Self-Consistent Model for Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharges in Helium

We show the necessity of leaving out the approximation of constant average electron energy in many fluid models. For this purpose a one-dimensional self-consistent model for He atmospheric barrier discharges is developed. With this model, the electron energy distribution function in the atmospheric pressure glow discharge is obtained without introducing much difficulty, and the new model is readily implemented for investigating discharges in complicated gases.