|
Basics on Non-Thermal Plasma (NTP): |
NTP (also known as "a cold
plasma"), is formed by
numerous low energy discharge streams between anode and cathode
electrodes. Free electrons of this plasma are then accelerated by
electrical fields to energies thousand times as much as ion energies.
This leaves the gas between electrodes and electrodes itself at the
original (room) temperature.
It gives a possibility for a fast + cold sterilization.
The vendor task is to
build an NTP system with a diverse (over 1 to 1000´s) “non-equilibrium, cold” plasma uniformly over sterilized products.
|
|
|
| Cold
plasma
sterilizes with four different processes: |
-
oxidation processes with
active radicals formed by electrons e
+ (O2; H2O)
>> (O)•, •(OH), (O2-),
(O3)
,
- damaging
DNA by electron collisions with micro-organisms,
- stretching and disrupting bacteria with electric fields of up to 10 MegaV/m,
- UV germicidal action (the least of 3 above processes, yet is a
useful contribution). |
|
|
| Cold
plasma also
purifies gases or surfaces: |
|
by electron collisions with hazardous compounds.
Unsafe products of such collisions and original pollutants are transformed to safe compounds through oxidation processes, listed above. |
|
|
|
Flat and cylindrical NTP systems: |
|
|
|
 |
A flat reactor with a dielectric barrier discharge, known also as "a
silent discharge plasma" (SDP) reactor, (left), is for sterilzing packaging
materials, SteriBeam offers inexpensive demo-systems for pilot tests to find
optimal pulse NTP-PET parameters for your application and your sizes of flat
products.
The NTP-PEF flat narrow chamber:
1. HV
anode plate, 2. dielectric barrier,
3. sterilized surface layer,
4. non-thermal corona streams,
5. cathode plate. It can be also a cylindrical coaxial configuration
where the anode is inner tube and the cathode is the external tube - for
treating liquids passing between these two tubes.. |
| |
|
|
 |
Type 2:
coaxial pulsed corona reactor (PCR) for gases (left):1. central
electrode-wire,
2. tube-electrode,
3. non-thermal corona streams,
4. treated gas flow.
|
| |
|
|
 |
This system
employs fast-rising (100 ns), short duration (200-300 ns), high-voltage (up
to 30 kV) pulses
at a pre-selected repetition rate (1-100 Hz) to a coaxial wire/tube geometry. This results in multiple streamers (by electron avalanches)
filling all the space inside the tube-reactor with free energetic
(10-100´s eV) electrons. |
|
Corona-real-time photos above are courtesy
to the HV Dept. of Eindhoven Univ., (NL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advatages of SteriBeam NTP Systems: |
|
| |
|
|
We offer both types
of
NTP
systems:
1. R&D for surfaces
and
2. R&D
with gas flows |
SteriBeam systems GmbH is recognized as a
leader in its accomplishments, relating to such NTP purification
applications, through its involvement in the academic community and
for its fusion of the engineering and science. SteriBeam
Systems has developed and placed into service unique multi-parameter
Bench-Top R&D systems, which offer the flexibility of complete control
over the entire cold plasma process. Systems can be engineered to accommodate
individual customer requirements.
SteriBeam uses state-of-the-art HV switching technology and Pulse Forming Networks,
designs its own customized electrodes and gas filling to reach targeted
cold plasma conditions for effective sterilization / purification of
surfaces and /or gases. The control over cold plasma processes are
through inexpesive yet effective diagnostic instrumentation. Pilot tests
can be ordered with our available system.
|