Gas-confined barrier discharges: a simplified model for plasma dynamics in flame environments

Abstract

In this paper we evaluate the dynamics of non-thermal plasmas developing in extremely non-homogeneous environments. We present the gas-confined barrier discharge (GBD) concept and justify its importance as a first step to understanding the dynamics of non-thermal plasmas in flame environments. In this concept, cold (in a generalized sense) barriers of gas play the role of the dielectrics, with some major differences in behaviour with respect to solid barriers. We present an analytical evaluation of the discharge appearance modes, new experimental results using helium-nitrogen layers that confirm the possibility of avoiding breakdown in the cold layers and a numerical evaluation that helps interpret the development of streamers once they reach a non-ionizing region.