Microwave thermal plasma generation

Plasmacatalytic methods (non-thermal plasma generated by low energy corona discharge or microwave coupled with solid catalysts) in an area of growing importance for auto exhaust emissions (low-temperature conversion of NO to... 

Thermal Plasma Generation in Microwave and Optical Discharges... 

Low pressure vacuum plasmas are low temperature (non-thermal) plasmas and are generated by the application of a DC, low frequency RF (< 100 kHz), high frequency RF (typically 13.56 MHz), or microwave frequency (2.45 GHz) electric field to the gap between two metal electrodes, or where the electrode is wrapped by a coil whereby a plasma is excited by induction. 

The analytical scheme for these studies precluded measurement of water. Both pyrolysis methods evolve carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in comparable amounts. However, plasma processing produces 43% hydrogen and 14% acetylene on a volume basis while thermal pyrolysis gases contain neither component. Instead, the major hydrocarbon generated in the thermal pyrolysis system is methane (38%), while saturated hydrocarbons are minor components in the plasma process. These differences illustrate that the nature of conventional pyrolysis reactions is radically different from the microwave plasma pyrolysis reactions. 

The inside process is somethnes called inside vapor phase oxidation (IVPO) or inside vapor deposition (IVD). However, it is perhaps most commonly referred to as modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD). In one variation, perhaps not currently in commercial use, an argon/oxygen plasma is generated within the tube by microwave radiation to provide the thermal energy for the chemical reaction, instead of relying on heat from a burner outside the tube. 

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