Production of ozone by surface and glow discharge at cryogenic temperatures

The generation of ozone at cryogenic temperatures is investigated with a special interest in increasing the yield of ozone by using low temperatures of liquid natural gas. Two modes of plasma chemical processes are studied, both based on electric discharges: one is the high-frequency surface discharge mode under ordinary gas pressure and at a temperature above the liquid temperature of ozone at this pressure (-111°C); the other is the glow discharge mode under a low gas pressure (0.5-2.0 torr) and low gas temperature (-190°C). The surface discharge mode uses a novel ozonizer developed by the authors made of 92% high-purity alumina and tungsten electrodes sintered together. This ozonizer has an extremely high resistance to large temperature gradients and thermal shock, which is a prerequisite for cryogenic operation. The glow discharge mode uses a Pyrex glow tube with a separate liquid-ozone collector. A dramatic improvement in the energy yield of ozone generation is achieved in both modes of cryogenic operation. The results of preliminary test for cryogenic ozone generation are very encouraging