Uniform Discharge Research Articles

Sugammadex Effects on Hormonal Contraception Effectiveness: Implementation of Uniform Postoperative Teaching

PurposeThe purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve consistency of discharge teaching in women who used progesterone-containing hormonal contraceptive medications and received sugammadex during general anesthesia, as there is a risk of unintended pregnancy for 1 week after administration of sugammadex. DesignThis project used a predesign and postdesign using two separate sample groups of patients and postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurses. MethodsThe sample consisted of 31 total women of childbearing age and 59 PACU nurses. Simplification of sugammadex discharge instructions was achieved by incorporating evidence-based recommendations for electronic discharge instructions and nursing education. PACU nurses were educated and surveyed before and after regarding frequency of discharge teaching, clarity, and comprehension of the after-visit summary and knowledge of sugammadex. Patients were called via telephone postoperatively to assess recall of sugammadex discharge teaching. FindingsPostoperative patient phone calls identified a small increase in patient recall of discharge instructions from 5 of 14 patients (35.7%) before implementation to 7 of 17 after implementation (41.2%). PACU nurse surveys indicated an increase in self-reported frequency of sugammadex discharge teaching (34.8% vs 64.2%, P = .024) and that new discharge instructions contained more clear, comprehensive information as compared with previous instructions (29.4% vs 75.5%, P = .001). ConclusionsThis quality improvement project successfully implemented more consistent and comprehensive discharge instructions for women who receive sugammadex intraoperatively. Limitations of the project included a small sample size and short implementation intervals. As a result of switching to uniform discharge instructions, more patients received important discharge teaching from PACU nurses, and the percentage of patients who recalled this information increased.

A harmonic oscillator model to study the intensification of microwave radiation by a subwavelength uniform plasma discharge

A harmonic oscillator model is proposed to study the intensification of microwave radiation of an electrically small antenna when surrounded by a subwavelength plasma discharge. This model describes the oscillations of free electrons in a spherical plasma when it is excited by an incident electromagnetic wave. It shows that at resonance, these charge oscillations lead to a significant volume current and, thus, to an enhancement of the radiation. Depending on the electron density of the plasma, this radiation enhancement may occur in the microwave range. The proposed model is compared with the Mie scattering theory with perfect agreement when the electrical size ka of the spherical plasma remains smaller than 0.1. Despite its apparent simplicity, this model unveils the main mechanism that stands behind the intensification of microwave radiation by a subwavelength plasma discharge.

Rotating orifice feeding system for continuous and uniform discharge of makhana seeds (Euryale ferox)

Abstract Consistent and slow mass flow rates of granular materials through a small diameter orifice (D) at the center of the bottom of a hopper is difficult to obtain when D is less than 5 times of the characteristic seed size. Rotation of the bottom in the horizontal plane with the orifice placed at an off-center distance (R) from the center of the hopper can sustain controlled flow rates even at small D. A simple feeding system was developed in this study for discharging roasted makhana seeds of different sizes (7.48–12.40 mm diameter) at 10–30 kg h−1 consistent mass flow rates. The feeding system consists of a rotating orifice plate at an off-center distance, which is placed inside a pipe connected with the bottom of a trapezoidal hopper. The effects of rotational rate (ω), D, and R on the mass flow rates of makhana seeds and plastic beads of different sizes have been investigated. The materials did not discharge when the orifice was stationary. The mass flow rate increased with the increase in ω, D and R. Finite mass flow rates in the range of 2.25–29.81 kg h−1 were obtained for different seed sizes of roasted makhana seeds with varying D (15–20 mm), R (20–30 mm), and ω (0.52–7.86 rad s−1). The mass flow rates >30 kg h−1 were obtained at D ≥ 25 mm, however, finite mass flow rate ranges were not be obtained for all seed sizes at R ≥ 20 mm. The seed discharge was in the funnel flow regime for all D, R, ω, and seed sizes because of the geometry of the hopper and feeding system. The existing Beverloo equation did not describe the mass flow rate adequately for the developed system. Therefore, Beverloo equation was modified using a function similar to the Froude number to describe the mass flow rate. The developed feeding system performed well in feeding makhana seeds and plastic beads of different sizes and maintained finite mass flow rates.

