EFFECTS OF A TRANSVERSE ELECTRIC FIELD ON THE CHARACTERISTICS AND HEAT TRANSFER OF A DIFFUSION FLAME

Abstract

Effects of a transverse electric field on a parallel flow diffusion flame in a flat combustion chamber were investigated. Various mixtures of propane, nitrogen, and air were introduced separately at the base of an experimental combustion chamber and burned in a diffusion flame sheet located between flat walls of the chamber which served as anode and cathode. The electrode walls were instrumented to measure the local heat transfer rate, local current density, and pressure. It was found that the application of a voltage difference across the electrodes moved ions out of the burning zone and resulted in a current at the electrode walls. The heat transfer rate near the base of the flame was considerably increased on the cathode and decreased on the anode; at positions further from the base of the flame the electric effect was lessened. Flame distortion was thought to be caused by electrically induced gas motion derived from a gradient in current density in the flow direction and by the onset of an electrically induced flame flickering. An analysis of the products of combustion revealed that the applied electric field acted to increase the amount of unburnt solid carbon and decrease the quantities of unburnt fuel and carbon monoxide.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1967
Accession Number
AD0664180

Entities

People

  • Edwin R. Pejack
  • Henry R. Velkoff

Organizations

  • Ohio State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Calorific Value
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Charge Carriers
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Combustion
  • Convection
  • Dielectric Gases
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Electrostatic Probes
  • Heat Of Combustion
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Natural Gas
  • Pressure Gradients
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Voltage

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Plasma Physics.