Handheld Flyback driven coaxial dielectric barrier discharge: Development and characterization

Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2988833· OSTI ID:21266442

Law, V J ^[1]; Milosavljevic, V ^[2]; O'Connor, N; Daniels, S ^[3]; Lalor, J F ^[4]

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1. National Center of Plasma Science and Technology (NCPST), Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland)
2. School of Physics and NCPST, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland and Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 368, Belgrade (Serbia)
3. School of Electronic Engineering and NCPST, Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland)
4. NCPST, Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland)

The development of a handheld single and triple chamber atmospheric pressure coaxial dielectric barrier discharge driven by Flyback circuitry for helium and argon discharges is described. The Flyback uses external metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor power switching technology and the transformer operates in the continuous current mode to convert a continuous dc power of 10-33 W to generate a 1.2-1.6 kV 3.5 {mu}s pulse. An argon discharge breakdown voltage of {approx}768 V is measured. With a 50 kHz, pulse repetition rate and an argon flow rate of 0.5-10 argon slm (slm denotes standard liters per minute), the electrical power density deposited in the volume discharge increases linearly at a rate of 75{+-}20% mW/cm{sup 3} per 1 slm of gas. Electrical power transfer efficiency between the secondary Flyback coil and the discharge volume increases from 0.1% to 0.65%. Neutral argon gas forced convection analysis yields a similar energy loss rate to the electrical discharge process. Optical emission spectroscopy studies of the expanding discharge plume into ambient air reveal that the air climatically controls the plume chemistry to produce an abundance of neutral argon atoms and molecular nitrogen.

• OSTI ID: 21266442
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 79, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2988833; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AIR
ARGON
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
BREAKDOWN
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
ENERGY LOSSES
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
FLOW RATE
FORCED CONVECTION
HELIUM
NITROGEN
OXIDES
PLASMA
SCANNING LIGHT MICROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SWITCHES
TRANSFORMERS