Initiation and stabilization of combustion at low pressure and temperature by means of a nonequilibrium electric discharge

The pattern of supersonic (M = 2) flow near the surface of a plate at points on which propane jets are injected normal to the air flow direction is investigated. For the initiation and intensification of the chemical reactions a nonequilibrium discharge is used. This is created between an anode oriented along the flow, the plate surface, and a metal interceptor mounted on the plate. The results of a schlieren visualization of the flows developed are presented. Spectroscopic studies show that the distribution of plasmochemical reaction products has a number of fundamental differences as compared with the case of propane injection along the plate surface. A comparative analysis of these distributions for identical gasdynamical experimental conditions is important for testing calculation models of reactive-mixture supersonic flows in which electric discharges are used for ignition and the stabilization of combustion.