The present invention provides a
glow discharge cell comprising an
electrically conductive cylindrical vessel having a first end and a second end, and at least one inlet and one outlet; a hollow
electrode aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical vessel and extending at least from the first end to the second end of the cylindrical vessel, wherein the hollow
electrode has an inlet and an outlet; a first insulator that seals the first end of the cylindrical vessel around the hollow
electrode and maintains a substantially
equidistant gap between the cylindrical vessel and the hollow electrode; a second insulator that seals the second end of the cylindrical vessel around the hollow electrode and maintains the substantially
equidistant gap between the cylindrical vessel and the hollow electrode; a non-conductive
granular material disposed within the gap, wherein the non-conductive
granular material (a) allows an
electrically conductive fluid to flow between the cylindrical vessel and the hollow electrode, and (b) prevents electrical arcing between the cylindrical vessel and the hollow electrode during a electric
glow discharge; and wherein the electric
glow discharge is created whenever: (a) the glow
discharge cell is connected to an electrical power source such that the cylindrical vessel is an
anode and the hollow electrode is a
cathode, and (b) the
electrically conductive fluid is introduced into the gap.