Computational simulation of nanosecond pulsed discharge for plasma assisted ignition

Detailed two dimensional numerical simulations of a nanosecond pulsed pin-to-pin discharge in a lean methane/air mixture were conducted under 10 atm and 600 K for plasma assisted combustion in internal combustion engines. It was clarified from this study that the produced radicals were locally higher in the vicinity of electrodes, and high density radicals are more widely distributed on the anode side rather than the cathode side which the streamer is propagating toward. The electron energy partition has been clarified during a single pulse. Total electron energy increases with fuel equivalent ratio under the same applied voltage. Pronounced enhancement of ignition delay has been shown by nanosecond pulsed discharge.