Numerical approaches in simulating Trichel pulse characteristics in point-plane configuration

Abstract

In this work, a detailed comparison is made of a few different approaches to numerical modeling of non-equilibrium gas discharge plasmas in dry ambient air at atmospheric conditions, leading to Trichel pulse discharge. Simulation models are based on a two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element discretization of point-plane geometry. The negative corona discharge and the hydrodynamic approximation for generic ionic species (electrons, positive and negative ions) are used. The models account for the drift, diffusion, and reactions of the species. They comprise continuity equations coupled to Poisson’s equation for the electric field. Three different formulations were used to specify the ionic reaction rate coefficients. In the first one, the reaction coefficients are approximated by the analytical expressions as a function of the electric field intensity. Two others extract the reaction coefficients from the solution of the Boltzmann equation as a function of the reduced electric field or the electron energy. The effect of gas flow and heating on the pulse characteristics is also investigated. The accuracy of the models has been validated by comparing them with the experimental data.