KR102109641B1 - A system and method for treating water systems with high voltage discharge and ozone - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods for treating runoff systems with plasma discharge to remove microbiological species or to control their growth are disclosed. The components of the water system are protected from being damaged by excessive energy from the electro-hydraulic treatment. The ozone gas generated by the high voltage generator that powers the plasma discharge is recycled to further treat the water. Gas injection systems can be used to generate fine bubbles of ozone, air, or other gases in water that is treated to aid plasma generation, especially when the conductivity of water is high. The electrode mounting assembly holds high voltage electrodes and ground electrodes at a fixed distance from each other to optimize plasma generation. The open support structure for the high voltage generator circuit physically separates the flame gap electrodes and prevents metal deposits that can interfere with the discharge of high voltage pulses to generate plasma.

Description

A system and method for treating water systems with high voltage discharge and ozone {A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING WATER SYSTEMS WITH HIGH VOLTAGE DISCHARGE AND OZONE}

Cross-reference to related applications

This application is filed in the United States Provisional Serial Numbers, both filed on April 24, 2014 (Nos. 61 / 983,678 and 61 / 983,685), and US Application Serial Numbers filed on April 24, 2015. Claim the benefit for 14 / 695,519.

The present invention relates to a system and method for treating runoff systems using high voltage discharge to generate plasma and ozone by-product from high voltage generation for enhanced treatment of water. The system and method of the present invention is particularly useful when processing cooling towers or other recirculating or closed-loop systems.

Artificial water systems are critical components commonly found in most of the world's energy production facilities, industrial and manufacturing plants, hospitals, and other institutional complexes and buildings. These systems alone consume approximately 70 trillion gallons of water and sewage treatment costs, costing $ 1.8 billion annually. All of these artificial water systems require some form of treatment, chemical or non-chemical, to control the build-up of scale, biofilm and other corrosion by-products on the critical heat transfer surfaces needed for efficient system operation.

Effective treatments for water systems involving heat exchange, such as cooling towers and boilers, to remove these contaminants and to extend the amount of time before the systems are re-contaminated can save a significant amount of money. . Effective and thorough treatment can save costs on labor and treatment chemicals by reducing the frequency of periodic treatments or by reducing the amount of chemicals required for periodic maintenance and / or periodic treatments. This treatment can also save energy costs through the operation of clean heat exchange surfaces. Fouling of heat exchange surfaces costs the US industry millions of dollars annually and is directly related to an increase in energy consumption of nearly 3000 trillion Btuss (quads) per year.

To maximize water use and minimize waste, many of these systems utilize a series of chemical treatments that protect the system against scaling, biofilm formation, and corrosion. These chemical treatments allow water to be reused and recycled multiple times before it releases water and is needed to replace it with fresh water. Increasing the duration during which water can be circulated significantly reduces the amount of water discharged into the sewage system and minimizes the amount of make-up water required to replace the bleed off. However, many chemical treatment configurations and methods can damage the components of the water system being treated because the chemical used is very corrosive. Environmental disadvantages for harsh chemical treatments, including growing concerns about the formation of toxic disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes, haloacetonitriles, and halophenols, which have been identified in effluent discharged to the environment. There is also this. Treatment of 515 billion pounds of water released annually as a result of cooling tower treatments, which can affect the bacterial components of sewage treatment plants that accept various species or releases that live in or near the regions and waters that receive the discharge. It is assumed that there is a chemical.

In an attempt to minimize the environmental impact associated with some chemical treatments, many water treatment companies, and more importantly, their customers are considering using non-chemical based water treatment technologies to maintain the performance of their systems. . There are currently about 30 non-chemical treatment devices or water conditioning technologies currently commercially available for use in both commercial and residential water systems. These systems can be divided into three categories: (1) Indirect chemical producers who use positive or safe chemical additives such as air or salt to produce biocides. These systems include ozone generators and electrochemical hypochlorite generators and mixed oxidizer generators. (2) Direct chemical producers that generate active chemical species from direct interaction in water. These devices use mechanical processes, such as hydrodynamic cavitation or sonic cavitation, to generate hydroxy radicals with localized regions of high temperatures and pressures in water. Other types of devices that fall into this category are ultraviolet light systems. (3) Electrical and magnetic devices, including plasma generation, generate induced electric and magnetic fields to induce iontophoresis and motion that can cause iontocyclotron resonance effects within cell walls, or cell walls through electroporation. use. Of all these technologies, electrical and magnetic devices are the most common; They are the skills with the least stringent scientific support. Direct and indirect chemistry approaches have more scientific credit; This greater understanding limits their potential applications and therefore they could not occupy a larger portion of the market share.

The application of high voltage discharge and generating plasma in water is known in the prior art. For example, B.R. A paper published by Locke et al. (Ind Eng. Chem Res 2006, 45,882-905) describes the electrode construction and structure formed during electrohydraulic discharge and non-thermal plasma in a water discharge process, pulsing arc versus pulsing corona, and chemical species do. Although the paper addresses a number of basic issues related to the use of these techniques for water treatment, it minimizes the effects of electromagnetic radiation emitted to water treatment, especially water and ambient atmospheres, in industrial, commercial, or residential environments. In order to fail to address practical applications related to the need for multiple ground points.

In a more recent publication, Bruggeman et al. Published an extensive review of the non-thermal plasmas in contact with and in contact with 14 different reactor configurations, including many of the electrode structures outlined in a paper by Locke. (P. Brggeman, and C. Leys, J. Phys. D. Appl. Phys, 2009, 1-28). In most of these reactor types, the fluid treated by plasma discharge is a bulk discharge system without any flow chart (such as bubble corona discharge reactor, discharge reactor with immersion liquid jet, electrolysis discharge reactor or capillary needle discharge reactor system). There is also a description of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor in which fluid and air streams are introduced on either side of the barrier in the bubble discharge reactor. Note that the paper has the potential to generate plasma in the bubbles even when the bubbles are not in contact with the electrodes, and the flame voltage of the system decreases with an increased bubble rate. There is no mention of the effect of bubble size on the flame voltage. In fact, it was also noted that when positioned along the surface of the insulator, bubbles formed along the bubble surface and caused streamers located and discharge always occurred at the triple junction between the electrode, the bubble wall and the insulator.

It is also known to use ozone gas to treat water. In a paper by Gupta et al. (S. B. Gupta, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 2008, 36, 40, 1612-163), for example, the use of an improved oxidation process due to pulsing discharges in water is described. The process described by Gupta uses oxygen gas or ozone gas supplied from secondary independent sources (and not from a high voltage generator) to a discharge reactor. They also report that system power and performance are highly dependent on solution conductivity. For systems where water conductivity can be high, such as in cooling towers and closed-loop applications, higher voltage discharges are required, which results in problems with increased electromagnetic radiation.

Generate plasma or generate electricity between the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode in water, especially in water systems where water chemistry (conductivity, chemical composition, dissolved solids, planktonic bacteria counts, pH, etc.) can change over time To generate a hydraulic discharge, a high voltage power supply is required that can generate up to 200 kV potential difference and more between the two electrodes. One known system for generating sufficient voltages to generate plasma in water or to generate an electro-hydraulic discharge is a Marx generator or Marx ladder. The Max generator uses a circuit that generates a high voltage pulse by changing the set of capacitors in parallel and then using a spark gap trigger to suddenly discharge the capacitors in series. Typically, the components are supported by a frame in a housing containing pressurized gas. Many of these high voltage generators are designed with maximum energy density as the ultimate goal and are thus designed using gases such as SF ₆ and increased pressure in the flame gap chamber to enable higher breakdown voltages. As a result of these high breakdown voltages, whenever a spark gap is activated, there is some metallic loss because a portion of the spark gap electrode is vaporized. The vaporized metal can then settle on the components of the high voltage generator and interfere with the timing of the spark gap discharge after some accumulation. This is not a problem for high voltage systems running for short periods of time, such as for use with static water treatment operations; For systems that are designed to run for months to years at a time, such as for the treatment of running water systems, this is very problematic.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0297409 (generation of flow discharge plasmas at atmospheric or higher pressures), U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0060464 (especially generated in aqueous media and formed within the air bubbles contained therein) Generation of plasma in fluids, describing a number of electrode configurations, including a configuration for trapping bubbles and causing them to act as a dielectric barrier to increase voltage across the electrodes), US Pat. No. 6,558,638 (Using high voltage discharge to treat liquids, while integrating gas delivery means for generating bubbles in the discharge zone), and US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0219136 (only consumes 120 to 150 watts of power) Several prior art patents or published patent applications dealing with plasma generation for a variety of purposes, including water treatment or purification, including pulsing plasma discharge to treat fluids such as water at a flow rate of 5 gpm) have.

There are also a number of patents that disclose Max generator designs. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,505,533 discloses a Max generator coupled with a Blumlein transmission line (voltage double line). Marx's flame gaps are in a sealed housing filled with pressurized inert gas (CO2 and argon) and the entire device is immersed in oil. U.S. Patent No. 7,498,697 discloses a Marx generator with a conductive plastic connection structure mounted on an insulating layer for mechanical retention. Conductive plastic replaces the bonding and charging resistors and will have long term resistance to high voltages.

Known prior art discloses systems and methods for generating high voltage discharges to generate plasma to generate chemically active species, show physical effects, and control water chemistry. However, the known prior art does not damage other components of the water system, including the controllers and monitors required for scale and corrosion control, blowdown, and water conservation measures, for industrial and commercial use over longer periods of time. Or it doesn't cover how to apply this technique using plasma discharge to treat larger volumes of runoff in residential settings. Additionally, the known prior art does not address the use of this technology in recirculating water systems with varying conductivity over time. Finally, the known prior art does not disclose the capture and use of ozone generated by the Marx generator as an additional water treatment.

The present invention relates to a treatment system and method using non-chemical techniques to treat running water systems, such as cooling towers and closed-loop or recirculating water systems. Such treatment systems and methods involve generating high frequency and high voltage discharges between two electrodes submerged in the water being treated. With each discharge between the electrodes, a number of long-lasting oxidizing chemicals (ozone, hydrogen peroxide) and short-lasting oxidizing chemicals (superoxides, hydroxy radicals, and hydrogen radicals) are generated. UV radiation may also be generated, along with sonic shock waves. These effects are well known in the prior art and have been used for periodic treatment of static water systems, but have not been used to effectively treat previously flowing or recirculating water systems. According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a treatment system and method for generating a high voltage to generate plasma to treat water in a flowing or recirculating water system is provided. The treatment system and method provides a substantially continuous treatment for water flowing through a reaction chamber where plasma is repeatedly generated at predetermined time intervals over long periods of operation without damaging the components of the water system. .

