Ozone Generator Using Nitrogen Dioxide for Stable High Purity Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ozone generators face challenges in maintaining high ozone concentration and efficiency due to time-varying reduction phenomena, by-product NOx generation, and low ozone production rates, especially in semiconductor manufacturing applications where high purity ozone is required.
Innovation Solution
An ozone generator design that incorporates a third raw material gas supply to generate excited light, which dissociates or excites oxide compound gases like nitrogen dioxide, enhancing ozone generation efficiency and reducing NOx by-product formation, while using photocatalytic materials to stabilize ozone production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If nitrogen gas is added to high purity oxygen to suppress time-varying reduction of ozone concentration, then ozone concentration stability is improved, but nitrogen oxide (NOx) generation as a harmful by-product increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameter by replacing nitrogen gas with nitrogen dioxide gas at a controlled concentration (1-100 ppm). This parameter change allows the system to achieve both ozone concentration stability and reduced NOx generation, as nitrogen dioxide acts as a catalyst that decomposes into nitrogen and oxygen, preventing harmful by-product accumulation while maintaining discharge stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Nitrogen dioxide serves as an intermediary substance that facilitates ozone generation stability without creating harmful by-products. It acts as a catalyst in the discharge process, temporarily participating in reactions and then decomposing back into harmless components, thus mediating between the need for stable ozone production and the avoidance of NOx generation.
2Productivity
If high AC voltage is applied between electrodes to cause silent discharge, then ozone generation rate is improved, but energy consumption and apparatus complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the gas composition parameter by introducing nitrogen dioxide, which has different discharge characteristics than pure oxygen or nitrogen mixtures. This enables effective ozone generation at lower voltage levels, reducing energy consumption while maintaining productivity. The nitrogen dioxide facilitates more efficient electron collision and oxygen molecule dissociation at reduced energy input.
3Manufacturing precision
If high purity oxygen is used as raw material gas, then ozone purity is improved, but time-varying reduction of ozone concentration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Nitrogen dioxide acts as an intermediary that stabilizes the discharge process in high purity oxygen. It facilitates consistent electron collision and oxygen dissociation, maintaining stable ozone concentration over time without compromising the high purity of the final ozone product. The nitrogen dioxide is consumed and regenerated in the process, leaving no harmful residues.
4Productivity
If nitrogen gas is added to increase ozone concentration, then ozone generation efficiency is improved, but the quantity of nitrogen oxide by-product increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the additive gas parameter from nitrogen to nitrogen dioxide, and controls its concentration at a low level (1-100 ppm). This parameter change fundamentally alters the chemical reaction pathway, allowing nitrogen dioxide to decompose into nitrogen and oxygen that can participate in ozone formation without creating stable nitrogen oxide by-products, thus improving efficiency while minimizing harmful emissions.
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 ozone generator achieves higher ozone concentrations (up to 400 g/m3) with increased efficiency and reduced NOx generation, providing a stable and clean ozone output suitable for semiconductor manufacturing, while minimizing the nitrogen additive rate and maintaining long apparatus lifetime.
Implementation Method 1
a third raw material gas supply unit for supplying a third raw material gas which is excited by discharge and generates excited light
Implementation Method 2
by excited light excited and generated by the discharge under existence of the oxygen gas and the oxide compound gas, the oxide compound gas is dissociated
Implementation Method 3
an ozone generator which includes a high voltage electrode and a low voltage electrode, causes discharge by the application of an AC voltage between them, and generates an ozone gas
Data Source
AI summary
An ozone generator for generating ozone by applying a specified process to oxygen by discharge includes a first raw material gas supply unit for supplying the oxygen as a first raw material gas, and a second raw material gas supply unit for supplying an oxide compound gas as a second raw material gas, in which, by excited light, excited and generated by a discharge in the oxygen and the oxide compound gas, the oxide compound gas is dissociated, or the oxide compound gas is excited accelerating dissociation of the oxygen, and ozone is generated. In this way, ozone generation efficiency is raised.