Filamentary Discharge Research Articles

Triggering Shock Wave Positions by Patterned Energy Deposition

The problem considered in this work is shock wave (SW) positioning control in shock-dominated flows. Experiments are conducted to investigate the triggering effect of patterned near-surface electrical discharges on SW reflection from plane walls. In the wind tunnel, M=4, P0 = 4 bar, a solid wedge SW generator is mounted on the upper wall. Q-DC filamentary electrical discharges were arranged on the opposite wall, so that the SW from the wedge impinged on the plasma filaments that are arranged flow-wise in either a row of three or a single central filament. Within the supersonic flow, narrow subsonic areas are actuated by electrical discharge thermal deposition, resulting in pressure redistribution, which, in turn, relocates the reflection of impinging SW to a predefined position. Mie scattering, schlieren imaging, and wall pressure measurements are used to explore the details of plasma-SW interaction. Using Mie scattering, the three-dimensional shape of the SW structure is mapped both before and after electrical discharge activation. Plasma-based triggering mechanisms are described in terms of the physical principles of flow control and a criterion for determining the effectiveness of the flowfield control.

Influence of pulsed gas injections on the stability of Townsend dielectric barrier discharges in nitrogen at atmospheric pressure

This work investigates the effects of pulsed nitrogen gas injections on the stability of Townsend dielectric barrier discharges operated in continuous nitrogen gas flows at atmospheric pressure. For single-pulse injections with pulse durations lower than the continuous gas residence time (∼50 ms), current–voltage characteristics reveal homogeneous discharges with a single current peak per half-cycle of the applied voltage. However, a sudden decrease of the discharge power over time combined with a temporary transition from homogeneous to filamentary discharge is observed for longer pulses at fixed pulsed gas flows and for higher pulsed gas flows at fixed pulse duration. In addition, for multiple pulsed gas injections with repetition frequencies between 0.1 and 10 Hz, discharge destabilisation increases with the number of pulses. Time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy reveals that, over the single pulse time scale, temporal variations of the emission intensities are longer than the expected residence times of the continuous and pulsed gas flows. Furthermore, a rise of oxygen impurities can be seen over both single and multiple-pulses time scales. Two-dimensional gas flow simulations reveal that pulsed injections introduce sharp and narrow temporal gas velocity profiles over the range of experimental conditions investigated, with no cumulative effects in the discharge cell from one pulse to the other. However, pulsed operation introduces significant changes in the neutral gas composition with time scales comparable to those revealed by electrical and optical diagnostics. In such conditions, the outgassing of impurities adsorbed on surfaces located upstream of the discharge cell plays a vital role in Townsend discharges’ physics and characteristics.

Active Flow Control of a Flame-Holder Wake Using Nanosecond-Pulsed Surface-Dielectric-Barrier Discharge in a Low-Pressure Environment

Flame holders are widely used in ramjet combustors. We propose using surface nanosecond-pulsed surface-dielectric-barrier-discharge (NS-DBD) to manipulate the flame-holder flow field experimentally. The electrical characteristics, induced flow performance, and temperature distribution of NS-DBD were investigated via the electrical and optical measurement system. In the filamentary discharge mode, the discharge energy rose with decrease of the ambient pressure. The discharge pattern of NS-DBD changed from filamentous to uniform around 5 kPa. Starting-vortex intensity and jet-flow angle relative to the wall increased at low pressure. The recirculation zone was asymmetrical at pressures above 60 kPa. The recirculation zone’s area and length were smaller at lower pressures, but when the actuator was operating, the recirculation zone was nearly 11.8% longer. The vorticity increased with pressure. When the pulse width was 300 ns, the actuator had the greatest effect, and the low velocity region (LVR) area and the fuel–air-mixture residence time (FMRT) could be increased by 31.8% and 20.5%, respectively. The actuator had a smaller widening effect on the LVR area at lower pressure. Rising-edge time should increase with pressure to optimize LVR increase; it should be above 300 ns to optimize FMRT increase. We conclude that NS-DBD is a viable method of controlling flame-holder airflow at low pressure.