Axial pressure distribution, flow behaviour and breakage within a HPGR investigation using DEM

The pressure distribution between the rolls in a HPGR (High Pressure Grinding Rolls) is usually expected to vary significantly in the axial direction due to the end effects at the end of the rolls. This is based on the idea that particles near the ends of the rolls are less well confined which makes them more mobile with reduced ability to be trapped and crushed. This can reduce the performance efficiency of a HPGR quite significantly. Experimental measurement of this axial pressure distribution and its consequences for the breakage efficiency, particularly at industrial scale, is very difficult. So little is known about its nature or how this may change with choice of confining structures (such as cheek plates). This problem is tractable using DEM to predict the coupled flow and breakage of particles within the HPGR. A replacement strategy is used where particles are broken when the applied force exceeds a size dependent limit. This allows the DEM model to capture the fracture dynamics sufficiently to allow flow and load prediction. The model is calibrated against an experimentally measured product size distribution and predicts very close agreement across the entire resolved range of particle sizes. This model is used to explore the pressure distribution and how this, and the coarseness of the particles, changes along the rolls. Two mechanisms are identified for producing breakage in the HPGR. For a HPGR with cheek plates the discharge mass flow rate is found to be nearly independent of axial position with the product size distribution being axially invariant. The frictional effects of the cheek plates lead to a moderate axial flow towards each end of the rolls that balances the reduced vertical flow to give axially very uniform discharge behaviour. Finally, it is shown that only small changes in the confining cheek plate locations are needed to allow significant axial bypass, strong axial variation of discharge mass flow rate and a coarser product.

Development of whey protein isolate/chitosan/microcrystalline cellulose‐based bilayer films using surface‐pretreated polyethylene terephthalate substrate

AbstractPolyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been widely used in food packaging due to its excellent comprehensive properties, but has relatively low barrier properties towards small molecules. In this study, whey protein isolate (WPI)/chitosan (CS)/microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) solution was sprayed evenly on PET which pretreated by corona discharge (CD) and uniform glow discharge (UGD) plasma to prepare WPI/CS/MCC/PET bilayer film, and the properties, structure, and morphology of films were characterized. The water contact angle of UGD treated PET was significantly decreased by 79.01% due to increased polar functional groups. After coated with WPI/CS/MCC film, the reduced oxygen and carbon dioxide transmission rates of untreated and pretreated PET was in the range of 71.74–94.64%, and UGD pretreatment was more efficient to improve gas barrier properties than CD, but the mechanical and water vapor barrier properties of pretreated bilayer film weakened a little. There was a high intermolecular interaction between hydroxyl and amino groups of WPI/CS/MCC film and polar groups, such as COC and CH bonds, carbonyl, and methyl groups, of UGD‐pretreated PET, as verified by Fourier transform infrared with attenuated total reflection. In conclusion, UGD‐pretreated WPI/CS/MCC/PET bilayer film was significantly efficient to enhance the gas barrier properties of single‐layer PET.Practical ApplicationsPolyethylene terephthalate (PET) has relatively low barrier properties and its application has been limited in food high air tightness packaging. The present study aimed to develop biopolymer‐based high barrier bilayer film using surface‐pretreated PET substrate. The thermogravimetric analysis, mechanical, and barrier properties were investigated, and the structural characterization and morphology of bilayer films were investigated by Fourier transform infrared with attenuated total reflection analysis, environmental scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscope. This work provides a foundation for enhancing the gas barrier properties of single‐layer PET using the combination of biopolymer‐based coating and surface pretreatment.

Determination of pin-roller parameters and evaluation of the uniformity of granular fertilizer application metering devices in precision farming

The application of fertilizer to the soil for the subsequent extraction by plants is a method to increase crop production. Fertilizer spreaders with an outer groove wheel (OGWFSs) have a large volume, and current metering devices are suitable for precision farming systems. However, the study of OGWFSs has shown that fertilizer metering is impaired due to sudden releases of fertilizer batches. Research has shown the performance advantage of using a pin-roller metering device whose pins are configured in the form of a truncated pyramid. This configuration not only provides highly uniform fertilizer discharge but is also advantageous for use with wet fertilizers and prevents clogging. In this study, an orifice was added between the pins to increase the working volume of the metering device and the amount of fertilizer discharge. The uniform distribution of the fertilizer particles and the amount of fertilizer discharge depends on the pin parameters. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the pin-roller parameters to increase the uniformity of the distribution and the amount of discharged fertilizer for variable-rate fertilizer applications. The pin-roller configurations that were investigated included the α angle, height of the roller pin, β angle, and radius between two pins for six right and left entry lines. As a preliminary test, 25 pin-roller configurations were designed and evaluated for fertilizer distribution at three rotation speeds of the metering device. The uniformity of the fertilizer distribution was evaluated in a laboratory test, and the coefficient of variation was used as an evaluation index. A compound fertilizer, N-P2O5-K2O, was used in the experiment. The results indicated that different pin-roller characteristics of the metering device had significant effects on the uniformity of the distribution and discharge capacity of the fertilizer. Based on the results of the preliminary test, a new pin-roller design was developed. The performance of this pin-roller was evaluated and compared to that of the OGWFS. The coefficient of variation and the amount of discharged fertilizer was evaluated at three different rotational speeds. The discharge capacity of the new pin-roller was not as high as that of the OGWFS at all rotation speeds of the metering device, but the coefficient of variation was higher for the pin-roller than the OGWFS at lower speeds. However, there was no significant difference in the coefficient of variation between the metering devices at higher speeds.

