A non-thermal plasma reactor and method provides individually retained reactor plates. The method comprises stacking an alternating sequence of positive and negative reactor plates to form a reactor stack, placing temporary spacers between the positive and negative reactor plates. In one embodiment, individually retained reactor plates are secured by folds of a ceramic insulating layer extending between plate pairs, with reactor plates secured by the stack retention material and the folds of the ceramic insulting layer. In a second embodiment, individually retained reactor plates are secured with a permanent pleated insulting mica separator disposed on each side of the reactor. In a third embodiment, a retention material extends slightly into the exhaust gas passage at each side of the stack supplying permanent support for the stacked plates.
An energy conversion cell for converting electric power into heat. The cell includes a non-conductive housing formed of spaced, preferably glass outer plates sealed along common perimeters thereof to define a closed interior volume or chamber. At least two catalytic plates are held spaced apart in the interior volume, preferably separated by a dielectric plate. The catalytic plates are preferably formed of very thin palladium plate material. A gas passage in gas communication with the interior volume is connectable to a source of pressurized hydrogen (H.sub.2) or deuterium (D.sub.2) gas deliverable into said interior volume. A high voltage a.c. electric power source is connectable through a high voltage step-up transformer between each of the catalytic plates whereby, when a.c. electric current flows through the catalytic plates and across the dielectric plate, the interior volume, being filled with hydrogen or deuterium gas, heat is produced within the interior volume for external use.
A non-thermal plasma reactor is provided. The non-thermal plasma reactor includes a plasma-generating substrate, a housing and a mat. The plasma-generating substrate has one or more flow paths for an exhaust gas. The housing has an inlet and an outlet. The mat retains the plasma-generating substrate in the housing such that the one or more flow paths are in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet. A voltage is supplied to the plasma-generating substrate to generate a plasma field. An electrically insulating layer is disposed between the plasma-generating substrate and the housing for preventing an arc of electricity from the plasma-generating substrate and/or the voltage to the housing.
