What is claimed is:
1. A process for treating a halogen-containing gas, comprising:
providing a treatment gas that includes at least one halogen-containing gas;
mixing at least one gaseous reducing agent with the treatment gas resulting in a feed gas mixture; and
generating a non-thermal plasma in the feed gas mixture in the presence of a liquid to reduce the halogen-containing gas.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the treatment gas comprises a mixture of about 0.000001 to about 25 volume % halogen-containing gas and at least one non-halogenated gas diluent.
3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the feed gas mixture does not exceed about 100 C. during generation of the non-thermal plasma.
4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises water.
5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the reducing agent is selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbon, ammonia, hydrazine, hydride, amine, and amide.
6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the liquid absorbs the heat produced from the reduction of the halogen-containing gas.
7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the non-thermal plasma comprises a silent discharge plasma.
8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the liquid has a boiling point of less than about 150 C. and a heat of vaporization of at least about 35 kJmole.
9. A process for treating a halogen-containing gas, comprising:
introducing a halogen-containing gas and a reducing agent into a chamber;
introducing a liquid into the chamber;
generating a non-thermal plasma in the chamber to reduce the halogen-containing gas; and
exhausting the resulting reduction product from the chamber.
10. A process according to claim 9, wherein the liquid flows through the chamber during generation of the non-thermal plasma.
11. A process according to claim 10, wherein the halogen-containing gas and the reducing agent flow through the chamber in a first current direction and the liquid flows through the chamber in a second current direction that is substantially co-current with the first current direction.
12. A process according to claim 10, wherein the halogen-containing gas and the reducing agent flow through the chamber in a first current direction and the liquid flows through the chamber in a second current direction that is substantially counter-current with the first current direction.
13. A process according to claim 9, wherein the chamber contains at least one electrode and the liquid flows as a film over at least a portion of the electrode.
14. A process according to claim 13, wherein the reducing agent is a gas that is introduced into the chamber by bubbling the gaseous reducing agent through the liquid film.
15. A process according to claim 9, wherein the liquid comprises water.
16. A process according to claim 13, wherein the non-thermal plasma is generated at or near a surface of the liquid film.
17. A process according to claim 9, wherein the reducing agent is selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbon, ammonia, hydrazine, hydride, amine, and amide.
18. A process according to claim 9, wherein the liquid absorbs the heat produced from the reduction of the halogen-containing gas.
19. A process according to claim 9, wherein the non-thermal plasma comprises a silent discharge plasma.
20. A process according to claim 9, wherein the temperature of the halogen-containing gas, the reducing agent, and the resulting reaction product do not exceed about 100 C. during generation of the non-thermal plasma.
21. A process according to claim 9, wherein the liquid has a boiling point of less than about 150 C. and a heat of vaporization of at least about 35 kJmole.
22. A process for treating a halogen-containing gas, comprising:
providing a treatment gas that includes at least one halogen-containing gas;
mixing at least one gaseous reducing agent with the treatment gas resulting in a feed gas mixture;
generating a non-thermal plasma in the feed gas mixture in the presence of liquid water to produce a reaction product mixture that includes a water-soluble halogen-containing reduction product; and
separating the water-soluble halogen-containing reduction product from the reaction product mixture.
23. A process according to claim 22, wherein the separating step comprises aqueous scrubbing.
24. A process for treating a halogen-containing gas, comprising:
providing a treatment gas that includes at least one halogen-containing gas;
mixing at least one gaseous reducing agent with the treatment gas resulting in a feed gas mixture;
generating a non-thermal plasma in the feed gas mixture in the presence of liquid water to reduce the halogen-containing gas and produce a water-soluble halogen-containing reduction product; and
dissolving at least a portion of the amount of the water-soluble halogen-containing reduction product into the liquid water.
