Operational Characteristics of a Periodic Plasma Torch

Abstract

There is considerable interest in the development of plasma sources having open structures. Such plasma sources have applications in a variety of areas including, spray coating and materials synthesis 1, 2, microwave reflection/absorption 3-S, sterilization and chemical neutralization 6, 7, shock-wave mitigation for sonic boom and wave-drag reductions in supersonic flights 8-1O, and ignition in supersonic combustors 1 LPL3J. Different applications have different requirements on the plasma parameters, such as the density, temperature, volume, and duration. The periodic plasma torch module discussed here is intended as an ignition aide within a hydrocarbon-fueled supersonic combustor; and the operational characteristics of the torch module have been optimized to maximize plasma density, volume, and energy for a duration of a few milliseconds.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 08, 2003
Accession Number
ADA425138

Entities

People

  • Campbell D. Carter
  • David Bivolaru
  • Lance Jacobsen
  • S. P. Kuo
  • Skip Williams

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Alkenes
  • Chambers
  • Charged Particles
  • Combustion
  • Combustors
  • Energy
  • Flow
  • Gas Flow
  • High Voltage
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Ignition
  • Ignition Lag
  • Laser Induced Fluorescence
  • Power Supplies
  • Supersonic Combustion
  • Supersonic Flow

Fields of Study

  • Chemistry
  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Rocket Propulsion.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics