Dynamics characterization of spiral-tubular dielectric barrier discharge based on experiment and simulation

Household plasma purification devices still face many technical challenges, particularly in terms of energy inefficiency and suboptimal purification performance. This study introduces a spiral-tubular dielectric barrier discharge design, where discharge characteristics are investigated by experiment and simulation. The results indicated that the discharge exhibits distinctive micro-discharge patterns during the positive half-cycle, with the spatial distribution concentrated along the outer periphery of spiral geometry. The humidity introduction affects the afterglow phase by accelerating the decay of O atoms, electrons, and O2− ions. Specifically, H2O interacts with O2− to form O2− (H2O), reducing the O2− density that plays a role in electron generation by desorption reactions. Furthermore, the production and consumption pathways of O3 are also influenced by the introduction of humidity, increasing reaction rates for O3 formation during the discharge. These findings provide fundamental design principles for optimizing both energy efficiency and chemical selectivity in purification applications.