Patent ID: 8536481

Claim:
A plasma generating apparatus comprising: a chamber having an inlet and an outlet; and an anode assembly and a cathode assembly configured to provide an electrical arc within the chamber and extending between an arc endpoint on a cathode of the cathode assembly and an arc endpoint on an anode of the anode assembly, at least one of the anode assembly and the cathode assembly comprising: an electrically conductive electrode body comprising: a tubular wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and an interior protrusion protruding from the tubular wall in a direction toward a longitudinal axis of the tubular wall, the interior protrusion comprising an edge extending along an intersection between at least two surfaces of the interior protrusion; and at least one electrically insulating member disposed at least partially within the tubular wall of the electrode body, the at least one electrically insulating member covering at least a portion of the inner surface of the tubular wall and leaving exposed at least the edge of the interior protrusion.