Experimental Study on Working Characteristics of Microwave-Assisted Spark Plug Igniter

In this paper, a study on the working characteristics of microwave-assisted spark plug igniter was carried out. Experiments were carried out in a vacuum chamber to investigate the effects of microwave feeding with different parameters on the spark plug discharge process, breakdown voltage, average p...

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Main Authors: Hao Zeng, Changqin Fu, Zhiyu Zhao, Nan Jiang, Zhihao Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Fire
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/6/231
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author Hao Zeng
Changqin Fu
Zhiyu Zhao
Nan Jiang
Zhihao Liu
author_facet Hao Zeng
Changqin Fu
Zhiyu Zhao
Nan Jiang
Zhihao Liu
author_sort Hao Zeng
collection DOAJ
description In this paper, a study on the working characteristics of microwave-assisted spark plug igniter was carried out. Experiments were carried out in a vacuum chamber to investigate the effects of microwave feeding with different parameters on the spark plug discharge process, breakdown voltage, average power, discharge spectral intensity, and characteristic temperature of the discharge plasma under different ambient pressures (0.1 MPa at atmospheric pressure and 0.05 MPa at low pressure). The results show that the breakdown voltage decreased by 15.2% and the average power of discharge increased by 49% when the microwave pulse peak power increased from 0 W to 200 W under a low-pressure environment; meanwhile, the breakdown voltage decreased by 10.8% and the average power increased by 23% under an atmospheric-pressure environment. When the microwave pulse frequency was increased from 1 kHz to 10 kHz, the breakdown voltage further decreased by 15.2% in a low-voltage environment, but there was no significant effect on the average power. The plasma characteristic temperature rose significantly with the peak power: the electron temperature rose from 1.961 eV to 2.154 eV with the power at atmospheric pressure, and the vibrational and rotational temperatures also increased significantly.
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spelling doaj-art-aca1b526073e472d8a8be20a8fd641f92025-08-20T02:21:11ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552025-06-018623110.3390/fire8060231Experimental Study on Working Characteristics of Microwave-Assisted Spark Plug IgniterHao Zeng0Changqin Fu1Zhiyu Zhao2Nan Jiang3Zhihao Liu4Aviation Engineering School, Air Force Engineering University, Xi’an 710038, ChinaAviation Engineering School, Air Force Engineering University, Xi’an 710038, ChinaAviation Engineering School, Air Force Engineering University, Xi’an 710038, ChinaAviation Engineering School, Air Force Engineering University, Xi’an 710038, ChinaAviation Engineering School, Air Force Engineering University, Xi’an 710038, ChinaIn this paper, a study on the working characteristics of microwave-assisted spark plug igniter was carried out. Experiments were carried out in a vacuum chamber to investigate the effects of microwave feeding with different parameters on the spark plug discharge process, breakdown voltage, average power, discharge spectral intensity, and characteristic temperature of the discharge plasma under different ambient pressures (0.1 MPa at atmospheric pressure and 0.05 MPa at low pressure). The results show that the breakdown voltage decreased by 15.2% and the average power of discharge increased by 49% when the microwave pulse peak power increased from 0 W to 200 W under a low-pressure environment; meanwhile, the breakdown voltage decreased by 10.8% and the average power increased by 23% under an atmospheric-pressure environment. When the microwave pulse frequency was increased from 1 kHz to 10 kHz, the breakdown voltage further decreased by 15.2% in a low-voltage environment, but there was no significant effect on the average power. The plasma characteristic temperature rose significantly with the peak power: the electron temperature rose from 1.961 eV to 2.154 eV with the power at atmospheric pressure, and the vibrational and rotational temperatures also increased significantly.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/6/231combustionmicrowave-assistedspark plugigniterignition
spellingShingle Hao Zeng
Changqin Fu
Zhiyu Zhao
Nan Jiang
Zhihao Liu
Experimental Study on Working Characteristics of Microwave-Assisted Spark Plug Igniter
Fire
combustion
microwave-assisted
spark plug
igniter
ignition
title Experimental Study on Working Characteristics of Microwave-Assisted Spark Plug Igniter
title_full Experimental Study on Working Characteristics of Microwave-Assisted Spark Plug Igniter
title_fullStr Experimental Study on Working Characteristics of Microwave-Assisted Spark Plug Igniter
title_full_unstemmed Experimental Study on Working Characteristics of Microwave-Assisted Spark Plug Igniter
title_short Experimental Study on Working Characteristics of Microwave-Assisted Spark Plug Igniter
title_sort experimental study on working characteristics of microwave assisted spark plug igniter
topic combustion
microwave-assisted
spark plug
igniter
ignition
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/6/231
work_keys_str_mv AT haozeng experimentalstudyonworkingcharacteristicsofmicrowaveassistedsparkplugigniter
AT changqinfu experimentalstudyonworkingcharacteristicsofmicrowaveassistedsparkplugigniter
AT zhiyuzhao experimentalstudyonworkingcharacteristicsofmicrowaveassistedsparkplugigniter
AT nanjiang experimentalstudyonworkingcharacteristicsofmicrowaveassistedsparkplugigniter
AT zhihaoliu experimentalstudyonworkingcharacteristicsofmicrowaveassistedsparkplugigniter