Can the “Maximum Power Principle” Be Applied to Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge?

In this paper, we report a qualitative model of operation and energy release in pulsed dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs). We demonstrate that pulsed DBDs operate according to the “maximum power principle” and explain the relevant physical processes. Compared to experimental data, the proposed model allows an accurate estimation of the discharge pulse energy as a function of dielectric properties, electrode size, and pulse parameters (shape and voltage amplitude).