Patent ID: 12203651

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention discloses an apparatus for treating gaseous pollutant with plasma. Referring toFIG.1,FIG.2,FIG.3A,FIG.3B,FIG.4AandFIG.4B. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a microwave source10, a waveguide component20, a separator30, a resonant cavity40, a dielectric tube50, a probe component60, a moving member70, a cooling assembly80, and a dielectric window assembly90. The microwave source10is used to generate a microwave oscillation. In this embodiment, the microwave source10may be a magnetron. The waveguide component20is in proximity to the microwave source10and is coupled to the microwave source10. The waveguide component20comprises a cavity21, which is in a cuboid shape and comprises an inlet end21aand an outlet end21b. The inlet end21ais connected to the microwave source10. The separator30is disposed between the waveguide component20and the resonant cavity40. The dielectric window assembly90comprises at least one first dielectric window90aand at least one second dielectric window90b. The first dielectric window90ais disposed between the waveguide component20and the separator30, and the second dielectric window90bis disposed between the separator30and the resonant cavity40. In this embodiment, the separator30comprises a circulator and a water load, and the first dielectric window90aand the second dielectric window90bare made of a quartz glass.

Referring toFIG.2,FIG.3AandFIG.3B, the resonant cavity40comprises a first chamber41, a second chamber42, an inlet end43, a communicating end44, and a closed end45. In one embodiment of the invention, the first chamber41extends along a reference axis L, the microwave oscillation is propagated in the resonant cavity40substantially parallel to a waveguide direction, and the waveguide direction is substantially parallel to the reference axis L. The first chamber41has an inner wall411extended around and along the reference axis L, which comprises a first region and a second region, wherein the first region is inclined to the reference axis L, and the second region is substantially parallel in respect to the reference axis L. An area of the first region is larger than that of the second region, so that the first chamber41forms a tapered shaped space which becomes narrower from the inlet end43to the communicating end44. In another embodiment of the invention, the resonant cavity40is coupled to the waveguide component20and extends along the waveguide direction. The resonant cavity40comprises a tapered chamber in proximity to the waveguide component20and a combustion chamber distant from the waveguide component20, the combustion chamber is configured to receive the microwave oscillation passing through the tapered chamber, and the microwave oscillation interacts with a non-fuel ignition gas in the combustion chamber to form a torch T.

Referring toFIG.3A,FIG.3B,FIG.4AandFIG.4B, in this embodiment, the inner wall411comprises a first inner side wall411a, a second inner side wall411b, a first top wall411c, and a first bottom wall411d. The first inner side wall411aand the second inner side wall411bare symmetrically inclined inwardly relative to the reference axis L, and an included angle θ2 between the first inner side wall411aor the second inner side wall411band the reference axis Lis from 1° to 5°, preferably the included angle θ2 is from 1° to 3°. The first top wall411cis inclined inwardly relative to the reference axis L, and an included angle θ1 between the first top wall411cand the reference axis Lis from 10° to 15°, preferably the included angle θ1 is from 10° to 13°. The first top wall411ccomprises a first end close to the inlet end43and a second end close to the communicating end44, the first end is higher than the second end. The first bottom wall411dis substantially parallel in respect to the reference axis L. In other words, in this embodiment, the first region comprises the first inner side wall411a, the second inner side wall411band the first top wall411c, and the second region comprises the first bottom wall411d. In this embodiment, an area ratio of the first region to the second region is between 1.2 and 2. As shown inFIG.4B, a difference in width W1D between the first inner side wall411aand the second inner side wall411bis gradually decreasing along the reference axis L; as shown inFIG.3B, a difference in height H1D between the first top wall411cand the first bottom wall411dis gradually decreasing along the reference axis L.

