Three-dimensional simulations of discharge plasma evolution on a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator

To develop simulation techniques for reconstructing microdischarges in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator and analyze spanwise non-uniformity in a body force field, three-dimensional discharge plasma simulations of a DBD plasma actuator were conducted assuming step-like positive and negative applied voltages. Our study showed that to break the spanwise uniformity, some disturbances were required in the computational conditions to reconstruct the three-dimensional microdischarges, and the attachment of some minute bumps (several tens of micrometers in size) on the electrode edge allowed for the successful reconstruction of glow-type microdischarges and streamer-type filamentary discharges in the negative and positive applied voltage cases, respectively. The tentative body force field has strong spanwise non-uniformity corresponding to the plasma structure, and in addition, a spanwise directional body force also exists, especially in the streamer discharge. However, the spanwise averaged body force has the same spatial-distribution and time-evolution characteristics obtained with the two-dimensional simulation. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.