Model and Igniter Development for Plasma Assisted Combustion

Abstract

Recent progress on the authors' efforts to develop a detailed kinetic mechanism for C(sub 8)H(sub m) hydrocarbons and practical plasma igniters for plasma-assisted combustion are discussed. Shock tube validation experiments made in argon using a fixed stoichiometry (PHI = 1.0), pressures of approximately 0.95 and 1.05 atm, and temperatures ranging from 850 to 1200 K (post-reflected shock) are presented. The mechanism is being expanded to include electron kinetics and to allow for a degree of nonequilibrium modeled with separate electron and gas temperatures. Quantum calculations used to derive needed electron impact ionization/dissociation cross-sections for hydrocarbons are discussed. In addition, ignition of ethylene fuel in a Mach 2 supersonic flow with a total temperature of 590 K and pressure of 5.4 atm is demonstrated using a low frequency discharge with peak and average powers reaching 8 kW and 2.8 kW, respectively. (7 figures, 28 refs.)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 21, 2004
Accession Number
ADA425194

Entities

People

  • Campbell D. Carter
  • Lance Jacobson
  • Leposava Vuskovic
  • Skip Williams
  • Svetozar Popovic

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Alkenes
  • Charged Particles
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemistry
  • Combustion
  • Dissociation
  • Electrons
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Flow
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Ignition
  • Ignition Lag
  • Ionization
  • Laser Induced Fluorescence
  • Shock Tubes

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Analytical Mechanics
  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flight
  • Microelectronics
  • Quantum Computing