Do it yourself experiment:
The Asymmetrical Plasma Electrolysis (APE) experiment
created on October 5, 2005 - JLN Labs - January 17, 2006
Toutes les informations et schémas sont publiés gratuitement ( freeware ) et sont destinés à un usage personnel et non commercial
All informations and diagrams are published freely (freeware) and are intended for a private use and a non commercial use.

The Asymmetrical Plasma Electrolysis (APE) is a simple experiment which can be easily performed with few material and uses a common lab equipement. This experiment will demonstrate you very easily that a glow discharge plasma can be observed on the CATHOD during an electrolysis process at a high voltage ( ~ 200 V DC ).

This is the main process used during the high temperature plasma electrolysis (CFR) experiment from Tadahiko Mizuno from the univerity of Hokkaido in Japan.
A similar experiment has also been performed by Renzo Mondaini (Italy).

To conduct this experiment you need :

• 1 auto-transformer (0-270V) 13A, 3.51 KVA
• 1 circuit breaker (230V, 16A )
• 2 diodes 400 V 5A
• 1 capacitor 2200 µF, 500V
• 1 borrosilicate beaker ( 1000 mL )
• 2 pure tugnsten rods (commonly used for TIG welding) 2 mm diameter 150 mm length
• 400 mL of a solution of Potassium Carbonate (K₂CO₃) at 0.2 M

Below, the photo of the basic setup for the APE experiment :

The borosilicate beaker is filled with 400 mL of demineralized water and Potassium Carbonate ( K₂CO₃ ). The electrolyte solution commonly used is 0.2 molar ( 0.2 M ).

For the Potassium Carbonate ( K2CO3 ) :
The weight of 1 Mole is 138.2 g. If you want to have a 0.2 molar solution ( 0.2 M or 0.2 mol/L ) :
for 1 liter, you need to add : 0.2 * 138.2 * 1 = 27.64 g of K₂CO₃
i.e : for 400 mL of demineralized water, you need to add : 0.2 * 138.2 * 0.4 = 11 g of K₂CO₃

Use a DC Power Supply, don't use AC voltage. Below, you will find a diagram of a simple power supply that you can use :

Disclaimer : The author assumes no liability for any incidental, consequential or other liability from the use of this information. All risks and damages, incidental or otherwise, arising from the use or misuse of the information contained herein are entirely the responsibility of the user. Although careful precaution has been taken in the preparation of this material. Be Carefull, you must conduct this test in a well ventiled room or better in open air, you must not smoke during the test. This experiment is not intended for the inexperienced. User of this document should be very carefull to try anything out ! If you do it, the risk of any results is just yours. I take no responsibility of anything that might happen, let it be of a wrong information or anything else.

Safety :

• BE CAREFULL, EVERY TIMES don't forget to disconnect your device from the power grid line BEFORE you touch it...
• Conduct your experiment in a well ventiled room,
• Use protective glasses to protect your eyes,
• Wear a chemistery blouse,
• Use high temperature gloves to protect your hands,
• Don't put too much voltage ( less than 300 V DC ) at the input of reactor.

Procedure :

Test Setup #1 : A common electrolysis effect

Important : The left rod must be deeply immersed (40 mm) and the right rod a little immersed (15 mm)

1. The 16A breaker and the autotransformer are switched off,
2. The negative wire is connected to the left rod and the positive wire is connected to the right rod,
3. Set the autotransformer to 0 Volt and switch on the power supply,
4. Turn the knob of the autotransformer so as to get 270V DC on the APE device, you will read about 200 V AC on the transformer,
5. Look at the result, you will see a common electrolysis process (see the photo below)...

Test Setup #2 : A GLOW DISCHARGE PLASMA on the CATHOD

Important : In the test #2, the rods setup remains inchanged but the wire polarity is reversed.

1. The 16A breaker and the autotransformer are switched off,
2. The positive wire is connected to the left rod and the negative wire is connected to the right rod,
3. Set the autotransformer to 0 Volt and switch on the power supply,
4. Turn the knob of the autotransformer so as to get 270V DC on the APE device, you will read about 200 V AC on the transformer,
5. Look at the result, you will see a GLOW DISCHARGE PLASMA effect on the CATHOD only (see the photo below)...

I wish you a good APE replication experiment
I shall be glad if you could sent me some photos of your working APE....

For more informations, please contact Jean-Louis Naudin : JNaudin509@aol.com

I suggest you to see Also :

Interesting : Electrical power from the plasma ?...

Do It Yourself : The basic CFR experiment

Do It Yourself : The Enhanced CFR experiment

Documents and references :

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