Transfer of a cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet through a long flexible plastic tube

Abstract

This work proposes an experimental configuration for the generation of a cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet at the downstream end of a long flexible plastic tube. The device consists of a cylindrical dielectric chamber where an insulated metal rod that serves as high-voltage electrode is inserted. The chamber is connected to a long (up to 4 m) commercial flexible plastic tube, equipped with a thin floating Cu wire. The wire penetrates a few mm inside the discharge chamber, passes freely (with no special support) along the plastic tube and terminates a few millimeters before the tube end. The system is flushed with Ar and the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is ignited inside the dielectric chamber by a low frequency ac power supply. The gas flow is guided by the plastic tube while the metal wire, when in contact with the plasma inside the DBD reactor, acquires plasma potential. There is no discharge inside the plastic tube, however an Ar plasma jet can be extracted from the downstream tube end. The jet obtained by this method is cold enough to be put in direct contact with human skin without an electric shock. Therefore, by using this approach an Ar plasma jet can be generated at the tip of a long plastic tube far from the high-voltage discharge region, which provides the safe operation conditions and device flexibility required for medical treatment.

Design and evaluation of plasma polymer deposition on hollow objects by electrical plasma generated from the liquid surface

“…Hence, the generation of non‐equilibrium diffuse plasma under atmospheric pressure is the next technical challenge. Although this can be relatively easily circumvented by the use of noble gas such as argon or helium, that significantly increases the plasma uniformity . Eventually the price of the gas can have a negative economic aspect to potential production process.…”

“…Although this can be relatively easily circumvented by the use of noble gas such as argon or helium, that significantly increases the plasma uniformity. [8][9][10] Eventually the price of the gas can have a negative economic aspect to potential production process.…”

Study of Cold Atmospheric Plasma Jet at the End of Flexible Plastic Tube for Microbial Decontamination

“…However, the authors did not report the length of their extension tube. Using a similar setup (a long plastic tube with floating electrode connected to a coaxial DBD reactor) the authors in ref . observed that the plasma did not propagate along the pipe but instead a plasma jet could be generated at the tube exit.…”

“…This method can be applied for different geometry of the primary plasma, several working gases (He, Ar, and some mixtures were tested), and also for tubes as long as 4.0 m. Since the primary DBD and the plasma jet are connected in series, the total discharge power is set by the primary discharge and thus the current and the power of the plasma jet are limited. Due to its suppressed power, the plasma jet obtained by this method is cold enough to be put in direct contact with human skin . Moreover, the plastic tube end can be held by hand without electric shock and the plasma jet can be easily manipulated and directed on a target.…”

Single channel atmospheric pressure transporting plasma and plasma stream demultiplexing: physical characterization and application toE. colibacteria inactivation

“…Aiming to be specifically and locally delivered, such technology drives the plasma up to the target where the plasma is transferred in ambient air at the outlet of the capillary. However, there are few reports dealing with the TP or in other words, propagation of IW through a dielectric tube [20][21][22][23], and the mechanisms about the formation of ionization waves inside a dielectric tube still remain unclear. Especially, the effect of electrode structure on the propagation of IW through long dielectric tube needs to be further investigated.…”