According to one preferred embodiment, the treatment system and method utilize a plasma reaction chamber or reactor unit that allows long-term plasma or electro-hydraulic discharges to occur at varying conductivity, temperature, and runoff that may have dissolved solids. One preferred embodiment of the reactor unit according to the present invention has parts that allow water and optionally gases to be introduced and removed from the reactor body, and to allow electrical connections to be made with high voltage and ground electrodes, at both ends. It includes a capped body. According to another preferred embodiment, the reactor unit includes an electrode mount assembly disposed within the reactor unit. The electrode mount assembly preferably includes a configuration that has a reactor or plasma discharge zone, reduces choke points, and moves gas bubbles to the plasma discharge zone to help generate plasma when the conductivity of water increases.

According to another preferred embodiment of the treatment system and method of the present invention, ozone gas generated as a by-product of high voltage generation is captured and used to enhance water treatment. To maximize the reaction area for high voltage discharges in high conductivity water found in flowing and re-circulating water systems, power supplies with the ability to generate over 200 kV are preferred. The by-product in the operation of these power supplies is the production of ozone gas that must be removed or it can damage components of high voltage generating systems, such as support structures. In this embodiment, the ozone is introduced into the captured and treated water, preferably in a plasma reaction chamber, to enhance water treatment.

According to another preferred embodiment, a gas injection system is provided for introducing ozone by-products or other gases, such as air or reactive gases, into the water to be treated to further enhance the treatment. These gases are preferably added to the water prior to entering the reaction chamber where plasma generation occurs or are generated in situ within the reaction chamber. Preferred embodiments of the gas injection system include a microbubbler, venturi input or venturi injector, hydrodynamic cavitation system, sonication probes, or combinations thereof. The gas injection system preferably introduces fine dispersion of bubbles into the water to be treated, which further aids plasma generation because the dielectric breakdown strength of air / gas is less than that of water. As plasma destruction is initiated in the air or gas molecules, ionized electrons from the air or gas molecules will then carry over and begin electron ionization in the water molecules.

According to another preferred embodiment of the processing system and method according to the invention, a continuous use high voltage generator is provided. The preferred high voltage generator has a Max generator or Max ladder configuration. A known problem with prior art Marx generators is that the metal from the spark gap electrodes will settle on the sides of the walls of the Max ladder closed support structure and other components of the high voltage generator system that interfere with the timing of the spark gap discharge. And this will prevent or hinder the formation of plasma. A preferred embodiment of the Marx generator support structure according to the invention comprises an open frame of increased height and width to increase the distance between the flame gap electrodes. With increased spacing between the flame gap electrodes, metal deposits do not bridge the gap as quickly as with a narrower support enclosure. According to another preferred embodiment of the Max generator support structure, the lower connection portion of the frame is immersed in a tank to electrically separate it from the capacitor bank. Another preferred embodiment is a support coated with mineral oil to prevent or prevent metal deposits from forming on the surfaces of the support structure surface and to allow easy removal of any deposits forming on the surfaces. Includes structure. According to another preferred embodiment, the support structure is made of ozone resistant materials since ozone is known to attenuate some materials that can cause mechanical failure of the support structure. According to another preferred embodiment, the housing or cover is positioned over the membrane generator support structure to capture ozone for use in enhanced water treatment and to facilitate operation of the membrane generator at reduced or negative pressure. .

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a system and method for treating water comprises one or more control systems connected to one or more components. According to a preferred embodiment, the control system takes the time of pulsed high voltage discharge to occur at specific time increments or intervals to prevent overheating of the water, wiring, or other critical power supply components of the treatment system and water system. Fit. According to another embodiment, the control system includes a feedback loop that records the water conductivity, which increases with the cycles of recirculation, as the water flows through the water system and the treatment system. As the conductivity increases, the controller increases the flow of air or other gases into the reaction chamber to aid plasma discharge (such as through a gas injection system).

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, various protection devices, such as separate power supplies, grounded metal components, and electromagnetic interference devices, are used to protect components of the water system from excessive voltage generated. It is used throughout treatment systems and / or water systems. According to another preferred embodiment, the excess energy (generally wasted) produced by the high voltage discharge is captured to further control and treat the water. Current is allowed to flow through wire loops that connect the water system piping to ground to generate a magnetic field in the water. These magnetic fields have been shown to have beneficial effects in water treatment, and the damaging effects of large amounts of electromagnetic radiation throughout the entire water system are used to measure conductivity, pH, biological activity, as well as high voltage discharges to water supplies in general. Avoid having on the electronic control systems used to control pumps and other critical system components found with systems that directly generate them. The use of high voltage discharges without adequate shielding around multiple ground points in water or other protective devices or high voltage components severely limits the applicability of existing prior art.

The treatment systems and methods according to the present invention effectively remove biofilms and algae along with other deposits from water in the water system without requiring the use of harsh chemicals and without compromising the components of the water system. The treatment systems and methods of the present invention also provide significant deposits and algae to the present invention even when the water flowing through the water system is considered clean (based on previous chemical treatments or because it consists of fresh water from the municipal supply). It is more effective than prior art treatments as it has been observed to be discharged from the treated water system. When the treatments according to the invention are used, increased copper corrosion rates are also observed, indicating that the heat exchanger tubes effectively remove biofilm growth and other sediments resulting in increased heat exchange efficiency.

The apparatus of the present invention is further described and described with reference to the following figures.

1 is a schematic diagram of one preferred embodiment of a system according to the present invention.
2A and 2B are graphs showing electromagnetic fields measured in one experiment when the embodiment of the present invention is not applied.
3 is a graph showing electromagnetic fields measured in another experiment using a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a schematic diagram of another preferred embodiment of a system according to the present invention.
5 is a schematic diagram of another preferred embodiment of a system according to the present invention.
6 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a reaction chamber and electrode mount assembly according to the present invention.
7 is a front view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the electrode mount assembly and ground electrode of FIG. 6;
8 is a bottom perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a high voltage mounting base according to the invention.
9A is a bottom perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a high voltage mounting base according to the present invention.
9B is a top plan view of the high voltage mounting base of FIG. 9A.
10 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of a ground electrode mounting base according to the present invention.
11 is a bottom perspective view of the ground electrode mounting base of FIG. 9;
12 is a front view of the ground electrode mounting base of FIG. 9;
13 is a bottom plan view of the ground electrode mounting base of FIG. 9;
14 is a bottom perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the ground electrode mounting base according to the present invention.
15 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the Max ladder support structure according to the present invention.
Fig. 16 is a top plan view of the Max ladder support structure of Fig. 15;
Fig. 17 is a side view of the Max ladder support structure of Fig. 15;
18 is another perspective view of the max ladder support structure of FIG. 15.
19 is a cross-sectional, front view of a preferred embodiment of a high voltage generator system, showing the outer housing, flame gap chamber, and Max ladder support structure.
20 is a top plan view of a portion of the high voltage generator system of FIG. 19;
21 is a perspective view of a portion of the high voltage generator system of FIG. 19;
22 is a circuit layout of the Max ladder of FIG. 15;

A preferred embodiment of the treatment system according to the invention is depicted in FIG. 1. The processing system 10 preferably includes a gas injection system 28, a plasma reaction chamber 36, a high voltage generator system 40, a power system 46, and various component protection devices. The treatment system 10 is easily added to the existing water system 12. The water system 12 can be any residential, commercial or industrial water system, especially those used for refrigerated applications and recycled water systems, such as cooling towers. The water system 12 includes well-known components not depicted in FIG. 1. The water stream 14 from the treated water system 12 passes through various sensors 16 commonly used when monitoring water systems, such as pH sensors, temperature, and conductivity. Depending on the size of the water system 12 and the amount of water flowing through the water system 12, all of the water in the system can pass through the treatment system 10 or only a portion or sidestream of the treatment system 10 Can pass through. Most preferably, the treatment system 10 is also shut down to bypass the treatment system, such as when the treatment system is stopped for maintenance, without the need to stop or reduce the flow of water through the water system. It includes a valve or a diverter.

The water stream 18 preferably flows through the gas injection system 28, which injects the water stream 18 with microbubbles of air and / or gas. Preferably, the gas injection system 28 includes one or more micro-bubble devices 20, wherein air or gas 22, reactive gas 26, and / or ozone 30 are plasma reacted The microbubbles upstream of the chamber 36 are introduced into the water stream. Reactive gases, such as ozone, mono-atomic oxygen, meta-stable singlet delta oxygen, gas phase hydrogen dioxide, chlorine gas, chlorine dioxide gas, can also be used to achieve maximum removal of microbial species from the water system 12. have. The use and selection of these gases will depend on the water conditions within the water system 12. It is not required to add air, ozone, or other gas streams to the water stream 18, or to be added as micro-bubbles, but the micro-bubbles help generate plasma and ozone gas or reactive gas is also the water of the water system. It acts to handle. If bubbles are added, stream 24, injected with bubbles, supplies plasma reaction chamber 36, otherwise stream 18 supplies plasma reaction chamber 36.

In another preferred embodiment, gas injection system 28 is venturi for injecting micro-bubble dispersion of air / gas, reactive gas, and / or ozone into water stream 18 to produce water stream 24. System. The Venturi input is located upstream of the high voltage reaction chamber 36 and introduces one or more micro-bubbles of these gases into the high voltage discharge region within the reaction chamber 36. In another preferred embodiment, micro-bubbles are created by incorporating a hydrodynamic cavitation system that introduces a highly dispersed suspension of micro-bubbles created by the hydrodynamic cavitation process into the reaction zone within the reaction chamber 36. In a fourth preferred embodiment, a Venturi system and a fluid dynamics cavitation system are used together. This combination has the advantage of creating an optimized reaction kinetics and a synergistic environment for active species development. In a fifth preferred embodiment, the high voltage reaction chamber 36 can be combined with a plurality of sonication probes capable of generating micro-bubbles in place within the high voltage discharge zone within the chamber 36, Again it provides synergistic reaction performance. Finally, in a sixth preferred embodiment, one or more of these gases can be venturied into the high voltage reaction zone with micro-bubbles generated by sonication probes. The introduction of micro-bubbles using any of these systems or devices, or any combination of these systems and devices, whose components and applications are well known in the art, can lead to dielectric breakdown of air or gas. Since the intensity is less than that of water, it further aids plasma generation. As plasma destruction is initiated in air or other gas molecules, ionized electrons from the air or other gas will then carry over and begin electron ionization in the water molecules.