High efficiency CO2-splitting in atmospheric pressure glow discharge

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) utilization provides a valuable source of carbon for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. The splitting of CO2 can be performed in plasmas. It is highly endothermal, making energy efficiency an important design criterion. This paper presents a glow discharge reactor and appropriate power supply with low complexity and high efficiency, which can ignite and sustain a stable atmospheric pressure discharge of up to 20 mm length in a CO2 atmosphere. Glow-to-arc transition, which usually prohibits glow discharge operation at high pressures, is suppressed, leading to high overall efficiency. The maximum efficiency for the driver circuit was measured as 79 %. The reactor utilizes a permanent magnetic field to achieve a large and uniform discharge volume. High power densities of up to 100 W cm-3 and low electric field of less than 100 Vmm-1 in the bulk plasma were achieved, both of which are important criteria for efficient splitting of CO2. Efficiency measurements for the splitting of CO2 were performed and revealed a system energy efficiency of up to 22 %. Maximum conversion reached was 20 % at 14.4 % energy efficiency. This indicates that the presented technology is competitive with other approaches. Ways to further improve the system are presented and discussed.

Preparation of CoFe2O4/MWNTs/sponge electrode to enhance dielectric barrier plasma discharge for degradation of phenylic pollutants and Cr(VI) reduction

CoFe2O4/MWNTs/sponge electrodes were prepared by co-adsorption of CoFe2O4 nanowires and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) onto a pure sponge, which were combined in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor to enhance discharge performance. The optimum concentration of CoFe2O4 nanowires contained in the CoFe2O4/MWNTs/sponge electrode was 0.5 g/L with a degradation rate of phenol of 98.52 % in 40 min. The CoFe2O4/MWNTs/sponge–DBD system significantly had the highest energy utilization efficiency with the tip discharge formed by CoFe2O4 nanowires and uniform discharge zone enlarged by modified sponge electrode. Further, phenol, hydroquinone, nitrobenzene, and p-nitrophenol as phenylic pollutants combined with hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) were treated simultaneously in CoFe2O4/MWNTs/sponge–DBD system. CoFe2O4 nanowires in DBD process formed photocatalytic and Fenton-like reaction could enhance phenylic pollutants degradation and Cr(VI) reduction. The synergistic removal effect between phenylic pollutants and Cr(VI) was discussed and the reaction mechanism in the CoFe2O4/MWNTs/sponge–DBD system was also explored.

Time and space resolved diagnostics for plasma thermal-chemical instability of fuel oxidation in nanosecond plasma discharges

An instability in a nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge plasma occurring in methane–oxygen–argon mixtures is experimentally observed and measured by 1D time-resolved in situ electric field measurements. This instability, which seems to be created by the positive feedback between plasma kinetics and plasma-assisted low temperature fuel oxidation, is studied using electric field induced second harmonic generation and direct ICCD imaging. The rapid formation of streamers from an originally uniform discharge appears to be caused by the chemical kinetics of plasma-assisted low temperature methane oxidation, which may be resulting in a new type of plasma instability: a thermal-chemical instability. The results also revealed that the occurrence of this possible thermal-chemical instability in a reactive flow drastically changes the plasma properties by forming multiple secondary discharges and possibly leads to micron-sized non-uniform electric distributions. Single shot uncalibrated measurements of the electric field of the micron sized streamers appears to show much greater strengths than the average electric field. Furthermore, one-dimensional data analysis shows the positive feedback loop between the streamers and the low temperature plasma assisted oxidation chemistry in the plasma thermal-chemical instability. The present finding advances the understanding plasma instability growth and provides a new way to control plasma uniformity in plasma-assisted combustion and plasma fuel reforming.

