Abstract Nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharge (ns-SDBD) actuators have broad applications in flow control, where the discharge characteristics are significantly influenced by the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) through its modulation of surface ionization wave (SIW) dynamics. This study investigates the effects of PRFs and nanosecond-pulse number on energy accumulation mechanisms, discharge mode transitions, and SIW propagation in SDBDs. Experimental results show distinct discharge characteristics in the case of two dielectric barriers, epoxy glass cloth (FR-4) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), respectively. In the case of FR-4, the single-pulse energy initially increases with higher PRFs and pulse numbers, but subsequently decreases after reaching its peak. In the case of PTFE, the results demonstrate pronounced energy accumulation, with energy continuously increasing under the same conditions. Furthermore, SDBD actuators with PTFE require significantly higher PRF thresholds and greater pulse quantities to induce transitions in discharge mode compared to those with FR-4. At elevated PRFs, both materials exhibit accelerated propagation of SIW and streamers as the PRF and pulse number increase. However, while SIW propagation tends to saturate at high PRFs, streamer velocity shows a slightly saturated trend under similar conditions. These findings provide critical insights for optimizing ns-SDBD performance through proper material selection and PRF control in practical applications.
Xu et al. (2025) studied this question.