Effect of DC-discharge geometry on ignition efficiency in supersonic flow

The plasma-assisted combustion is considered as a prospective approach for ignition of a hydrocarbon fuel and flameholding in a supersonic airflow. Stable flameholding of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon fuel was achieved by means of surface Q-DC discharge without employing mechanical flameholders in a supersonic combustion chamber. However, a high level of electric power, typically required to realize this method, may limit its application in a real apparatus. The current experimental and computational efforts continue the study of a distributed plasma system with the aim of reduction the total energy consumption and extending the life cycle of the electrode system. In the work described in this paper, the interaction of two separated plasma modules was investigated. The fuel ignition caused by individually controlled plasma modules was explored showing a significant effect of the plasma filament length on ignition efficiency. (paper)