Atmospheric Pulsed Diffuse Discharge in Highly Non-Uniform Fields to be Used for Sterilization and Decontamination

Gas discharge sterilization techniques have some principal merits as compared to conventionally used methods. Among them the following ones should be mentioned: low temperatures of sterilization, high efficiency, low energy consumption, low cost and simplicity of equipment maintenance. For wide practical applications the diffuse gas discharge of nanosecond duration excited in highly nonuniform fields is preferable. It provides effective production of many plasma agents of sterilization, including the mild X-ray radiation. The high voltage electric supply system of the developed experimental equipment is designed on the basis of a pulsed nanosecond generator. The duration of voltage pulses can be changed from 30 ns to 1 mus, the pulse rise time equals 5 ns, the maximal pulse repetition rate equals 100 Hz, the pulse amplitude can be varied from 30 kV up to 150 kV. Diffuse discharges were studied at atmospheric pressure, the length of the interelectrode gaps being in the range 2-8 cm. It was observed that the discharge kept invariable its space shape of burning and had its own micro and macro structures. The radiation spectrum has linear properties. The main fraction of radiation lies in the ultraviolet spectral band (300-400 nm).