Moving atmospheric microwave plasma for surface and volume treatment

A new type of atmospheric pressure microwave sustained plasma is introduced for surface and volume treatment. The special characteristic of this device is the self-moving behaviour of the plasma and its ability to move through the inside of tubular dielectric structures. These features are especially suitable for treatments of large and heat sensitive objects as could be demonstrated, e.g. by treatment of inner surfaces of plastic bottles. The plasma source consists of a magnetron of typical power of 2-6 kW, a circulator and a special waveguide for plasma operation including a termination by a movable shortcut and an ignition post. The device can be operated horizontal or vertical. The velocity of the plasma can be changed by microwave power and circulation gas flow. The presented work is focused on the first parameter studies performed on a plasma applicator designed for inner tube treatments. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.