Influence of Electrical Supplied Energy and Characteristic Length on the Plasma Jet Ignition

The investigation regarding the plasma jet ignition was explored by using a combustion vessel.

The first purpose is to elucidate the issuing duration and the penetration of hydrogen plasma jet. A temporal change of local electron temperature was measured along the central axis of plasma jet. A small characteristic length of igniter seems favorable with regard to the plasma jet penetration and the generation of high temperature, as compared with the case of the igniter that has the excessive cavity volume.

The second purpose is to elucidate relationship between the characteristic length and the combustion enhancement effect, when the excessive volume of cavity and the excessive supplied electrical energy were used. The influence of the characteristic length on the plasma jet penetration and the combustion enhancement differs with the supplied energy. The combustion enhancement seems to be caused by the plasma jet in case of excessive supplied energy. In the case of small supplied energy, the flame jet caused by the combustion in the cavity influences upon the combustion enhancement.