Enhancement of Combustion and Flame Stabilization Using Transient Non-Equilibrium Plasma
Abstract
The effect of non-equilibrium plasma on both partially premixed and non-premixed flames was investigated through the development of a newly integrated magnetic gliding arc (MGA) system. The lifted jet diffusion flame experiments showed a significant enhancement of the flame stabilization with plasma discharge in the air co-flow. The counterflow experiments also demonstrated that the extinction limits were extended dramatically. Laser diagnostics of flame temperature and OH distribution using planar Rayleigh scattering and planar laser-induced fluorescence revealed that the plasma-flame interaction at low air temperature was dominated by thermal effects due to rapid radical quenching. Counterflow ignition experiments for CH4-air and H2-air non-premixed flames demonstrated clearly that the MGA significantly decreased the ignition temperatures via kinetic enhancement by the NOx, catalytic effect. Numerical modeling showed that there were two ignition regimes for plasma enhanced ignition, kinetic at low strain rates and thermal at high strain rates. Comparison between experiment and simulation were in good agreement and also suggested the possibility of enhancement by ions, excited species or other mechanisms. Theoretical analysis of minimum ignition energy in a quiescent mixture showed that the production of small hydrocarbon fuel fragments by plasma discharge also led to a significant decrease of ignition energy due to radiation and transport coupling.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA469722
Entities
People
- Alexander Fridman
- Alexander Gutsol
- Shailesh Gangoli
- Timothy Ombrello
- Yiguang Ju
Organizations
- Princeton University