Proposal Number: ECS-9632384 Principal Investigator: Shirshak Dhali/Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Title: Dual pressure discharge for non-thermal plasma at atmosperic pressure Abstract In this research a novel discharge for the production of non-thermal plasmas in air at atmospheric pressures will be investigated. The design consists of two dielectric barrier discharges separated by a UV transparent dielectric. The UV photons pre-ionizes the pressure chamber. The resulting Avalanches in the high pressure region produce a diffused (Townsend-like) discharge. The UV irradiation is timed and efficiently coupled to the atmospheric pressure discharge. The eventual application of this research is in air pollution control. The electrical properties of the discharge (onset voltage, power, average current, etc.) will be characterized for this goal. The OH radical production, which is thought to be the most important radical for oxidation applications, will be investigated using laser induced fluorescence in an air discharge; and the dual pressure discharge will be investigated for its potential to remove SO2 by oxidation in a coal combustion flue gas. _________________________________________________________________
