Process and apparatus for chemical conversion

Abstract

A process and reactor for chemical conversion is taught. The process allows the selective breaking of chemical bonds in a molecule by use of fast rise alternating current or fast rise pulsed direct current, each fast rise portion being selected to have a suitable voltage and frequency to break a selected chemical bond in a molecule. The reactor for carrying out such a process includes a chamber for containing the molecule and a generator for generating and applying the selected fast rise current.

1 . A process for breaking a chemical bond in a molecule comprising: applying to the molecule a high voltage electrical discharge having a selected active high frequency component and at least sufficient amplitude to break the chemical bond.  
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the frequency is substantially a primary or harmonic of the natural oscillating frequency of the chemical bond.  
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the electrical discharge is an alternating current or a pulsed direct current.  
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 3  wherein the current is generated by a resonating circuit and the high frequency component is created by the capacitance and inductance of the reactor.  
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecule is oxygen.  
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecule is selected from the group comprising CF 3 Br, CF 2 BrCl, C 2 F 4 Br 2  and CF 2 COBr.  
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecule is a polychlorinated biphenyl.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for breaking a chemical bond in a molecule, the molecule being in a gas or vapour state comprising: a chamber for containing the molecule having two separate electrodes; and electrical signal generator means for applying a periodic waveform between the electrodes, the waveform having an active high frequency component and amplitude to selectively break the chemical bond.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the periodic waveform is an alternating current or a pulsed direct current.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the waveform comprises a high frequency component selected to be substantially a primary or harmonic of bond's natural oscillating frequency.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the electrical signal generating means utilizes the chamber as a reactive component of its resonating circuit.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  where the resonating circuit comprises a feedback to compensate for changes in the gas or vapour dielectric constant.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the circuit comprises a transistor having a feedback winding in its emitter.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the two separate electrodes form a capacitive component of a resonant circuit, in said electrical signal generator means, the inductive component of which is an output transformer for applying the periodic waveform across the two separate electrodes.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the resonating circuit is impedance matched to the reactor.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the apparatus is mounted in parallel with further substantially similar apparatus, each being connected to a common output chamber for combination of modified chemicals.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 8  formed to allow heating thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 8  formed to allow changes in the pressure within the chamber.