Analysis of ignition mechanism of combustile mixtures by composite sparks

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Combustion and Flame; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-2180(92)90097-9· OSTI ID:6975026

Ishii, K; Kono, M ^[1]; Tsukamoto, T ^[2]; Ujiie, Y ^[3]

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1. Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Engineering
2. Tokyo Univ. of Mercantile Marine (Japan)
3. College of Industrial Technology, Nihon Univ. (Japan)

In this paper, formation process of flame kernels produced by composite sparks in a quiescent propane-air mixture is numerically simulated by using a set of partial differential equations on two-dimensional cylindrical coordinates. Simulation is done with emphasis on physical effects such as gas movements generated by spark discharge and heat transfer from the flame kernel to spark electrode surfaces. Although chemical reaction is considered only by an overall reaction. The present simulation is found to be useful for understanding of physical effects in the following points: the flow pattern near spark gaps is an important factor that governs the flame kernel structure, the flow pattern is affected by the spark electrode diameter, gap width, and spark duration, and the calculated variation in the minimum ignition energy agrees qualitatively with the experimental variation, and the existence of the optimum spark duration is well confirmed. As for composite sparks, it is found that the superiority in ignition ability of composite sparks over capacitance sparks depends on spark electrode diameter and gap width.

• OSTI ID: 6975026
• Journal Information: Combustion and Flame; (United States), Journal Name: Combustion and Flame; (United States) Vol. 91:2; ISSN CBFMAO; ISSN 0010-2180
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400800* -- Combustion
Pyrolysis
& High-Temperature Chemistry
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200 -- Mathematics & Computers
AIR
ALKANES
BINARY MIXTURES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COORDINATES
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC SPARKS
ELECTRODES
EQUATIONS
FLAMES
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
IGNITION
MIXTURES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PATTERN RECOGNITION
PLASMA
PROPANE
QUIESCENT PLASMA
SIMULATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS