Cold Plasma Generation Away from Biological Surface
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cold atmospheric plasma therapy for biological surfaces faces challenges due to complex interactions between plasma parameters and surface conditions, leading to variability in treatment outcomes, with existing medical devices being complex and not suitable for home use, and cosmetic devices lacking controlled therapeutic effects.
Innovation Solution
A cold plasma system that generates plasma away from the biological surface, allowing for tighter control of plasma concentration, temperature, and pressure, using a housing with electrodes and air movers to direct the plasma to the surface, and incorporating electromagnetic field generator units to modify and steer the plasma, ensuring a higher concentration of reactive species and improved uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cold plasma is generated directly at the biological surface, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but control over plasma parameters becomes difficult due to surface condition variability
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates plasma generation from surface treatment by creating plasma in a reaction chamber away from the biological surface, then transporting it via gas flow. This segmentation allows independent optimization of plasma generation conditions and surface treatment conditions, resolving the contradiction between treatment effectiveness and parameter control.
Solution Approach 2:
A carrier gas (such as air or oxygen) acts as an intermediary to transport plasma species from the generation zone to the biological surface. This intermediary enables controlled delivery of reactive species while maintaining stable plasma parameters during transport, addressing both control and effectiveness requirements.
2Ease of operation
If cold plasma is generated away from the biological surface, then plasma parameter control is improved, but plasma species concentration may decrease due to transport time
Solution Approach 1:
The system compensates for plasma species decay during transport by generating excess reactive species in the reaction chamber. The plasma generation conditions are optimized to produce sufficient concentration that accounts for decomposition during transit, ensuring adequate therapeutic dosage reaches the surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous plasma generation and continuous gas flow to ensure steady-state delivery of plasma species. This continuous process compensates for species decomposition by constantly replenishing the carrier gas with fresh plasma-generated reactive species, maintaining effective concentration throughout transport.
3Reliability
If medical-grade cold plasma devices are used, then therapeutic effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases making them unsuitable for home use
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses air or oxygen as both the carrier gas and the plasma generation gas, eliminating the need for separate gas supply systems. This multi-functionality simplifies the device structure while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness through controlled plasma generation and delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes ambient air as the carrier gas, which is freely available and requires no storage or pressurization systems. This self-service approach to gas supply dramatically reduces device complexity while maintaining the ability to deliver effective plasma treatments.
4Quantity of substance
If cold plasma is generated directly at the biological surface, then plasma species concentration is high, but temperature control becomes difficult causing user discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
By separating plasma generation from surface application, the system allows temperature equilibration of the carrier gas during transport. The plasma is generated in a controlled chamber, then the carrier gas can be cooled or warmed to comfortable temperatures before contacting the user, while still delivering high plasma species concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier gas serves as a thermal intermediary, absorbing plasma energy in the generation chamber then transporting the plasma species to the surface at controlled temperatures. This intermediary function decouples plasma species delivery from temperature control, allowing independent optimization of both parameters.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables controlled and effective cold plasma treatment for biological surfaces, enhancing therapeutic outcomes while simplifying device design for consumer use and improving cosmetic treatments by maintaining plasma species concentration and uniformity.
Implementation Method 1
a source of alternating current (AC) electrically connected with the first electrode. The source of alternating current may be configured to generate a cold plasma in the air conduit
Implementation Method 2
an air mover configured to transport the cold plasma outside of the cold plasma system
Data Source
AI summary
A cold plasma system and method for treating a region of a biological surface is presented. In one embodiment, the system includes: a housing; an air conduit within the housing; a first electrode configured proximately along the air conduit; a second electrode configured proximately along the air conduit and opposite from the first electrode; and a source of alternating current (AC) electrically connected with the first electrode. The source of alternating current is configured to generate cold plasma in the air conduit.