Supersonic CO2 laser excited by RF discharge in closed cycle

A supersonic gas flow having a Mach number of 2 has been realized in a closed-cycle radio-frequency (RF)-discharge-excited supersonic CO₂ laser system. Stable RF discharge at a high CO₂ gas concentration has become possible using supersonic gas flow and RF discharge generated between dielectric electrodes. As a result, high RF input power density has been obtained. In addition, a high small-signal gain has been obtained in the supersonic section through decreases in gas pressure and gas temperature due to supersonic gas flow.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Supersonic flow about a body exposed to electric and magnetic fields

The feasibility of using nonmechanical (electrogasdynamic, EGD, and magnetohydrodynamic, MHD) methods to control shock-wave configurations emerging in supersonic flows is investigated. In the EGD method, the flow is heated by a gas discharge; in the MHD one, the flow is influenced by a Lorentz force arising in a gas discharge upon applying a magnetic field. The influence of the gas discharge and MHD interaction on the position of a detached shock wave appearing in a supersonic xenon flow about a semicylindrical body is studied. A discharge is initiated in the immediate vicinity of the leading edge of the body, and the variation of the shock wave position with the intensity of the discharge (discharge current density) is traced when the influence of the EGD action increases and/or an external magnetic field is applied (the influence of the MHD action increases). Preliminary data for a supersonic air flow about a body are presented.     

等离子体气动激励机理数值研究

基于介质阻挡与准直流电弧放电的物理过程, 分析了它们的气动激励机理, 建立了各自的气动激励模型, 并分别研究了它们对低速和超声速流动的激励效果. 结果显示: 介质挡板放电等离子体气动激励机理是改变了连续流体中的三种力, 即由牛顿内摩擦引起的剪切应力、由电动力学引起的体积力及由压力突变引起的冲击力, 其中基于电动力学的体积力效应占主导地位; 临近空间环境中体积力的作用效果更强, 诱导速度更大; 超声速来流下准直流电弧放电气动激励机理主要是等离子体的热阻塞效应, 本文所建立的爆炸丝传热模型可以用于仿真其控制激波的过程; 热电弧对于超声速来流而言就像一个具有一定斜坡角度的虚拟突起, 可用于高超声速飞行器前体激波的控制.     

Ozone production in supersonic nozzles

Ozone production during the efflux of oxygen from a supersonic nozzle is studied theoretically and experimentally. The formation kinetics of atomic oxygen in an electrical discharge in the nozzle is analyzed. An experiment is set up using an optimized nozzle with an electrical discharge in its supersonic section. It is shown that the highest ozone content at the nozzle output is attained when the excess concentration of oxygen atoms is produced in the supersonic section of the nozzle. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 20–26 (November 1998)     

Generation of a gas-discharge air plasma in a supersonic magnetohydrodynamic channel

A method for ionizing a supersonic air flow is developed to obtain a flow conductivity sufficient for a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) interaction and generation of a magnetically induced current in a supersonic nozzle. The efficiencies of several (high-frequency, multiple-pulse high-voltage, and combined) methods for initiating a gas discharge used for ionizing air are compared. The supersonic air flow is ionized by a pulse-periodic high-voltage discharge producing an air plasma with a conductivity of up to 20 S/m. The experimentally obtained magnetically induced current of 0.1 A is smaller than the rated value owing to the Hall effect and the electrode voltage drop. The theoretical possibility of obtaining a magnetically induced current in a supersonic air flow is demonstrated; such currents can subsequently be used for controlling the flow in air inlets of aircraft.     

Detonation of supersonic propane-air mixture by high-voltage plasma discharge

The detonation combustion of a supersonic flow of propane-air mixture, initiated by a pulsed discharge of a magnetoplasma compressor, is obtained in experiment. A backward wave of supersonic combustion propagating with a velocity of 450 m/s against the flow is observed.     

Deeply undercritical microwave discharge excited by the field of a quasi-optical electromagnetic beam in a supersonic air jet

Electric discharge in a supersonic air jet is studied. It is ignited in a linearly polarized quasi-optical microwave electromagnetic beam the initial field intensity of which is much lower than the breakdown level. Electric breakdown is initiated by a tubular electromagnetic vibrator, one end of which has spikes and is covered by a quartz tube. Atmospheric air enters into a low-pressure working chamber through the inner channel of the vibrator. As a result, an immersed supersonic air jet forms in the chamber at the outlet from the quartz tube. A microwave discharge ignited in this jet is “attached” to aft spikes of the vibrator. The energy deposit into the discharge plasma and the effective area of energy interaction between the discharge and excited microwave field are estimated from the temperature and stagnation pressure distributions in the wake of the discharge.     