Influence of tool electrode feed rate in the electrochemical discharge drilling of a glass substrate

ABSTRACT The tool electrode feed rate (TEFR) is a parameter of vital importance for velocity-feed electrochemical discharge drilling (ECDD). The tool electrode will hit the workpiece and may even cause to crack if higher TEFR is used, while a lower TEFR will curtail the material etch rate. Hence, a comprehensive experimental study into the TEFR effects on the ECDD performance is presented. The top and bottom sizes of micro-holes, eccentricity, circularity, heat-affected zone, and tool electrode wear are the important features considered in this experimental work. Cylindrical-shaped tungsten carbide tool electrodes with 70 μm and 300 μm sizes were utilized. The TEFR in the range of 1–9 μm s−1 were selected. The stable and uniform EC discharges were observed for the TEFR < 5 μm s−1. The minimal hole size and HAZ were obtained for the TEFR in the range of 3–4 μm s−1. The eccentricity and circularity of micro-holes were found to be lower for the TEFR < 5 μm s−1. Higher tool wear was noticed for the TEFR < 2 μm s−1. Based on the overall experimental evaluation, TEFR in the range of 3–4 μm s−1 is recommended.

High energy efficient degradation of toluene using a novel double dielectric barrier discharge reactor

A double dielectric barrier discharge (DDBD) reactor was established to decompose toluene with high energy efficiency. Differences in discharge characteristics including visual images, voltage-current waveforms, Lissajous figures, and temperature variation, were determined between the DDBD and SDBD reactors. Removal efficiency, mineralization rate, CO2 selectivity, and energy yield were used to evaluate the toluene abatement performance of the two reactors. Compared to the SDBD reactor, the DDBD reactor exhibited more uniform and stable discharges due to a change in discharge mode. In addition, the DDBD reactor’s dissipated power and reactor temperature (including the gas, barrier and ground electrode) were significantly lower than those in the SDBD reactor. At 22−24 kV, the DDBD reactor showed a higher toluene removal efficiency and mineralization rate, while at 14−16 kV, the SDBD reactor exhibited higher respective value. The energy efficiency of the DDBD was 2.5–3 times that of the SDBD reactor, and the overall energy constant koverall of the DDBD reactor (1.47 mL/J) was significantly higher than that of the SDBD reactor (0.367 mL/J) as revealed by the kinetics study. Lastly, a plausible toluene degradation mechanism in the DDBD and SDBD reactors was proposed based on organic intermediates that formed during toluene decomposition.

Study on the atmospheric pressure homogeneous discharge in air assisted with a floating carbon fibre microelectrode

Based on the consideration of increasing the number of initial electrons and providing an appropriate distribution of electric field strength for discharge space, a method of adopting the wire-cylindrical type electrode structure with a floating carbon fibre electrode to achieve atmospheric pressure homogeneous discharge (APHD) in air is proposed in this paper. Studies of the electrode characteristics show that this structure can make full use of the microdischarge process of the carbon fibre microelectrode and the good discharge effect of the helical electrode to provide plenty of initial electrons for the discharge space. Besides, the non-uniform electric field distribution with gradual change leads to the slow growth of electron avalanches in this structure. Thus, the initial discharge voltage can be reduced and the formation of filamentary discharge channels can be inhibited, which provides theoretical possibilities for the homogeneous discharge in atmospheric air. Experiments show that a three-dimensional uniform discharge phenomenon can be realized under a 6.0 kV applied voltage in a PFA tube of 6 mm inner diameter, displaying good uniformity and large scale.

Numerical Simulation of the Hydraulic Performances and Flow Pattern of Swallow-Tailed Flip Bucket

In this study, the evolution process of the swallow-tailed flip bucket water nappe entering into the plunge pool is simulated by using the standard k-ε turbulence model and the volume-of-fluid method. The effects of the upstream opening width ratio and downstream bucket angle on the flow pattern, the unit discharge distribution, and the impact pressure distribution are studied. Based on the numerical results, the inner and outer jet trajectories are proposed by using the data. Results show that the longitudinal stretching length decreases with the increase of the upstream opening width ratio and increases with the increase of the downstream bucket angle. The water nappe enters the plunge pool in a long strip shape. Thus, the unit discharge distribution of water nappe entry is consistent with the pressure distribution at the plunge pool bottom. The upstream opening width ratio and downstream bucket angle should be chosen as their intermediate values in order to have a uniform discharge distribution and to reduce the pressure peak at the plunge pool floor, which is effectively to avoid instability and destruction of plunge pool floor.

