Electric field distributions along helium plasma jets

Abstract

Results of simulations of streamers propagating along the atmospheric-pressure helium plasma jets ejected from a thin tube into ambient air are presented. The computational model includes the equations governing the helium–air mixture composition along and across the jet, as well as the equations, describing streamer propagation in the mixture, for the electric field and the charged species densities. Streamer velocity and spatial–temporal profiles of plasma parameters are obtained for various values of the helium flow rate. It is shown, in agreement with available experimental data, that the electric field values in the heads of streamers increase nearly linearly with the distance from the tube exit and that the slope of this dependence decreases with the growth of the helium flow rate.