SF 6 catalytic degradation in a γ‐Al 2 O 3 packed bed plasma system: A combined experimental and theoretical study

Effective abatement of the greenhouse gas sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) waste is of great importance for the environment protection. This work investigates the size effect and the surface properties of γ-Al2O3 pellets on SF6 degradation in a packed bed dielectric barrier discharge (PB-DBD) system. Experimental results show that decreasing the packing size improves the filamentary discharges and promotes the ignition and the maintenance of plasma, enhancing the degradation performance at low input powers. However, too small packing pellets decrease the gas residence time and reduce the degradation efficiency, especially for the input power beyond 80 W. Besides, lowering the packing size promotes the generation of SO2, while reduces the yields of S-O-F products, corresponding to a better degradation. After the discharge, the pellet surface becomes smoother with the appearance of S and F elements. Density functional theory calculations show that SF6 is likely to be adsorbed at the AlIII site over the γ-Al2O3(110) surface, and it is much more easily to decompose than in the gas phase. The fluorine gaseous products can decompose and stably adsorb on the pellet surface to change the surface element composition. This work provides a better understanding of SF6 degradation in a PB-DBD system.

Mode transition and uncertainty analysis of repetitive nanosecond pulsed discharge

The interest in plasma as a flame stabilization technique has been growing increasingly in the past decades. Specifically, repetitive nanosecond pulsed (RNP) discharge as a non-thermal plasma has shown some promising results due to its unique characteristics, like low-energy consumption, low gas temperature, and highly activated excited species/radicals. However, depending on the application, the advantages may be limited to specific modes in which the discharge occurs, including corona, diffuse, filamentary, and thermal spark discharge. To investigate the behavior of RNP discharge in a concentric electrode configuration, a series of experiments has been designed and performed. This behavior has been discussed in terms of the discharge modes and their transition as a function of flow condition (i.e., jet velocity) and pulse parameters (i.e., peak voltage and repetition frequency). The effect of the repetition frequency and jet velocity on three transition voltages of “diffuse to filamentary”, “filamentary to thermal spark”, and “diffuse to thermal spark” has been investigated. It is shown that decreasing the frequency or increasing jet velocity delays all three transitions. It is also observed that at frequencies lower than a critical value, the filamentary mode does not occur and the diffuse plasma directly turns into the thermal spark mode. It is also shown that by defining the Plasma Influence number, a more accurate and unified interpretation of the transition process can be provided. For example, for different combinations of the jet velocity and frequency, as long as the Plasma Influence number is smaller than 0.3, filamentary discharge cannot be maintained steadily.

Analysis of discharge characteristics of pulsed plasma power source in the microsecond scale

The characteristics test of plasma discharge is an essential physical basis for studying plasma flow control. The power consumption of pulsed plasma aerodynamic actuation is 30% lower than when the actuation voltage is a continuous sine wave. This paper uses a self-developed pulsed plasma power source to superimpose DC. The power source conducts the discharge measurement on the sliding discharge plasma. The experimental results show that the power source effectively outputs 0-20 kV pulsed high voltage. The superimposed DC power source generates a negative DC high voltage, accelerating the drift speed of positive ions in the plasma and forming a stable and uniform surface discharge. But the essence of pulse discharge is still filamentary discharge. In a cycle, the plasma discharge is mainly concentrated on the rising edge of the pulse. In contrast, the pulse current is bipolar, and the negative pulse current has a more obvious growth trend, which is more effective for improving the flow control ability.

Experimental Analysis of Cold Plasma With Glow Discharge Mechanism Under a Variety of Input Parameters

Cold plasma with a glow discharge mechanism is a homogeneous and effective mechanism of nonthermal plasma for industrial applications due to the continuous and stable discharge process compared with the filamentary discharge. The discharge mechanism is essentially dependent upon the input parameters of the plasma system, such as the voltage supply, excitation frequency, and the flow rate of the background gas. This article discusses the effects of input parameters on plasma discharge characteristics produced from the plasma jet reactor. The voltage and supply frequency are tuned to match the discharge gap and background gas flow rate in producing the homogeneous glow plasma discharge. The characteristics of the glow plasma discharge produced were analyzed based on the characteristics of the time–domain discharge current and charge-voltage Lissajous figure techniques. Results show that the most efficient and uniform plasma was disclosed by the configuration of input parameters such as 0.5 kV of the applied voltage, 20 kHz of operating frequency, and 0.8 L/min of purified helium gas flow rate. The single pulse of discharge current and parallelogram-like Lissajous figure obtained indicating the homogeneous plasma discharge with a constant value of discharge capacitance.

