Non-thermal plasma-assisted combustion research at Los Alamos

This study investigates the use of nonequilibrium silent electrical discharge plasmas to combustion processes, particularly for enhancing combustion stability, efficiency, and reducing undesirable emissions. Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) experiments are carried out with gaseous hydrocarbon fuels (methane, ethane, propane and butane) as well as the gasoline surrogate liquid iso-octane. DBDs allow free radicals to act in propagating combustion reactions, as well as to produce intermediate species in fragmenting hydrocarbons.