Nanosecond Plasma Discharge Simulation in Nitrogen

This tutorial demonstrates how to model and analyze a nanosecond plasma discharge in nitrogen (N₂) using Ansys Charge Plus™ electromagnetic charging and discharge simulation software. It walks through the complete workflow: from geometry simplification (3D to 2D), physics setup, and boundary condition definition to simulation execution and post-processing analysis. You will explore plasma species modeling, solver configuration, and visualization of key results such as breakdown voltage, electron density, and temperature.

It also highlights validation against published results and compares modeling approaches such as 2D vs. 3D representations.

Learning Outcomes:

Following completion of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Explain the fundamentals of nanosecond plasma discharge modeling.
• Convert a 3D geometry into a simulation-ready 2D representation.
• Configure plasma species, materials, and domain settings.
• Apply sources and boundary conditions for plasma simulations.
• Set up mesh and solver parameters for accurate results.
• Execute a plasma simulation using Ansys Charge Plus software.
• Analyze breakdown voltage and plasma characteristics.
• Interpret electron density and temperature trends over time.

Prerequisites: 

• Ansys Charge Plus Getting Started course

Please Note: These training materials were developed and tested in 2025R2.