Direct, time-resolved measurements of the amino radical (NH2) are critical for understanding plasma-assisted ammonia (NH3) combustion, in terms of both plasma-accelerated NH3 decomposition and reduced NOx emission, yet such data remain scarce. The current study focuses on the spatiotemporal characteristics of NH2 using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) in a quasi-one-dimensional NH3/air flame subjected to a pin-to-pin nanosecond pulsed discharge (NPD), and comparatively analyzes the plasma effects in both the unburnt and burnt zones. In the unburnt zone for both lean and rich flames, a considerable amount of NH2 is observed with signal intensities of 3–4 times that in the flame front without plasma, demonstrating the capability of NPD in enhancing NH3 decomposition. The spatial and temporal dynamics of plasma-produced NH2 are explored over timescales ranging from hundreds of nanoseconds to milliseconds following a single NPD pulse. The results indicate that NH2 reaches its peak before 700 ns after the discharge initiation, highlighting the role of plasma kinetics in dissociating NH3 through electrons, excited nitrogen molecules, and O(1D). The generated NH2 subsequently undergoes an exponential decay with a characteristic lifetime of 3–4 μs. This consumption is mainly driven by combustion kinetics, where several diverging pathways are identified as possible reaction routes. Moreover, a “butterfly-like” distribution of plasma-produced NH2, is characterized by lower signals and faster decay in the center, both of which are attributed to the higher temperature within the center of discharge channel. In the burnt zone, NH2 is only detected in the rich flame, and decays much faster (∼1.3 μs) compared to the unburnt zone. The unique experimental data of plasma-produced NH2 provide valuable insights into plasma-assisted NH3 combustion and deliver critical experimental data for the development and refinement of kinetic models.
扫码关注我们
求助内容:
应助结果提醒方式:
