Combustion and reaction

Interaction between the Microwave Plasma Generation and the Saturated Voltage during Microwave Pulse Assisted Ignition in ICE Lean Combustion

  • SUN Wei ,
  • CUI Yi ,
  • SONG Dawei ,
  • TONG Zongpeng ,
  • WU Huimin ,
  • WANG Zhaowen
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  • 1. The Key Laboratory for Power Machinery and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
    2. Shanghai Marine Diesel Engine Research Institute, Shanghai 200090, China
    3. School of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China

Online published: 2025-03-05

Copyright

Science Press, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025

Abstract

Microwave-assisted ignition (MAI) is a promising technology to improve the ignition stability in internal combustion engines under lean conditions. To investigate the interplay between the microwave pulses and the electrical characteristics of ignition plasma, the high-time-resolved electrical characteristics of MAI are measured based on the discharge voltage and current profiles with microwave power varying from 0 to 1000 W. The effects of microwave pulse on the electrical characteristics in the breakdown and glow discharge phases are discussed respectively. The results show that the microwave-induced-voltage-decline (MIVD) occurs during the glow discharge phase, which originates from the increment of free electrons and the additional microwave field. However, this voltage decline is insignificant in the breakdown phase. Moreover, as the free electron number reaches a critical value, a shining plasma can be observed between the gap of electrodes and the voltage decline is stabilized to a “saturated voltage curve”. Ultimately, the effect of microwave plasma on the enhancement of ignition kernel area is explored. The result indicates that the enhancement effect increases with plasma duration rising. Those enhancements of earlier-generated plasmas are more significant than those of subsequent plasmas due to the distance limit of the plasma propulsive effect.

Cite this article

SUN Wei , CUI Yi , SONG Dawei , TONG Zongpeng , WU Huimin , WANG Zhaowen . Interaction between the Microwave Plasma Generation and the Saturated Voltage during Microwave Pulse Assisted Ignition in ICE Lean Combustion[J]. Journal of Thermal Science, 2025 , 34(2) : 639 -652 . DOI: 10.1007/s11630-025-2088-3

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