Nitric Oxide Generator Based on Pulsed Arc Discharge

Nitric oxide (NO) is increasingly being used in medical applications. Currently, a gas cylinder of N2 mixed with a high concentration of NO is used in the NO inhalation system. However, this arrangement is potentially risky due to the possibility of accidental leak of NO from the cylinder. The presence of NO in air leads to the formation of nitric dioxide (NO2), which is toxic to the lungs. Therefore, an on-site generation of NO would be very desirable for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and other related illnesses. Previously, our group reported the production of NO using a pulsed arc discharge. In this work, the prototype of the on-site NO generator was developed and the performances of the NO generator were demonstrated for medical applications.