Proteomic profile of polar filament and polar tube from fungal pathogen microsporidium Nosema bombycis provides new insights into its unique invasion organelle

Microsporidium is a kind of intracellular fungal pathogen that greatly threatens the human health, breeding industry, and food security. All members of microsporidia possess a unique, highly specialized invasion organelle, described as the polar filament. Like “reversing a finger of gloves”, the polar filament discharges out of mature spores to transform as the polar tube, and pathogenic sporoplasm is transported to host cell through polar tube to complete infection. During the invasion process, the structure of polar filament and polar tube has changed, so does the protein composition on them? In this study, we firstly proposed a purification method for polar filament and polar tube from microsporidium Nosema bombycis which was infected silkworm Bombyx mori, and it was also found that the structure of polar filament and polar tube was obviously different. Therefore, the proteome of these two structures was comparatively analyzed. A total of 881 and 1216 proteins were respectively identified from the polar filament and polar tube. Ten potential novel polar tube proteins (PTPs) were screened, providing a reference for the novel PTPs identification. Compared with the polar filament, there were 35 upregulated and 41 downregulated proteins on the polar tube. GO and KEGG pathway analysis of all proteins from the polar filament and polar tube provided us with a profound understanding for the microsporidian germination process, which was of great significance for clarifying the infection mechanism of microsporidia. SignificanceMicrosporidia are obligate intracellular parasites that infect a wide variety of hosts, including humans. The polar filament is a unique invasion organelle for microsporidia, and it is also one of the important indexes of microsporidian taxonomy. The polar tube is deformed from the primitive polar filament in mature spores. During the germination, the polar filament turns into a polar tube, like “reversing a finger of gloves”, through which pathogenic sporoplasm is transported to host cells to complete infection. Since the structure of the polar filament and polar tube has changed, what about their protein composition? In this study, it was the first time to purify the polar filament and the polar tube from microsporidium Nosema bombycis that was infected silkworm Bombyx mori, which provided new insights for studying the invasion organelle of microsporidia. Comparing the fine structure of polar filament and polar tube, we found that their structure was obviously different. Therefore, the protein composition of these two structures is supposed to be varied. In this case, the proteome of these two structures was comparatively analyzed. A total of 881 and 1216 proteins were respectively identified from the polar filament and polar tube. Ten potential novel polar tube proteins (PTPs) were screened, providing a reference for the novel PTPs identification. Compared with the polar filament, there were 35 upregulated and 41 downregulated proteins on the polar tube. GO and KEGG pathway analysis of all proteins from the polar filament and polar tube provided us with a profound understanding for the microsporidian germination process, which was of great significance for clarifying the infection mechanism of microsporidia.

Fine structure of streamer-to-filament transition in high-pressure nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharge

Abstract The fine structure of a streamer-to-filament transition in a single-shot high-voltage nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharge in molecular nitrogen at pressure P = 6 bar was studied with the help of ICCD microimaging. An intermediate discharge structure, existing for only a few nanoseconds, was observed in the time interval between two discharge modes: streamer discharge, with a typical electron density of n e ∼ 1015 cm−3, and filamentary discharge, with n e ∼ 1019 cm−3. The structure was observed for both polarities of the high-voltage electrode. The structure can be briefly described as a stochastic appearance of thin channels propagating a bit faster than the main ionization front of merged surface streamers, transforming in a few nanoseconds in a bi-directional ionization wave. One wave, which we associate with a feather-like structure in optical emission, propagates further away from the high-voltage electrode, and another, a backward wave of emission, propagates back towards the edge of the high-voltage electrode. When the backward wave of emission almost reaches the high-voltage electrode, the filament appears. Plasma properties of the observed structure were studied to better understand the nature of a streamer-to-filament transition. Theoretical analysis suggests that the instability of a flat front of ionization wave (Laplacian instability) triggers the streamer-to-filament transition, and that a surface stem (a tiny region with enhanced electron density) should be in the origin of the bi-directional ionization wave.

