Suppression of self pulsing DC driven nonthermal microplasma discharge to operate in a steady DC mode
AssigneeUniversity of South Carolina
InventorsTanvir Farouk, Rajib Mahamud
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The current disclosure relates to a suppressor circuit configuration for extending the stable region of operation of a DC driven micro plasma discharge at atmospheric and higher pressures. The current disclosure also provides various systems for suppressing a self-pulsing regime of a direct current driven micro plasma discharge comprising, at least, a power supply, a ballast resistor, a plasma discharge, and an inductor.
Claims8
An instability suppressor circuit for self-pulsing direct current driven microplasma discharge comprising:
- a power supply;
- a ballast resistor;
- a plasma discharge;
- an inductor connected in series with the power supply, the ballast resistor and the plasma discharge;
- wherein the suppressor circuit adds a positive impedance making plasma from the plasma discharge less sensitive to a change in voltage with respect to a change in current;
- wherein the suppressor circuit functions at atmospheric pressure and above;
- and
- wherein the inductor increases the combined response time of the plasma and the inductor, such that t L/Rdischarge>t RballastCp, wherein Rballast is the ballast's resistance, Rdischarge is a resistance of the plasma discharge, Cp is a parasitic capacitance of an external circuit, and L is the inductor's inductance.
A system for suppressing a self-pulsing regime of a direct current driven micro plasma discharge comprising:
- a power supply;
- a ballast resistor;
- a plasma discharge;
- an inductor connected in series with the ballast resistor and plasma discharge;
- wherein the inductor suppresses oscillation of the plasma discharge, thereby establishing a steady plasma discharge;
- wherein the system comprises a positive impedance making plasma from the plasma discharge less sensitive to a change in voltage with respect to a change in current;
- wherein the system functions at atmospheric pressure and above;
- and
- wherein varying an inductance value increases a response time of plasma to a value wherein t Lx/Rdischarge>t RballastCp thereby making a driving circuit response time shorter, wherein Rballast the ballast's resistance, Rdischarge is a resistance of the plasma discharge, Cp is a parasitic capacitance of an external circuit, and Lx is the inductor's inductance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.