According to another preferred embodiment, one or more components of the gas injection system 28 are connected to a controller (which may be a controller for the water system or a separate controller for the treatment system). The controller is operative to increase the flow of air or other gases into the reaction chamber 36 in response to increased measurements of conductivity in water (typically measured as part of the water system control function). The increased air flow helps to ensure that plasma discharge occurs even when the water conductivity is high.

The reaction chamber 36 preferably includes a sealed, waterproof housing 35 surrounded and shielded by an inner dielectric barrier layer 34a and an outer ground shield 34b. Dielectric barrier 34a is a non-conductive layer that prevents arcing to ground layer 34b, which is a conductive outer layer associated with ground. Dielectric barrier 34a and ground shield 34b reduce electromagnetic interferences emitted from reaction chamber 36. If the reaction chamber 36 is not shielded, sensitive electronic equipment can be damaged by the plasma generated within the chamber 36. As the voltage generated in the high voltage generator system 40 is transmitted to the high voltage electrode in the chamber 36, a high voltage electrode and a ground electrode generating a plasma discharge in the chamber 36 are disposed in the reaction chamber 36 do. These components for generating plasma discharge are well known to those skilled in the art. The shape and configuration of the high voltage and ground electrodes within the reaction chamber 36, housing 35, and reaction chamber 36 are not critical and any known shape and configuration can be used, but in FIGS. 6 and 7 The preferred embodiment of the electrode mount assembly and reaction chamber is most preferably used as shown and discussed below. Another ground 48 is also placed in contact with the ground layer 34b surrounding the housing 35, which is required to generate plasma discharge in the reaction chamber 36. Ground 48 can act as a ground electrode or can be connected to a thicker rod or other conductor to act as a ground electrode. The highly insulated high voltage wire 38 connects the high voltage electrode in the reaction chamber 36 and the high voltage generator system 40. The wire 38 is preferably insulated with a high strength dielectric to prevent arcing to other electronic devices, metal structures, or people / operators. Wire 38 may act as a high voltage electrode or be connected to a thicker rod or other conductor to act as an electrode. The treated water stream 50 exits the reaction chamber 36 and is sump 54 (especially if the water system 12 is a cooling tower) or other components or piping of the water system 12 to be recycled through the system Returns Inlet and outlet combinations for the water streams 24 and 50 into and out of the chamber 36 should be grounded.

The high voltage generator system 40 can generate high frequency, high voltage pulses in excess of 200 kV in each discharge step. The high voltage generator system 40 desirably separates the Max ladder 42 from the surrounding environment and prevents arcing from internal components to nearby metal structures, outlets, and other monitoring and control systems. And a max ladder or max generator 42 disposed within the flame gap chamber 41 within the outer housing 43 including the barrier (as in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 19). The high voltage generator system 40 is preferably between the high voltage discharge electrode and the ground electrode in the reaction chamber 36 so that it is effective in treating conductive waters similar to those seen in conventional cooling towers or closed loop systems. A voltage output of 200 kV is possible for an electrode gap of about 5 mm. Other gap distances can be used with modifications to be understood by those skilled in the art, but a gap distance of about 5 mm is preferred. This requires an increase in the output voltage, where a larger gap distance can introduce additional issues, such as component failure in the high voltage generator system 40, and a smaller gap distance of water exposed to the plasma discharge. It is preferred because it reduces the amount.

In one preferred embodiment, the high voltage generator system 40 is a stage 1 low voltage component (as shown in FIGS. 19 and 22) that takes a 110V output from a conventional wall-mounted connector and generates a 40 kV DC signal. Driver circuit 39). This is achieved by a zero volt switching circuit that pulses the input from the flyback transformer. The number of turns for the transformer can be increased or decreased to change the output voltage of the flyback transformer. The advantage of using a zero volt switching driver circuit is that it features high noise margin, which is not sensitive to electromagnetic interference generated in pulsing power systems. Digital or other circuits can also be used, but they are more sensitive to external interference generated by the plasma reaction chamber 36 than the zero volt switching driver. To protect the electronic device from high voltage output, it is configured as a separate shielded entity. The signal from the stage 1 low voltage component (driver circuit 39) is used to charge the capacitor bank in Max generator 42, with capacitors assembled in parallel. When the capacitor bank reaches the discharge limit, it triggers a cascading discharge event between spark gaps in the Max ladder such that the terminal voltage is greater than 200 kV between the discharge and ground electrodes.

Air pumps 44 or other devices for pressurizing or injecting air are preferably integrated into the high voltage generator system 40, but are also external to the generator 40 and allow air flow to the generator 40. In order to do so, it can be connected with a suitable conduit. The air pumps 44 inject air through the high voltage generator system 40 to quench the electrodes of the Max ladder 42, helping to increase electrode life. Air pumps 44 push air across the electrodes and out of the flame gap chamber 41. The ozone gas 30 generated from the flame gap chamber 41 is withdrawn from the high voltage generator system 40 and is preferably recycled back to be added or injected into the water system 18 to provide additional water treatment. The ozone gas generated from the Max ladder is usually considered as a waste, but it is advantageously used according to the invention as a source of water treatment. Most preferably, the ozone gas 30 is venturied into the water stream 18 at or near the inlet to the reaction chamber 36. This allows the introduction of ozone (and other components of air, such as nitrogen) into the water supply and also vents the water stream 18 with fine micro-bubbles to form the feed stream 24. It has been found that the use of ozone by-products from the high voltage generator system 40 in combination with plasma discharge is synergistic and particularly effective in reducing planktonic bacteria in the water being treated.

The processing system 10 also includes a power system 46 and various protection devices to protect the components of the water system from the generated excess voltage. The power system 46 preferably includes an uninterruptible power supply or isolating transformer, which reduces any transient voltage spikes from entering the building's power supply where the water system 12 is housed. It also provides a high voltage generator system 40 from other electronic components of the building and water system 12, such as sensors 16 with separate, non-interruptible power supplies or isolation transformers 60. To separate. Grounded metal component 56 is preferably located in a water reservoir for water system 12 (such as sump 54 in the case of a cooling tower). The grounded metal component 56 is preferably a piece of metal or mesh with a large surface area, but other shapes and configurations may be used. These grounded components reduce or eliminate electromagnetic interference through water. The electromagnetic interference suppressors 58 are preferably any sensors (sensors 16) that will be used to monitor water components, such as conductivity, temperature, and pH, of electronic components of the water system 12. ) Or clamped thereon. Other grounding devices, such as 52, may be added to other reservoirs or piping in the water system 12 as needed, or connect the treatment system 10 and the water system 12. In one preferred embodiment, the grounding device 52 is connected to the head of the screw at one end, has the other end connected to ground, has a length of wire wrapped around the pipe multiple times, and water in the water system. Includes screws inserted into the wall of the flowing pipe. Other grounding devices or configurations can also be used as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Typically, these grounding devices will be located on or near certain types of equipment, such as corraters (corrosion monitoring systems), chemical controllers, flow controllers, conductive probes, or the largest water system applications. There will be gaps across the water system and the 2 to 4 devices used in the field. These grounding devices act to protect the components of the water system 12 and also allow energy from multiple grounding points to be captured and stored in a capacitor or inductor. The captured and stored energy can be used to generate low level energy fields (electromagnetic or electrochemical) that provide additional benefits to the water treatment process. Electromagnetic fields have been used to prevent chemical scale formation and have been used to induce electroporation and ion cyclotron resonance, which have been shown to have antibacterial properties. Electrochemical reactions can create localized high and low pH regions and can also induce electroporation. They can also generate low level electromagnetic fields locally within the water system without storing energy. For example, as described above, with a wire device wrapped around a pipe in a water system, each time a pulse (from the plasma) subsides to ground, an electric current generates a magnetic field in the water flowing through the pipe at that location. It will flow through wire loops around the pipe to generate.

The processing system 10 also preferably includes a controller or timer to activate the processing system 10 at periodic intervals. The controller or timer includes a power system 46 to charge components of the gas injection system 28, such as the high voltage generator system 40, air pumps 44, and microbubbles 20, Various components will be turned on periodically. Once the high voltage is discharged from the high voltage generator system 40 to the reaction chamber 36 and plasma discharge is generated within the reactor housing 35, the components of the processing system are shut off until it is time for the next cycle. Will be. The activation / deactivation cycle repeats at periodic intervals, preferably about 15 minute intervals, during a substantially continuous treatment cycle that lasts for weeks to months during normal operations of the water system and treatment system. Periodic activation / deactivation reduces overall system heating and increases efficiency. As the system gets hot, more energy will dissipate in the Max generator 40, which results in more charge losses and less energy available for plasma generation within the reactor housing 35. Allowing the system to cool during periodic deactivation reduces charge losses and increases efficiency. Periodic activation / deactivation also results in the regular removal of ozone from the flame gap chamber (and preferably supplied to the reactor housing to enhance water treatment) and an electrode gap of at least 5 mm between the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode in the reactor housing. Will allow to maintain pulsing arc discharge across. In order to safely operate the system, it is preferred to power the system through a switch box 45 featuring a ground fault circuit interrupt. This emergency stop system will trigger if the current flowing from the device does not match the current flowing into the device.

The following are examples in which the processing system 10 according to various embodiments of the present invention is inspected.

Example 1A. Direct discharge to unprotected system: In the first set of experiments, a pilot cooling tower was used. Components of this experimental system consistent with the systems depicted in FIG. 1 are labeled according to the reference numerals in FIG. 1. The cooling tower (100 L total volume) water system 12 is filled with water and the system is set to circulate. Water chemistry was monitored using an Advantage Control system as was done using two internal biological monitoring systems and ChemTrak biological monitor. These systems are typically found in large-scale commercial or industrial cooling tower operations or similar to those commonly found therein. To integrate the high voltage generator system into the cooling tower, a lateral flow (stream 18) is pulled out of the heat exchanger rack through a mechanical ball valve and a 12 foot 0.75 inch diameter transparent flexible PVC tubing. These valves allow the system to change the flow dynamics based on the specific composition of the water being treated. For example, changing the flow rate past the venturi changes how the gas bubbles are distributed to the water, which in turn can change the shape of the plasma generated at the high voltage discharge electrode. In addition, the amount and flow rate are important with regard to the treatment of the entire system water for biological control using directional high voltage discharge, since the successful treatment also depends on the amount of energy delivered as well as the treatment time. Since the bacteria are constantly replicating in conventional systems in large amounts of water, the total amount of system water is increased to increase the total treatment time (the total amount of time that a column of water with biological components contacts high voltage discharge). It is important to achieve a sufficiently high flow rate through the reaction chamber 36 to ensure it is repeatedly processed or circulated through the high voltage discharge zone.

