Electrodes for Nitric Oxide Generation

Abstract

Systems and methods for nitric oxide (NO) generation systems are provided. In some embodiments, an NO generation system comprises at least one pair of electrodes configured to generate a product gas containing NO from a flow of a reactant gas. The electrodes have elongated surfaces such that a plasma produced is carried by the flow of the reactant gas and glides along the elongated surfaces from a first end towards a second end of the electrode pair. A controller is configured to regulate the amount of NO in the product gas by the at least one pair of electrodes using one or more parameters as an input to the controller. The one or more parameters include information from a plurality of sensors configured to collect information relating to at least one of the reactant gas, the product gas, and a medical gas into which the product gas flows.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A nitric oxide (NO) generation system, comprising:
 at least one plasma chamber configured to house at least a first and second electrode, the first and second electrodes being configured to generate a product gas containing NO from a flow of a reactant gas, the first and second electrodes positioned in the at least one plasma chamber such that the first electrode extends from a first sidewall of the at least one plasma chamber and the second electrode extends from an opposing second sidewall of the plasma chamber such that at least a portion of the first electrode and at least a portion of the second electrode are parallel to one another; and   a controller configured to regulate an amount of nitric oxide in the product gas produced by the first and second electrodes using one or more parameters as an input to the controller, the one or more parameters including information from a plurality of sensors configured to collect information relating to at least one of the reactant gas, the product gas, and a gas into which the product gas flows.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned relative to one another to establish first and second arcing locations between the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the first arcing location is configured to be formed from an edge of the first electrode to a side of the second electrode, and the second arcing location is configured to be formed from an edge of the second electrode to a side of the first electrode. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein an alternating current is configured to be applied to the first and second electrodes such that breakdown occurs at both arcing locations. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the plasma chamber with the first and second electrodes are positioned in a replaceable cartridge having one or more connections for removably connecting the replaceable cartridge to the controller. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second electrodes are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of hafnium, glassy carbon, iridium, rhodium, platinum, graphite, carbon-carbon composite, steel, stainless steel, titanium, copper, nickel, tungsten-silver alloy, tungsten, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein more than one material is used to form the first and second electrodes, with a first material forming a tip of the first and second electrodes and a second material forming a shaft of the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         30 . A nitric oxide (NO) generation system, comprising:
 at least one plasma chamber configured to house at least a first and second electrode, the first and second electrodes being configured to generate a product gas containing NO from a flow of a reactant gas, the first and second electrodes being positioned in the at least one plasma chamber such that the first and second electrodes are parallel to one another, the first and second electrodes being configured to overlap to establish first and second arcing locations between the first and second electrodes; and   a controller configured to regulate an amount of nitric oxide in the product gas produced by the first and second electrodes using one or more parameters as an input to the controller, the one or more parameters including information from a plurality of sensors configured to collect information relating to at least one of the reactant gas, the product gas, and a gas into which the product gas flows.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the first arcing location is configured to be formed from an edge of the first electrode to a side of the second electrode, and the second arcing location is configured to be formed from an edge of the second electrode to a side of the first electrode. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein an alternating current is configured to be applied to the first and second electrodes such that breakdown occurs at the first and second arcing locations. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the plasma chamber with the first and second electrodes are positioned in a replaceable cartridge having one or more connections for removably connecting the replaceable cartridge to the controller. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one pair of electrodes is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of hafnium, glassy carbon, iridium, rhodium, platinum, graphite, carbon-carbon composite, steel, stainless steel, titanium, copper, nickel, tungsten-silver alloy, tungsten, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein more than one material is used to form the first and second electrodes, with a first material forming a tip of the first and second electrodes and a second material forming a surface of the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the flow of reactant gas through the at least one plasma chamber is parallel to the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         37 . A nitric oxide (NO) generation system, comprising:
 at least one plasma chamber configured to house at least a first and second electrode, the first and second electrodes being configured to generate a product gas containing NO from a flow of a reactant gas, the first and second electrodes being positioned in the at least one plasma chamber such that a surface of the first electrode and a surface of the second electrode are parallel in a region of an electrode gap, with the first and second electrodes approaching the gap from opposite directions; and   a controller configured to regulate an amount of nitric oxide in the product gas produced by the first and second electrodes using one or more parameters as an input to the controller, the one or more parameters including information from a plurality of sensors configured to collect information relating to at least one of the reactant gas, the product gas, and a gas into which the product gas flows.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the first arcing location is configured to be formed from an edge of the first electrode to a surface of the second electrode, and the second arcing location is configured to be formed from an edge of the second electrode to a surface of the first electrode. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the first and second electrodes extend from opposite walls of the at least one plasma chamber. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned in the at least one plasma chamber such that the first electrode extends from a first sidewall of the at least one plasma chamber and the second electrode extends from an opposing second sidewall of the plasma chamber such that the first electrode and the second electrode are parallel to one another. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the plasma chamber with the first and second electrodes are positioned in a replaceable cartridge having one or more connections for removably connecting the replaceable cartridge to the controller. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one pair of electrodes is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of hafnium, glassy carbon, iridium, rhodium, platinum, graphite, carbon-carbon composite, steel, stainless steel, titanium, copper, nickel, tungsten-silver alloy, tungsten, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein more than one material is used to form the first and second electrodes, with a first material forming a tip of the first and second electrodes and a second material forming a shaft of the first and second electrodes.