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Non-Equilibrium Pulsed Plasma Ignitor

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: F49620-03-C-0001
Agency Tracking Number: F023-0188
Amount: $99,970.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2002
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
2766 Indian Ripple Rd
Dayton, OH 45440
United States
DUNS: 884812025
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Michael Brown
 Senior Scientist
 (937) 252-2706
 msbrown@innssi.com
Business Contact
 Larry Goss
Title: President
Phone: (937) 429-4980
Email: gosslp@innssi.com
Research Institution
 University of Southern California
 Irene Andreadis
 
University of Southern Califor
Los Angeles, CA 90089
United States

 (213) 740-7762
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

"The proposed program is directed toward the development of a plasma ignitor to address relight and flame-holding problems experienced by high-altitude aircraft. Conventional spark ignitors are insufficient to overcome these problems that are associatedwith the reduced temperature and pressure of air-breathing aircraft at high altitude. The proposed ignitor is based on highly non-equilibrium pulsed discharges that initiate low-temperature chemistry which then drives ignition. The proposed Phase I effortcombines measurements made in a non-equilibrium, single-component low-molecular-weight hydrocarbon discharge with detailed chemistry modeling to a) characterize the nascent radical pool in the discharge and b) determine the key radical-initiatedpre-ignition chemical pathways. This information would permit the "tuning" of the electrical characteristics of the discharge to optimize the ignition capability of the plasma kernel. The Phase II effort would extend this work to heavy-molecular-weighthydrocarbons and mixtures, leading to the design of a prototype plasma ignitor for testing on model combustors. The proposed plasma ignitor will augment or replace conventional spark ignitors in high-altitude aircraft. The plasma ignitor will initiatehydrocarbon ignition and promote flame holding in the reduced temperature and pressure environment that is characteristic of subsonic, high-altitude, air-breathing aircraft engines."

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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