Experimental study of the ignition of liquid hydrocarbon fuels and stabilization of their combustion by an arc discharge

The ignition of liquid hydrocarbon fuels and stabilization of their combustion by an arc discharge in a supersonic air flow are investigated experimentally. The discharge parameters and flame characteristics (ignition time lag) are determined. It is shown that the average energy deposited in the flow by the igniter is five orders of magnitude less than the kinetic energy of the main gas flow.