等离子体对低气压超音速氦气流场作用的实验研究

采用直流驱动等离子体激励器并通过气流场的碘线表征法研究了边界表面放电等离子体对低气压超音速氦气流场的作用。实验结果表明,边界表面放电等离子体的阴极区对以超音速流动的氦气的控制作用在符合实际工程条件的低气压下是有效果的;等离子体激励器的驱动电压越高,气流场的流动控制效果越好;定性观察表明激励器的阴极板的面积越大,实际作用区域越大,相应的实际控制效果越好。     

Surface microwave discharge at high air pressures

Microwave discharge on the surface of a quartz antenna at high air pressures is investigated. It is shown that the discharge formation is accompanied by the excitation of shock waves and that the longitudinal velocity of the discharge propagation reaches several kilometers per second. Owing to these circumstances, discharge of this type discharge may find applications in supersonic aerodynamics.     

��������Ե���ѹ�����ٺ����������õ�ʵ���о�

采用直流驱动等离子体激励器并通过气流场的碘线表征法研究了边界表面放电等离子体对低气压超音速氦气流场的作用。实验结果表明,边界表面放电等离子体的阴极区对以超音速流动的氦气的控制作用在符合实际工程条件的低气压下是有效果的;等离子体激励器的驱动电压越高,气流场的流动控制效果越好;定性观察表明激励器的阴极板的面积越大,实际作用区域越大,相应的实际控制效果越好。     

The characteristics of surface arc plasma and its control effect on supersonic flow

The characteristic of surface arc plasma included millisecond and microsecond actuation in supersonic flow is investigated both experimentally and numerically. In the experiment, the discharge characteristic of surface arc plasma in quiescent air and supersonic flow is recorded. The stable oblique shock could be observed with millisecond actuation. And the unstable compressive wave could be also observed with microsecond actuation. In the numerical investigation, plasma actuation is defined as a source term with input power density from discharge V–I characteristic, which is expected to better describe the influence of heating process. The numerical results are coincident with experimental results. In order to confirm the capability of surface arc plasma actuation to control supersonic flow, experimental investigations on control shock induced by ramp and separation of boundary layer induced by impinging shock are performed. All the results demonstrate the control effect of surface arc plasma actuation onto supersonic flow.     

Combustion of a supersonic flowing propane-air mixture within a DC longitudinal-transverse discharge

The findings of experimental investigations on the combustion of a supersonic flowing propane-air mixture with initiation by a dc discharge are given. It was found that the pattern of combustion depended on a number of initial conditions associated with the generation of plasma and with the external parameters of the supersonic flow.     

Aerodynamic actuation characteristics of radio-frequency discharge plasma and control of supersonic flow

In this paper, aerodynamic actuation characteristics of radio-frequency(RF) discharge plasma are studied and a method is proposed for shock wave control based on RF discharge. Under the static condition, a RF diffuse glow discharge can be observed; under the supersonic inflow, the plasma is blown downstream but remains continuous and stable.Time-resolved schlieren is used for flow field visualization. It is found that RF discharge not only leads to continuous energy deposition on the electrode surface but also induces a compression wave. Under the supersonic inflow condition, a weak oblique shock wave is induced by discharge. Experimental results of the shock wave control indicate that the applied actuation can disperse the bottom structure of the ramp-induced oblique shock wave, which is also observed in the extracted shock wave structure after image processing. More importantly, this control effect can be maintained steadily due to the continuous high-frequency(MHz) discharge. Finally, correlations for schlieren images and numerical simulations are employed to further explore the flow control mechanism. It is observed that the vortex in the boundary layer increases after the application of actuation, meaning that the boundary layer in the downstream of the actuation position is thickened. This is equivalent to covering a layer of low-density smooth wall around the compression corner and on the ramp surface, thereby weakening the compressibility at the compression corner. Our results demonstrate the ability of RF plasma aerodynamic actuation to control the supersonic airflow.     

