Effect of Applied DC Electric Fields on H<sub>2</sub>–Air Axisymmetric Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames with Low Carbon Impurities
We investigated experimentally the influence of flow conditions and electrode position on a diffusion H<sub>2</sub>–air flame subjected to an external electric field. We determined the minimum impurity level required to observe changes in flame properties with applied voltage. Flame OH c...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Hydrogen |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4141/6/2/38 |
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| author | Susith D. P. G. Halowitage Hasith E. Perera Nicholas M. Elmore Fabien Goulay |
| author_facet | Susith D. P. G. Halowitage Hasith E. Perera Nicholas M. Elmore Fabien Goulay |
| author_sort | Susith D. P. G. Halowitage |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We investigated experimentally the influence of flow conditions and electrode position on a diffusion H<sub>2</sub>–air flame subjected to an external electric field. We determined the minimum impurity level required to observe changes in flame properties with applied voltage. Flame OH chemiluminescence signals were recorded using a UV-sensitive CCD array as a function of voltage (+10 to −10 kV) applied to a stainless-steel ring electrode placed around the burner nozzle. Changes in chemiluminescence signals are reported as a function of electrode height above the burner, airflow, and fuel composition. Significant changes in OH* distributions were observed for voltages below −5 kV. Under optimum conditions, the height of the chemiluminescence flame decreased by up to 67% at the maximum applied voltage. The flame transitioned from a teardrop shape to a flat, open-tip flame at a voltage corresponding to an inflection point in the flame height–voltage profiles. Increasing the airflow rate shifted the inflection point to more negative values until almost suppressing the effect of the electric field on the flame structure. This study reveals that carbon impurities in hydrogen fuel as low as 10 ppm are sufficient to observe significant effects from external electric fields without changing the underlying neutral chemistry. We also determine the set of parameters that control the amplitude of the structural change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-276282e6a8a5413d879949418baf8fc5 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-4141 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrogen |
| spelling | doaj-art-276282e6a8a5413d879949418baf8fc52025-08-20T02:21:02ZengMDPI AGHydrogen2673-41412025-06-01623810.3390/hydrogen6020038Effect of Applied DC Electric Fields on H<sub>2</sub>–Air Axisymmetric Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames with Low Carbon ImpuritiesSusith D. P. G. Halowitage0Hasith E. Perera1Nicholas M. Elmore2Fabien Goulay3C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26501, USAC. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USAC. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USAWe investigated experimentally the influence of flow conditions and electrode position on a diffusion H<sub>2</sub>–air flame subjected to an external electric field. We determined the minimum impurity level required to observe changes in flame properties with applied voltage. Flame OH chemiluminescence signals were recorded using a UV-sensitive CCD array as a function of voltage (+10 to −10 kV) applied to a stainless-steel ring electrode placed around the burner nozzle. Changes in chemiluminescence signals are reported as a function of electrode height above the burner, airflow, and fuel composition. Significant changes in OH* distributions were observed for voltages below −5 kV. Under optimum conditions, the height of the chemiluminescence flame decreased by up to 67% at the maximum applied voltage. The flame transitioned from a teardrop shape to a flat, open-tip flame at a voltage corresponding to an inflection point in the flame height–voltage profiles. Increasing the airflow rate shifted the inflection point to more negative values until almost suppressing the effect of the electric field on the flame structure. This study reveals that carbon impurities in hydrogen fuel as low as 10 ppm are sufficient to observe significant effects from external electric fields without changing the underlying neutral chemistry. We also determine the set of parameters that control the amplitude of the structural change.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4141/6/2/38electric fieldhydrogen flameco-flow burnerdiffusion flamechemiluminescence |
| spellingShingle | Susith D. P. G. Halowitage Hasith E. Perera Nicholas M. Elmore Fabien Goulay Effect of Applied DC Electric Fields on H<sub>2</sub>–Air Axisymmetric Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames with Low Carbon Impurities Hydrogen electric field hydrogen flame co-flow burner diffusion flame chemiluminescence |
| title | Effect of Applied DC Electric Fields on H<sub>2</sub>–Air Axisymmetric Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames with Low Carbon Impurities |
| title_full | Effect of Applied DC Electric Fields on H<sub>2</sub>–Air Axisymmetric Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames with Low Carbon Impurities |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Applied DC Electric Fields on H<sub>2</sub>–Air Axisymmetric Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames with Low Carbon Impurities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Applied DC Electric Fields on H<sub>2</sub>–Air Axisymmetric Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames with Low Carbon Impurities |
| title_short | Effect of Applied DC Electric Fields on H<sub>2</sub>–Air Axisymmetric Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames with Low Carbon Impurities |
| title_sort | effect of applied dc electric fields on h sub 2 sub air axisymmetric laminar co flow diffusion flames with low carbon impurities |
| topic | electric field hydrogen flame co-flow burner diffusion flame chemiluminescence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4141/6/2/38 |
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