Energy Efficiency Analysis of DBD Plasma Discharge via Electrical Modeling

Abstract

This article focuses on the modeling and optimization of the energy efficiency of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Direct calculation of this efficiency is highly complex due to the nonlinear and transient nature of the discharge process. To overcome this challenge, we developed an equivalent electrical model of the discharge reactor, incorporating variable electrical parameters. Unlike conventional equivalent circuit models based on fixed parameters, the proposed model introduces time-varying electrical parameters, enabling a more accurate representation of the nonlinear and transient behavior of DBD plasma discharges. The evolution of these parameters was estimated using a mathematical identification method based on the recursive least squares algorithm (RLSA). The proposed model was validated by comparing the experimentally measured current with the simulated one obtained from the equivalent circuit. The strong agreement between these results, along with the consistency of the estimated electrical parameters, confirms the reliability of the model. These parameters were then used to indirectly determine the power delivered into the reactor and the power actually consumed during the discharge. This approach provides a precise tool for analyzing and controlling the energy efficiency of the DBD system.