Study on the Generation Characteristics of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasmas on Water Surface

A new contact glow discharge electrode on the surface of water was designed and employed in this study. Because of the strong field strength in the small air gap formed by the electrode and the water surface, glow discharge plasmas were generated and used to treat waste water. The electric field distribution of the designed electrode model was simulated by MAXWELL 3D^® simulation software, and the discharge parameters were measured. Through a series of experiments, we investigated the impact of optimal designs, such as the dielectric of the electrode, immersion depths, and curvature radii of the electrode on the generation characteristics of plasmas. In addition, we designed an equipotential multi-electrode configuration to treat a Methyl Violet solution and observe the discoloration effect. The experimental and simulation results indicate that the designed electrodes can realize glow discharge with a relative low voltage, and the generated plasmas covered a large area and were in stable state. The efficiency of water treatment is improved and optimized with the designed electrodes.