Gliding Arc Discharge for Emission Control in Swirl Fuel-lean Non-premixed Combustion

A reverse vortex flow gliding arc discharge in a fuel-rich premixed mixture was applied to a high swirl fuel-lean global combustion to accelerate fuel oxidation. Both the discharge and flame were generated in natural gas and air. To evaluate the role of the gliding arc in the process, a gas analysis of the exhaust gas was performed in the same operational conditions with and without plasma. The chemical measurements show that the plasma reduces carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons contents with a low impact on the NO x level. Furthermore, the comparison of the relative decrease of the hydrocarbon emissions shows that the hydrocarbons have different sensitivities to the plasma application.