Using this setup on pilot cooling towers allows a maximum of 2 gpm sidestream flow. This tubing was connected to the plasma chamber 36 via threaded polyethylene visible parts. At the outlet of the reaction chamber, 5 feet of transparent PVC tubing is used to drain the water (stream 50) exiting the reaction chamber to the sump 54. None of the ground points (such as grounds 52 and 56) described for the preferred embodiment above are implemented. The reaction chamber 36 was connected to a high voltage generator system 40. The unit was activated and pulsing spark discharge in water with 1,500 μmhos conductivity was observed through a 1 cm electrode gap. Immediately after activating the high voltage generator system 40, the flow control relays of the water system 12 start activating off and on to cut off power to the water system 12. The electronics in the advantage controller are overloaded and the system shuts down and the biological monitor output (located on the other side of the room from the high voltage generator system 40) is overloaded and shut down. 2A and 2B show electromagnetic fields measured in water with a plasma unit in this test embodiment, with and without water flow, with and without water flow in both cases. When water flows (FIG. 2A), it can be seen that there are high resonant electromagnetic pulses penetrating the water circulating through the system. It can be seen that when no water flows (Fig. 2b) there is still a measurable electromagnetic field due to the high voltage discharge.

Example 1B. Direct discharge to the protection system: The experience of 1A was repeated, however, with multiple ground protection systems in place. Grounds were located on the sump 54 and parts of the tubing throughout the system (using screw and wire wrapping as discussed above). 3 shows that there is a significant reduction in the electromagnetic field in water. Using multiple grounding systems, it is now possible to continue operating the high voltage discharge system for hours without causing problems to the electronic control and monitoring equipment used as part of the water system 12.

Example 2. Bench trials for removal of microorganisms : Four bench-level studies were conducted to determine the efficiency of non-thermal plasma discharge in water to inactivate microorganisms. It is known that plasma discharge in water will generate reactive oxygen species, UV radiation, and pressure field shock waves, all of which can deactivate microorganisms. Plasma discharge can be achieved by increasing the electric field in solution beyond its breakdown voltage. The breakdown voltage is dependent on the conductivity and dielectric properties of the solution. It has been observed that there is a relationship between log reduction of microorganisms and input energy in the system. It has also been documented that the input energy required to achieve one logarithmic reduction (known as D-value) in E. coli can vary from 14 J / L to 366 J / L or more. For experiments with certain species of pseudomonas, it has been reported that 85 kJ / L is the average input energy required to achieve one logarithmic reduction.

In the first set of experiments, the rod-to-cylinder electrode configuration was placed in a beaker containing 1,600 mL of water (800 mL of tap water and 800 mL of distilled water). Ozone generated from the Max generator (from the voltage multiplier of the non-thermal plasma) is vented to a secondary beaker (Beaker # 2) containing 1,600 mL of water (800 mL of tap water and 800 mL of distilled water). In these tests, E. coli was used due to its high sensitivity to inactivation by direct energy methods. For each of the beakers containing 1,600 ml of described water, 2 ml of TSB stock solution with a known concentration of suspension E. coli was 4.65 × 10 ⁶ cfu / mL (Test # 1) and 4.5 × 10 ⁶ cfu / It was used to inject each of the beakers filled with water for the final E. coli concentration in mL. For the plasma-only beaker test (Beaker # 1), the cylinder electrode diameter was increased from ¼ inch (which generated arc discharge) to 1 inch size so that the pulsing corona was generated during discharge. The purpose of these tests was to determine whether arc discharge (which adds more energy to the system, which is preferred) or pulsing corona causes most of the biological inactivation.

For a beaker dedicated to ozone treatment, ozone was pushed through the Max generator chamber and bubbled into the beaker with the use of airstone. During the experiments, 25 mL samples were collected independently from each beaker at 0 min, 2 min, 4 min, 10 min, 20 min, and 30 min and bioassayed for cfu / mL determination. The results of the pulsing corona discharge plasma only test are shown in Table 1 below under test # 1.

The second experiment combined a vented ozone and rod to cylinder electrode setup into a single beaker containing 1,600 mL of water (800 mL of tap water and 800 mL of distilled water) (Test # 2). For this test, a 2 mL TSB stock solution with a known concentration of suspended E. coli was used to inject a water filled beaker for a final E. coli concentration of 6.10 × 10 ⁶ cfu / mL. Oxygen generated by the Max generator and cylinder electrode diameter of ¼ inch allowing the pulsing spark (pulsing arc discharge) to occur in solution during discharge was bubbled into the beaker under the electrode setup. During the experiment, 25 mL samples were collected at 0 min, 10 min, 30 min, 45 min and 60 min and bioanalyzed for cfu / mL determination. The results are shown in Table 1 below under Test # 2.

The third experiment featured a rod-to-cylinder electrode configuration placed in a beaker containing 1,600 mL of water (800 mL of tap water and 800 mL of distilled water) (Test # 3). Ozone generated from the Max generator (from the voltage multiplier of the non-thermal plasma) is vented to a secondary beaker containing 1,600 mL of water (800 mL of tap water and 800 mL of distilled water). For this study, E. coli was used because of its high sensitivity to inactivation by directional energy methods. For each of the beakers containing 1,600 mL of described water, 2 mL of TSB stock solution with a known concentration of suspension E. coli was 3.05 × 10 ⁶ cfu / mL and 3.40 × 10 ⁶ cfu / mL final E, respectively. It was used to inject a beaker filled with water for coli concentration. Similar to the second experiment, the cylinder electrode diameter was lowered such that a pulsing spark (pulsing arc discharge) occurred in solution during the discharge. For a beaker dedicated to ozone treatment, ozone was pushed through the Max generator chamber and bubbled into the beaker with the use of airstone. During the experiment, 25 mL samples were collected independently from each beaker at 0, 10, 15, 30, and 45 minutes and bioassayed for cfu / mL determination. The results are shown in Table 1 below under test # 3.

In the fourth experiment, the vented ozone was combined with a rod-to-cylinder electrode setup in a single beaker containing 2,000 mL of water (1,000 mL of tap water and 1,000 mL of distilled water) (Test # 4). For this test, a 5 mL TSB stock solution with a known concentration of suspended Pseudomonas putida was used to inject a water filled beaker for a final Pseudomonas putida concentration of 7.00 × 10 ⁷ cfu / mL. Unlike the first experiment, the cylinder electrode diameter was lowered such that a pulsing spark (pulsing arc discharge) was generated in solution during discharge, and ozone generated by the Max generator was bubbled into the beaker under the electrode setup. During the experiment, 25 mL samples were collected at 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes and bioanalyzed for cfu / mL determination. Results are shown in Table 1 and Table 2.

Referring to Figure 4, field testing was also performed using a preferred embodiment of the system and method of the present invention. The goal for this field test was to install a plasma water treatment system 110 in a cooling tower water system 112 using oxidizing fungicides to control the microbial population in water. The cooling tower water system 112 had a total volume of 1,400 gallons and was located at a street level outside the local university's administrative building. The control unit 115, which monitored the water flow and water conductivity, was used to control drug injection into the sump 154 and blowdown of the water system. This unit maintained water conductivity between 900 μmhos and 1500 μmhos. The plasma processing system 110 includes a high voltage generator 140 and a plasma reaction chamber 136. The high voltage generator includes a max ladder or max generator 142 disposed within a flame gap chamber 141 in an outer housing 143 that includes a dielectric barrier. The ozone gas stream 130 is withdrawn from the flame gap chamber 141 and injected into the influent water stream 114 through the venturi 121. Although not initially used in this test, air 122 and / or reactive gas 126 may also be injected into the water stream through a micro-bubble or similar device 120. A tee, mixer, or similar connecting device 129 injects stream 124 (including ozone) with micro-bubbles of air and / or reactive gas from micro-bubble 120 and reacts chamber 136 ). The reaction chamber 136 includes a sealed, waterproof housing 135 surrounded and blocked by a dielectric barrier layer 134a and an external ground shield 134b. Dielectric barrier 134a is a non-conductive layer that prevents arcing to ground layer 134b, which is a conductive outer layer associated with ground. A plasma discharge is generated in the chamber 136 as the voltage generated by the high voltage electrode and the high voltage generator 140 in the reaction chamber 136 is transmitted through the wire 138 to the high voltage electrode in the chamber 136. A ground electrode is arranged. The wire 138 can act as a high voltage electrode or can be connected to a thicker rod or other conductor to act as an electrode. Another ground 148 is also disposed in contact with the ground layer 134b surrounding the housing 135. Ground 148 can act as a ground electrode or can be connected to a thicker rod or other conductor to act as an electrode. In this field test, the reaction chamber 136 was about 4 inches in diameter. In this field test, the reaction chamber 136 was plumbed directly into the existing water lines of the water system 112. The reactor inlet 129 was connected to the water line 114 from the high pressure side of the pump 113 to remove water from the cooling tower sump 154. The Venturi 121 inserted into the line between the pump 113 and the reactor 136 was used to lead the ozone gas 130 generated by the Max ladder 142 to treated water. The treated water 150 exiting the reaction chamber 136 is returned to the output side of the freezer where it is circulated back to the cooling tower.

When system 110 was initially installed, none of the recommended precautions or protection measures referenced with reference to FIG. 1 and processing system 10 were intact. The system 110 was installed very close to the water system master control system, it was not grounded, there was no shielding of the controller unit and there were no ferrite beads around the sensor leads for EMI suppression. The high voltage generator 140 was plugged directly from the wall to the main outlet.

To start the process, a water stream 114 was introduced into reaction chamber 136 and high voltage system 140 was activated. Immediate electromagnetic feedback through the water causes the conductivity meter on the water system 112 to jump to 6000 μmhos, pushing the water system 112 into an immediate blowdown mode causing water to be dumped into the drain. Without the system 10 of FIG. 1 and without one or more of the protection measures mentioned, it would be impossible to effectively operate a high voltage discharge treatment system in a coolant system.

