Further development of plasma sources: the GlidArc-III

A. Czernichowski, M. Czernichowski
ECP GlidArc Technologies, La Fert St Aubin, France

Abstract A 45 years story of construction and development of various plasma sources for various applications is presented. It starts with a stabilized low-voltage but high-current intensity DC free-burning arc, a typical example of so-called "thermal plasma". Nowadays, we rather prefer our completely unstable AC highvoltage and very low-current plasma sources called "GlidArc". Third generation of this low-cost (and lowtech) devices is under development. Keywords: GlidArc, plasma sources 1. Introduction Since 46 years the first author has been involved in construction and/or development of various plasma sources for chemistry, metallurgy, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, deposition, assisted partial- or fulloxidation, and other. Under direction of Professor Wlodzimierz Trzebiatowski he started in 1959 with a DC free-burning low-voltage arc (up to 1500A in Argon) as a high-temperature source for some refractory minerals decomposition in Wroclaw's Technical University, Poland. Then he has successively built the first Polish DC plasma torch (1960) and started a study of the Argon plasma spectral emission. In 1962 he switched to an 800A DC arc in water- or Nitrogen-swirl; these plasma reactors were used for the Iron Titanate and Zirconium Silicate processing (Ph.D. thesis in 1966). Successively came a new DC torch having a Tungsten cathode and a segmented Copper anode (each segment actively power supplied at various electric potentials) for SiO 2 , TiO2 and ZrO2 reduction in Hydrogen (1970). In turn a microwave torch for NOx synthesis (3kW, 1973), an arc striking to the molten LiCl (1974), an induction-coupled torch (atmospheric pressure, 25kW, 1975), a metal-wall-stabilized arc for plasma spectroscopy (150A, 1975), a multiple electrode and high intensity rotating/pulsating arc (1980), an unstable and very active transferred DC arc for Hydrocarbon or H2 S processing (1983), a high current circuit breaker (1983), an electro-burner for Methane flame over-heating (1985), and a semi-industrial 250kW DC transferred arc furnace (1987) took his attention In early 1980's the plasma-chemical community started to abandon the so-called "thermal plasma" devices for chemical applications, as it appeared that their high electric energy consumption cannot be accepted for most of industrial processes. Also the microwave and induction-coupled sources did not get a large approval because of their complex electric supplying, especially for higher power units. Other non-thermal ("cold" or "out-of-equilibrium") plasmas were demanded Accordingly, the gliding arc device was proposed in 1988 [1]; it is now known under its short name "GlidArc". 2. Gliding Discharges 2.1. GlidArc-I The GlidArc generates non-thermal plasma that enhances various processes through active catalytic species: electrons, ions, and excited atoms. This source has at least two diverging electrodes immersed in a fast gas or vapour flow. A high voltage and relatively low current discharge (up to 30kV, 0.05-5A, 020kHz) is generated across the flow between the electrodes as it is shown on the Fig. 1. The discharge forms at the closest point between the electrodes, glides along the electrode's edges, and disappears. Another discharge immediately reforms close to the initial spot. The discharge performs its own maintenance on the electrodes, preventing chemical corrosion and/or thermal erosion. The electrodes are not water-cooled so the electric power is directly and totally transferred to the processed feed. Any gas or vapour can be directly processed at 0.05-12bar range. Droplets, mists, and powders can be present. Feeds of any initial temperature are accepted.

Fig. 1. The GlidArc-I

Gliding discharges of G lidArc-I type can be also installed between metallic electrodes and a conducting liquid [2]. Multiple electrode systems can be installed for large gas steams processing. Their electric powering is described in [3]. Structures of several dozens of electrodes can be organized a s "clusters" forming some plasma heads for powerful AC plasma reactors supplied from unique 3-phase transformer [4]. 2.2. GlidArc-II In 1996 we started to develop an alternative way of gliding discharges generation using a rotating central electrode and "connecting" it, via high-voltage AC discharges, to several stationary electrodes located around the central electrode [5]. As result we have obtained a new GlidArc-II device. Figure 2 presents the principle of such cold-plasma source while the Fig. 3 shows a principle of multiple-stage reactor in which the processed fluid can cross several electric discharges to reach a suitable rate of conversion.

Fig. 2. Principle of the GlidArc-II device: 1 stationary electrode, 3 rotating electrode, 6 power supply, 7 high-voltage discharge filaments.

Fig. 3. Multiple-stages and multiple-electrodes GlidArc-II reactor: r, s, and t three-phasesupplied stationary electrodes, k and l input and output of the processed gas, d rotating electrodes.

