JP2003059697A - Plasma generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a plasma generator which can form a plurality of plasmas efficiently. SOLUTION: The plasma generator 10 for forming a plurality of plasmas is provided with a discharge member 11 connected to a high voltage side electrode and a honeycomb member 20 connected to a low voltage side electrode, the honeycomb member 20 provided with a honeycomb body 21 having a honeycomb structure and a low voltage side member 22 having smaller electrical resistance than the honeycomb member 20 connected to the low voltage side electrode attached so as to surround a side surface of the honeycomb body 21, with a front surface of the honeycomb body 20 placed with an interval to the discharge member 11. A plurality of plasmas can surely be formed even if voltage impressed between electrodes is kept low, so that, each plasma can be formed efficiently.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a plasma generator. When the pair of electrodes are separated from each other and a high voltage is applied between the electrodes, a discharge is generated between the electrodes, and plasma is formed together with the discharge. This plasma is a mixture of positive ions and negative ions formed by ionization of atoms, has high reactivity and high energy, and decomposes malodorous gas,
It is used to generate air ions. The present invention relates to a plasma generator that forms such plasma.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an apparatus equipped with a plasma generator, there are a deodorizing apparatus and a dust collecting apparatus for treating a malodorous gas such as ammonia and cigarette odor. In this deodorizing device, a honeycomb catalyst connected to the low-voltage side electrode and a plurality of needle-shaped discharge members arranged toward the honeycomb catalyst and connected to the high-voltage side electrode are provided, and By applying a high voltage between the honeycomb catalyst and the honeycomb catalyst, plasma can be generated between the discharge member and the honeycomb catalyst. Therefore, if a malodorous gas such as ammonia or cigarette odor is supplied to the deodorizer or dust collector so that it contacts the plasma and then passes through the honeycomb catalyst, the reactivity of the malodorous gas can be increased by the plasma. The highly reactive malodorous gas can be treated by the honeycomb catalyst. Therefore, the odorous gas can be efficiently treated in the honeycomb catalyst.

[0003]

However, in the above-described plasma generator, the honeycomb catalyst is connected to the low-voltage side electrode only at any one point around the honeycomb catalyst. Since the plurality of plasmas generated from the plurality of discharge members have different positions in contact with the honeycomb catalyst, the distance from the position in which each plasma contacts the honeycomb to the low-voltage side electrode is different for each plasma. Then, in the plasma far from the low-voltage side electrode, the distance that the discharge current flows in the honeycomb catalyst becomes long, and the resistance value when the current flows in the honeycomb catalyst becomes large. Therefore, in order to generate plasma from all the needles of the discharge member, the voltage applied between both electrodes should be the voltage required to form plasma between the needle farthest from the low voltage side electrode and the honeycomb body. It is necessary to increase the voltage applied between both electrodes. Therefore, there is a problem that the efficiency of forming plasma is deteriorated.

In view of such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plasma generator capable of efficiently forming a plurality of plasmas.

[0005]

A plasma generator according to claim 1 is a plasma generator for forming a plurality of plasmas, the plasma generator being a discharge member connected to a high-voltage side electrode, Comprising a honeycomb member connected to the low-voltage side electrode, the honeycomb member, a honeycomb main body having a honeycomb structure, is attached so as to surround the side surface of the honeycomb main body, from the honeycomb main body connected to the low-voltage side electrode Also has a low-voltage side member having a low electric resistance, and the front surface of the honeycomb main body is arranged at a distance from the discharge member. A plasma generator according to a second aspect is characterized in that, in the invention according to the first aspect, the low-pressure side member is a sheet-shaped member wound around a side surface of the honeycomb main body. A plasma generator according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the present invention, the low-pressure side member is a conductive coating material applied to a side surface of the honeycomb main body. A plasma generator according to a fourth aspect is characterized in that, in the invention according to the first, second or third aspects, a plurality of discharge protrusions are formed at an end portion on the honeycomb member side in the discharge member.

