Cold Plasma Jet Mixing With Venturi Vanes for Stable Radical Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrosurgical systems that use cold plasma beam jets for surgical procedures face limitations in the mixing of ambient air with the carrier gas, which affects the production of radical species, leading to reduced effectiveness in procedures such as coagulation, hemostasis, and tissue ablation, as excessive turbulence distorts the plasma beam and excessive air dilution raises the breakdown voltage.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a housing with a gas flow tube and an electrode that forms plasma at the distal end, featuring a cylindrical augmenter and tilted vanes to create a Venturi effect and impart tangential velocity components to ambient air, enhancing mixing with inert gas and increasing radical species production without compromising beam stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ambient air is mixed with carrier gas to enhance radical species production, then the production of reactive species (ROS, RNS, RONS) is improved, but excessive turbulence distorts the plasma beam and excessive air dilution raises the breakdown voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by introducing ambient air mixing specifically at the distal end of the gas flow tube where the plasma beam is formed, rather than mixing throughout the entire gas path. The mixing zone is localized to where it most effectively enhances radical species production without disrupting plasma beam formation upstream. This localized approach allows the plasma beam to maintain its structural integrity while still benefiting from enhanced radical species generation in the interaction zone with ambient air.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by controlling the flow rate, pressure, and composition of the carrier gas to optimize the mixing ratio with ambient air. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves enhanced radical species production while maintaining plasma beam stability. The electrosurgical system dynamically regulates gas flow parameters to balance between maximizing reactive species generation and preserving beam coherence for precise surgical application.
2Productivity
If more ambient air is introduced to increase radical species production, then the efficacy of surgical procedures is improved, but the breakdown voltage increases which may compromise plasma formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mixing ambient air with the carrier gas in controlled proportions before the gas reaches the plasma generation zone. This pre-mixing occurs in the gas flow tube leading to the distal end, allowing the system to establish optimal gas composition beforehand. By preparing the gas mixture in advance, the system ensures that when plasma is generated, the breakdown voltage remains within acceptable ranges while still providing sufficient ambient air components for effective radical species production during the surgical procedure.
3Productivity
If turbulent mixing is increased to enhance air-plasma interaction, then radical species production is improved, but the plasma beam becomes distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the gas flow path into distinct functional zones: a plasma generation zone where the carrier gas is ionized to form the plasma beam, and a separate mixing zone at the distal end where ambient air is introduced to enhance radical species production. This spatial segmentation ensures that turbulent mixing occurs only in the interaction zone after plasma formation, preventing beam distortion while maintaining high radical species generation rates in the surgical application region.
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 improves the interaction of ambient air with the plasma beam, enhancing the production of reactive species like ROS, RNS, and RONS, thereby improving the efficacy of surgical procedures by maintaining beam stability and precision while increasing the rate of radical species production.
Implementation Method 1
an electrode disposed within the flow tube and configured to be energized to form plasma at the distal end of the gas flow tube when an inert gas flows through the gas flow tube
Implementation Method 2
the cylindrical augmenter is configured to create a Venturi effect to draw ambient air into the proximal opening of the cylindrical augmenter to mix the ambient air with the inert gas
Implementation Method 3
the at least one tilted vane is configured to impart a tangential velocity component to the ambient air drawn into the proximal opening of the cylindrical augmenter
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to an electrosurgical apparatus for generating plasma in electrosurgical applications. The electrosurgical apparatus includes an end effector disposed on a distal portion of a tube of the electrosurgical apparatus. The end effector mixes ambient air with an inert gas to increase the production of radical species. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the end effector includes a cylindrical augmenter disposed over a distal end of the tube with one or more tilted vanes disposed between the cylindrical augmenter and the tube. In another aspect of the present disclosure, the end effector includes one or more tilted vanes disposed on an inner surface of a wall of the distal end of the tube. In another aspect of the present disclosure, the end effector includes one or more advection apertures on the wall of the distal end of the tube.