Plasma Treatment Device Mitigating Ionic Wind
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage atmospheric pressure plasma treatments for lightweight substrates face challenges due to electrohydrodynamic forces, causing substrate displacement and irregular treatment, which affects uniformity and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A high-voltage dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor with specific geometries and process conditions, including multi-axis symmetric plasma treatment zones and overlapping electrodes, is designed to mitigate ionic winds and ensure uniform plasma dosage, using dielectric plates and active electrodes to generate plasma for treating seeds, spices, and powders at 10-500 kV/cm with power densities from 0.1-10 W/cm2.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-voltage atmospheric pressure plasma treatment is applied to lightweight substrates, then power density and electron density increase, but electrohydrodynamic forces cause substrate displacement and treatment non-uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by configuring electrodes with different geometries and positions - using planar electrodes for some discharge regions and needle electrodes for others, with asymmetric spacing and orientations to create non-uniform electric field distributions that control plasma discharge patterns and mitigate ionic wind effects on lightweight substrates
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional two-electrode configurations to three-dimensional multi-electrode arrangements with electrodes positioned at different spatial coordinates and orientations, creating volumetric plasma treatment zones that provide uniform exposure from multiple directions and eliminate substrate displacement issues
2Area of stationary object
If high voltage is used to increase discharge gap for infield treatments, then treatment zone capacity increases, but electrohydrodynamic thrust and reactive species concentration become harder to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the treatment zone into multiple discrete plasma discharge regions, each controlled by individually addressable electrodes or electrode groups, allowing independent control of discharge parameters in different spatial zones and enabling precise management of electrohydrodynamic forces and reactive species generation across the entire treatment area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control by enabling real-time adjustment of voltage, current, and discharge timing for each electrode or electrode group, allowing the system to adaptively modulate plasma parameters during operation to maintain optimal treatment conditions while managing ionic wind effects and reactive species concentration
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 solution ensures uniform plasma exposure and increased contact efficiency between reactive species and substrates, enhancing surface modification and disinfection, while allowing for direct high-voltage treatments that would otherwise be impractical.
Implementation Method 1
high-voltage atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor that can provide a plasma dose delivery
Implementation Method 2
electrohydrodynamic forces, causing substrate displacement and irregular treatment
Implementation Method 3
designed to mitigate ionic winds and ensure uniform plasma dosage
Data Source
AI summary
A plasma treatment device includes dielectric plates arranged in parallel, sets of active electrodes disposed on outwardly facing sides of the dielectric plates, respectively, and ground electrodes interposed between inwardly facing sides of the dielectric plates. The sets of active electrodes and the ground electrodes are arranged to define a plasma treatment zone, which exhibits multi-axis symmetry and which is receptive of particles, and are operable to generate plasma for plasma treating the particles therein.