Negative current pulses in atmospheric pressure DC electrical discharge

DC atmospheric pressure glow discharge with needle-to-plate electrode configuration stabilized by a gas flow can be used for a wide range of ecological applications, such as cleaning of polluted gases, destructing complex hydrocarbons from industrial gases, controlling acid gases etc. However, this type of positive discharge is a source of very intense radiation of electromagnetic waves in wideband region up to 300 MHz. Electromagnetic radiation is given by a strong current pulsation with the amplitude up to ten amperes and a frequency of about tens kHz. The influence of electric current and internal gas flow rate is studied. The possible electromagnetic disturbance and compatibility with computers and other electronic instruments is discussed. (C) 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.