Numerical Characterization of Corona Spark Plugs and Its Effects on Radicals Production

Giorgio La Civita, Francesco Orlandi, Valerio Mariani, Giulio Cazzoli and Emanuele Ghedini
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Giorgio La Civita: Department of Industrial Engineering DIN, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Francesco Orlandi: Department of Industrial Engineering DIN, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Valerio Mariani: Department of Industrial Engineering DIN, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Giulio Cazzoli: Department of Industrial Engineering DIN, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Emanuele Ghedini: Department of Industrial Engineering DIN, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-22

Abstract: A mono-dimensional code for the simulation of the effects of High Frequency Ignition systems (HFI) on the production of chemical radicals was developed and here presented. The simulations were carried out by considering the typical environmental thermodynamic conditions of a nowadays engine at full load. An electron transport model is linked with a Boltzmann solver coupled with a chemistry solver, affecting the Electron Energy Distribution Function (EEDF) in order to obtain the physical conditions leading to the production of radical components for a given fuel mixture. The transport equations for the electrons, the positive and the negative ions, and the Gauss’ law in a steady-state plasma region. Then the Boltzmann equation for the electrons, in a spatially homogeneous steady-state case, is solved in order to obtain the EEDF. Finally the chemical kinetics model is employed assuming a fuel-air mixture neglecting the fuel carbon atoms due to the assumption that electron-impact dissociation reactions, which initiate the combustion, exhibit a greater reaction rate compared to those based on hydrocarbon thermal dissociation and therefore can be neglected in this work. Results show the production of the hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) radicals and the radius of the initial discharge under different simulated engine operating conditions characterizing the role of a plasma corona effect for the induced chemical ignition in gasoline-powered engines.

Keywords: corona ignition; corona spark plug; boltzmann equation; electron transport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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