25. A process for treating a halogen-containing gas, comprising:
providing a treatment gas that includes at least one halogen-containing gas;
mixing at least one gaseous reducing agent with the treatment gas resulting in a feed gas mixture; and
generating a plasma in the feed gas mixture in the presence of liquid water to reduce the halogen-containing gas.
26. A process according to claim 25, wherein the treatment gas comprises a mixture of about 0.000001 to about 25 volume % halogen-containing gas and at least one non-halogenated gas diluent.
27. A process according to claim 25, wherein the temperature of the feed gas mixture does not exceed about 100 C. during generation of the plasma.
28. A process according to claim 25, wherein the reducing agent is selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbon, ammonia, hydrazine, hydride, amine, and amide.
29. A process according to claim 25, wherein the liquid water absorbs the heat produced from the reduction of the halogen-containing gas.
30. A process for treating fluorine gas, comprising:
providing a treatment gas that includes fluorine gas;
mixing at least one reducing agent with the treatment gas resulting in a feed gas mixture; and
generating a non-thermal plasma in the feed gas mixture to convert the fluorine gas to hydrogen fluoride gas.
31. A process according to claim 30, wherein the treatment gas further comprises at least one non-halogenated gas.
32. A process according to claim 31, wherein the non-halogenated gas comprises nitrogen.
33. A process according to claim 30, wherein the treatment gas comprises about 0.000001 to about 25 volume % fluorine gas.
34. A process according to claim 30, wherein the reducing agent is selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbon, ammonia, hydrazine, hydride, amine, and amide.
35. A process according to claim 30, wherein the reducing agent comprises hydrogen.
36. A process according to claim 35, wherein the amount of hydrogen mixed with the fluorine gas is about 0.5:1 to about 4:1H2:F2 atom molar ratio.
37. A process according to claim 30, further comprising dissolving the hydrogen fluoride in water.
38. A process for treating fluorine gas, comprising:
providing a treatment gas that includes fluorine gas;
mixing at least one gaseous reducing agent with the treatment gas resulting in a feed gas mixture; and
generating a non-thermal plasma in the feed gas mixture in the presence of a liquid to convert the fluorine gas to hydrogen fluoride gas.
39. A process according to claim 38, wherein the treatment gas further comprises at least one non-halogenated gas.
40. A process according to claim 39, wherein the non-halogenated gas comprises nitrogen.
41. A process according to claim 38, wherein the treatment gas comprises about 0.000001 to about 25 volume % fluorine gas.
42. A process according to claim 38, wherein the reducing agent is selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbon, ammonia, hydrazine, hydride, amine, and amide.
43. A process according to claim 38, wherein the reducing agent comprises hydrogen.
44. A process according to claim 43, wherein the amount of hydrogen mixed with the fluorine gas is about 0.5:1 to about 4:1H2:F2 atom molar ratio.
45. A process according to claim 38, further comprising dissolving the hydrogen fluoride in water.
46. A process according to claim 38, wherein the liquid comprises water.
47. A process according to claim 44, wherein the liquid comprises water.
48. A process according to claim 38, wherein the liquid has a boiling point of less than about 150 C. and a heat of vaporization of at least about 35 kJmole.
49. A process for treating fluorine gas, comprising:
providing a treatment gas that includes fluorine gas;
mixing at least one hydrogen-donating gas with the treatment gas resulting in a feed gas mixture; and
generating a non-thermal plasma in the feed gas mixture in the presence of water to convert the fluorine gas to hydrogen fluoride gas.
50. A process for treating fluorine gas, comprising:
introducing fluorine gas into a chamber;
introducing a reducing agent into the chamber;
generating a non-thermal plasma in a mixture that includes the fluorine gas and the reducing agent contained in the chamber to reduce the fluorine gas to hydrogen fluoride; and
exhausting the hydrogen fluoride from the chamber.
51. A process according to claim 50, further comprising introducing a liquid into the chamber.
52. A process according to claim 51, wherein the chamber contains at least one electrode and the liquid flows as a film over at least a portion of the electrode.
