Enviromental Application of Plasma Technology

  • Published : 2014.02.10

Abstract

Toxic waste disposal: Many people think that when toxic waste is dumped into the ocean or into the air, it disappears. This belief is incorrect. Rather than disappearing, it accumulates over time and slowly destroys the environment. Ultimately, it leads to the destruction of human race. Plasma is environmentally friendly: Plasma is environmentally friendly because it is created and disappears. When plasma is formed on the earth, you need certain conditions such as accelerating electrons by an electrical discharge or a particle accelerator. When this is gone, plasma completely disappears, leaving no impact on the environment. Plasmas produce radicals: Even if plasma density is low at atmospheric pressure, many radicals (excited states of molecules) are created. These radicals are chemically very aggressive. So instead of using harmful chemicals, plasma can be utilized for less of an impact on the environment. Plasma can reach very high temperatures: Plasma is also useful because when you control the density, you can easily reach high temperatures up to $5000{\sim}6000^{\circ}C$ at atmosphere pressure. Because of this heat and the chemical aggressiveness of the plasma, there are many green applications for plasma technology. Pulsed power technology: Pulsed electric field for extraction, drying and killing bacteria. Treatment of biological tissue by pulsed electric fields: Extraction of substances from cells: Sterilisation, Medical applications, Growth stimulation, Food preparation. Each application has its specialities, especially with respect to pulse shape and electric field strength.

Keywords