Rotating Plasma Treatment Vessel With Temperature-Controlled Agitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plasma treatment of materials, particularly particulate materials like boron nitride and carbon particles, faces challenges in achieving consistent and homogeneous treatment due to variability in treatment conditions and potential degradation over long treatment times in glow discharge plasma systems.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a treatment vessel with a temperature control system and rotational agitation to ensure consistent treatment, using a jacket to form fluid channels for efficient heat transfer and a power supply with transformer settings to manage plasma formation and prevent arcing, allowing for controlled temperature and plasma conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the treatment vessel is rotated to agitate the sample, then homogeneous treatment is achieved, but frictional heating and temperature variability occur
Solution Approach 1:
A fluid-based heat transfer system is introduced as an intermediary between the treatment vessel and the cooling requirement. The system uses fluid channels formed from a capping section/jacket that seals over the exterior surface of the drum, allowing cooling fluid to circulate and remove excess heat generated during rotation without interfering with the plasma treatment process
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts temperature parameters by controlling the flow of cooling fluid through the heat transfer channels. This allows the temperature of the treatment vessel to be optimized for particular treatment steps while maintaining homogeneous treatment through continuous rotation
2Duration of action of moving object
If treatment is extended over long periods to ensure thorough treatment, then treatment completeness improves, but operational shifts and sample degradation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature control system with fluid-based heat transfer provides continuous feedback control of the treatment vessel temperature. This allows the system to maintain stable operating conditions throughout extended treatment periods, preventing operational shifts and sample degradation while enabling thorough treatment
3Temperature
If a temperature control system is added to manage heat during rotation, then temperature stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capping section/jacket serves multiple functions: it seals the exterior surface of the drum, forms fluid channels for heat transfer, and can be attached to or integrated with the treatment vessel structure. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity while providing effective temperature control
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a fluid-based heat transfer approach rather than mechanical or electrical cooling systems. By circulating fluid through channels in the capping section, the system achieves temperature control through hydraulic principles, simplifying the overall device architecture
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 ensures reliable, consistent, and homogeneous treatment of materials over extended periods by maintaining controlled temperature and plasma conditions, reducing arcing and improving the effectiveness of plasma treatment.
Implementation Method 1
the temperature control system is used to cool or heat the sample
Implementation Method 2
The fluid-based heat-transfer system comprises one or more fluid channels through which a heat-transfer (heating/cooling) fluid is passed
Implementation Method 3
this agitation can cause unwanted heating of the sample, for example, through frictional heating of the sample
Implementation Method 4
Glow discharge plasma treatment is a method which can be used to treat a wide range of materials
Implementation Method 5
temperature can vary through other means, for example through exothermic reactions and ion bombardment of the sample
Implementation Method 6
temperature can vary through other means, for example through exothermic reactions and ion bombardment of the sample
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for treating a sample using glow-discharge plasma comprising one or more treatment steps, in which the sample for treatment is subject to plasma treatment in a treatment vessel provided with a temperature control system, wherein during the one or more treatment steps the treatment vessel is rotated about an axis in order to agitate the sample and the temperature control system is used to cool or heat the sample. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for use in such a method.