53. A process according to claim 52, wherein the reducing agent is a gas that is introduced into the chamber by bubbling the gaseous reducing agent through the liquid film.
54. A process according to claim 51, wherein the liquid comprises water.
55. A process according to claim 50, wherein the fluorine gas is included in a mixture with nitrogen.
56. A process according to claim 50, wherein the reducing agent is selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbon, ammonia, hydrazine, hydride, amine, and amide.
57. A process for treating a halogen-containing gas, comprising:
providing a chamber defining at least one gas inlet for receiving a feed gas mixture that includes a halogen-containing gas and a gaseous reducing agent, and at least one water inlet for receiving liquid water;
providing at least one first electrode disposed within the chamber;
providing at least one second electrode disposed within the chamber;
flowing the liquid water over at least a portion of the first electrode; and
applying electric potential to the first and second electrodes so as to generate a plasma in the feed gas mixture and reduce the halogen-containing gas.
58. A process according to claim 57, wherein a dielectric barrier is disposed on a surface of at least one of the first or second electrodes and the generated plasma comprises a non-thermal plasma.
59. A process according to claim 57, further comprising providing gasliquid scrubbing packing material within the chamber.
60. A process for treating a halogen-containing gas, comprising:
providing a chamber defining at least one first gas inlet for receiving a halogen-containing gas, and at least one water inlet for receiving liquid water;
providing at least one first electrode disposed within the chamber and defining at least one second gas inlet for receiving a gaseous reducing agent;
providing at least one second electrode disposed within the chamber;
flowing the liquid water over at least a portion of the first electrode;
introducing the gaseous reducing agent through the liquid water and into the chamber so as to mix with the halogen-containing gas and form a feed gas mixture; and
applying electric potential to the first and second electrodes so as to generate a plasma in the feed gas mixture and reduce the halogen-containing gas.
61. A process according to claim 60, wherein a dielectric barrier is disposed on a surface of at least one of the first or second electrodes and the generated plasma comprises a non-thermal plasma.
62. A process according to claim 60, further comprising providing gasliquid scrubbing packing material within the chamber.
63. A plasma reactor apparatus, comprising:
a chamber defining at least one first gas inlet for receiving a first gas, and at least one water inlet for receiving liquid water;
at least one first electrode disposed within the chamber and defining a first surface that is in fluid communication with the water inlet for receiving liquid water, and at least one second gas inlet for receiving a second gas; and
at least one second electrode disposed within the chamber and opposing the first surface of the first electrode;
wherein a dielectric barrier is disposed on at least one of the first surface of the first electrode or a surface of the second electrode.
64. An apparatus according to claim 63, wherein the first electrode defines a plurality of second gas inlets.
65. An apparatus according to claim 63, further comprising gasliquid scrubbing packing material disposed within the chamber.
66. An apparatus according to claim 63, further comprising an electrochemical cell that is in fluid communication with the second gas inlet.
67. An apparatus according to claim 63, wherein the first electrode defines a cylinder shape and is immersed in the liquid water.
68. An apparatus according to claim 63, comprising a plurality of spaced-apart first electrodes and a plurality of second gas inlets defined by the spaces between the spaced-apart first electrodes.
69. A system for treating a halogen-containing gas, comprising:
a plasma reactor for reducing halogen-containing gas;
a halogen-containing gas source in fluid communication with the plasma reactor;
a reducing agent source in fluid communication with the plasma reactor; and
a liquid source in fluid communication with the plasma reactor.
70. A system for treating fluorine gas, comprising:
a non-thermal plasma reactor for converting fluorine gas to hydrogen fluoride;
a fluorine gas source in fluid communication with the non-thermal plasma reactor;
a hydrogen gas source in fluid communication with the non-thermal plasma reactor; and
a liquid water source in fluid communication with the non-thermal plasma reactor.
