An Experimental Study of Electrodeless Arc Discharges
Abstract
An experimental study of electrodeless discharges, stabilized in a flowing stream, has shown that a substantial improvement in stability can be accomplished by the use of a bluff body placed in the entering flow. The increased stability is attributed to energy convection by the circulation cell formed in the wake of the bluff body. Spectroscopic measurements indicate that a more uniform temperature profile is produced as a result of the convective mixing. Detailed measurements indicate that a stable discharge can be maintained with flow rates 3 times greater than is possible with vortex stabilization. It was further determined that the gas heating efficiency of the device is increased by an order of magnitude when compared to the vortex stabilized discharge. The efficiency was found to increase with both power input and flow rate with no indication of a leveling off up to the maximum of 18% measured in the course of the study. A large discharge chamber was constructed to permit operation at pressures to ten atmospheres and input powers to 400 KW, but only preliminary experiments were performed. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0729782
Entities
People
- Dennis R. Keefer
Organizations
- University of Florida