Patent · US Expired

Electric arc reactor having upstream and downstream electrodes

US5296672A · kind A · utility

16Cited by
6References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 21, 1991
Grant dateMar 22, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 21, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05H1/50
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An electric arc reactor having a substantially straight feed material passage extending through both the anode and the cathode. Gas is fed into the gap between the two electrodes so as to swirl about the axis of the feed passage and thereby confine the lateral extend of the arc and also confine the location at which the upstream arc root attaches to the upstream electrode. An enlargement of the passage in the gap end of the upstream electrode provides an internal sloping root attachment surface. A similar enlargement may be provided in the downstream electrode, but spaced from the gap, if the downstream electrode forms the cathode. Gas flow in a direction towards the upstream end of the feed passage is used to control the location at which an arc root attaches to the sloping surface of a passage enlargement. Magnetic means is provided to induce rotation of the arc such as to form a hollow arc column which is coaxial with the feed passage and through which feed material can pass.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.