Experimental investigation of the methane combustion assisted by atmospheric pressure oxygen microwave plasma torch

The atmospheric-pressure oxygen microwave plasma is employed to enhance the methane combustion in the jet-diffusion combustor. The plasma-assisted combustion (PAC) is compared with natural combustion without plasma application in terms of the flame morphology, flame temperature, and combustion efficiency. It is found experimentally that the oxygen plasma assistance in combustion is prominent in lean oxygen condition, and the active species generated in the microwave plasma torch contribute to the combustion process more dominantly than the flame temperature change caused by heating of oxygen microwave plasma. The combustion degree of CH4 in PAC is much more enhanced in lean oxygen combustion, and the exhaust gas in combustion is effectively controlled with the use of the oxygen microwave plasma torch.