Ozone and oxygen atoms production in a dielectric barrier discharge in pure oxygen and O₂/CH₄ mixtures. Modeling and experiment

This paper describes the results of modeling of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Filamentary structure of DBD is taken into account in the model by introducing the ratio of the cross section area of a microdischarge to the electrode area as a parameter of the model. Discharge and afterglow stages in the gas flow were studied using a zero-dimensional model for a DBD microdischarge channel. The results of modeling are compared with literature data for [O] number densities in a single pulse nanosecond discharge, and with our own measurements of ozone formation in the DBD. Measurements of ozone number density in oxygen and in mixtures of oxygen with methane served as means of validating the DBD model. The best agreement of the calculated and experimental dependences of [O₃] number densities on the discharge energy load was observed, when processes involving vibrationally excited ozone were accounted for together with the discharge microstructure. (paper)