Effect of power supply parameters on discharge characteristics and sterilization efficiency of magnetically driven rotating gliding arc

Plasma sterilization is a new generation of high-tech sterilization method that is fast, safe, and pollution free. It is widely used in medical, food, and environmental protection fields. Home air sterilization is an emerging field of plasma application, which puts higher requirements on the miniaturization, operational stability, and operating cost of plasma device. In this study, a novel magnetically driven rotating gliding arc (MDRGA) discharge device was used to sterilize Lactobacillus fermentation. Compared with the traditional gas-driven gliding arc, this device has a simple structure and a more stable gliding arc. Simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics showed that adding permanent magnets can form a stable magnetic field, which is conducive to the formation of gliding arcs. Experiments on the discharge performance, ozone concentration, and sterilization effect were conducted using different power supply parameters. The results revealed that the MDRGA process can be divided into three stages: starting, gliding, and extinguishing. Appropriate voltage was the key factor for stable arc gliding, and both high and low voltages were not conducive to stable arc gliding and ozone production. In this experimental setup, the sterilization effect was the best at 6.6 kV. A high modulation duty ratio was beneficial for achieving stable arc gliding. However, when the duty ratio exceeded a certain value, the improvement in the sterilization effect was slow. Therefore, considering the sterilization effect and energy factors comprehensively, we chose 80% as the optimal modulation duty ratio for this experimental device.