The set-up of the systems 110 and 112 then has a water control unit 170 (used to control the various components of the water system 112) separated within the housing 172 and a conductivity sensor ( 116) was reconstructed by clamping ferrite beads 158 around the leading wires. The housing 172 surrounds the water system control unit 170 during operation of the system 110, but includes an openable door or removable cover so that the interior can be accessed for service. Housing 172 is preferably a metal box, but other shielding materials such as plastics, concrete, or metal plastic composites may also be used. The high voltage generator 140 has been moved from the controller to the opposite side of the room (approximately 12 feet away, and preferably at least 6 feet away) and the power supply 146 is driven through the UPS from being directly connected to the mains. Was switched to. The sump 154 in the cooling tower is grounded 156, as is the returned (treated) water level 150 grounded by 151. Optionally, ferrite beads 153 may also be wrapped around treated water level 150. When the system 110 is activated, there is no negative effect on the control system 170 or the sensor 116, allowing the cooling tower system 112 to operate normally.

Using this setup, the water treatment system 110 was run for 6 months without the addition of pesticides. During the process, ozone gas 130 generated in the Max ladder 142 is introduced into water and enters the reaction chamber 136. This produced a fine stream of bubbles at the high voltage electrode surface. When water had a low conductivity of about 900 μmhos, this would be sufficient to generate a plasma discharge, but as the conductivity increased with increasing number of cycles of concentration, this would lead to no more plasma discharge in the reaction chamber. It was not appropriate. As the water conductivity increases, parasitic electrochemical reactions become the preferred mechanism for the discharge of electrons, and the ability to generate plasma weakens. Additional air 122 is introduced into the reaction chamber that provides a stronger air curtain between the ground electrode and the high voltage discharge electrode, allowing the plasma to be generated in water with a conductivity greater than 1500 μmhos. Once the conductivity reaches a preset threshold, usually about 1500 μmhos, the cooling tower or other water system enters blowdown mode, dumping high conductivity water into the drain and replacing it with fresh water (usually fresh water from the supply, but Other water sources with lower conductivity levels can be used).

Referring to Figure 5, another preferred embodiment of the plasma processing system 210 was tested in a second field trial. System 210 was installed to process 2,200 gallon stainless steel / galvanized cooling tower water system 212. During this installation, the high voltage generator 240 and the plasma reactor chamber 26 are shielded within the housing 260 and away from the water control unit 270 and sensors 216 of the water system 212 on the outer wall. Was located. Housing 260 is preferably at least 6 feet away from water control unit 270 and sensors 216. The housing 260 is preferably made of metal, but other materials such as plastic or metal-plastic composites can also be used. The housing 260 surrounds the system 210 during operation, but includes an openable door or a removable cover so that the interior can be accessed for service. When the housing 260 is used, it is not necessary to enclose the control unit 170 in the housing (such as the housing 172 used with the system 110), but this housing also provides added protection of the control unit. Can be used for Water 214 from the sump 254 was circulated through the plasma reactor using a pump 213 positioned directly to the sump 254 which is ground 256. The high voltage generator 240 was directly connected to the main outlet as a power supply 246, but the outlet was on its own circuit breaker circuit. With this set-up, the system 210 could continue to operate for 6 months without any electrical or EMI issues that interfered with the operation of the water system 212 (the cooling system was shut down during the winter, but the system It is believed that silver cooling can continue to operate with this embodiment of the invention for a longer period if required).

A grounded piece of metal or mesh with a large surface area located in the sump (similar to 56), electromagnetic interference suppressors (such as 58), grounded wire wrapping pipe segments or ferrite beads 52 or 158 or 258 Same), protective housing around the high voltage generator and plasma reaction chamber (such as 260), protection around the water control unit, placing the high voltage supply and reaction chamber at a sufficient distance from the water control unit and sensors Castle housing (such as 172), separate power supply for high voltage generators (own breaker circuit or UPS or isolation transformer), and / or separate power supply for water control units or sensors (separate UPS) Or any combination of protection measures, such as an isolation transformer) to protect water system components from any interference or damage and to allow the treatment system to continue operating for extended periods of time. It can be used with a treatment system. Any combination of grounding devices can also capture low energy generated by the treatment system (and store it using capacitors or inductors) and low level energy fields (electromagnets) that provide additional benefits to the water treatment process. Or electrochemistry).

The ability to control the pressure drop across the reactor housing within which plasma discharge will occur, especially to ensure sufficient discharge if ozone, air or other gases are added to the influent stream to compensate for the dielectric barrier of the high voltage discharge electrode. It is important. Paschen's law is an equation that describes the breakdown voltage required to initiate discharge between two electrodes as a function of pressure and gap length (distance between high voltage electrode and ground electrode). At the onset of plasma discharge, the first ionizing energy of the electrons must be reached to free and dissipate the electrons causing chain reaction electron avalanche as the freed electrons collide with the atoms when accelerated. The higher the pressure of the discharge medium, the more collisions that occur as electrons move from the discharge electrode to ground, which randomizes the electron direction, which in turn results in electron deceleration, which results in failed discharge between the electrodes. can do. Since water can be viewed as a highly condensed gas, the pressure drop across the electrodes is a major contributing factor to the ability to successfully generate electro-hydraulic discharges within the reactor housing.

Additionally, as the flow rate through the reactor housing increases, bottlenecks can arise in certain areas of flow through the reactor housing, and these bottlenecks cause pressure increases that affect the pressure drop across the reactor housing. . In order to successfully discharge the plasma in the reactor housing, it is desirable to minimize these potential bottlenecks. As such, treatment systems according to the present invention (such as systems 10, 110, or 210) are configured such that the treated water stream on the outlet end of the reactor housing has the highest possible flow coefficient, according to the equation desirable:

C _V = Flow coefficient or flow capacity rating of the valve. (the amount of water in the flow to gpm)

F = rate of flow (US gallons per minute)

SG = specific gravity of the fluid (water = 1)

ΔP = pressure drop across the body (psi).

There are several factors that can be operated individually or together and will optimize the pressure drop across the body and the flow rate of the fluid across the reactor. Lowering the flow rate is undesirable, as it lowers the flow coefficient and it is preferred that the flow coefficient on the discharge end is as high as possible. Lowering the flow rate also minimizes contact time and reduces efficiency, which is undesirable. Additionally, it is desirable to minimize the pressure drop across the reactor housing 135 to increase the flow coefficient. In experiments conducted using treatment systems according to the present invention, it was determined that minimizing the pressure on the discharge end of the reaction chamber helps to form the plasma by lowering the breakdown voltage. In high-conductivity water, such as water often encountered when recirculating a water system, lowering the breakdown voltage causes less parasitic current losses (V = iR) and therefore more energy is input into the water being processed through the plasma. Will be.

In addition to minimizing the pressure on the discharge end, the weakened plasma generation associated with increased conductivity in the water being treated also (1) moves the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode close to each other (but this does not affect the water exposed by the plasma discharge). Has the disadvantage of reducing the amount), (2) increasing the voltage between the ground and the high voltage electrode (but this has the disadvantage of possible component failure in high voltage generators), or (3) around the high voltage electrode It can be treated by increasing the gas phase dielectric barrier at. The treatment systems and methods according to the present invention most preferably increase the gas phase dielectric barrier through the use of a gas injection system to add bubbles to the treated water as the most beneficial way to aid plasma generation in high conductivity water. Depend on

6 and 7, a preferred embodiment of the reaction chamber 136 and electrode mount assembly 80 is shown. The reaction chamber 136 is similar to that shown in FIG. 4 and can be used with the processing systems 10, 110, or 210. Reaction chamber 136 is capped at both ends 137 and 139 and water and gases are introduced and removed from reactor housing 135 and electrical connections are made with high voltage electrode 138 and ground electrode 148 And a sealed, waterproof housing 135 with parts 129 and 133 that allow it to be built. In this embodiment, a continuous stream of water 114 is pumped from the source in the treated water system to the reactor housing 135 and then over the top as treated water 150. As water flows into the reactor housing 135, the ozone gas 130 (preferably generated in the high voltage power supply 140 (not shown in FIG. 6)) is venturi 121 or other type. Can be introduced into water using a gas injector / diffuser. The water / ozone mixture 124 is then inlet port (optionally mixed with compressed air 122 or other gases (which can be bubbled through a micro bubbler, such as 120) before entering the reactor housing 135 ( 129). An electrode mount assembly 80 connected to the high voltage electrode 138 at one end and to the ground electrode 148 at the other end is disposed within the reactor housing 135. The potential difference between the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode is a high voltage discharge region or zone or a plasma discharge region or zone (shown as 101 in FIG. 6), the high voltage base 82 and the ground base. Plasma discharge in water between (92) is caused.

6 to 14, the electrode mount assembly 80 is disposed within the reactor housing 135. The electrode mount assembly 80 preferably includes a high voltage base 82, a ground base 92, and a ground electrode tube 147. The high voltage base 82 and the ground base 92 are configured to hold the high voltage electrode and ground electrode at a fixed distance from each other, so the electrode gap is about 1 to 10 mm, and most preferably about 5 mm. . This distance allows a sufficient amount of water to be exposed to the plasma, especially when the preferred ground electrode configuration is used as discussed below, while not requiring an increase in output voltage from the high voltage generator. The high voltage base 82 is preferably a wheel-shaped configuration comprising a central hub 88, a plurality of spokes 86 extending radially outwardly from the hub 88 and terminating in an outer ring or rim 84 Have The hub 88 preferably has a slightly tapered or truncated conical configuration (as shown in FIG. 8), but can also be substantially cylindrical. The opening 90 is disposed past the hub 88 and the high voltage wire 138 (or a thicker rod or conductive material connected to the wire 138) fits within the opening 90 to act as a high voltage electrode. Most preferably, high voltage wire 138 has a dielectric coating over its entire length to minimize parasitic electrochemical reactions.

The spokes 86 are preferably angled relative to the hub 88 and rim 84 (as shown in Figures 6 and 7), which minimizes the area of contact of the hub to the high voltage wire electrode and , Thereby increasing the charge density on the electrode by reducing conduction through the plastic material of the hub. The rim 84 preferably has a shape and size configured to match the shape and size of the reactor housing 135 (or 35 or 235). The reactor housing is most preferably cylindrical, so the rim 84 is also preferably a reactor such that the high voltage base 82 can be inserted into the reactor housing 135 and snug against the inner wall of the housing 135. It is cylindrical with a slightly smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the housing 135. The open wheel-like configuration of the high voltage base 82 helps eliminate any pressure bottlenecks that may delay plasma production.

