IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science

The effects of electric fields on outwardly propagating premixed flames in a constant volume chamber were experimentally investigated. An electric plug, subjected to high electrical voltages, was used to generate electric fields inside the chamber. To minimize directional ionic wind effects, alternating current with frequency of 1 kHz was employed. Lean and rich fuel/air mixtures for both methane ... View full abstract»

A plasma-coupled methane-air flame is produced at atmospheric pressure by a microwave plasma source utilizing a tunable waveguide. Laser diagnostics are used to examine the direct-coupled, plasma-ignited, and sustained flame, for multiple flame types and nozzle geometries. OH radical number densities are quantified using planar laser-induced fluorescence and temperature measured by Rayleigh scatte... View full abstract»

Plasma jet ignition and combustion of stoichiometric propane-air mixture are considered at application of a flat plasma jet in the crossflow. Computationally, it is demonstrated that a flat plasma jet from a slot creates a combustion wave in the fuel that realizes the combustion. View full abstract»

Studies of a plasma jet formation and its injection into a propane-air mixture's counterflow have been performed regarding enhancing combustion and ignition by plasma jets. A computational model involves a realistic equation of state, plasma radiation associated with plasma formation inside the plasma generator, and coupling between the internal nozzle and external flow fields. A one-step effectiv... View full abstract»

This paper presents formulation of an approach to hydrodynamic modeling of vorticle long-lived formations realized in experiments with Gatchina discharge. A jet of heated gas which transforms into a vortex is considered in it as the observed object in these experiments. View full abstract»

Works on the creation of gas discharge origination artificial ball lightning have been carried out with the help of specially designed gas discharge tubes, in which the condensed matter in the form of a thread-type or powder material was deposited. Origination of long-lived luminescent spheres, i.e., artificial ball lightning, has been detected. Some of them exploded during their lifetime. A natur... View full abstract»

Recent experiments and analyses have demonstrated the possibility of producing supercritical water at high temperatures and densities using a short-pulse electric surface discharge in saline solutions. This article describes a minimal ion chemistry model for supercritical salt water and the kinetics and thermodynamics of the chemistry. Time-dependent shock front calculations using the 1-D Zel'dovi... View full abstract»

Experiments involving the insertion of a tungsten needle powered by an ~1-kW radio-frequency (RF) generator into a flowing saltwater mist produced by a nebulizer are described. The tip of the tungsten electrode is estimated to have a temperature near the 5555-°C vaporization temperature of tungsten. Values of E/N close to the electrode tip are estimated to be greater than the breakdown thre... View full abstract»