Simulation on short-gap streamer discharge in gases using the lattice boltzmann method

Streamer discharge is an important aspect of gap discharge in gases, but experimental method alone cannot delineate the microscopic mechanism of streamer discharge and all physical parameters of the discharge channel. Numerical simulation provides an important method for theoretical study of streamer discharge. To solve the particle transport equations in streamer discharge simulation, we applied the lattice Boltzmann method to the design of a solution model which requires a smaller calculation load. Furthermore, we provided the 1.5-dimensional streamer discharge simulation model based on the D1Q3 model as well as the numerical solutions to electron transport and positive ion transport equations. Using this model, numerical simulation was performed on two types of streamer development processes in N₂ gas between the plate electrodes under atmospheric pressure. The simulation results were then compared against the results in the previous reports, and the feasibility of using the lattice Boltzmann method for streamer discharge simulation was demonstrated.