Impedance-stabilized positive corona discharge and its decontamination properties

Abstract

The point-to-plane DC corona discharge in air at atmospheric pressure was stabilized by a serially connected ballast impedance. The ballast impedance was implemented by a resistor-capacitor group connected in parallel. In the case of connecting the serial impedance into the electric circuit of a negative corona, the transition into a spark takes place at parameters similar to those of a non-stabilized discharge. In contrast, in the case of a positive corona, the discharge does not undergo a transition into a spark, but rather into a mode of periodic streamers. We measured the bactericidal effect of the stabilized discharge. The experiments showed that after a 2-minute exposure the quantity of surviving bacteria decreased from 95% for a non-stabilized discharge down to 5% for a stabilized one. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.