Starikovskii Andrey

We study the kinetics of ignition in lean and stoichiometric C2H5OH:O2:Ar mixtures after a high-voltage nanosecond discharge. Ignition delay time above the self-ignition threshold is measured in a shock tube with a discharge cell. Creation of the discharge plasma is shown to lead to a significant decrease in ignition delay. Discharge processes followed by chain chemical reactions with energy release are simulated during ignition in the C2H5OH:O2:Ar mixtures. Good agreement is obtained between calculated and measured ignition delay times. It is shown that the effect of the discharge plasma on ignition of the ethanol-containing mixtures is associated with active species production in the discharge phase. A method is suggested to compare the effect of nonequilibrium pulse discharge plasma on ignition in different fuel-air and fuel-oxygen mixtures above self-ignition temperatures. It is shown that, in all mixtures under consideration, this effect is more profound at lower gas temperatures and for fuels with low reactivity.