Computational fluid dynamics analysis of cold plasma carrier gas injected into a fluid using level set method

Area of Science:

• Plasma Medicine
• Biophysics
• Fluid Dynamics
• Heat Transfer

Background:

• Cold plasma is a promising tool for treating cells and tissues.
• Realistic cell treatments often involve cells submerged in fluid.
• Understanding fluid temperature dynamics is critical for effective plasma-based therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a computational model for determining fluid temperature at the cellular level during cold plasma treatment.
• To simulate the interaction of helium cold plasma with a fluid environment containing cells.
• To analyze the impact of plasma parameters on temperature distribution and cell viability.

Main Methods:

• A three-phase-interaction model coupled with heat transfer was developed.
• The model simulated helium gas injection into water, considering air, helium, and water phases.
• Finite element method and COMSOL Multiphysics software were used for simulations.

Main Results:

• The model successfully computed temperature distributions in the fluid domain, including cell culture surfaces.
• Temperature variations were analyzed at small time intervals to assess potential thermal damage to cells.
• The study investigated the influence of plasma plume volume and carrier gas velocity on fluid temperature.

Conclusions:

• The developed model provides accurate predictions of fluid temperature during cold plasma application.
• This tool is valuable for optimizing plasma medicine device design and treatment protocols.
• Understanding thermal effects is essential for ensuring the safety and efficacy of cold plasma cell therapies.