Plasma consists of ions, electrons, and neutral molecules. Among various types of plasmas, non-thermal plasma (thermally non-equilibrium plasma) has greatly higher level of electron energy compared to gas temperature. Because of these energetic electrons, electron induced chemistry, such as electron impact dissociation and ionization, can be selectively utilized rather than increasing overall gas temperature. In this regard, plasma assisted fuel reforming will bring many fundamental windows of research and can be applicable to diverse field of interests.

One of the most pronounced effects of an electric field on flames is the observable bulk flow motion called iconic wind. In the reaction zone of a hydrocarbon flame, chemi-ionization processes and susequent reactions associated with charged particles produce positive ions (H3O+, C3H3+, CH3+, CHO+), negative ions (O2-, OH-, O-, CHO2-, CHO3-, CO3-), and electrons, which interact external electric field resulting in many scientific significances and of interest practical potentials.

We are investigating the effects of electrical discharges on the characteristics of laminar flames in various conditions to understand fundamental physicochemical mechanism behind.

We are investigating the characteristics of laminar flames in various conditions to understand fundamental combustion physics behind.