According to the invention of claim 1, when a voltage is applied between the honeycomb member and the discharge member, a plurality of discharges are generated between the two and a plurality of plasmas are formed. Although the positions of the respective plasmas formed at this time reaching the honeycomb main body are different, any discharge current flows inside the honeycomb main body toward the low-pressure side member located at the shortest distance from the position where the plasma reaches the honeycomb main body. Since the low-pressure side member is attached so as to surround the side surface of the honeycomb main body, no matter which position on the honeycomb main body the plasma reaches, the distance from that position to the low-pressure side member becomes short. That is, for any plasma, the distance that the discharge current flows inside the honeycomb main body can be shortened. Therefore, the electric resistance when the discharge current flows inside the honeycomb main body becomes small, and even if the voltage applied between both electrodes is kept low, a plurality of plasmas can be reliably formed, and each plasma can be efficiently formed. You can According to the invention of claim 2, since the low-voltage side member is in the form of a single sheet, it is sufficient to connect the low-voltage side electrode to only one place of the low-voltage side member, which simplifies the structure of the device. can do. According to the invention of claim 3, since the conductive paint is applied to the entire side surface of the honeycomb body, the low-voltage side electrode may be connected to only one place of the part where the conductive paint is applied. The structure of the device can be simplified. According to the invention of claim 4, electric discharge is generated from the plurality of protrusions toward the honeycomb member, and plasma is formed. Moreover, since the honeycomb member has a larger area than the cross-sectional area of the discharge protrusion, a conical plasma is formed between the discharge protrusion and the honeycomb member. Therefore, the volume of plasma formed between the discharge protrusions and the honeycomb member can be increased.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a plasma generator 10 of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the plasma generator 10 of this embodiment includes a discharge member 11 and a honeycomb member 20, and a plurality of plasmas are formed between the discharge member 11 and the honeycomb member 20. It is a feature. In FIG. 1, reference symbol F indicates a frame of the plasma generator 10, and reference symbol DC indicates a direct current power source.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the honeycomb member 20.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a honeycomb member 20 is attached to the frame F. The honeycomb member 20 includes a honeycomb body 21 and a low-pressure side member 22. The honeycomb main body 21 is a member having a honeycomb structure, and has a plurality of through holes penetrating the front surface and the back surface thereof. The material of the honeycomb body 21 is, for example, ceramics, zeolite, activated carbon or the like, but is not particularly limited. The low-pressure side member 22 is attached to the side surface of the honeycomb main body 21 so as to surround the honeycomb main body 21. The low voltage side member 22 on each side surface is connected to the low voltage side electrode of the DC power supply DC. The material of the low voltage side member 22 is, for example, an aluminum foil or a copper foil, but is not particularly limited as long as it is a material having an electric resistance smaller than that of the honeycomb main body 21.

A sheet-shaped member may be used as the low-pressure side member 22, and the sheet-shaped member may be wound around the side surface of the honeycomb main body 21. In this case, since the low-voltage side member 22 is in the form of a single sheet, it is sufficient to connect the low-voltage side electrode of the DC power supply DC to only one place of the low-voltage side member 22, which simplifies the structure of the device. can do.

Furthermore, the conductive paint is applied to the honeycomb main body 2
It may be applied to the entire side surface of No. 1 to form the low-voltage side member 22.
In this case, the low voltage side electrode may be connected to only one place of the part coated with the conductive paint, and the structure of the device can be simplified.

As shown in FIG. 1, the frame F includes
The discharge member 11 is attached to the front surface of the honeycomb member 20 at a constant distance. The discharge member 11 is a plate-shaped member and is arranged such that one end edge thereof is parallel to the front surface of the honeycomb member 20. This discharge member 11
Is connected to the high voltage side electrode of the DC power supply DC.
As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge member 11 has a cross-sectional shape in which plates are spirally wound (see FIG. 3 (A)) or plates are arranged in a cross pattern (see FIG. 3 (B)). , A plurality of plates arranged in parallel (see FIG. 3 (C)), but not limited thereto.

