Control of combustion and ignition of hydro carbon-containing mixtures by nanosecond pulsed discharges

The efficiency of nanosecond discharges as active particles generator for plasma assisted combustion and ignition has been investigated. The study of nanosecond barrier discharge influence on a flame propagation and flame blow-off velocity was carried out. With energy input negligible in comparison with burner's chemical power, a double flame blow-off velocity increase was obtained. The present paper shows that, besides proper form of energy input, proper organization of discharge is of great importance. It was found that active particles (O and OH primarily), which are produced in the streamer head under its action, play the most significant role in the effect of combustion acceleration. The model of flame acceleration, suggested in the previous work, was confirmed by the new experimental data. Ignition of homological series of hydrocarbons from CH ₄ to C ₄H ₁₀ under the action of nanosecond discharge was investigated. Significant shift of ignition delay time in comparison with autoignition was obtained for all mixtures. Experiments with ignition by excimer laser flash-photolysis were carried out to study the role of excited atomic species in the ignition of combustible mixtures.