(642b) Coupled Simulation of the Fluid Dynamics, Reactions and Electric Field in an Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Deposition Reactor

Atmospheric pressure plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition offers perspectives for the in-line treatment of surfaces, e.g. for the production of high-efficiency solar panels. The technology has been demonstrated on the lab-scale [1], but scale-up turns out to be challenging. Computational Fluid Dynamics can be used to get an improved understanding of the reactor behavior [2]. The present paper addresses the detailed and coupled simulation of the fluid dynamics, reactions and electric field in an atmospheric-pressure low-temperature pure nitrogen plasma reactor. The model equations and solution strategy are discussed and validated. Next, simulations with different reactor geometries are presented and the influence of the electric field on the fluid dynamics and on the species concentration fields in the reactors studied.

References:

[1] Descamps P., Asad S.S., De Wilde J., J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 46, 365201 (13pp), 2013.

[2] Descamps P., Kaiser V., Asad S.S., Leempoel P., Plasma Process. Polym., 8, 1116, 2011.