Patent ID: 7942112

Claim:
A plasma chamber apparatus having a plasma formation region where a fluid containing molecules, that can be disassociated into chemically-reducing species, is ignited into a plasma by an electro-magnetic field to create the chemically-reducing species, said plasma chamber apparatus comprising: a cylindrical dielectric plasma chamber wall of a non-conductive material substantially reactive to the chemically-reducing species; a cylindrical dielectric barrier wall co-axially disposed within the dielectric plasma chamber wall and being positioned as a barrier between the dielectric plasma chamber wall and the chemically-reducing species created in the plasma formation region, the dielectric barrier wall being non-conductive and formed of a substance that is substantially inert to the chemically-reducing species; the plasma formation region being entirely located within an axial interior region of the cylindrical dielectric barrier wall; an electro-magnetic field source exterior to the dielectric plasma chamber wall whereby the electro-magnetic field igniting the fluid in the plasma formation region passes through the dielectric chamber wall and the dielectric barrier wall; an injection opening at one axial end of the dielectric plasma chamber wall and the dielectric barrier wall, the injection opening is in fluid communication with the plasma formation region, the fluid being introduced into the axial interior region of the cylindrical barrier wall via the injection opening; a delivery opening at other axial end of the dielectric plasma chamber wall and the dielectric barrier wall, the delivery opening is in fluid communication with the plasma formation region, and the chemically-reducing species being delivered from the axial interior region of the cylindrical barrier wall via the delivery opening; a gap between the cylindrical, dielectric plasma chamber wall and the cylindrical dielectric barrier wall, the gap is co-axially disposed between the cylindrical dielectric plasma chamber wall and the cylindrical dielectric barrier wall; and a pressure-equalizing opening located around at least one axial end of the cylindrical dielectric barrier wall between the gap and axial interior region of the cylindrical dielectric barrier wall; the pressure-equalizing opening enables a pressure within the gap to be substantially the same as a pressure within the plasma formation region; the apparatus further including a flange at each axial end of cylindrical dielectric barrier wall with a circular slot to receive and support the cylindrical dielectric barrier wall, one flange including the injection opening and other flange including the delivery opening, the flanges are removably coupled to axial ends of the cylindrical dielectric plasma chamber wall, and the cylindrical dielectric barrier wall is removably coupled to the flanges; and wherein the pressure-equalizing opening is formed by a notch formed in the circular slot of at least one of the flanges that is coupled to the cylindrical dielectric barrier wall.