The Use of Subcritical Streamer Microwave Discharge for Multipoint Ignition of the Fuel Mixture Flow in Microturbine Combustion Chamber

Abstract

The work focuses on improving fuel economy and efficiency of combustion processes in gas turbine power plants. The use of multipoint plasma ignition of the fuel mixture in the cylindrical combustion chamber is considered. The aim of the study is to increase the efficiency of ignition of the fuel mixture. The goal is achieved both through theoretical studies carried out using nu-merical methods, and experimentally, in an experimental device. The propagation time of the flame front is compared at 1, 4, 8 ignition centers created by automobile candles and subcritical microwave discharges. In the calculation of combustion, a quasi-global model of chemical kinet-ics is used, which includes 12 components. To calculate microwave discharges, we use the sys-tem of equations of gas dynamics and Maxwell equations for a thermodynamically nonequilib-rium plasma in a three-dimensional formulation. A model of absorption of microwave radiation by a streamer discharge is used, as a result of which it is heated. The most significant scientific result is that a multi-point streamer microwave discharge can be ignited inside a metal combus-tion chamber and its effectiveness as an arsonist is much higher than the efficiency of spark candles. The significance for practice lies in the fact that the rate of increase in pressure with multipoint microwave ignition is one third higher than with multi-point spark ignition and three times higher than with standard ignition, but the input energy is almost 30 times less. This allows you to significantly increase the specific indicators of both internal combustion engines and constant volume engines.

Keywords

• microturbine
• a
• plasma-assisted ignition and combustion