Hydrogen isotope exchange reactions in an atmospheric pressure discharge utilizing water as carrier gas

Allowing water/hydrogen or water/hydrogen/He gas mixture to flow through micro-hollow type of electrodes and applying 60 Hz A C power between the electrodes made it possible to sustain large area and atmospheric pressure discharge. The electrode assembly was constructed by sandwiching a dielectric spacer with two thin metal sheets and boring an array of micro holes through them. Another variation of the assembly was prepared by stacking thin metallic sheets so that the stack functions as an electrode through which the gas mixture flows for generating dielectric barrier discharge. A large volume of the gas mixture, while producing plasma, underwent instantaneous hydrogen isotope exchange reactions between H2O and D2O or between D2O and H-2 gas molecules. The efficiency of the atmospheric pressure discharge was assessed by measuring the extent of the exchange reactions at a given flow rate of the gas mixture.