Patent ID: 9661727
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: B03C,H01T,H05F

Claim:
1. A gas ionization apparatus for converting a non-ionized gas stream flowing in a downstream direction into an ionized gas stream, the apparatus comprising: a housing with an inlet, an outlet, and a channel therebetween through which at least one of the ionized gas stream and the non-ionized gas stream flows; and at least one ionizing wire electrode at least partially disposed within and stationary relative to the channel, the ionizing wire producing charge carriers in response to the provision of an ionizing signal thereto to thereby convert the non-ionized gas stream into the ionized gas stream, the ionizing wire having a surface that develops a layer of contaminant byproduct in response to the provision of the ionizing signal; and a frame positioned at least partially disposed within the channel such that at least one of the ionized gas stream or the non-ionized gas stream flows therethrough, the ionizing wire being anchored at a location outside of the circumference of the frame, the frame having plural support elements for supporting the at least one ionizing wire in a path around a portion of a circumference of the frame and apply a tension to the ionizing wire, the frame configured to make full rotations around the channel in a first rotation direction while applying the tension to the ionizing wire, the support elements configured to mechanically remove the contaminant byproduct from the ionizing wire while the support elements are moved along the wire by during rotation of the frame rotation.