Influence of high energy electrons on negative ion density in a hot cathode discharge

This study investigates the influence of high energy electrons on the negative ion density along with the effect of filament current, discharge voltage, pressure, and magnetic filter field strength by carrying out measurements of negative ion density in a hot cathode discharge system in the double plasma device using a Langmuir probe technique. In the volume production technique, negative ions are formed by the dissociative attachment of low energy electrons to metastable hydrogen molecules and among the negative ion loss mechanisms; the presence of high energy electrons in the plasma is one of the important factors. Although the magnetic filter could reduce the temperature of the electrons in the target region considerably, high energy electrons were still present in the diffusion region, which could reduce the negative ion density. Negative hydrogen ion density measured by using Langmuir probe in the target region is also compared with the particle balance model considering the set of reactions involved in the production and destruction of negative ions, and a reasonably good match between them has been observed.

Establishing an equivalent circuit for a quasihomogeneous discharge atmospheric-pressure plasma jet with a breakdown-voltage-controlled breaker and power supply circuit

To more accurately simulate the I–V diagram of a homogeneous and a filamentary plasma discharge with an equivalent circuit model, this study employed a breaker and passive circuit components and calculated the discharge parameters, such as equivalent discharge resistances and potential distribution, in an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). In addition, we calculated the gas-gap and dielectric capacitances of the APPJ and added a power supply equivalent circuit. Compared with other circuit models that use switches or a time-controlled current source to simulate the discharges, our present circuit model uses a breakdown-voltage-controlled breaker for the homogeneous discharge and resistors with high-frequency switches for the filamentary discharge. We employed potential simulation to obtain the equivalent dielectric capacitance in the APPJ and then derived the gas-gap capacitance. We also replaced the ideal sine wave power supply with the equivalent circuit of the common double-peak waveform power supply. MATLAB Simulink was used to construct an equivalent circuit model and the discharge area ratio, breakdown voltage and filamentary equivalent resistance were obtained via I–V waveform fitting. We measured the plasma I–V waveform with a 20 kHz frequency, various voltages (6, 12 and 15 kV), a gas flow rate of 30 standard liter per minute (SLM) and two types of gas (Ar and He). The simulated and experimental I–V waveforms were very close under the different conditions. In summary, the proposed equivalent circuit model more meaningfully describes the plasma physics to simulate homogeneous and filamentary discharges, achieving results that are compatible with our experimental observations. The findings can help with investigating plasma discharge mechanisms and full-model simulations of plasma.

Increasing the ⋅OH radical concentration synergistically with plasma electrolysis and ultrasound in aqueous DMSO solution

In recent years, significant increases in waste processing and material engineering have been seen by using advanced oxidation processes. The treatment results and energy yields of these processes are largely determined by the generation and retention of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, increasing the amount of ROS remains a key challenge because of the unavailability of performance- and energy-efficient techniques. In this study, plasma electrolysis, ultrasound, and plasma electrolysis combined with ultrasound were used to treat dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solutions, and the results showed that the two methods can synergistically convert filament discharge into spark discharge, and the conversion of the discharge mode can significantly increase the concentration of OH radicals and effectively improve the efficiency of DMSO degradation. We verified the rationality of the results by analyzing the mass transfer path of ROS based on the reaction coefficients and found that the ⋅OH radicals in aqueous solution were mainly derived from the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. These findings indicated that the synergistic action of plasma electrolysis and ultrasound can enhance the production of chemically reactive species, and provide new insights and guiding principles for the future translation of this combined strategy into real-life applications. Our results demonstrated that the synergistic strategy of ultrasound and plasma electrolysis is feasible in the switching mode and increasing the ROS, and may open new routes for materials engineering and pollutant degradation.

