Initiation of combustion processes in a hydrogen-oxygen mixture under the action of a low-energy strong-current electron beam

Abstract

The process of combustion initiation in a hydrogen-oxygen mixture by a beam of electrons with an energy of ≈10 keV and a mean cross-sectional size of ≈10 cm is considered theoretically and experimentally. The initial pressure in the mixture is 500 Pa. The reaction was visualized by recording the time evolution of fluorescence intensity in the lines of molecular (λ = 310 nm) and atomic hydrogen and sodium doublet (λ = 589 nm). The calculations are performed on the basis of a semi-empirical model developed in a three-temperature (T 0, T e , and T v) approximation. The induction and burning times determined in experiments and calculations are in good agreement.