71. A system according to claim 70, wherein the fluorine gas source comprises an effluent gas from a manufacturing process.
72. A system according to claim 70, further comprising a gasliquid scrubber unit in fluid communication with a hydrogen fluoride exhaust outlet from the non-thermal plasma reactor.
73. A system according to claim 70, further comprising a water recycling conduit that is in fluid communication with the non-thermal plasma reactor and the liquid water source.
74. A plasma reactor apparatus, comprising:
a chamber;
means for generating a non-thermal plasma in the chamber that includes at least one electrode;
means for introducing a liquid over at least a portion of the electrode; and
means for bubbling a first gas through the liquid for reaction in the non-thermal plasma.
75. An apparatus according to claim 74, further comprising means for introducing a second gas into the chamber.
76. An apparatus according to claim 74, wherein the electrode defines a boundary along which the liquid can flow.
77. An apparatus according to claim 74, further comprising means for introducing the first gas through the electrode and into the liquid.
78. A plasma reactor apparatus, comprising:
a chamber having an interior void;
means for generating a non-thermal plasma in the interior void of the chamber that includes at least one electrode;
means for introducing a liquid over at least a portion of the electrode;
means for introducing a first gas through the liquid and into the interior void of the chamber; and
means for introducing a second gas into the interior of the chamber.
79. An apparatus according to claim 78, further comprising means for electrochemically generating the first gas, wherein the electrochemical means is in fluid communication with the means for introducing the first gas into the interior void of the chamber.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-35. (canceled)
36. A system, comprising:
one or more hardware processors and one or more computer memories together providing:
an email proxy pre-processing module that is configured to allow designation of a proxy email address that is associated with a primary email address but distinct from the primary email address to receive email from email addresses not on an authorized senders list, wherein the authorized senders list maintains email addresses authorized to have emails sent to the primary email address received by the primary email address, wherein, upon receiving incoming email addressed to the proxy email address from an email address not on the authorized senders list, the email proxy pre-processing module is further configured to accept the email and to add the email address from which the incoming email was received to the authorized senders list.
37. The system of claim 36 further comprising an unauthorized-email rejection component that is configured to be positioned in the flow of incoming email upstream from an email-receiving server, such as to intercept unauthorized email and to prevent unauthorized email from reaching the email-receiving server.
38. The system of claim 37, further comprising a web-based messaging (WBM) component configured to send a message to an email address from which rejected email is received inviting to validate the email address from which rejected email is received as an authorized’ sending email address.
39. The system of claim 38, wherein the WBM component is further configured to specify a predetermined time period for the email address from which rejected email is received to be validated as an authorized sending email address.
40. The system of claim 38, wherein the WBM component is further configured to require an interaction procedure to be passed to show that a mechanical program is not seeking to automatically validate the email address from which rejected email is received.
41. The system of claim 40, wherein the interaction procedure includes a display of a graphic image of a word or object, and an input to enter in a text word in response to the graphic image, whereby the system can confirm that the interaction procedure is not being performed by a mechanical program.
42. The system of claim 36 further comprising an unauthorized-email rejection component having an authorized senders list (ASL) module configured to maintain email addresses authorized to have email sent to the primary email address received by the primary email address, wherein the unauthorized-email rejection component is configured to operate with an email-receiving server to intercept and reject any email addressed to the primary email address received from an email address not on the authorized senders list, wherein the unauthorized-email rejection component is further configured to, upon the ASL module determining that incoming email is received from an email address that is not on the authorized senders list, reject the incoming email with an industry standard \u201cno such user\u201d error message.
43. The system of claim 36 further comprising an unauthorized-email rejection component that is configured to, in response to the email proxy pre-processing module receiving incoming email addressed to the proxy email address from an email address not on the authorized senders list, add to the authorized senders list an entry indicating all email addresses of the same domain as the email address from which the incoming email is received.
