Comparison of two cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet configurations in argon

The present study compares the operation of two cold atmospheric plasma jet (CAPJ) configurations: needle-to-cylinder electrode configuration (CAPJ I) and single high-voltage cylinder electrode around the quartz tube (CAPJ II). The CAPJs were operated in argon flowing through a quartz capillary with 0.5-mm inner diameter into the ambient air, and the plasma was generated by sinusoidal kHz frequency AC power supplies. The main emphasis of the study was on the mechanism of the initiation of ionization waves for these two configurations. For both CAPJs, there appeared several ionization waves during one half-period of the applied voltage waveform, and the number of ionization waves increased at higher voltage amplitudes. However, we discovered marked differences in the initiation of the ionization waves for two different CAPJ configuration. The applied voltage controlled the initiation of consecutive ionization waves, which propagated from the grounded electrode towards the tube orifice in CAPJ I. In the case of CAPJ II, certain time had to pass for the initiation of a new ionization wave, and subsequent ionization waves within the same half-period started at the tube orifice. In addition to the differences in the initiation of the ionization waves, we observed that the CAPJ I was ignited and sustained at lower voltages, while CAPJ II produced a longer plasma jet. The observed advantages and deficiencies of investigated CAPJ configurations point out their potential in different applications.     

Nitrite and Nitrate Production by NO and NO2 Dissolution in Water Utilizing Plasma Jet Resembling Gas Flow Pattern

This study investigated the reactive dissolution of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) mixtures in deionized water. The dissolution study was carried out in a flat surface type gas–liquid reaction chamber utilizing a gas flow-pattern resembling plasma jets which are often used in biomedical applications. The concentration of NO and NO₂ in the gas mixtures was varied in a broad range by oxidizing up to 800 ppm of nitric oxide in Ar carrier gas with variable amount of ozone. The production of nitrite (NO₂^?) and nitrate (NO₃^?) in the water was proportional to treatment time up to 50 min. The concentration of NO₃^? was a power function of gas phase NO₂ while the concentration of NO₂^? increased approximately linearly with gas phase NO₂. The formation of NO₂^? and NO₃^? could be described by reactions between dissolved NO₂ and NO in the water while the production rate was determined by diffusion-limited mass transport of nitrogen oxides to the bulk of the liquid. At higher NO₂ concentrations, the formation of dinitrogen tetraoxide (N₂O₄) increased the formation rate of NO₂^? and NO₃^?. The identified mass transport limitation by diffusion suggests that convection of water created by the gas jet is insufficient and dissolution of nitrogen oxides can be increased by additional mixing. In respect of practical applications, the ratio of NO₂^? /NO₃^? in water could be varied from 0.8 to 5.3 with treatment time and gas phase NO₂ and NO concentrations.