Referring toFIG.3A,FIG.3B,FIG.4AandFIG.4B, in this embodiment, the second chamber42comprises a first inner side wall421a, a second inner side wall421b, a second top wall421c, and a second bottom wall421d. The second top wall421ccomprises an upper opening422, the second bottom wall421dcomprises a lower opening423, and the dielectric tube50is inserted through the upper opening422and the lower opening423. The dielectric tube50comprises a first section part51, a second section part52, a third section part53, a top end54, and a bottom end55. The first section part51and the third section part53are respectively protruded out from the upper opening422and the lower opening423, and the second section part52is located in the second chamber42. In this embodiment, the first inner side wall421aof the second chamber42and the first inner side wall411aof the first chamber41share a same slope so as to form a continuous inclined surface relative to the reference axis L; the second inner side wall421bof the second chamber42and the second inner side wall411bof the first chamber41also share a same slope so as to form a continuous inclined surface relative to the reference axis L; the second top wall421cand the second bottom wall421dof the second chamber42are parallel to each other. In one embodiment, the second bottom wall421dof the second chamber42and the first bottom wall411dof the first chamber41are located at a same height (or on a same horizon); the second top wall421cof the second chamber42and a lowest end of the first top wall411cof the first chamber41are located at a same height (or on a same horizon). A difference in heightH2Dis provided between the second top wall421cand the second bottom wall421dof the second chamber42. In this embodiment, the difference in heightH2Dis a constant value along the reference axis L, and in other embodiments, the difference in heightH2Dmay be a gradually changing value along the reference axis L or a variable varying along the reference axis L.

In the resonant cavity40, the inlet end43has a first height H1 and a first width W1, the communicating end44has a second height H2 and a second width W2, and the closed end45has a third height H3 and a third width W3. In this embodiment, the first height H1 and the first width W1 of the inlet end43are respectively greater than the second height H2 and the second width W2 of the communicating end44; the second height H2 of the communicating end44is equal to the third height H3 of the closed end45; the second width W2 of the communicating end44is greater than the third width W3 of the closed end45; and in other embodiments, the second width W2 of the communicating end44can also be equal to the third width W3 of the closed end45.

Referring toFIG.2andFIG.3B, the cooling assembly80is installed on a side of the top end54of the dielectric tube50and covers the first section part51of the dielectric tube50, the moving member70is connected to the probe component60and installed on the cooling assembly80. The probe component60comprises a support member61and at least one tip62disposed on an end face611of the support member61. The moving member70controls a vertical movement of the probe component60relative to the second chamber42. The cooling assembly80comprises a gas chamber81, a gas pipeline82, and a cooling pipeline83. The gas chamber81communicates with a hollow part H of the dielectric tube50, an inner wall of the gas chamber81has at least one gas hole811, and at least one ignition gas enters the gas chamber81from the at least one gas hole811and enters the hollow part H of the dielectric tube50. In one embodiment, the ignition gas is a non-fuel gas. In an example, the non-fuel gas is at least one type of inert gas, such as nitrogen (N2), argon (Ar) or clean dry air/compressed dry air (CDA). The cooling pipeline83is used for cooling fluid flow, so as to control a temperature of the gas chamber81to avoid overheating and component damage. In this embodiment, the probe component60, the moving member70and the cooling assembly80constitute an ignition source. However, this is only an example for illustration, according to actual applications, the ignition source can also have other configurations.

Referring toFIG.3B, a maximum intensity of the microwave oscillation is generated in the second chamber42of the resonant cavity40, and the maximum intensity will be occurred inside the hollow part H in the second section part52of the dielectric tube50. When the ignition gas is filled into the hollow part H of the dielectric tube50, the moving member70controls the probe component60to enter the hollow part H in the second section part52downwardly, and when the maximum intensity of the microwave oscillation reaches a threshold value, the tip62of the probe component60generates the torch T. In this embodiment, the moving member70can be a cylinder.

Referring toFIG.5, in one embodiment of the invention, the probe component60comprises a first tip62aand a second tip62b, the first tip62aand the second tip62brespectively comprise a tapered end portion, a diameter of tapered end portion is between 1.6 mm and 2.0 mm, lengths of the first tip62aand the second tip62bare respectively between 30 mm and 50 mm, materials of the first tip62aand the second tip62bcan be copper (Cu), tungsten (W) or nickel-chromium alloy, such as Inconel® 600. By providing a plurality of the tips, a probability of generating spark can be increased. In addition, in other embodiments, the end portion can have a diameter of less than 1.6 mm.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a first difference in height between the first top wall411cof the first chamber41and the second top wall421cof the second chamber42; according to another embodiment of the invention, there is a second difference in height between the first bottom wall411dof the first chamber41and the second bottom wall421dof the second chamber42. The bottom end55of the dielectric tube50is protruded out from the second chamber42and there is a third difference in height between the bottom end55of the dielectric tube50and the second bottom wall421dof the second chamber42.

