Fundamental Studies of Accelerated Low Temperature Combustion Kinetics by Nonequilibrium Plasmas

Ohio State University, The, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

1402640 Lempert Plasmas are often used to facilitate burning of fuels, especially those either difficult to ignite or to sustain burning, as they might be burning at low temperatures. This proposal focuses on obtaining data that would help to understand how plasmas facilitate fuel burning under these unfavorable conditions. A collaborative arrangement will be established between the co-PIs and the Dublin, OH city school system. This outreach program will include live in-classroom demonstrations, virtual classroom visits, and participation in the Dublin Professional Internship Program. The program will also advance "discovery and understanding" in several ways. In addition to the participation of graduate students, the program will include active participation of undergraduates. The program will also significantly impact the scientific infrastructure in the U.S (and the world). In particular, the low temperature data sets generated from this program will be made available to researchers world-wide for model development and validation. The co-PIs and students are regular contributors to scientific meetings in the U.S. and abroad, and maintain a comprehensive web site. The proposed program focuses on experimental and modeling studies of the acceleration of low temperature combustion kinetics by non-equilibrium plasmas. The goal is to generate extensive sets of benchmark low temperature (~400 - 850K) data that will provide new physical insight into the most important plasma-enhanced fuel oxidation processes in H2/air and a variety of hydrocarbon/air mixtures, in particular the role of non-equilibrium vibrational and metastable electronic state species and large non-equilibrium pools of key radical species such as O, H, and OH. The methodology will utilize an extensive suite of laser diagnostics to perform measurements of the temporal evolution of electron density and temperature, heavy species rotational/translational temperature, N2 and H2 vibrational distribution function, and selected species concentrations after application of a single nano-sec duration discharge pulse. Experiments will be performed in a complimentary pair of nano-second plasma discharge cells, both of which will produce diffuse plasmas with excellent optical access.