Parameters affecting the H2 production and frequency gaps in Ar moisture dielectric barrier discharge

Dependency of H2 production and frequency gaps with working frequency, applied electric fields, discharge gas-gap (GG), and central electrode materials in Ar-moisture dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) non-thermal plasma is presented. H2 production during the transformation of moisture in an Ar carrier having 100% relative humidity employing DBD is monitored by gas chromatography with a thermal conductivity detector. Coaxial cylindrical reactors with an outer Pyrex tube (common for all reactors) accompanied by two different categories of central electrodes [Pyrex in double dielectric (DD) and bare metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum or copper (Cu) in single dielectric (SD) of different GGs], are used. A high-frequency (4–30 kHz) ac power supply is employed for plasma as well as H2 generations. Dissipated powers in reactors are measured under similar conditions that differ marginally between DD and SD reactors. The formation of •OH and Ar metastable species is observed in optical emission spectra confirming the free radical-based water-splitting reactions for H2 generation. Interestingly, the use of high frequency leads to various frequency gaps within the 4–30 kHz range where there is neither the generation of filamentary discharge nor the H2 formation. These frequency gaps vary with GGs and the type of central electrode materials used in DBD reactors. In addition, an increase in the applied voltage controls the frequency gaps under study. H2 production of ∼3600 ppmv obtained with the Cu-containing SD reactor translates to over 21% water conversion.

Distribution and evolution of surface charge in surface dielectric barrier discharge driven by AC and pulse dual power supply

The evolution of surface charge in surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) is observed by using Pockels effect. SDBD is driven by sine AC and pulse dual-power supply voltage. The filamentary discharge and glow-like discharge are enhanced by superimposing positive pulse on sine trough and negative pulse on sine crest, respectively. The interval of enhanced discharge is adjusted by pulse repetition frequency (PRF). The formation and decay of surface charges are analyzed at low PRF, and the accumulation effect is analyzed at high PRF. The results showed that the decay rates of charges decrease with increasing distance from the exposed electrode. When a positive pulse is superimposed on sine trough, the traces of positive charges are filaments with long extending lengths, which are the footprints of discharge channels. The lifetime of positive charges is hundreds of AC cycles (tens of milliseconds). Under certain conditions, subsequent glow-like discharge evolves as ‘flying’ above the dielectric surface (three-dimensional (3D) propagation). Most of the negative charges are neutralized in subsequent filamentary discharge. Some negative charges accumulate downstream and exist longer than positive charges. In the case of negative pulses superimposed on sine crest, the enhanced glow-like discharge appears 3D propagation. The propagation distance is much smaller than that of positive pulse. Most of the negative charges are uniformly distributed near the exposed electrodes with a short lifetime (a few hundred microseconds) and are quickly neutralized in subsequent discharges. The occurrence of 3D propagation requires certain conditions and the mechanism needs further research.

SDBD Flexible Plasma Actuator with Ag-Ink Electrodes: Experimental Assessment

In the present work, a single dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD)-based actuator is developed and experimentally tested by means of various diagnostic techniques. Flexible dielectric barriers and conductive paint electrodes are used, making the design concept applicable to surfaces of different aerodynamic profiles. A technical drawing of the actuator is given in detail. The plasma is sustained by audio frequency sinusoidal high voltage, while it is probed electrically and optically. The consumed electric power is measured, and the optical emission spectrum is recorded in the ultraviolet–near infrared (UV–NIR) range. High-resolution spectroscopy provides molecular rotational distributions, which are treated appropriately to evaluate the gas temperature. The plasma-induced flow field is spatiotemporally surveyed with pitot-like tube and schlieren imaging. Briefly, the actuator consumes a mean power less than 10 W and shows a fair stability over one day, the average temperature of the gas above its surface is close to 400 K, and the fluid speed rises to 4.5 m s−1. A long, thin layer (less than 1.5 mm) of laminar flow is unveiled on the actuator surface. This thin layer is interfaced with an outspread turbulent flow field, which occupies a centimeter-scale area. Molecular nitrogen-positive ions appear to be part of the charged heavy species in the generated filamentary discharge, which can transfer energy and momentum to the surrounding air molecules.

