Overview

The Plasma Assisted Combustion Lab (PACL) dedicates its efforts to exploring novel technical area involving contemporary issues in energy and environment. Particularly, in PACL, plasma refers to electrical discharges in a moderate range of pressure, which include dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), nanosecond discharge, arc discharge and microwave discharge. By combining plasma into combustion processes, we are seeking innovative ways of controlling flame instability and reducing hazardous emissions. In addition, the effects of sub-critical electric fields (weaker field prior to electrical discharges) on flames are also of interest subject to achieve a comprehensive picture of PAC. The main research subjects are highlighted as below:

  • Plasma fuel reforming
  • Plasma physics in electrical discharges
  • Plasma chemistry for hydrocarbons
  • Plasma assisted flame control
  • Electrically controlled flame characteristics
  • Laminar flame study 
PACL pursues technical advances in daily applications based on solid understanding for fundamental impact of electron impact reactions and electric field on a flame and combustion. To bridge a gap between fundamental findings and practical applications, we also values intellectual properties as equally important as scientific explorations.

Latest News

06 March, 2023

Professor Min Suk Cha elected as a Fellow of the Combustion Institute

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12 July, 2023

Freeze charges in flames

Laser experiments reveal how high voltage affects charged ions in burning fuel.

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10 December, 2017

Wet plasma makes a nano-sized splash

​A thin, pancake-shaped plasma cloud formed at oil–water interfaces can be used to synthesize exotic nanomaterials.

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