Kinetic study of key species and reactions of atmospheric pressure pulsed corona discharge in humid air

The traditional corona discharge fluid model considers only electrons, positive and negative ions, and the discharge parameters are determined using the simplified weighting method involving the partial pressure ratio. Atmospheric pressure discharge plasma in humid air involves three main neutral gas molecule types: N2, O2, and H2O(g). However, in these conditions, the discharge process involves many types of particles and chemical reactions, and the charge and substance transfer processes are complex. At present, the databases of plasma chemical reaction equations are still expanding based on scholarly research. In this study, we examined the key particles and chemical reactions that substantially influence plasma characteristics. In summarizing the chemical reaction model for the discharge process of N2–O2–H2O(g) mixed gases, 65 particle types and 673 chemical reactions were investigated. On this basis, a global model of atmospheric pressure humid air discharge plasma was developed, with a focus on the variation of charged particles densities and chemical reaction rates with time under the excitation of a 0–200 Td pulsed electric field. Particles with a density greater than 1% of the electron density were classified as key particles. For such particles, the top ranking generation or consumption reactions (i.e., where the sum of their rates was greater than 95% of the total rate of the generation or consumption reactions) were classified as key chemical reactions On the basis of the key particles and reactions identified, a simplified global model was derived. A comparison of the global model with the simplified global model in terms of the model parameters, particle densities, reaction rates (with time), and calculation efficiencies demonstrated that both models can adequately identify the key particles and chemical reactions reflecting the chemical process of atmospheric pressure discharge plasma in humid air. Thus, by analyzing the key particles and chemical reaction pathways, the charge and substance transfer mechanism of atmospheric pressure pulse discharge plasma in humid air was revealed, and the mechanism underlying water vapor molecules’ influence on atmospheric pressure air discharge was elucidated.

Research on High-power Transmission Technology of Satellite Borne RF Connector

The reliability of the communication link shall be affected severely due to failure modes such as multipactor, low pressure discharge, and thermal damage that are commonly found in the RF connector when it performs high-power microwave signal transmission in the vacuum environment of outer space. This paper proposes supporting measures in respect of design against multipactor, low pressure discharge and thermal damage after analyzing mechanisms of failure modes of the RF connectors when it transmits high-power microwave signals in a vacuum environment. Upon tests, these proposed measures can effectively guarantee the reliability of the RF coaxial connector transmitting high-power signals in vacuum.

Deposition of Al2O3 coatings in Ar-O2 low-pressure discharge plasma under a high dissociation degree of O2

The deposition of Al2O3 coating with a corundum structure was done by anodic evaporation in a low-pressure arc with a self-heated hollow cathode. The conditions were created for increasing the energy of plasma electrons and a corresponding increase in the frequency of O2 dissociation by contraction of the discharge in the anode region. The discharge was maintained in a combined mode with a constant current (70 – 100 A), on which current pulses (100 μs, 1 kHz) with adjustable amplitude (up to 220 A) were superimposed. This mode ensured a change in the degree of O2 dissociation in the range of 0.3 – 0.5 at constant average discharge current and Al evaporation rate. It is shown that an increase in the degree of O2 dissociation leads to an increase in the rate of coating deposition by a factor of 1.3 and promotion of the preferred (300) orientation of crystallites. The effect is due to the features of the adsorption of molecular and atomic oxygen on the Al2O3.

Generation of plasma in low-pressure discharge

A hydrodynamic model of plasma has been developed, which takes into account both secondary and primary electrons. It has been shown that a solution with a plasma potential higher than the anode potential is possible if the ionization frequency is higher than some critical value. At lower ionization frequencies, it is possible to obtain a solution with a plasma potential below the anode potential

Spatial distribution and time evolution of metal-containing plasma of a low-current atmospheric pressure discharge with magnesium cathode

The spatial intensity distribution and temporal dynamics of the plasma generated by an atmospheric pressure discharge with magnesium cathode in an argon flow are investigated in a coaxial geometry discharge system. The repetition rate of unipolar pulses was 56 kHz and the pulse duration was 12 μs. The steady-state amplitude of the discharge current was 100 mA at a voltage of about 130 V. Under this operating mode, a local melting of the active cathode surface took place. The evaporated magnesium atoms were captured by the working gas flow and formed a green glow plume around the positive discharge column outside the anode nozzle. The image of the plasma formation was projected onto the entrance slit of the monochromator. The spatial distribution of the radiation intensity and evolution in time of its selected monochromatic components were measured. The radiation spectrum contained groups of ion and magnesium atom lines with wavelengths of 285.21 nm (singlet resonant Mg I); 383.08, 383.36, 383.9 nm (triplet Mg I); 517.3, 517.5, 518.1 nm (triplet Mg I). The results of this work are promising with regard to studying open-type spontaneous radiation sources, as well as the generation of combined gas-metal plasma flows at atmospheric pressure.

Magma pressure discharge induces very long period seismicity

Volcano seismicity is one of the key parameters to understand magma dynamics of erupting volcanoes. However, the physical process at the origin of the resulting complex and broadband seismic signals remains unclear. Syn-eruptive very long period (VLP) seismic signals have been explained in terms of the sudden expansion of gas pockets rising in the liquid melt. Their origin is linked to a magma dynamics which triggers the explosive process occurring before the explosive onset. We provide evidence based on acoustic, thermal, and ground deformation data to demonstrate that VLP signals at Stromboli are generated at the top of the magma column mainly after the explosion onset. We show that VLP amplitude and duration scale with the eruptive flux which induces a decompression of 103–104 Pa involving the uppermost ~ 250 m of the feeding conduit. The seismic VLP source represents the final stage of a ~ 200 s long charge and discharge mechanism the magma column has to release excess gas accumulated at the base of a denser and degassed magma mush. The position of the VLP seismic source coincides with the centroid of the shallow mush plug and tracks elevation changes of the magma free surface.

Discharge Characterization and Variability Determination along Shorter Sections of Soaker Hose Pipe for Soil Column Experiment

Unlike other micro-irrigation facilities like a drip, trickle, and sprinklers that emits water at regularly spaced intervals with predefined discharges, porous rubber pipes (soaker hose) has openings of variable sizes that become unevenly spaced with uneven distribution. The latter makes discharge to be variant along its lateral. Shorter sections are used under laboratory column experiments of soil wetting pattern studies and for this reason, laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the extent of emission rates variability on short sections of commercial Irrigation Soaker Hose, 16 mm diameter. Three sections of 10 cm length pipes were randomly selected from 15 no's cuts from different parts of the twenty meters length pipe bundle and used to investigate the extent of variability on emission rates characteristics under six different operating pressures. The result was achieved by collecting and measuring water emitted through the pipe sections at pre-determined pressures. The various discharges, coefficient of variation, and pressure-discharge curves of the section of the pipe then determined from the data. The result shows somewhat similar trends on the increase for water collected with an increase in pressures; however, when statistically compared, the discharges among the pipe sections vary. The values of Coefficient of Variation (CV) are less than 10 % as the values CV range from 0.92 % to 5.82 %, which is within a good category, according to ASAE Standard EP405.1 of 0-10%. The findings indicate that, despite variations among the investigated sections, it can use any part as a representative unit in the soil column experiments with reasonable accuracy.