Next, the plasma generator 10 of the present embodiment
The action and effect of will be explained. First, when a voltage is applied between the honeycomb member 20 and the discharge member 11 by the DC power supply DC, plasma is formed between them. Moreover, since one end edge of the discharge member 11 and the front surface of the honeycomb member 20 are parallel to each other, the distance from the front surface of the honeycomb member 20 is the same at any position of the one end edge of the discharge member 11.
Therefore, a plurality of discharges are generated between the honeycomb member 20 and the discharge member 11, and a plurality of plasmas are formed.

The respective plasmas formed at this time are different in the positions at which they reach the honeycomb main body 21, but at any discharge current that reaches the honeycomb main body 21 from the discharge member 11 as plasma, the plasma reaches the honeycomb main body 21. Flows inside the honeycomb main body 21 toward the low-pressure side member 22 which is the shortest distance from the reached position.

Since the low-pressure side member 22 is attached so as to surround the side surface of the honeycomb main body 21, the honeycomb main body 2
Wherever the plasma reaches on position 1, the distance from that position to the low voltage side member 22 becomes short. That is, in any plasma, the distance in which the discharge current flows inside the honeycomb main body 21 becomes short. Therefore, the discharge current is
Since the electric resistance when flowing through the inside becomes small, even if the voltage applied between the honeycomb member 20 and the discharge member 11 is kept low by the DC power supply DC, a plurality of plasmas can be reliably formed and each plasma can be generated. It can be formed efficiently.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), the discharge member 1
One of the plurality of discharge protrusions 12 is provided at the end of the honeycomb member 20 on the side of
May be provided. In this case, discharge is generated from the plurality of discharge protrusions 12 toward the honeycomb member 20, and plasma is formed. At this time, since the area of the honeycomb member 20 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the discharge protrusion 12, the discharge protrusions are large. A conical plasma is formed between 12 and the honeycomb member 20. Therefore, the volume of plasma formed between the discharge protrusions 12 and the honeycomb member 20 can be increased.

As shown in FIG. 4 (C), the discharge member 1
A plurality of discharge needles 13 may be provided at one end of the one honeycomb member 20 side. In this case, since the difference between the diameter of the discharge needle 13 and the area of the honeycomb member 20 becomes large, a conical plasma can be stably formed.

[0017]

According to the invention of claim 1, even if the voltage applied between the electrodes is kept low, a plurality of plasmas can be reliably formed and each plasma can be efficiently formed. According to the invention of claim 2, since the low-voltage side member is in the form of a single sheet, it is sufficient to connect the low-voltage side electrode to only one place of the low-voltage side member, which simplifies the structure of the device. can do. According to the invention of claim 3, since the conductive coating is applied to the entire side surface of the honeycomb member, the low-voltage side electrode may be connected to only one place of the part coated with the conductive coating. The structure of the device can be simplified. According to the invention of claim 4, a conical plasma can be formed between the discharge protrusions and the honeycomb member, and the volume of the formed plasma can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a plasma generator 10 of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the honeycomb member 20.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a discharge member 11.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the discharge member 11.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Plasma generator 11 Discharge member 12 Discharge protrusion 20 Honeycomb member 21 Honeycomb body 22 Low pressure side member

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plasma generator for forming a plurality of plasmas, the plasma generator comprising a discharge member connected to a high-voltage side electrode and a honeycomb member connected to a low-voltage side electrode, The honeycomb member is composed of a honeycomb main body having a honeycomb structure, and a low-voltage side member attached so as to surround a side surface of the honeycomb main body and having a smaller electric resistance than the honeycomb main body connected to the low-voltage side electrode, A plasma generator in which a front surface of the honeycomb main body is arranged at a distance from the discharge member. 2. The plasma generator according to claim 1, wherein the low-pressure side member is a sheet-shaped member wound around a side surface of the honeycomb main body. 3. The plasma generator according to claim 1, wherein the low-pressure side member is a conductive coating material applied to the entire side surface of the honeycomb main body. 4. The plasma generator according to claim 1, wherein the discharge member has a plurality of discharge protrusions formed at an end portion on the honeycomb member side.