Plasma Actuation to Enhance the Flame Stabilization in a Non-Premixed Lean Microburner

Aim of the present paper is the characterization of a non-premixed methane/air microburner, Bunsen-type, equipped with a plasma actuator for the flame stabilization and the blowoff control. The burner is optically accessible to permit imaging acquisitions of the flame region. The plasma actuation regards the air flow, while the fuel flow is protected by the action of the electric field. The limits of flashback and blowoff were recorded in presence and in absence of the plasma actuation. The flame behavior was acquired using a digital camera in order to capture the differences between the baseline conditions and the actuated cases. The results appear very encouraging for future application in powering micro-devices for aerial and industrial application. It was shown that the plasma significantly allows stabilizing the flame under lean conditions where it would not exist without plasma.