International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences (IJEAS)

ISSN: 2394-3661, Volume-2, Issue-9, September 2015

Characterization of an Atmospheric-pressure Cold

Plasma Jet
G. M. Elaragi, H. S. Elaraby
as atomic oxygen can therefore be involved in reactions with
Abstract Cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets are the target. Furthermore, a very precise treatment is possible
playing important role in various plasma applications. Each jet and owing to the high gas velocity, penetration of the plasma
is characterized by providing its operational parameters such as components into small cavities can be achieved [6]. The
power, type of gas, plasma temperature and density, electrode application of several APPJ next to each other is also possible
system and geometrical jet (radius, length). The velocity of the
to enlarge the treatment area. However, the plasma
plasma jet has been observed by time of flight (TOF) using
optical fiber cable and Photomultiplier tube, the measured composition (i.e., plasma chemistry) of the multiple jet
average plasma velocity is about 106 cm/sec. arrangement will be influenced by each jet, which hits a
nearby-situated plasma stream.

Index Terms jet velocity, plasma, power, temperature II. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP
The plasma generator is consisting a negative DC source,
Blumlein-type pulse-forming network (E-PFN) and a
I. INTRODUCTION
dynamic spark gap switch. A triggered spark gap switch was
Atmospheric Pressure plasma Jets (APPJ) is commonly used as a closing switch of E-PFN. The APPJ is consists of 4
subdivided into thermal and non-thermal plasmas. Thermal inductor, each inductor equal 5H and 5 capacitor each
plasmas are in local thermal equilibrium where the heavy capacitor equal 5nF. A charging resistance value of 100k is
particle temperature is close to the temperature of electrons. chosen in the present case which corresponds to a charging
Inelastic collisions between electrons and heavy particles RC time constant of 1.0ms. A schematic of the pulsed
create plasma reactive species whereas elastic collisions heat atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) discharge and of the
up the heavy particles [1] experimental set-up is shown in Fig. 1. The gas is fed through
APPJ can be generated through a number of configurations, an annular region between the two metal electrodes 15 cm in
generally using mono-atomic and diatomic gases. The APPJ length. The inner electrode is 5 mm in diameter and is
are suitable for industrial and research applications, such as powered with a pulsed high voltage power supply, while the
surface modification, biological material sterilization, grounded outer electrode is separated from the inner
biomedical applications (dermatological, dental, etc.), ozone electrode by a gap of a few millimeters. The APPJ device
formation and treatment of heat-sensitive materials [2]. In operates using 5-20 kV power supply with a gap between two
general, APPJ is produced between planar or tube-type shape electrodes of 2-3 mm under atmospheric pressure [7]. The
electrodes and the gas flow expulsion the plasma into the spark gap between rotating grounded electrode and fixed high
ambient air, strongly reducing the gas temperature (much voltage electrode is adjusted at required breakdown voltage.
lower than the electron temperature) allowing several other Hence the gap gets triggered in each rotation, which gives the
applications [3]. repetition frequency of order 25 Hz (pulses/s). As the voltage
Non-thermal APPJ have been extensively investigated due to on the capacitors reached the spark-over voltage of the spark
their low-temperature properties and controllability of gap electrode, the capacitors discharged, producing a high
various agents such as radicals, ions, UV and electric fields, voltage pulse.
making them suitable for a wide range of biomedical
applications such as sterilization [4,5].
Non-thermal plasmas, operated at ambient atmospheric
pressure and temperature, are very efficient sources for the
production of highly reactive neutral particles, for example,
reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) (such as atomic
oxygen, atomic nitrogen, hydroxyl radical, superoxide,
singlet delta oxygen, and nitrogen oxides), charged particles,
UV-radiation, and electromagnetic fields.
An APPJ can provide a local treatment with a relatively high
density of charged particles and RONS since the length of the
plasma plume (bright region) from the opening of the APPJ
can be several centimeters. Even short-lifetime species such

G. M. Elaragi, Plasma and Nuclear fusion Dept., N.R.C., Egyptian Figure (1): A schematic of the APPJ discharge
Atomic Energy Authority, P.O. Box 13759, Cairo, Egypt
H. S. Elaraby, Plasma and Nuclear fusion Dept., N.R.C., Egyptian
Atomic Energy Authority, P.O. Box 13759, Cairo, Egypt

67 www.ijeas.org
 Characterization of an Atmospheric-pressure Cold Plasma Jet

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The plasma velocity is measured via a fiber cable that is
A Lecroy 200 MS/s 4-channel digital storage oscilloscope interfaced to the PMT system. The signals are taken and
model (9304c) was used to recorded voltage and current measured at two locations 1 cm, 21 cm from the plasma
waveforms, via a high voltage probe and a pulse current source. The change in the velocity of each signal is due to the
transformer, respectively. A typical oscillograph of discharge kinetic energy of particles entering and leaving the plasma
current and voltage pulse using was shown in Figure 2. A source. The average velocity of the plasma jet was about 10 6
capacitor bank (25 nF) charged at 6 kV giving peak discharge cm/sec.
current of about 188 A and 184 A for nitrogen and argon
plasma jet respectively. The total inductance of the circuit and Table 1 indicate the molecules bond type and related
plasma about 16 H. dissociation and ionization energies The ionization energy
required for molecular gas (nitrogen) and inert gas (argon) are
nearest from each other with values of 14.54 and 15.76
200 electron volt respectively [10].

