Mesh Electrode Plasma Reactor for Ionic Wind-Stable Particle Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage plasma treatments face challenges due to electrohydrodynamic forces (ionic winds) that cause displacement of lighter and smaller substrates, leading to irregular and ineffective treatment.
Innovation Solution
A high-voltage dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor with a mesh electrode and seating portion is designed to generate a plasma field that retains particles during treatment, using a mesh electrode that is porous to ionic winds and impermeable to normal-sized particles, and includes additional electrode assemblies to constrain and redirect winds, ensuring uniform plasma dosage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-voltage plasma treatment is applied to light and powdery substrates, then treatment effectiveness and power density are improved, but substrate displacement due to ionic winds occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A dielectric barrier is introduced as an intermediary between the plasma field and the substrate. This dielectric layer allows the plasma to be generated at high voltage for effective treatment while preventing the direct transmission of ionic winds to the substrate, thus maintaining substrate position stability during treatment
Solution Approach 2:
A porous dielectric material is used in the barrier structure. The porous structure allows selective transmission - permitting beneficial plasma species to reach the substrate while blocking the harmful ionic winds, thereby resolving the contradiction between treatment effectiveness and substrate stability
2Length of stationary object
If high-voltage plasma is used for surface functionalization, then discharge gap can be increased beyond a few millimeters, but ionic winds cause irregular treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric barrier acts as a mediator that enables large discharge gaps to be used while maintaining treatment uniformity. It confines and directs the plasma discharge in a controlled manner, preventing ionic winds from causing irregular treatment even at extended gap distances
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric barrier changes the electrical parameters of the system, allowing high voltage to be applied across larger gaps while maintaining controlled discharge characteristics. This enables increased discharge gap without sacrificing treatment precision
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
The reactor maintains uniform plasma treatment by restraining substrate movement, enabling effective surface modification and disinfection across the substrate volume, even with high-voltage treatments.
Implementation Method 1
electrohydrodynamic forces (ionic winds) that cause displacement of lighter and smaller substrates
Implementation Method 2
a plasma field is generated to treat the particles in the seating portion
Data Source
AI summary
A plasma treatment device is provided and includes a first electrode, a dielectric body supportive of the first electrode and a second mesh electrode having an opposite polarity as the first electrode and comprising a seating portion. The second mesh electrode is disposed proximate to the dielectric body to define a gap receptive of particles for collection in the seating portion. The gap is sized such that, with the second mesh electrode activated, a plasma field is generated to treat the particles in the seating portion. The seating portion is configured to retain the particles during treatment in opposition to ionic winds resulting from the plasma field.