Another preferred embodiment of a high voltage base 182 for use with the electrode mounting assembly 80 is shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. The high voltage base 182 preferably includes a central hub 188, a plurality of spokes 186 extending radially outwardly from the hub 188 and terminating at the rim 184. The high voltage base 182 is the base, except that in this embodiment the hub 188 is preferably substantially cylindrical and the spokes 186 are not angled relative to the hub 188 and the rim 184. Similar to (82). The substantially cylindrical hub provides greater precision in the gap distance between the high voltage wire / electrode and the ground electrode. The substantially cylindrical hub 188 can also be used with angled spokes, similar to FIGS. 6 and 7.

7 and 10-13, the ground base 92 is preferably a rim 94, a body 96 extending from the rim 94, and a collar 98 extending from the body 96 It includes. The opening 100 is disposed past the collar 98. The rim 94 preferably has a shape and size configured to match the shape and size of the reactor housing 135 (or 35 or 235). The reactor housing is most preferably cylindrical, so the rim 94 is also preferably a reactor housing such that the ground base 92 can be inserted into the reactor housing 135 and fit snugly against the inner wall of the housing 135. It is cylindrical with a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of 135. The body 96 preferably has a closed, truncated conical or domed shape, which helps to move any added gas bubbles into the plasma discharge zone 101 and towards the high voltage electrode 138.

Another preferred embodiment of the ground base 192 is shown in FIG. 14. The grounding base 192 preferably includes a rim 194, a body 196 extending from the rim 194, and a collar 198 extending from the body 196, all of which are grounded 92 and similar. The opening 200 is disposed past the collar 198. Unlike the ground base 92, the ground base 192 has an added wheel-like structure (similar to the high voltage base 182). The ground base 192 is also a central hub 204, a plurality of spokes 202 extending radially outward from the hub 204 and terminated at the rim 194, and an opening 206 disposed past the hub 204 ).

The ground wire 148 is disposed past the opening 100 and is connected to the ground electrode tube 147. A tab with an aperture can be provided at the end of the ground electrode tube 147 to facilitate connection to the ground wire 148. Most preferably, the ground electrode tube 147 (as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7) is a substantially cylindrical body (or other form configured to be inserted in the collar 198) or a plurality disposed across sidewalls of the body It includes a hollow tube with openings 149. The ground electrode tube 147 is preferably made of titanium, but other conductive materials, such as stainless steel or copper, may also be used. The openings 149 are preferably circular with a diameter between about 4 mm and 8 mm, but other shapes can also be used. The size of the openings 149 is large enough to allow excessive gas to avoid and avoid pressure bottlenecks in the plasma discharge zone 101. The openings 149 have the advantage of greater field reinforcement around the edges of the openings, which creates unformed field lines that enhance the effect of the field. The openings 149 also have the advantage of allowing the plasma discharges to be visible (as bright light) when the reactor housing 135 is transparent or has a viewing window. The outer sidewall of the ground electrode tube 147 is preferably non-conductive to reduce parasitic electrochemical reactions on the outer surface of the ground electrode tube 147 and to maximize the potential for generating plasma in the plasma discharge zone 101. It has a dielectric barrier coating, such as ceramic or glass.

Ground electrode tube 147 is most preferably configured to fit within collar 98 and hub 88 (as shown in FIG. 7) to connect high voltage base 82 and ground base 92. do. Ground electrode tube 147 may be releasably attached to collar 98 and / or hub 88, such as by screws. Alternatively, the ground electrode tube 147 may not extend to reach the hub 88 (as shown in FIG. 6). In this configuration, the high voltage base 80 and the ground base 92 are spaced by their relative positions within the reactor body 135 and place the high voltage electrode 138 relative to the ground electrode tube 147. In order to do so, it is in place by other means, such as a friction or other structure extending from the ground electrode base to the high voltage base, or a lip or other protrusion within the reactor body 135 configured to match the rims 94 and 84. Is maintained at. The lower end of the high voltage electrode 138 is disposed through the hub 88 and into the ground electrode tube 147. The high voltage electrode 138 can extend to reach the ground electrode base 92 or substantially beyond the length of the ground electrode tube 147 (as shown in FIG. 6), but most preferably the high voltage electrode 138 extends into the tube 147 with a short distance of only about 4 to 30 mm (as shown in FIG. 7) to avoid high voltage electrodes from interfering with the flow of water through the reactor body 135. . The high voltage electrode 138 and the ground electrode tube 147 are preferably sized and configured to provide a gap between two electrodes of about 1 to 10 mm and most preferably about 5 mm. In the configurations shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, if the high voltage electrode 138 is partially disposed within the folded electrode tube 147 and within it is a substantially concentric rod, the gap is the outer wall of the high voltage electrode And the distance between the inner walls of the ground electrode tube 147. The ground electrode tube 147 is most preferably 2 to 4 inches in length. Having a relatively shorter electrode allows for greater charge concentration, which aids in discharge.

The high voltage wire 138 and the ground wire 148 are preferably composed of solid metal, rather than braided wire. This facilitates the connections because the solid wire is easier to seal at the end parts 137, 139 or ports 129, 133. Solid wiring also eliminates potential problems with water wicking from the reactor housing 135 to the inner wire core, which can be dangerous.

Electrode mounting assembly 80, and any modifications to the components of assembly 80, any reaction in any processing system and method according to the present invention, including reactor housings 35, 135, and 235 Can be used with chamber / housing. Preferred electrode mount and ground electrode configurations as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 allow plasma to be generated under a series of hydrochemical conditions. For example, as the conductivity of water increases with cycles of re-circulation, the amount of air / gas / ozone that can be delivered to the plasma discharge zone 101 can be increased by simply changing the gas flow rate. The increased gas flow rate corresponds to an increase in the gas phase dielectric barrier to achieve greater plasma discharge under high conductivity conditions without increasing the distance between the electrodes or to increase the voltage between the ground and high voltage electrodes. do.

A series of tests were performed with a gas injection system, a reaction chamber, and an electrode mount assembly similar to that shown in FIG. 6. The water system used was a cooling tower located at a local university and the water had a conductivity range of 980 mmhos to 1900 mmhos. The treatment system continued to run over a four month period. The discharge voltage was set at 240 kV and the electrode gap between the high voltage and ground electrodes was 5 mm. The reactor housing is made of a transparent material, so the inside of the housing is visible. During operation, both plasma discharge between ground and high voltage electrode and bubbles pushed into the space between ground and high voltage electrode were observed. Once the conductivity increased above 1000 mmhos, plasma discharge was not observed alone with the use of bubbles introduced through the venturi; Plasma discharge was again observed if additional compressed air was introduced into the space between the ground and the high voltage electrodes.

A preferred embodiment of the support structure 62 for a Max generator used in any high voltage generator according to the present invention, such as a high voltage generator system 40, 140, or 240 is shown in FIGS. 15-18. . The support structure 62 preferably comprises an upper support arm 66T, a lower support arm 66B, and one or more end support arms 66E extending between the lower support arm 66B and the upper support arm 66T. Includes. The upper support arm 66T preferably forms a substantially rectangular shape with an open center portion. Similarly, the lower support arm 66B preferably forms a substantially rectangular shape with an open center portion. Vertical end support arms 66E generally connect upper and lower support arms 66T and 66B at one end of support structure 62 to form a U-shaped frame. The other end of the support structure 62 does not have any vertical connectors to engage the arms 66T and 66B, and is preferably substantially open. Attachment tabs 64 are preferably disposed at one end of the support structure 62, extending outwardly from each of the top and bottom support arms 66T and 66B. Apertures 65 are disposed past tabs 64. The tabs 64 and apertures 65 depend on the configuration of the chamber 41 and the housing 43, to the bottom surface of the flame gap chamber 41 or the outer housing 43, or the flame gap chamber 41 ) Or to secure the support structure 52 to the capacitor bank housing 77 disposed within the outer housing 43. The support structure 62 also has a flame gap chamber 41 or an outer housing 43 and can be integrally formed from a single part.

A plurality of paired posts 70A-71A, 70B-71B, and 70C-71C extend upward from each lower support arm 66B. The plurality of first posts 70A, 70B, and 70C extend from the first side (forward side) of the lower support arm 66B, and the plurality of second posts 71A, 71B, and 71C are lower support It extends from the second (back) side of the arm 66B. 20 and 21 (showing the Max ladder support structure 62 on the capacitor bank housing 77 with connections between the two), and the circuit diagram of FIG. 22 (which can be connected to the support structure 62, Max With reference to the generator or the typical circuit for the Marx ladder), a flame gap switch (S1, S2, etc.) comprising two spaced electrodes 76 is disposed between each pair of posts, thus S1 is between 70A and 71A, S2 is between 70B and 71B, and so on. Apertures 72 are disposed past each post, past which spark gap electrode mounts 73 are disposed. The flame gap electrode 76 is attached to the end of the flame gap electrode mount 73 disposed inside the support structure 62. This forms a plurality of spark gap electrode pairs between each pair of posts (70A-71A, 70B-71B, etc.). Electrodes 76 and mounts 73 are preferably configured to allow the electrode to move laterally along the mount to selectively adjust the gap distance between each pair of spark gap electrodes. Most preferably, the flame gap electrode mounts 73 include screws where each electrode 76 is attached to a threaded engagement on the end of the mount 73 disposed within the max ladder support structure 62. This preferred configuration allows the relative positions of each pair of electrodes 76 to increase or decrease the flame gap distance by simply rotating the electrodes 76 along the length of the mount 73 to maximize the ladder gap structure 62 ), Allowing them to be selectively modified to move closer to each other or further away from each other. Most preferably, the flame gap distance between each pair of electrodes 76 is about 15 to 40 mm. Alternatively, each spark gap electrode 76 can be secured to the end of each mount 73 within structure 62 and mounts 73 posts 70 to selectively adjust the gap distance , 71). Combinations of adjustable electrodes and adjustable mounts can also be used.