Longitudinal DC electric discharge in a supersonic air flow

A longitudinal dc electric discharge in a submerged high-pressure supersonic air jet is described. Photographs of the discharge are provided. The experimental voltage across the discharge gap and the discharge current are given for two resistances of the resistor that limits the discharge current over a certain range of the discharge channel length along the air flow. The current-voltage discharge characteristic is provided at a constant discharge length. The main discharge characteristics are obtained from a comparison of the experimental and theoretical results calculated on the basis of the simplest model.     

Supersonic flow of a nonequilibrium gas-discharge plasma around a body

The flow of a nonequilibrium gas-discharge plasma around a semicylindrical body is studied. The aim of the study is to see how a change in the degree of nonequilibrium of the incoming plasma changes the separation distance between a shock wave and the body. Experiments are carried out with a supersonic nozzle into which a semicylindrical body is placed. The inlet of the nozzle is connected to a shock tube. In the course of the experiment, electrodes built into the wall of the nozzle initiate a gas discharge in front of the body to produce an additional nonequilibrium ionization in the stationary incoming supersonic flow. The discharge parameters are selected such that the discharge raises the electron temperature and still minimizes heating of the gas. The degree of nonequilibrium of the flow varies with gas-discharge current. Diagnostics of the flow is carried out with a schlieren system based on a semiconductor laser. The system can record flow patterns at definite time instants after discharge initiation.     

�����������������ı伤��ϵ�ṹʵ���о�

在超音速风洞中进行了等离子体气动激励改变激波系结构的实验,考察了介质阻挡放电和横向直流放电对于激波系结构的影响。实验结果表明介质阻挡放电所产生的等离子体能够影响流场附面层。采用逆气流DBD放电后,激波强度略有增大;采用顺气流放电后,激波强度略有减弱。相对于介质阻挡放电,横向直流放电对减弱激波强度影响稍大。     

Surface microwave discharge in high-speed air-hydrocarbon flows

The influence of nonequilibrium plasma of the surface microwave discharge on the ignition of supersonic (M = 2) propane-air flow, as well as alcohol, benzene, and kerosene for sub- and supersonic air flow is studied.     

Microwave discharge on the surface of a dielectric antenna

A microwave discharge initiated by a surface wave on a dielectric body placed in a supersonic air flow is studied. The discharge is shown to represent a thin plasma layer that uniformly covers the antenna surface. In experiments, the discharge propagation velocity may be as high as 100 km/s, which is several orders of magnitude higher than the velocity of sound in air. The peak pulse power necessary to excite the discharge in a wide range of air pressures (from 10⁻³ to 10³ Torr) is no higher than 100 kW. It is shown that the gas temperature may rise to 1000–2000 K, rapidly increasing (with a rate of ≈50 K/μs) at the early stage of discharge evolution. The discharge of this type may find applications in super-and hypersonic plasma aerodynamics (such as control of the flow near the surface of a body moving in a dense atmosphere, reduction of surface friction, optimization of ignition and combustion conditions for supersonic flows of gaseous fuel, etc.). It may also be used to advantage in development of new-generation plasma sources for micro-and nanoelectronics purposes (plasma treatment of surfaces, etching, and film deposition).     

Pressure dynamics in a supersonic flow during initiation of pulse surface sliding discharges

The supersonic air flow at Mach numbers of 1.1–1.6 in a shock tube is experimentally investigated during initiation of nanosecond pulse surface sliding discharges. The shadow images of the flow field after discharge initiation, which characterize the dynamics of shock waves propagating from the discharge area, are obtained. Periodic pressure pulsations on the shock tube channel wall are recorded. The pressure dynamics is shown to correspond to both the motion of shock waves from the discharge area and a supersonic flow of the discharge-excited gas near the channel wall. The pressure increase on the shock tube channel wall was 6–18%, as compared to the pressure in an unperturbed flow. Original Russian Text ? D.F. Latfullin, I.V. Mursenkova, N.N. Sysoev, 2009, published in Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Fizika, 2009, No. 3, pp. 114–116.     

Simple Physical Model of Generation of the Low-Pressure Radio Frequency Supersonic Plasma Jet

The paper presents a simple theoretical model of the breakdown of the supersonic plasma jet generated by the hollow cathode discharge inside the nozzle in the low pressure RF plasma-chemical reactor. Through the nozzle which is drilled in the RF electrode the working gas flows to the reactor chamber. If at the outlet of the nozzle the gas flow is supersonic the well defined plasma jet is created inside the reactor chamber. The results of our model are in qualitative agreement with experimental data.