Current
Table 1 molecules bond type and related dissociation and
Current and Voltage (a.u.)

100 ionization energies [9]

Gas Bond type Dissociation Ionization
energy(eV) energy(eV)
0

N2 Triple 9.8 14.54

-100
Voltage Ar Van der Weak values 15.76
waals
-200

0 5 10 15 Electron density (ne)

time (s)
The averaged electron density(ne) can be calculated from the
following equation, [8],
Figure (2): Current-voltage characteristics of pulsed plasma
jet ne=J/ (e E e) (1)

Plasma jet Velocity Measurements The above equation can be rewritten as follows
Figure (3) show velocity of plasma by using of
photomultiplier (IP28 PCA). ne = J / (ep x (E/P) x e) (2)
Were v=8kv , From this figure there is two signal at different
distance and different time. One signal at d=21cm , t=80
And the other at d=1cm , t=60 The different distance 5
between two signal =20cm ,The different time between
two signal t=20
V= Were( v) is velocity of plasma V= N2
(cm )
-3

; V 4
14
Electron density * 10

2
1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5
4
Electric field *10 (V/cm)

Figure (4): Electron density of molecular gas (nitrogen) as a

function of E-field.

The nitrogen has an electronegative characteristics gas,

therefore the electron density number becomes smaller and
decreasing electron density leads to increasing resistivity, see
Figure (3): velocity of plasma by using of photomultiplier table 3 for a comparison between (Ar) and (N2) gases.
(IP28 PCA) Figure (4) and figure (7) indicates the electron density of
molecular gas (nitrogen) and inert gas (argon) as a function of

68 www.ijeas.org
 International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences (IJEAS)
ISSN: 2394-3661, Volume-2, Issue-9, September 2015
electric field between two electrodes. The electron density plasma jet decrease with increasing electric field for both
decreased with increasing electric field for two gases. gases.
In the interval between two collisions, an electron is
accelerated along the line of force of the electric field E. A
collision changes the direction of motion sharply and in a

Conductivity of nitrogen (Ohm cm )

-1
random way, after which the electron is again accelerated, etc. 0.4

Encounters of charged particles are rare in a weakly ionized

-1
gas; electrons mostly collide with neutral molecules. The
systematic motion along the direction of the external force
amid the random motion background is known as drift. A 0.3
consistent approach to calculating the drift velocity is based
on analyzing the kinetic equation for the electron velocity
distribution function. This approach shows how to average a
formula of type (3) correctly. It is found that the assumption
of the independence of the effective collision frequency on 0.2

velocity.
1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5
4
Electric field *10 (V/cm)

20
Figure (6): Conductivity of molecular gas (nitrogen) as a
function of E-field.
Electron drift velocity (cm/s)

N2

6
15

Argon
(cm )
-3

5
14
Electron density * 10

10
4

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

4 3
Electric field *10 (V/cm)

Figure (5): Drift velocity of molecular gas (nitrogen) as a 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

function of E-field. 4
Electric field *10 (V/cm)

Figure (5) and figure (8) shows the electron drift velocity of
molecular gas (nitrogen) and inert gas (argon) as a function of Figure (7): Electron density of inert gas (argon) as a function
electric field between two electrodes. The electron drift of E-field.
velocity increased with increasing electric field for two gases.
The mobility of massive ions is hundreds of times less than for
light electrons. The contribution of ions to electric current is
thus small, except in those rare cases when the ion densities n+ 14
Argon
Electron drift velocity (cm/s)

, n- exceed by an appropriate number of times the electron

density (ne). The current density j and conductivity in
12
plasma with ne n+ are

10

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

4
Electric field *10 (V/cm)
Figure (6) and figure (9) indicates the conductivity of
molecular gas (nitrogen) and inert gas (argon) as a function of
Figure (8): Drift velocity of inert gas (argon) as a function of
electric field between two electrodes. The conductivity of
E-field.

69 www.ijeas.org
 Characterization of an Atmospheric-pressure Cold Plasma Jet

0.040
Conductivity of argon (Ohm cm )
-1

0.035
-1

0.030

0.025

0.020

1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0

4
Electric field *10 (V/cm)

Figure (9): Conductivity of inert gas (argon) as a function of

E-field.

IV. CONCLUSION
The measurements of plasma light at very near from the
nozzle shows that the pulse width is about 40 s for N2 plasma
and 48 s for argon plasma, but the tail is longer (several
hundred microseconds). The average velocity of the plasma
jet was about 106 cm/sec. The conductivity of plasma jet
decrease with increasing electric field for both gases (argon
and nitrogen).

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