Experimental study on plasma actuation characteristics of nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge

Combining high-speed schlieren technology and infrared imaging technology, related research has been carried out on the influence of parameters such as actuation voltage, repetition frequency, and electrode size of an actuator on the discharge characteristics, induced flow field characteristics, and thermal characteristics of nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge. The results show that increasing the value of the actuation voltage can significantly increase the actuation intensity, and the plasma discharge area is significantly extended. Increasing the repetition frequency can increase the number of discharges per unit time. Both will cause more energy input and induce more changes in the flow field. The effect of temperature rise is more significant. The width of the covered electrode will affect the potential distribution during the discharge process, which in turn will affect the extension process of the plasma discharge filament. Under the same actuation intensity, the wider the covered electrode, the larger range the induced flow field and temperature rise is. Preliminary experimental analyses of high-frequency actuation characteristics, temperature field characteristics, flow field characteristics and actuation parameter settings provide support for the parameter selection and partial mechanism analysis of plasma anti-icing.

A simple replacement of tungsten filament hot cathodes by DC heated LaB6 rod and its noise characteristics with laser-induced fluorescence.

Hot cathode discharges are common plasma sources for fundamental plasma physics studies and other applications due to their quiescent and relatively simple properties, and tungsten filaments are commonly used for the ease of heating them. Recently, tungsten filaments are increasingly being replaced by less luminous alternatives, such as barium oxide or lanthanum hexaboride. These materials can emit electrons at temperatures close to 1000K lower than tungsten, greatly reducing their blackbody radiations. This results in significant improvement in signal recovery for active spectral diagnostic, such as laser-induced fluorescence. However, these less luminous cathodes often come in vastly more complicated designs than those of tungsten hot cathodes and are much more expensive to procure and difficult to operate. In this paper, we present a simple, low cost direct current heated designof a LaB6 cathode that is manufactured at suitable dimensions and make a comparison of the laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) signal-to-noise ratio of this LaB6 hot cathode discharge with that of a typical tungsten filament discharge, revealing that LaB6 has, indeed, an improved LIF signal-to-noise ratio compared with the tungsten filament.

Influence of the surface DBD parameters on the streaks development in the boundary layer

The effect of the filamentary barrier discharge parameters on the boundary layer streaks generation and instability was studied. The streaks are formed near the constricted discharge channels due to vortices formation driven by spanwise Coulomb volume force. The secondary instability of the streaky structures can lead to the laminar-turbulent transition of the boundary layer. This work demonstrates that supply voltage parametrs affect the period of the constricted channels and thus the streaks transversal period within the boundary layer. For the various streaks periods, different modes of streak instability are shown to dominate.

Automated Fluid Model Generation and Numerical Analysis of Dielectric Barrier Discharges Using Comsol

MCPlas is introduced as a powerful tool for automated fluid model generation with application to the analysis of dielectric barrier discharges operating in different regimes. MCPlas consists of a number of MATLAB\textsuperscript{\textregistered} scripts and uses the COMSOL Multiphysics\textsuperscript{\textregistered} module LiveLink\textsuperscript{\texttrademark} for MATLAB\textsuperscript{\textregistered} to build up equation-based COMSOL Multiphysics\textsuperscript{\textregistered} models from scratch. The present contribution highlights how MCPlas is used to implement time-dependent models for non-thermal plasmas in spatially one-dimensional and axisymmetric two-dimensional geometries and stresses out the benefit of automation of the modelling procedure. The modelling codes generated by MCPlas are used to study diffuse and filamentary dielectric barrier discharges in argon at sub-atmospheric and atmospheric pressure, respectively. The seamless transition between different levels of model complexity with respect to the considered model geometry is demonstrated. The presented investigation of a single-filament dielectric barrier discharge interacting with a dielectric surface shows that complex phenomena of high technological relevance can be tackled by using plasma models implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics\textsuperscript{\textregistered} via MCPlas.

CFD simulation of DC-discharge in airflow

The main purpose of this work is to simulate a dynamics of DC discharge in a subsonic airflow. The calculations were performed in the FlowVision 3.12.01 software package. The single-fluid model (MHD approach) of equilibrium plasma was used while the initial discharge channel was set manually. Cylindrical coaxially arranged electrodes were located in the central part of the calculation area, in the core of the airflow. A 5A DC discharge at atmospheric pressure was considered, as well as a simple model of a re-breakdown between parts of discharge filament. In this work, three-dimensional distributions of temperature and current density were obtained during an evolution of discharge in a flow. Discharge channel extension by the airflow and partial channel decay after the re-breakdown process were shown.