Most preferably, the Max ladder structure 62 is based on a capacitor bank housing 77. A plurality of capacitors and resistors connected together according to the well-known Max ladder circuit are in the capacitor bank housing 77. A plurality of apertures are placed past the upper end of the housing 77 or the removable cover to allow the wiring 75 to pass to connect the capacitors to the flame gap switches. The end of each mount 73 disposed outside the Max ladder structure 62 is connected to the capacitors within the capacitor bank housing 77 by wiring 75, so that the capacitor C1 is a post pair 70A -71A) to mounts 73, and capacitor C2 to mounts 73 on post pair 70B-71B. Most preferably, 3 to 6 pairs of posts are provided for structure 62, but additional pairs can be provided as required to generate sufficient voltage as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, there will be five pairs of posts for the circuit, as shown in FIG. 22, one pair for each spark gap switch S1 to S5. Variations in these arrangements can be made, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The dimensions of structure 62 are preferably about 2 inches wide by about 2 inches high and about 3 inches wide by 3 inches high, for 14 inches long. As described herein, the width is substantially the dimension between the pair of posts 70-71, the height of the vertical support arms 66E in the direction from the lower support arm 66B towards the upper support arm 66T. Dimensions, the length is the longer dimension of the support arms 66T, 66B in the direction from the vertical support arms 66E towards the tabs 64. These dimensions are preferred to physically separate the flame gap electrodes to help prevent the flame gaps from being bridged by metal deposits, which will hinder the occurrence of high voltage pulses in the Max ladder. Most preferably, the gap distance between the flame gaps 76 (the distance between the pair of electrodes 73 on each pair 70-71 of the posts as shown in FIG. 20 as G) is About 15 mm to 40 mm, and preferably about 27 mm. The gap distance can be selectively increased or decreased by moving the electrodes 76 on the electrode mounts 73, which changes the voltage generated by the high voltage generator. Additionally, other sizes for the support structure 72 can be used to scale the flame gap dimensions, especially if a gap greater than achievable by deformation of the distance on the mounts 73 is desired. Additionally, larger widths and heights can be used, but any significant advantage to the overall system operation as much larger than 3x3 is that metal precipitation in the channel is no longer a factor of system failure at larger dimensions. It is believed that it does not provide.

The support arms 66T, 66B, and 66E form a substantially open support structure frame. Many prior art Marx ladders are in closed structures, which can cause problems such as parasitic discharge as a result of metals depositing on the walls of the Marx chamber or support structure. By having a substantially open structure for the support frame 62, these problems are avoided. For example, by moving away from the closed support structure and into an open support system that physically separates the flame gap electrodes from each other. With the configuration of the preferred support structure 62, including the desired dimensions, any metal deposits, even in a spark gap discharge, cannot bridge the electrodes and therefore do not interfere with the timing of the discharge.

The support structure 62 is preferably composed of ozone-resistant materials, such as Teflon, ABS, or glass fibers. Since ozone is generated by the Marx ladder, it is desirable to use these resistive materials to fabricate the support structure 62 to avoid damaging the structure. Using materials susceptible to ozone attack may weaken the support structure of the flame gap electrodes, have the repeated, substantially continuous fire use required to treat the running water systems according to the present invention, and this weakened The structure may suffer mechanical failure and breakage. It is also desirable to coat the surfaces of the support structure 62 with oil, such as mineral oil or silicone oil. The oil will help prevent any metal from the flame gap electrodes from sedimenting to the surfaces of the support structure 62. If sediments are observed, they can be easily removed by removing the oil layer and reapplying a new coating. Additionally, the lower supporting arm 66B, the lower portion of the posts 70 and 71, and the lower portion of the vertical end supporting arms 66E are immersed in the oil tank 74, as shown in FIG.

19-21, a preferred housing configuration for a high voltage generator system 40 is shown. The high voltage generator system 40 preferably includes an outer housing 43, a flame gap chamber 41, and a max ladder 42. The max ladder 42 is preferably a support structure 62, a capacitor bank housing 77, a low voltage driver circuit 39, a plurality of capacitors C, resistors R, and spark gap electrodes ( 76). Connections through the outer housing 43 are for connecting an external power source (such as a wall mounting port) to the driver circuit 39 and for connecting the air pumps 44 to the flame gap chamber 41 and the flame gap chamber It is provided to withdraw ozone (and other components of air) from within (41).

The outer housing 43 is preferably structured to surround the flame gap chamber 41 and the max ladder 42. It preferably has a removable cover or top or openable door to allow access to the interior of the housing 43 and access to the flame gap chamber 41. The outer housing 43 is preferably made of polycarbonate, lexan, or another rigid polymer, but other materials may be used. The outer housing 43 also preferably separates the Max ladder 42 from the surrounding environment and prevents arcing from the inner components to nearby metal structures, outlets, and other monitoring and control systems. Includes barriers. Such a dielectric barrier can be a separate layer of coating or material on the inside of the housing 43 or on the outside of it.

The capacitor bank housing 77 preferably has a removable top cover or an openable door to allow access to the capacitors C and resistors R within the housing. Apertures are provided in the top cover of the housing 77 to allow wires to connect capacitors to the flame gap electrodes 76 through the flame gap electrode mounts 73. Another aperture is placed through the housing to connect the capacitor bank to the low voltage driver circuit 39. The housing 77 is preferably configured to include an oil tank 74 of sufficient capacity to at least partially immerse the capacitors. Mineral oil or silicone oil can be used for the tank 74. The capacitor bank housing 77 can be disposed within the flame gap chamber 41 or can be external to the flame gap chamber 41.

The flame gap chamber 41 may include another structure to at least surround the max ladder support structure 62 and may enclose other components of the max ladder 42. The flame gap chamber 41 is preferably a removable top or cover or openable so that the support structure 62 (or other components of the max ladder 42 within the flame gap chamber 41) can be accessed. Have a door In this configuration, the lower support arm 66B of the Max ladder support structure 62 will be based on the bottom surface of the flame gap chamber 41. Alternatively, the flame gap chamber can be a removable cover that fits over the support structure 62 but does not have a substructure. In this configuration, the lower support arm 66B of the support structure 62 for the high voltage generator 42 is on the upper surface of the capacitor bank housing 77 (or alternatively on the lower surface of the outer housing 43). Will be based. If a removable cover is used, a seal is provided to allow ozone to be pumped out or sucked out of the flame gap chamber 41. The inner surface of the flame gap chamber 41 and any piping or conduits used to transport ozone generated by the high voltage generator 42 to the reaction chamber 36 is preferably with Teflon, ABS, or glass fibers. It is composed of the same, ozone-resistant materials. The use of these resistive materials to fabricate these parts is preferred to avoid damaging them by exposure to ozone. The second tank 74 may be selectively disposed in the lower portion of the flame gap chamber 41 or the outer housing 43 or in a separate tray or other container (not shown) for the max ladder support structure 62. Can be. The oil tank 74 preferably has a sufficient volume so that the lower supporting arm 66B, the lower portion of the posts 70 and 71, and the lower portion of the vertical end supporting arms 66E are immersed in oil. Mineral oil or silicone oil can be used for the tank 74. The support structure 62 is also preferably coated in oil. The outer housing 43 can be configured to operate as a housing and flame gap chamber for the high voltage generator system 40, so that a separate flame gap chamber 41 requires modifications as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Does not work. The configuration without a separate flame gap chamber includes both the primary outer housing a high voltage generator system and a reaction chamber (such as housing 260, including high voltage generator system 240 and reaction chamber 236). It can be particularly useful when provided to.

Air is conduited to allow various apertures or ports to allow power to be supplied from the power system 46 to the Max ladder 42, and to allow voltage to be transported from the Max ladder 42 to the reaction chamber 36. Flame blow chamber 41, outer housing 43, to blow ozone 30 through air pumps / compressors 44 through 47 and to allow ozone 30 to be removed , And are disposed past sidewalls on the capacitor bank housing 77. The air pumps 44 cool the high voltage generator 42, pressurize the flame gap chamber 41, and / or remove ozone through a conduit or piping (taken out of the flame gap chamber or outer housing) ) Can be used. Venturi or vacuum pumps can also be used to remove ozone from the flame gap chamber by suction and to pressurize the flame gap chamber.

Most preferably, the flame gap chamber 41 (or the outer housing 43 if a separate flame gap chamber is not used) is maintained at a reduced pressure or a negative pressure of less than 1 atmospheric pressure, which causes a high voltage pulse. Supports intermittent combustion of flame gaps to occur periodically. Conventional Max ladder generators are operated at pressures above 1 atmosphere. The treatment systems and methods according to the present invention generate substantially continuous high voltages (preferably with some period of inactivation for cooling between each repeated cycle, for charging and discharging) to treat the flow or recirculation water system. Repeated cycles). In this substantially continuous mode of operation, in order to operate the Max ladder according to the present invention, such as 42, 142, or 242, it is desirable to reduce the pressure or operate in a vacuum, which means that the system has lower voltages. Allow to increase in.

Any of the components of the treatment systems according to the invention described herein, including various gas injection system components, electrode mount assembly 80, and Max ladder support structure 62, is within the scope of the invention. It can be used in combination with other components or other embodiments in any combination. Any particular processing system embodiment, such as processing systems 10, 110, and 210, is not limited to only those components and configurations specifically described with respect to the embodiment.

A preferred method for treating water in a flow or recirculation water system is to generate a high voltage pulse in a high voltage generator, preferably comprising a Max ladder, a ground electrode with a flow of water to be passed passing between the ground and the high voltage electrodes. Directing a high voltage pulse to a high voltage electrode disposed proximate to, and generating a plasma discharge at a running water in a plasma discharge region disposed between and around the high voltage and ground electrodes. Most preferably, water continues to flow through the discharge zone and plasma is generated periodically (about every 15 minutes) based on the periodic operation of the Max ladder. According to another preferred embodiment, the method for treating water further comprises injecting air or other gas into the plasma discharge zone. According to another preferred embodiment, the method comprises capturing ozone gas, which is generated as a by-product when generating a high voltage pulse in the Max ladder, and injecting ozone into the plasma discharge zone. Most preferably, the injection of air or gas increases as the level of conductivity in water increases with repeated cycles of recirculation. Preferred methods further include pumping or inhaling air through the housing for the max ladder to help cool the components of the max ladder, flushing ozone from within the housing, and pressurizing the housing. The Max ladder is preferably operated under reduced pressure or vacuum conditions. The preferred method further comprises protecting various components of the water system from interference or damage that may be caused by high voltage pulse generation or plasma discharge. Additionally, excess energy generated by high voltage discharges is captured and used to further control water in the water system. Most preferably, the methods for treating water according to the present invention use the components of the water treatment systems described herein.

