Interaction of ions and electrons with nanoparticles in hydrocarbon combustion plasmas

The interaction of electrons and ions with a polydisperse ensemble of soot nanoparticles during the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels is studied. The dynamics of the particle charging is analyzed. It is shown that, in the initial stage, all the soot particles are charged negatively, the largest particles (100–150 nm) carrying up to 40–50 elementary charges. As time elapses, the negative charge is neutralized and the charge distribution becomes more symmetric. Finally, because of the interaction between ions (electrons) and soot particles, the total concentration of the positive ions becomes higher than that of the negative ones.