Patent ID: 7928338
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: C23C,H05H,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A plasma generating device comprising: a. an anode; b. a cathode; c. a plasma channel, extending longitudinally from a location between said cathode and said anode through a distal end of said anode, and having an outlet opening at the anode end, a part of the plasma channel being formed by two or more intermediate electrodes electrically insulated from each other and said anode; the plasma channel having a throttling portion formed by one of the two or more intermediate electrodes, the throttling portion dividing the plasma channel into: d. one or more flowable material injectors, each comprising a flowable material feeder having an opening into the low pressure portion of the plasma channel between the throttling portion and the anode, wherein the throttling portion has a throat, the throat having a cross sectional area transverse to the longitudinal direction of the plasma channel, the cross sectional area being smaller than (1) the minimum cross sectional area of the high pressure portion transverse to the longitudinal direction of the plasma channel and (2) the minimum cross sectional area of the low pressure portion transverse to the longitudinal direction of the plasma channel, and wherein the throttling portion is capable of, upstream of the throat, increasing a velocity and decreasing a static pressure of a plasma flow passing through the plasma channel and, downstream of the throat, of further increasing the velocity and further decreasing the static pressure of the plasma flow.