Control and Stabilization of Centimeter Scale Glow Discharge in Ambient Air Using Pulse-Width Modulation

Vladislav Gamaleev,Masaru Hori,Nikolay Britun

doi:10.1109/access.2020.3035534

Vladislav Gamaleev, Masaru Hori + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2020.3035534

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Abstract

Re-pulsing glow discharges in atmospheric-pressure air were experimentally investigated using a push-pull generator with pulse-width modulation. Discharges were ignited as a spark-glow discharge sequence and sustained in a glow regime after ignition in a gap of 2 cm and characterized by current and voltage measurements, as well as by optical emission spectroscopy. It was found that at a certain range of parameters, the discharge could be stabilized even in the presence of external airflow. It was demonstrated that the type of discharge and total power dissipated in the plasma volume could be precisely controlled by pulse-width modulation. Additionally, it was confirmed that the rotational temperature varied across a wide range (1640-2440 K) by using pulse-width modulation with gas-flow control, when vibrational temperature was around 4610 ± 770 K. The generation of stable glow discharge in the presence of gas flow with a wide range of parameters that could be precisely controlled by pulse-width modulation looks promising for use in energy-efficient gas conversion.

Highlights

The rapid development of atmospheric-pressure plasma sources over the last two decades has led to the use of plasma in a large number of applications where samples are not compatible under low-pressure conditions [1]–[5]
On the other hand, growing demands in nitric compounds, which are a crucial part of most fertilizers, led to the requirement for the large-scale production of ammonia and nitric oxide, which are commonly used as precursors for the synthesis of more complex molecules [15], [16]
In the case without pulse-width modulation, the signal produced by the push–pull generator was controlled by limiting the voltage and current supplied by the direct current power supply unit (DC PSU) to the push–pull generator [24]

Summary

Introduction

The rapid development of atmospheric-pressure plasma sources over the last two decades has led to the use of plasma in a large number of applications where samples are not compatible under low-pressure conditions [1]–[5]. The most common way to produce ammonia and nitric oxide from nitrogen molecules (so called “nitrogen fixation”) is the Haber–Bosch process. Nonequilibrium atmospheric-pressure plasma sources are looking promising as a possible replacement of the Haber–Bosch process for nitrogen fixation [15], [16]. There are few works reporting nitrogen fixation using atmospheric-pressure plasma sources with considerably high efficiency that, together with the use of renewable-energy sources (solar- and windpower plants), can make plasma a “green” technology for nitrogen fixation [15], [17]–[21]

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