Ignition characteristics of pre-combustion plasma jet igniter*

Abstract

At present, aero-engines face a major need to widen the ignition envelope. In order to provide a technical support to expand the high altitude ignition envelope of aero-engines, in this article we propose a novel ignition technology, i.e., “pre-combustion plasma jet ignition technology”. In this paper, we also design a pre-combustion plasma jet igniter. Its discharge characteristics, jet characteristics, and ignition effects are studied. The results show that increasing the equivalent ratio of jet gas can enhance the discharge stability and increase the duty cycle. At the same time, it can reduce working power and energy consumption. The increase of equivalent ratio in jet gas can enhance the length and ignition area of plasma jet. In the process of ignition, the pre-combustion plasma jet igniter has obvious advantages, suchn as shortening the ignition delay time and enlarging the ignition boundary. When the airflow velocity is 39.11 m/s and the inlet air temperature is 80 °C, compared with the spark igniter and the air plasma jet igniter, the pre-combustion plasma jet igniter has an ignition boundary that is expanded by 319.8% and 55.7% respectively.