According to another preferred method, the conductivity of the water is measured periodically (measurements can be performed by existing equipment in the water system or by equipment integrated into the treatment system) and one or more parameters of the treatment are such that the conductivity level is a predetermined threshold. It is corrected or adjusted when it reaches. These operating parameters (1) move the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode close to each other; (2) increase the voltage of the high voltage pulse supplied to the high voltage electrode; (3) increase the rate of adding bubbles to the running water stream; Or (4) by reducing the pressure of the running water stream at the outlet of the reaction chamber. Any combination of steps can be used to aid plasma generation under high water conductivity conditions.

References to water systems herein include any type of running water system, including industrial, commercial, and residential, that requires periodic treatment to control or eliminate the growth of microbial species. Water flowing through the water system may include contaminants or chemical or biological treatment agents. References herein to continuous or substantially continuous, etc., occur during normal operating periods of the water system and the treatment system and during downtimes (such as a seasonal shutdown or maintenance of the water system or treatment system for maintenance of the water system) As it does not occur, it has repeated cycles of activation / deactivation of the processing system components and represents the operations of the processing system according to the invention over an extended period of time. The components depicted in the drawings are not drawn to scale and are intended only as representations of various components used in preferred embodiments of the treatment systems according to the invention and the water systems in which these treatment systems are used. Additionally, certain components of the water systems depicted in the figures may be in different locations relative to those depicted in the drawings and other components of the systems and water systems of the present invention. Those skilled in the art upon reading this specification will appreciate that modifications and alterations to the systems and methods for treating running water with plasma discharge and ozone while protecting the components of the water systems can be made within the scope of the present invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims, to which the inventors are legally entitled.

10: treatment system 12: water system
16, 216: sensor
20: micro-bubble devices 22: air or gas
26: reactive gas 30: ozone
28: gas injection system 35, 135: waterproof housing
36, 136: plasma reaction chamber 38: high voltage wire
39: driver circuit
40: high voltage generator system 41, 141: flame gap chamber
42, 142: Max ladder 43, 143: outer housing
44: air pump 46: power system
48, 148, 256: ground 52: ground device
54, 154, 254: sump 58: electromagnetic interference suppressor
60: isolation transformer 62: support frame
64: tab 65: aperture
66B: lower support arm 66E: end support arm
66T: upper support arm 70, 71: post
73: mount 74: tank
75: wiring 76: spark gap electrode
77: capacitor bank housing
80: electrode mount assembly 82, 182: high voltage base
84, 194: rim 86, 186, 202: spoke
88, 188, 204: hub 90, 100, 200, 206: opening
92, 192: ground base 96, 196: body
98, 198: color
110: plasma water treatment system
112, 212: cooling tower water system 113: pump
114: water level 115: control unit
116: conductivity sensor 121: venturi
126: reactive gas 129: connecting device
130: ozone gas stream 138: wire
140, 240: high voltage generator 147: ground electrode tube
158: ferrite beads
170, 270: water control unit 172, 260: housing
182: high voltage base
210: plasma processing system 236: reaction chamber
246: power supply

Claims (32)

A treatment system for treating water in a running water system with plasma discharge, comprising:
A high voltage generator comprising a plurality of capacitors, resistors, and spark gap electrodes configured in a Max ladder circuit, a support structure for the spark gap electrodes, and a housing;
An inlet configured to receive at least a portion of water flowing through a water system as water to be treated, an outlet configured to return a portion of the water back to the water system after being treated with plasma discharge and optionally ozone, and a reactor body Reaction chamber;
(1) bubbles of one or more gases other than ozone are added to the water to be treated with plasma discharge, or (2) ozone gas generated from a high voltage generator is added to water to be treated with plasma discharge, or (3) A gas injection system disposed above the inlet or in the reaction chamber to do both;
A high voltage electrode and a ground electrode disposed at least partially in running water in the reaction chamber and configured to generate a plasma discharge in water in the reactor body when a high voltage pulse is generated by the high voltage generator;
An electrode mounting assembly disposed within the reaction chamber, the electrode mounting assembly configured to hold the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode within the reactor body,
At least a portion of the high voltage electrode is configured to contact water in the reactor body while the high voltage pulse is being transmitted from the high voltage generator. According to claim 1,
The electrode mounting assembly:
A first central hub configured to receive the high voltage electrode, a first outer rim configured to mate with an inner wall of the reaction chamber, and a plurality of spokes extending outward from the central hub toward the first outer rim High voltage mounting base comprising a, and
A ground electrode comprising a second central hub configured to receive the ground electrode, a second outer rim configured to mate with an inner wall of the reaction chamber, and a closed body disposed between the second hub and the second outer rim. A processing system comprising a mounting base. According to claim 2,
The closed body of the ground electrode mounting base has a truncated conical or dome shape, processing system. According to claim 2,
The high voltage mounting base and the ground electrode mounting base are configured to hold the high voltage electrode with a fixed gap distance between 1 and 10 mm from the ground electrode. The method of claim 4,
The ground electrode comprises a cylindrical and conductive tube with a plurality of apertures disposed past the side wall of the tube, the tube extending from the second hub to the high voltage mounting base at all times. The method of claim 5,
The high voltage electrode, at least partially disposed in the ground electrode tube and includes a concentric rod,
And the gap distance is the radiation distance between the outer surface of the rod and the inner surface of the tube. The method of claim 6,
The processing system, wherein the rod of 4 to 30 mm is disposed in the ground electrode tube. The method of claim 5,
The outer surface of the tube is coated with a dielectric barrier material, processing system. According to claim 1,
The support structure for the spark gap electrodes is:
Upper support arm with rectangular configuration with open central part,
Lower support arm with rectangular configuration with open central part,
One or more vertical support arms connecting the upper support arm to the lower support arm in a spaced relationship;
A plurality of spaced apart post pairs, each pair extending vertically from a first post extending vertically from a first side of the lower support arm and from a second side of the lower support arm opposite the first side And a plurality of spaced apart post pairs, including a second post. The method of claim 9,
The upper support arm, the lower support arm, and the vertical support arms form an open, U-shaped frame, processing system. The method of claim 9,
The support structure has dimensions of 2 inches wide x 2 inches high to 3 inches wide x 3 inches high. The method of claim 9,
The support structure further includes a plurality of electrode mounts, each mount extending inwardly from each of the first posts and each of the second posts of the spaced post pairs,
Each electrode mount is attached to one of the spark gap electrodes to form a plurality of electrode pairs between each spaced post pair;
The processing system, wherein the gap distance between the spark gap electrodes in each electrode pair is 15 mm to 40 mm. The method of claim 12,
The flame gap electrodes are configured to move laterally along the electrode mounts to selectively adjust the gap distance. The method of claim 13,
The electrode mounts include screws configured to mate with screws on the spark gap electrodes so that the spark gap electrodes can be rotated to achieve lateral movement along the electrode mounts. The method of claim 12,
The electrode mounts are configured to move laterally relative to the posts to selectively adjust the gap distance. According to claim 1,
And further comprising an oil tank disposed within the housing. The method of claim 16,
The support structure includes a lower support arm disposed under the flame gap electrodes, the lower support arm being immersed in the tank. The method of claim 16,
The capacitors are immersed in the tank at least partially. According to claim 1,
The surfaces of the support structure are coated with oil. According to claim 1,
And further comprising a venturi or vacuum pump to direct ozone generated in the high voltage generator to a conduit for delivery to the gas injection system. According to claim 1,
And an air pump to inject air into the high voltage generator. According to claim 1,
The treatment system for treating water in a running water system is a recirculating water system, in which the conductivity level of the water increases as the water recirculates and the gas injection system supplies gas supplied to the reactor body. And configured to generate the plasma discharge in the water as the conductivity level increases by starting or increasing the amount of gas. In the method of processing the running water stream,
Generating a high voltage pulse and ozone using a Max ladder circuit comprising a plurality of capacitors, resistors, and flame gap switches, wherein the flame gap switches are supported by an open support structure, Ozone generation step;
Supplying the high voltage pulse to a high voltage electrode disposed near the ground electrode, wherein both the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode are at least partially disposed in water from the runoff stream;
Generating a plasma discharge in water near the electrodes;
Supplying gas other than ozone, or ozone generated using a Marx ladder circuit, or both upstream of the plasma generation or upstream of the runoff stream between the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode; And
(a) contacting at least a portion of the support structure with oil to reduce metal deposits on the support structure; Or (b) selectively performing one or both of operating the Max ladder circuit at a pressure of less than 1 atmosphere. The method of claim 23,
And periodically cleaning the support structure to remove the oil and supplying fresh oil to contact at least a portion of the support structure. The method of claim 23,
Each spark gap switch includes a pair of electrodes separated by a gap distance, and the open support structure is configured to support the plurality of spark gap switches such that the gap distance is between 15 mm and 40 mm, processing a runoff stream. How to. The method of claim 23,
Further comprising adding the ozone or one or more other gases or both bubbles to the runoff stream in an area where the plasma discharge occurs or above the area where the plasma discharge occurs. How to. The method of claim 26,
Measuring the conductivity of the runoff stream; And
A method of processing a runoff stream, further comprising initiating adding bubbles when the conductivity is greater than a predetermined threshold or increasing the amount of added bubbles. The method of claim 23,
Measuring the conductivity of the runoff stream;
Further comprising adjusting one or more operating parameters when the conductivity is greater than a predetermined threshold,
The one or more operating parameters include: (1) moving the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode close to each other; (2) increasing the voltage of the high voltage pulse supplied to the high voltage electrode; (3) increasing the rate of adding bubbles to the running water stream; Or (4) adjusting the pressure of the stream of water at the outlet of the reaction chamber where the plasma is generated. The method of claim 25,
And adjusting the voltage of the high voltage pulse by increasing or decreasing the gap distance. The method of claim 29,
The open support structure includes a frame, a plurality of posts supported by the frame, and a plurality of electrode mounts supported by the posts, each electrode mount supporting one of the spark gap electrodes;
The gap distance is increased or decreased by moving the spark gap electrodes laterally relative to the electrode mounts or laterally moving the electrode mounts relative to the posts. The method of claim 23,
The Max ladder is included in a housing, the method further comprising pumping or inhaling air through the housing. The method of claim 23,
The method of treating a running water stream, wherein the running water stream is at least a portion of running water through a cooling tower or a boiler system.

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