Referring toFIG.6A,FIG.6B,FIG.7A,FIG.7B,FIG.8A,FIG.8BandFIG.9, according to different embodiments of the invention, by changing and adjusting the first difference in height, the second difference in height, and the third difference in height, as well as dimensions of the section parts of the dielectric tube50, an intensity of the microwave field can be further adjusted or increased.FIG.6AandFIG.6Brespectively show a partial perspective assembly view and a side view ofFIG.6Aof a first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the second chamber42comprises a first body42aand a second body42b. Heights of the first body42aand the second body42bare respectively denoted as Haand Hb, respectively. A distance between the bottom end55of the dielectric tube50and an outer bottom wall of the first body42aof the second chamber42is denoted as Hd. The first body42ais in a cuboid shape, and the second body42bis in a cylinder shape. The height Haof the first body42ais 20 mm, a diameter of the second body42bis 80 mm, a diameter of an opening424of the first body42ais 36 mm, and a total length of the dielectric tube50is 20 cm. Table 1 below shows measurements of the maximum field intensity (V/m) in the second chamber42according to the different heights Hbof the second body42band the different distances Hd.

TABLE 1Maximum fieldHb(mm)Hd(mm)intensity (V/m)10035342040505536790756064374025603976506035659930655056239070554722808035495810

Referring toFIG.7AandFIG.7Brespectively for a partial perspective assembly view and a side view ofFIG.7Bof a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the second chamber42comprises the first body42aand the second body42b. Heights of the first body42aand the second body42bare respectively denoted as Haand Hb. A distance between the bottom end55of the dielectric tube50and the outer bottom wall of the first body42aof the second chamber42is denoted as Hd, both the first body42aand the second body42bare cuboids. The height Haof the first body42ais 20 mm, a side length of the second body42bis 80 mm, a diameter of the opening424of the first body42ais 36 mm, and a total length of the dielectric tube50is 20 cm. Table 2 below shows measurements of the maximum field intensity (V/m) in the second chamber42according to the different heights Hbof the second body42band the different distances Hd.

TABLE 2Maximum fieldHb(mm)Hd(mm)intensity (V/m)100353667105057465807560608990257038636060356727906570555980455075193055805074904095871530

Referring toFIG.8AandFIG.8Brespectively for a partial perspective assembly view and a side view ofFIG.8Aof a third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the second chamber42comprises the first body42a, the second body42b, and a third body42c. Heights of the first body42a, the second body42band the third body42care respectively denoted as Ha, Hband Hc. A distance between the bottom end55of the dielectric tube50and an outer bottom wall of the third body42cof the second chamber42is denoted as Hd, the first body42a, the second body42band the third body42care all cuboids. The height Haof the first body42ais 20 mm, side lengths of the first body42aand the third body42care 80 mm, a diameter of the opening424of the first body42ais 36 mm, and a total length of the dielectric tube50is 20 cm. Table 3 and Table 4 below show measurements of the maximum field intensity (V/m) in the second chamber42according to the different heights Hbof the second body42b, the different heights Hcof the third body42cand the different distances Hd.

TABLE 3Maximum fieldHb(mm)Hc(mm)Hd(mm)intensity (V/m)75751051203804040604745202020351528900606011546107030304570930050501252205401010555699701515704884602525160215230

TABLE 4Maximum fieldHb(mm)Hc(mm)Hd(mm)intensity (V/m)400958715303551001040100301025827990251511023876002020351528900152516522223010301254261905351307905100401753247600

Among the above mentioned configurations, the example in Table 4 has the highest maximum field intensity. The structure of this configuration is shown inFIG.9.

Referring toFIG.10andFIG.11of the invention for a perspective assembly view, respectively, and a cross-section view ofFIG.10along the YZ plane of another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the apparatus for treating gaseous pollutant with plasma further comprises an air intake module100. The air intake module100comprises a first pipeline100aand a second pipeline100b, the first pipeline100aand the second pipeline100bare installed in the cooling assembly80and communicate with the gas chamber81. The air intake module100is used to introduce at least one gaseous pollutant G to be treated into the gas chamber81, and the at least one gaseous pollutant G enters the hollow part H of the dielectric tube50through the gas chamber81and is decomposed by a high temperature formed by the torch T.