Apparatus for treating a substance with wave energy from plasma and an electrical Arc

47 Pages·2015·3.92 MB·English

US008981250B2
(12) United States Patent (10) Patent N0.: US 8,981,250 B2
Foret (45) Date of Patent: *Mar. 17, 2015
(54) APPARATUS FOR TREATINGA SUBSTANCE
USPC ........... .. 219/121.36,121.48,121.51,121.59,
WITH WAVE ENERGY FROM PLASMA AND 219/121.49; 110/246, 346; 588/900;
AN ELECTRICAL ARC 373/18422
See application ?le for complete search history.
(75) Inventor: Todd Foret, The Woodlands, TX (US)
(56) References Cited
(73) Assignee: Foret Plasma Labs, LLC, The
Woodlands, TX (US)
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 1,698,096 A 1/1929 Hirschfeld
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 1,727,361 A 9/1929 Ashcraft
U.S.C. 154(b) by 803 days.
(Continued)
This patent is subject to a terminal dis
claimer. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
(21) App1.No.: 13/215,223 EP 237216 I A 9/1987
KR 10-2004-0005107 1/2004
(22) Filed: Aug. 22, 2011 (Continued)
(65) Prior Publication Data OTHER PUBLICATIONS
US 2012/0020844 A1 Jan. 26, 2012 Lectures: On Illuminating Engineering Delivered At The John
Related US. Application Data Hopkins University, Published 1911 Johns Hopkins Press, p. 140.
(Continued)
(60) Continuation-in-part of application No. 12/949,736,
?led on Nov. 18, 2010, noW Pat. No. 8,002,992, and a
continuation-in-part of application No. 12/577,166, Primary Examiner * Mark Paschall
?led on Oct. 10, 2009, noW Pat. No. 8,357,873, said (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm * Daniel]. Chalker; EdWin S.
Flores; Chalker Flores, LLP
(Continued)
(57) ABSTRACT
(51) Int. Cl.
323K 10/00 (2006.01) An apparatus for synergistically combining a plasma With a
A23B 4/015 (2006.01) comminution means such as a ?uid kinetic energy mill (jet
(Continued) mill), preferably in a single reactor and/ or in a single process
step is provided by the present invention. Within the appara
(52) US. Cl.
tus of the invention potential energy is converted into kinetic
CPC . A23B 4/015 (2013.01); A23L 2/50 (2013.01);
energy and subsequently into angular momentum by means
A23L 3/26 (2013.01); B01J19/008 (2013.01);
of wave energy, for comminuting, reacting and separation of
(Continued)
feed materials. Apparatuss of use of the apparatus in the
(58) Field of Classi?cation Search practice of various processes are also provided by the present
CPC .. C02F 1/30; C02F 2103/16; C02F 2305/023; invention.
H05H1/26; H05H 1/30; H05H1/34; H05H
1/48 66 Claims, 19 Drawing Sheets
US 8,981,250 B2
Page 2
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US. Patent Mar. 17, 2015 Sheet 1 0f 19 US 8,981,250 B2
Plasma torches
aligned
tangentially to
create plasma
vodex
Microwave Plasma
Torch provides free
electrons and
conductive ionized
gases
Combined RF Coil
& Jet Nozzle Ring
US. Patent Mar. 17, 2015 Sheet 2 0f 19 US 8,981,250 B2
112
110011BA ,~q jjjj;,,,,,, 100
104A » "
US. Patent Mar. 17, 2015 Sheet 3 0f 19 US 8,981,250 B2
110
US. Patent Mar. 17, 2015 Sheet 4 0f 19 US 8,981,250 B2
110
101A 104A
‘ k102104103
101
US. Patent Mar. 17, 2015 Sheet 5 0f 19 US 8,981,250 B2
110
105
10c6\:.“
105
, k102104103 103
B A ,A_\
FIG. 3C
US. Patent Mar. 17, 2015 Sheet 6 0f 19 US 8,981,250 B2
110
8%
104 if,
FIG. 4
> 100
US. Patent Mar. 17, 2015 Sheet 7 0f 19 US 8,981,250 B2
Coke, Sludge,
Coal, Biomass,
Drill Cuttings, Top Outlet
MSW, Red Mud,
Salt Cake from
Al. Refining
// /
,, I .
“Rwy / “NW, %
Plasma Jet Nozzles
Windings
Bottom Outlet
FIG. 6