Activation of Chain Processes in Combustible Mixtures by Laser Excitation of Molecular Vibrations of Reactants

Abstract

The combustion kinetics of H2-air mixtures containing small amounts (<1%) of ozone is analyzed for the case of excitation of asymmetric vibrations of O3 molecules by CO2 laser radiation with a wavelength of ≈ 9.7 µm. It is shown that the irradiation leads to acceleration of the collisional dissociation of O3 molecules, activation of the chain ignition mechanism, and a decrease in the induction period and ignition temperature. The excitation of asymmetric vibrations of O3 molecules by the CO2 laser radiation is 10–103 times more effective than the currently used method of combustion initiation based on local heating of a medium by IR radiation.