A Highly Cost-Efficient Large-Scale Uniform Laminar Plasma Jet Array Enhanced by V-I Characteristic Modulation in a Non-Self-Sustained Atmospheric Discharge.

Developing cost‐efficient large‐scale uniform plasma jets represents a significant challenge for high performance in material processing and plasma medicine. Here, a V–I characteristic modulation approach is proposed to reduce the discharge power and increase the plasma scale and chemical activity in non‐self‐sustained atmospheric direct‐current discharges. The electric field in discharge space is optimized to fundamentally empower simultaneously initiating all discharge cells far below Townsend breakdown potential and stably sustaining each plasma jet at low voltage. These strategies create a crucial step to fabricating a flexible and compact low‐power large‐scale uniform laminar plasma jet array (LPJA) with high activity in cheap argon. The mechanisms behind the discharge enhancement are revealed by combining V–I characteristic examination and a modulation model. Compared with conventional arrays, this LPJA possesses the widest size (90 mm) and raises its uniformity from 30% to 97%. Comparing different discharge modes shows that the LPJA scale is surprisingly increased nearly by 4 times with the discharge power reduced from 7.4 to 4.8 W. The methodology provides a highly cost‐efficient roadmap to break through the bottleneck of restricting low‐power discharge, large‐gap discharge, large‐scale discharge, parallel‐multi‐electrode discharge, and uniform discharge together. This advance will meet the urgent need for various plasma applications.

High Frequency Pulse Power Generator for Micro-EDM

A high frequency power-electronic-based Flyback converter with a group of switch controlled capacitors is proposed for micro-EDM. The total energy charged into the discharge capacitors is controlled by the turn on time of the primary side switch of the Flyback converter, and all the discharge capacitors are charged to the same open voltage together. Then, the switches in series with discharge capacitors turn on in a high frequency sequence, so that the discharge capacitors are applied on the gap in turn to produce the high frequency discharge. The open voltage of the discharge capacitor can be adjusted continuously by the Flyback converter, and the proposed pulse power generator can provide micro energy pulse, high energy pulse, or high voltage cleaning pulse freely. Compared with the traditional RC type pulse power generator, the proposed no charge resistance pulse power generator, adopts the together charge with one by one discharge strategy, features low power loss, uniform discharge energy and high discharge frequency.

Sulfur heat transfer behavior in vertically-oriented and nonuniformly‑heated isochoric thermal energy storage systems

Elemental sulfur thermal energy storage (SulfurTES) is a promising low-cost solution for many medium to high temperature (300–1200 °C) TES applications. Demonstrations of SulfurTES have shown that the heat transfer behavior of sulfur in isochoric tubes is critical to system thermal performance. Previous studies have elucidated and quantified the sulfur heat transfer rate for idealized uniform charge and discharge; however, nonuniform conditions are more likely to be encountered in practice and need to be understood. This paper uses experimental and computational efforts to investigate sulfur heat transfer as well as exergy and energy performance in vertically-oriented tubes for two nonuniform thermal charge scenarios: top-heating and bottom-heating. In comparison with uniform thermal charge, the top-heating causes significant thermal stratification of sulfur that helps the SulfurTES system achieve superior exergetic performance. In contrast, the bottom-heating causes rapid mixing between hot and cold sulfur resulting in high charge rates. Both nonuniform charge strategies could be utilized during the operation of the SulfurTES system to improve system performance as well as provide operational flexibility. Using the computational results, this article originally develops two simplified analytical procedures to estimate the energy and exergy performance of sulfur in tubes of different sizes under top- and bottom-heating. The current study provides significant qualitative and quantitative heat transfer descriptions and design bases for SulfurTES systems and encourages further investigations into the complicated thermal performance for other thermal storage applications.

EFFECT OF VARYING VOLTAGE ON ELECTRON DENSITY IN OXYGEN HOMOGENEOUS DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE UNDER ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

The formation of uniform dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) under atmospheric pressure is a remarkable achievement with the addition of electronegative gasses in closed reactors. This work is the part of dielectric barrier discharge achieved under atmospheric pressure. A uniform glow discharge is produced in capacitive discharge reactor. An alternating voltage source (0-2.5) kV having frequency of 50Hz is applied across the two parallel disc electrodes. A couple of dielectrics (glass) used as a discharge barriers one on each electrode. The oxygen gas injected into the reactor controlled by mass flow controller with flow rate 30ml/min. The current-voltage waveforms for oxygen discharge achieved, fulfilling the basic conditions of discharge homogeneity. The diagnostic techniques rely on electrical discharge method and power balance method to differentiate discharges and estimate the electron density for different values of applied voltages. A significant relation is found indicating the variation of electron density with applied voltage.

