressure electrode (140) is disposed on the outer surface of the tube (110) for contacting the target activation solution.

2. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-voltage electrode (120) is arranged coaxially with the tube body (110); the side wall of the tube body (110) is provided with a plurality of microholes (111), and the plurality of microholes (111) are arranged at intervals around the central axis of the tube body (110).

3. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The low-pressure electrode (140) is disposed at the bottom of the tube (110).

4. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The plasma generation module (100) also includes: Mounting base (160) is located inside the tube body (110) and installed at the bottom of the tube body (110); the lower end of the high voltage electrode (120) is installed on the mounting base (160), and the upper end of the high voltage electrode (120) extends along its own axis to the outside of the tube body (110).

5. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the high-voltage electrode (120) has a plurality of protrusions (121), and the plurality of protrusions (121) correspond one-to-one with the plurality of micropores (111).

6. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the insulating dielectric layer (130) is greater than 0.03 mm.

7. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the gap (150) is greater than 1 mm.

8. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A power module (200) is provided, wherein the high-voltage electrode (120) is connected to the output terminal of the power module (200), and the low-voltage electrode (140) is connected to the ground terminal of the power module (200). A gas supply module (300) is provided, the outlet of which is connected to the inlet (112) for supplying gas to the gap (150).

9. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The power module (200) is an energy storage type unipolar microsecond pulse power supply.

10. The plasma-activated water preparation apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: The housing (400) has a mounting cavity; the power module (200) and the air supply module (300) are mounted in the mounting cavity; The plasma generation module (100) is mounted on the housing (400), and the micropore (111) is located on the outside of the mounting cavity.

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