Two-phase flow simulation of plasma-ignited combustion in an energetic fluid bed

Abstract

Recent experimental and theoretical research efforts have focused on the use of plasma to optimize and control solid propellant ignition and combustion processes in an energetic fluid bed. However, prediction of electrothermal plasmas in terms of temperature, velocity and density distributions have been difficult. We present here a two-phase flow model for flame-spreading and spatial variation in solid propellant ignition and combustion processes. An integral-numerical method is used to describe the plasma jet penetration for the early part of the combustion process. A mixing length model with an electrical enhancement factor of the burning rate is used for the major combustion cycle. The model plasma jet results agree with the gross features of those determined experimentally.

Theory of Gas Discharge Plasma

“…Since the length of a plasma torch outside the tube is up to 5 cm [444,445], this plasma may have medical applications both for sterilization of microbes and modification of biological materials with specific schemes of discharge depending on applications [72,446,448]. Though some schemes of capillary discharge are analyzed theoretically and codes for these discharges are elaborated (for example, [449][450][451]), a more detailed analysis is required in order to establish connections between processes in this gas discharge. This will help to understand the sensibility of output discharge parameters to the rates of some processes in this gas discharge plasma.…”

Features of Jets Formed by Erosive Capillary Discharges

“…Such lasers, due to their present compactness, excellent beam quality and very reliable operation in wavelength range of 10 50 nm have become practical tools for high resolution microscopy, micro-holography, very high plasma density measurements, applications to semiconductor surface studies, and nano-lithography. Also, it supposed to apply such discharge for the electrothermal pulsed plasma thrusters, rocket propulsion, and hypersonic mass acceleration technology [6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. These thrusters have the combined advantages of system simplicity, high reliability, low average electric power requirement, and high specific impulse.…”