Ignition Promotion in the Supersonic Flow

In order to investigate mechanisms of ignition promotion by a plasma jet igniter in the supersonic flow, asymptotic analysis and ignitian experiment were carried out. As the results of an asymptotic analysis, the maximum temperature and ternperature distributions in a plasma jet igniter have been obtained. Then, a bulk temperature and a bulk degree of dissociation in the plasma jet igniter were estimated quantitatively. From these results, ignition promotion effects of plasma tarch and microburner (H2/O2 combustion gas torch) could be estimated analytically. The results represented that both igniters have almost the same effects of ignition promotion. An experimental comparison between their effects showed the same result as the analytical one. Furthermore, ignition promotion effects of radical addition and temperature increase by an igniter were compared analytically. The results showed that the effect of radical addition was greater than that of temperature increase.