A Linearized Model Suitable for Closed-Loop Control of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Loads

Closed-loop control of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) loads remains challenging because the load voltage is usually difficult to measure directly in practical high-voltage systems, while the discharge behavior is strongly nonlinear and operating-condition dependent. To address this problem, this paper proposes a control-oriented linearized observation model for estimating the peak load voltage from the peak load current within a specified operating range. First, an equivalent electrical model of the DBD load is established based on the microscopic discharge processes, including capacitive behavior before breakdown, rapid ionization after gas-gap breakdown, and charged-particle recombination during current decay. Based on this model, the relationship between the peak load voltage and the peak load current is investigated through numerical analysis and experimental validation. The results show that, under fixed load structure and limited operating conditions, the peak voltage and peak current exhibit an approximately linear relationship. The proposed model is then applied as a voltage observer in the closed-loop voltage control of a DBD ozone generator. Experimental results demonstrate that the model can estimate the peak load voltage with acceptable accuracy in the tested operating range and can support stable closed-loop control. It should be noted that the model coefficients need to be re-identified when the DBD load structure, gas condition, or operating range changes significantly.