Patent ID: 8480963

Claim:
An apparatus for use with consumable electrodes for acoustically inducing transient plasma-containing cavitation bubbles in a liquid via an intermittent electric arc, the apparatus comprising: a feed mechanism for use with a consumable feed electrode having a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion and a distal end with a desired geometry, the feed mechanism configured for connecting to the proximal portion of the feed electrode and selectively moving the feed electrode longitudinally; a rotating mechanism for use with a consumable rotating electrode having a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion and a distal end with a desired geometry, the rotating mechanism configured for connecting to the proximal end of the rotating electrode and selectively rotating the rotating electrode about its longitudinal axis; and the feed mechanism and rotating mechanism configured to position the distal end of the feed electrode in the vicinity of the distal end of the rotating electrode, with the longitudinal axis of the feed electrode generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rotating_electrode; a power supply assembly electrically connected between the feed mechanism and the rotating mechanism, for, in use, intermittently inducing an electric arc between the distal end of the feed electrode and the distal end of the rotating electrode; wherein, in use, the distal end of the feed electrode and distal end of the rotating electrode are immersed in a liquid with the distal ends spaced one from the other and an intermittent electric arc is induced between the distal ends of the feed electrode and rotating electrode; and the feed mechanism moves the feed electrode to adjust for consumption of the feed electrode and rotating electrode, and the rotating mechanism rotates the rotating electrode to impede arc-related distortion of the geometry of the distal ends of the feed electrode and rotating electrode; and a microwave generator configured to emit microwave pulses into the liquid in which, in use, the distal end of the feed electrode and distal end of the rotating electrode are immersed, the pulses controlled such that each pulse generally coincides with the time period in which plasma subsists in the cavitation bubbles induced by each electric arc.