Measurement of flow velocity field in corona discharge radical shower non-thermal plasma reactor

In this paper results of the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements of the flow velocity fields in a corona discharge radical shower (CDRS) non-thermal plasma reactor are presented. The discharge electrode of the CDRS reactor was a thin tube with several nozzles, through which a gas mixture was added to the reactor. The velocity fields were measured in two flow planes perpendicular to the electrode tube: the first plane was set between two nozzles in the middle of the discharge electrode, and the second passed through one of them. In both planes electrohydrodynamically generated vortexes were found. However, in the plane set between the two nozzles, the vortexes were smaller. This investigation shows that in the reactor with the CDRS discharge electrode is used, the vortexes revolve in the opposite direction to those generated in the non-thermal plasma reactors with smooth wire discharge electrodes. The flow patterns in the reactor with CDRS electrode are more stable than those with the smooth wire electrode. This can have an influence on the performance of the CDRS reactors.