44. The system of claim 36, wherein the email proxy pre-processing module includes a control parameter configured to limit usage of the proxy email address,to terminate acceptance of email sent to the proxy email address from email addresses not on the authorized senders list, and to prevent addition to the authorized senders list.
45. The system of claim 44, wherein the control parameter is a maximum number of different email addresses from which email sent to the proxy email address will be accepted.
46. The system of claim 44, wherein the control parameter is a maximum period of time after the most recent email from an email address not on the authorized senders list was accepted that the next email from an email address not on the authorized senders list may be accepted.
47. A method, comprising:
designating a proxy address that is associated with a primary address but distinct from the primary address to receive electronic messages from other addresses not on an authorized senders list, wherein the authorized senders list maintains addresses authorized to have electronic messages sent to the primary address received by the primary address,
upon receiving an incoming electronic message addressed to the proxy address from an address not on the authorized senders list,
accepting the incoming electronic message; and
adding the address from which the incoming electronic message was received to the authorized senders list.
48. The method of claim 47 further comprising, upon receiving an incoming electronic message addressed to the proxy address from an address not on the authorized senders list, adding to the authorized senders list an entry indicating all addresses of the same domain as the address from which the incoming electronic message is received.
49. The method of claim 47 further comprising, setting a control parameter for limiting usage of the proxy address and terminating acceptance of electronic messages sent to the proxy address from addresses not on the authorized senders list and preventing addition to the authorized senders list.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein the control parameter is a maximum number of different addresses not on the authorized senders list from which electronic message sent to the proxy address will be accepted.
51. The method of claim 49, wherein the control parameter is a maximum period of time after the most recent electronic message from an address not on the authorized senders list was accepted that the next electronic message from an address not on the authorized senders list may be accepted.
52. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
instructions to designate a proxy email address that is associated with a primary email address but distinct from the primary email address to receive email from email addresses not on an authorized senders list, wherein the authorized senders list maintains email addresses authorized to have email sent to the primary email address received by the primary email address,
instructions to, upon receiving incoming email addressed to the proxy email address from an email address not on the authorized senders list,
accept the incoming email; and
add the email address from which the incoming email was received to the authorized senders list.
53. The computer-readable storage device of claim 52 further comprising instructions to establish a control parameter for limiting usage of the proxy email address and terminating acceptance of email sent to the proxy email address from email addresses not on the authorized senders list and preventing addition to the authorized senders list
54. One or more computer memories collectively storing a proxy email address data structure, the data structure comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising:
information indicating a primary email address;
information indicating a proxy email address associated with the indicated primary email address that is distinct from the indicated primary email address;
information indicating a maximum number of sending email addresses that may be instantiated for the indicated proxy email address, wherein the maximum number of sending email addresses is at least two; and
information indicating the total number of sending email addresses that have been instantiated for the indicated proxy email address,
wherein the contents of the data structure may be used to forward a message addressed to the proxy email address indicated by a distinguished entry received from an uninstantiated sending email address to the primary email address indicated by the distinguished entry only if the maximum number of sending email addresses that may be instantiated indicated by the distinguished entry exceeds the total number of instantiated sending email addresses indicated by the distinguished entry.
55. The computer memories of claim 54 wherein at least one entry including the distinguished entry further comprises:
information indicating a relative expiration period length for the entry; and
information indicating the most recent date on which a sending email address was instantiated for the indicated proxy email address,
wherein that the contents of the data structure may be used to forward a message addressed to the proxy email address indicated by a distinguished entry received from a presently-unknown sending email address to the primary email address indicated by the distinguished entry only if both (a) the maximum number of sending email addresses that may be instantiated indicated by the distinguished entry exceeds the total number of instantiated sending email addresses indicated by the distinguished entry, and (b) the current date is earlier than a date obtained by adding the relative expiration period length indicated by the distinguished entry to the most recent date on which a sending email address was instantiated indicated by the distinguished entry.