Ignition of lean and stoichiometric air–propane mixture with a subcritical microwave streamer discharge

Abstract

Pulse detonation engines are considered to be one of effective propulsion systems for future space missions. Significant efforts are being spent on acceleration of fuel combustion and rising is efficiency. Existing studies have mainly focused on optimizing fuel injection and mixing, repetitive initiation of detonation and integration of detonation tubes with fuel inlets. Understanding of streamer propagation mechanism is of essential importance for the studies of electrical breakdown phenomena and their related applications. In this study, a subcritical microwave streamer discharge is used to initiate ignition of air–fuel mixtures. Ignition of lean fuel mixtures by a streamer has been demonstrated at atmospheric pressure. The speed of streamer-initiated combustion has been shown to be higher compared to that initiated by a spark. The combustion efficiency has also been shown to be higher when using the microwave streamer ignition.