TY - JOUR
T1 - Studies of multi-channel spark ignition of lean n-pentane/air mixtures in a spherical chamber
AU - Zhao, Hao
AU - Zhao, Ningbo
AU - Zhang, Tianhan
AU - Wu, Shuqun
AU - Ma, Guoming
AU - Yan, Chao
AU - Ju, Yiguang
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by NSF CBET-1507358 research grant and Army Research Office with grant number W911NF-16-1-0076 and W911NF-19-20127 .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
Copyright:
Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/2
Y1 - 2020/2
N2 - A novel ignition strategy using multi-channel sparks was developed in this paper. Compared with the typical single spark, the three-channel spark ignition technique enables three spatially separated and temporally synchronized discharges to increase the ignition kernel size while maintaining the same total ignition energy. The three-channel discharge characteristics, ignition kernel development, and ignition probability of lean n-pentane/air mixtures were studied and compared with those of single-channel spark in a spherical combustion chamber with different discharge distances, pressures, and CO2 dilution levels. The experimental results show that the three-channel sparks increase the ignition probability and dramatically extend the fuel-lean ignition limits compared to the single-channel discharge under all tested conditions. Moreover, ignition enhancement effects of multi-channel sparks increase with the decrease of pressure, reduction of discharge gap, and increase of CO2 dilution. One-dimensional numerical simulation was performed by using a detailed n-pentane kinetic model (Bugler et al., 2017) and the results revealed that the increase of fuel lean ignition probability and the decrease of the minimum ignition energy by using multi-channel sparks were the outcome of increased ignition kernel size compared to the minimum critical ignition radius. This present study confirms the advantages of using multi-channel sparks on advanced fuel-lean combustion engines.
AB - A novel ignition strategy using multi-channel sparks was developed in this paper. Compared with the typical single spark, the three-channel spark ignition technique enables three spatially separated and temporally synchronized discharges to increase the ignition kernel size while maintaining the same total ignition energy. The three-channel discharge characteristics, ignition kernel development, and ignition probability of lean n-pentane/air mixtures were studied and compared with those of single-channel spark in a spherical combustion chamber with different discharge distances, pressures, and CO2 dilution levels. The experimental results show that the three-channel sparks increase the ignition probability and dramatically extend the fuel-lean ignition limits compared to the single-channel discharge under all tested conditions. Moreover, ignition enhancement effects of multi-channel sparks increase with the decrease of pressure, reduction of discharge gap, and increase of CO2 dilution. One-dimensional numerical simulation was performed by using a detailed n-pentane kinetic model (Bugler et al., 2017) and the results revealed that the increase of fuel lean ignition probability and the decrease of the minimum ignition energy by using multi-channel sparks were the outcome of increased ignition kernel size compared to the minimum critical ignition radius. This present study confirms the advantages of using multi-channel sparks on advanced fuel-lean combustion engines.
KW - Critical ignition radius
KW - Fuel lean ignition
KW - Minimum ignition energy
KW - Multi-channel sparks
KW - Spark ignition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075508259&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.combustflame.2019.11.022
DO - 10.1016/j.combustflame.2019.11.022
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85075508259
SN - 0010-2180
VL - 212
SP - 337
EP - 344
JO - Combustion and Flame
JF - Combustion and Flame
ER -