Plasma and Electrically Assisted Combustion

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The primary objective of the proposed project is to seek innovative approaches to combustion by adopting electrical discharges and/or high electrical potential. Eventually, we envision that the stabilization of conventional burner systems including combustors in gas turbines and improvement in operation.  We shall also aim for emissions reduction in IC engines through plasma assisted combustion technology.

The research will involve experimental studies on laboratory scale burners to increase flame stability and reduce emissions such as soot. Plasma assisted fuel reformer will be developed to cope with the necessity of using low-grade fuels and to synthesize advanced fuel. In addition, computational modeling will play in important role in our research.  High fidelity models for the plasma discharge physics and chemistry and the interaction of these discharges and sub-critical electric fields with combustion processes will be developed. These studies form the basis for the application of plasma and electrically assisted combustion. This project will facilitate a smooth transition from fundamental research to applications leading us to the next step in the realization of practical engineering systems involving plasma and electrically assisted combustion.

  • Theme Leader: Cha

  • Im

  • Raja (UT Austin)

The effects of gaseous bubble composition and gap distance on the characteristics of nanosecond discharges in disti...
A. Hamdan, M.S. Cha
Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 49 (24), 245203-245215, (2016)

Tailored reforming of n-dodecane in an aqueous discharge reactor
X. Zhang, M.S. Cha
Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 49 (17), 175-201, (2016)

Correction of edge-flame propagation speed in a counterflow, annular slot burner
M.V. Tran, M.S. Cha
Combustion and Flame, (2015)

Ignition modes of nanosecond discharge with bubbles in distilled water
A. Hamdan, M.S. Cha
Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 48(40), 405206, (2015)

Tip opening of premixed Bunsen flames: extinction with negative stretch and local Karlovitz number
T.M. Vu, M.S. Cha, B.J. Lee, and S.H. Chung
Combustion and Flame, 162, pp. 1614-1621, (2015)

Partial oxidation of methane in a temperature-controlled dielectric barrier discharge reactor 
X. Zhang and M.S. Cha
Proc. Combust. Inst. 35, 3447-3454, (2015)