Patent ID: 9284210
Filing Date: 2016-03-15
CPC Classification: C03B,H01J,H05H

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a plasma containment vessel having at least one wall member defining an inner volume having a central axis, an inlet end, and an opposing outlet end; an inlet structure disposed at the inlet end of the plasma containment vessel and including: (i) a material inlet for receiving glass batch material and dispensing the glass batch material proximate to the inlet end of the inner volume of the plasma containment vessel, (ii) at least one gas inlet for receiving one or more sources of plasma gas and dispensing the plasma gas into the inlet end of the inner volume such that the plasma gas is directed tangentially to the central axis, and at least one gas outlet for egress of plasma gas at the outlet end of the inner volume, the at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet being disposed such that the plasma gas swirls through the inner volume in cyclonic fashion; and first and second ring electrodes disposed annularly about an exterior of the at least one wall member of the plasma containment vessel, wherein: (i) the first ring electrode is disposed annularly about the inlet end and the second ring electrode is disposed annularly about the outlet end, and (ii) the first and second ring electrodes are operable to receive a source of RF power having characteristics sufficient to produce a first electromagnetic field having field lines running between the first and second ring electrodes and generally parallel to the central axis of the plasma containment vessel; and an induction coil disposed along the central axis of the plasma containment vessel, and operable to receive a source of AC power having characteristics sufficient to produce a second electromagnetic field having field lines running through a core of the induction coil, and through the inner volume generally parallel to the central axis of the plasma containment vessel, wherein the first electromagnetic field and the second electromagnetic field cooperate to form a plasma plume within the plasma containment vessel.