There are multiple advantages of the new structure. The high voltage discharges generation and the processed gas flow rates are no more self-dependent so that even a very low gas flow can now be accepted at any power as there is no more need to accelerate the gas at the proximity of electrodes. The mobile electrodes rotate in the range of 501000rad/s, which are acceptable speeds. The discharges can "touch" several times the same gas flux without any obligation to push the gas between the stages. The reactor is quite compact for even large gas flows. For example one can realize three 5A and 2kV discharges for one stage. When adding 4stages it makes us a 120kW reactor realized in a 0.3m diameter cylinder of 0.5m length (30L of volume). Such reactor can process roughly up to 2400 m3 /h of gas. A 60-L stainless steel reactor was built by ECP for H2 Srelated streams processing. This reactor presented on the Fig. 4 contains 9 stages, each of them being powered by 3 stationary electrodes so that 36 active electrodes are present (including central electrodes). First successive tests of this reactor were performed with an active participation of Piotr Czernichowski. We have obtained better than 50% conversion of an H2 S-rich acid gas into the SynGas.
Fig. 4. 60-L, 36-electrodes GlidArc-II pilot plant for Hydrogen Sulphide processing (SulfArc).

Several application tests and studies were performed in laboratory or pilot scale GlidArc-I and-II reactors for gases, vapours, liquids, and solids processing (decomposition, conversion, upgrading, activation) as well as for flames overheating or stabilization (flaring for example ). More than twenty French and foreign patents protect some of GlidArc-I and -II principles, powering, and applications. 2.3. GlidArc-III Since long time we have been also working on plasma assisted partial oxidation of various fuels into the synthesis gas [6]. During this process it appeared that soot or other solid particles could deposit on highvoltage insulators of the GlidArc-I electrodes. Generally, only two electrodes are needed for such application to ignite and then to support such partial oxidation at less than 1% dissipated electric energy with respect to the enthalpy of the SynGas. New GlidArc-III plasma source [7] solves this problem. As shown on Fig. 5 we direct 5 20% of the air (1) to a vortex-like zone (2) that protects one central GlidArc-III electrode (3) while the remaining part of the oxidant is sent through (4), together with the processed fuel, to the plasma zone (5) where the gliding and rotating high-voltage AC discharge strikes between the central electrode (3) and the surrounding metallic nozzle (6) being at the ground potential. The fuel and its pyrolysis products cannot now harm the dielectric support (7) of the central electrode. A Diesel fuel conversion into Synthesis Gas was successfully performed this year. Figures 5 and 6 present our GlidArc-III reformer for various fuels processing.

3 2 7 1

5 6 4

Fig. 4. Principle of the GlidArc-III.

air fuel + air

fuel

Fig. 5. GlidArc-III discharge.

Fig. 6. GlidArc-III at the top of the Fuel Reformer body

3. Conclusion A 45 years in-house story of construction and development of various plasma sources for various applications indicates that GlidArc-type generators are the best solution for plasma-chemical applications.

They can be as powerful as classical plasma torches while avoiding specific power supplying, water-cooling, electrode erosion, and quite complicated manufacturing. GlidArc instabilities rather help progressing the chemical processes by creating strong fluid turbulences (mixing) and generating very active catalytic species at quite low processed fluid temperature. We are proud to submit already three generations of these low-cost and low-tech devices to the Plasma Chemistry Community. References [1] H. Lesueur, A. Czernichowski, J. Chapelle, Dispositif de Gnration de Plasmas Basse Temprature par Formation de Dcharges Electriques Glissantes, French Patent No.2 639 172 (1988). [2] A. Czernichowski, B. Hnatiuc, P. Pastva, A. Ranaivosoloarimanana, Gnrateurs et circuits lectriques pour alimenter des dcharges instables de haute tension, French Patent No. 2 817 444 (2000). [3] A. Czernichowski, M. Czernichowski, Dispositif modulaire pour gnrer de multiples dcharges lectriques glissantes de haute tension, French Patent No. 2 842 389 (2002). [4] J. Janca, S. Kuzmin, A. Maximov, J. Titova, A. Czernichowski, Investigation of the Chemical Action of the Gliding and "Point" Arcs Between the Metallic Electrode and Aqueous Solution, Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing, vol. 19(1) 53-67 (1999). [5] A. Czernichowski, J. Snnen, Procd et dispositif de production d'un plasma hors d'quilibre, French Patent No. 2 763 778 (1997) [6] A. Czernichowski, P. Czernichowski, Partial Oxidation of fossil and renewable fuels into the synthesis gas, this Symposium. [7] A. Czernichowski, M. Czernichowski, K. Wesolowska, French application (2004).