Exploring the Potential of High-Voltage Electric Field Cold Plasma (HVCP) Using a Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) as a Plasma Source on the Quality Parameters of Carrot Juice.

The main aim of the current investigation was to contemplate the impact of high-voltage electric field cold plasma (HVCP) on different quality characteristics (enzymes, microbial activities, coloring pigments, ascorbic acid, polyphenolic compounds, °Brix, acidity, and color index) of carrot juice in correlation with thermal processing. A carrot juice (250 mL) sample sealed in pre-sterilized food-grade bottles, which placed between two dielectric quartz plates for HVCP treatment. The gap between the plates was 30 mm, and a stable and uniform plasma dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) generated for 3 and 4 min at 60, 70, and 80 kV. Air was used as a working gas during the DBD-based plasma treatment. The observed rise in temperature was 2–5 °C during the HVCP treatment. A water bath was used to carry out thermal treatment (100 °C for 5 min). The maximum inactivation of enzymes and microorganisms was achieved with thermal treatment and then with HVCP treatment at 70 kV for 4 min. However, maximum retention of coloring compounds, ascorbic acid, total phenols, flavonoids, and tannins was found following HVCP (70 kV for 4 min) treatment compared to thermal treatment. The °Brix, pH, and acidity remained unchanged irrespective of treatments. These findings suggest that HVCP treatment at 70 kV for 4 min may be a good alternative to thermal treatment, and it may successfully be applied in carrot juice production, resulting in reduced enzymes, lower microbial activity, and improved bioactive compounds. The prospects of overcoming the existing conventional physical and chemical methods for sterilization make it a novel and more economical technique to maintain food’s natural nourishment, composition, appearance, structure, and freshness.

Artificial intelligence approach to estimate discharge of drip tape irrigation based on temperature and pressure

One of the effective factors to ensure the desirable operation of drip irrigation systems is the uniform emitter discharge, which is affected by operating pressure and temperature. Accurate estimation of this parameter is crucial for optimal irrigation system management and operation. In this research, the emitter outflow discharge was simulated through artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches under a wide range of temperature (13−53 °C) and operating pressures (0–240 kPa) variations. The applied AI models included artificial neural networks (ANN), neuro-fuzzy sub-clustering (NF-SC), neuro-fuzzy c-Means clustering (NF-FCM), and least square support vector machine (LS-SVM). The input parameters matrix consisted of operating pressure, water temperature, discharge coefficient, pressure exponent and nominal discharge, while the ratio of measured discharge to nominal discharge (modified coefficient, M) was the output of the models. The applied models were assessed through the robust k-fold testing data scanning mode. The 5-agent Global Performance Indicator (GPI) was used for the final reliable ranking. The results showed that all the applied AI models with an average mean absolute error (MAE) of 8.8% had acceptable accuracy for estimating the modified M coefficient. According to the GPI, the LS-SVM model had the lowest error, followed by the NF-SC model with a slight difference.

The Effect of Accumulated Charges and Fluid Dynamics on the Helium Plasma Jet Array Behavior

This paper investigated the effect of accumulated charges and fluid dynamics on the helium plasma jet array behavior. The plasma jet array was composed of three individual plasma jets in a parallel arrangement. The dynamic evolution and the hydrodynamic interaction of plasma jets were observed under for adjacent jet-to-jet distances, pulse frequencies, and pulsewidths. The results showed that variation of the above parameters exerted an influence on the distribution of accumulated charges and gas flow, and thus controlled the outside and middle jet lengths. With a small pulse frequency and pulsewidth, the higher air fraction in the middle jet trajectory prevented its propagation and resulted in a shorter middle jet length. The increase of the pulse frequency or pulsewidth induced higher charge accumulation, and thus the deflection of the outside jets was more significant. At the same time, the gas flow channel showed a similar divergence and changed the air participation in the jet array, which explained a shorter middle jet length under a higher pulse frequency or pulsewidth. The results obtained in this work helped to understand the plasma jet interaction mechanism in the plasma jet array and to develop a uniform large-area discharge plasma.