A photographic study of plasma ignition systems

Book · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5761547

Edwards, C F; Stewart, H E; Oppenheim, A K

A photographic study was conducted using an optical-access compression-expansion machine in order to reveal the mechanism of ignition and flame propagation initiated by plasma igniters. The tests included a jet igniter with inert cavity liner (quartz), a jet igniter with reactive cavity liner (paraffin), and a J-gap spark plug. Schlieren cinematographic records were obtained for each condition along with concomitant pressure traces. Basic features of ignition and combustion at lean limit were determined for each igniter. The spark plug permited lean operation down to an equivalence ratio of 0.7, after which mis-ignition occurred. Jet igniters provided an extension of lean limit to 0.5 in equivalence ratio. For jet igniters, these limits were imposed by either extinction of the flame or too slow burning rate, rather than by misfire.

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 5761547
• Report Number(s): TP-85077
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330101* -- Internal Combustion Engines-- Spark-Ignition
ALKANES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COMBUSTION KINETICS
COMPRESSION
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ENGINES
EXPANSION
FLAME PROPAGATION
HEAT ENGINES
HYDROCARBONS
IGNITION
IGNITION SYSTEMS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
KINETICS
LINERS
MINERALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARAFFIN
PHOTOGRAPHY
PLASMA JETS
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
QUARTZ
REACTION KINETICS
SCHLIEREN METHOD
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SPARK IGNITION ENGINES
WAXES