Investigation of air ionization and air plasma formation using the magnetoplasma technology

Abstract

This thesis investigates the usage of plasma technology in the energy sector and other fields and evaluates the potential applications of plasma-based electric propulsion systems. The study aims to increase the reader's knowledge of plasma by focusing on the history, definition and classification of plasma, and the basic plasma parameters. Additionally, the feasibility of this technology in different sectors is determined by discussing plasma production methods and areas of usage. Electric propulsion systems and the applications of plasma technology in this field are examined by addressing fundamental electric propulsion concepts and performance parameters. An experimental setup was designed and built to investigate plasma formation and its effects. When constructing the experimental setup, the first step involved the generation of ignition ions in the air to sensitize them to electromagnetic waves, as stable air is difficult for stable air to be affected by electromagnetic waves. High electrical voltage was applied to ionize the air without the need for any fuel. A flyback transformer was utilized to produce the high voltage required for the DC discharge, and a frequency circuit was designed to drive the transformer effectively. To regulate the high voltage output of the transformer, a dedicated high-voltage circuit was designed and connected to the ionization electrodes. The initial plasma formation occurred through a DC discharge between the ionization electrodes. By enhancing the energy of the ignition plasma using electromagnetic waves, a plasma jet with a gas temperature exceeding 1600 °C was achieved. The electric and magnetic fields played a significant role in increasing the energy of the ions within the initial plasma, facilitating the ionization of the surrounding particles. Consequently, the number of particles forming the plasma, including "semi-neutral charged" and neutral particles, increased, resulting in ionization of the air surrounding the DC discharge. Subsequently, the gas temperature and entropy increased, as the cumulative movement of these ions and the energy provided by electromagnetic waves. Moreover, the given electromagnetic energy contributed to an increase in the ionization degree and density of the plasma. This method enabled the creation of a stable plasma jet. The parameters evaluated and measured to assess the plasma formed by the experimental study included length, temperature, power, and efficiency. Additionally, the flow rate and magnetron anode input voltage were taken into consideration. The electromagnetic wave power was adjusted at various levels using the power source at the magnetron input. The experimental setup solely utilized air and electricity as fuel to generate the plasma. The efficiency, temperature, size, and power of the plasma were thoroughly examined. Within the scope of this study, a specialized waveguide was designed and manufactured in industrial facilities to ensure the effective transmission of electromagnetic waves. The quartz glass tube was selected as the preferred material due to its transparency, high-temperature resistance, and permeability to electromagnetic waves. An application utilizing OOP (Object-Oriented Programming) and an n-tier architecture was systematically designed to process the data collected from the completed experiments. This application was instrumental in saving the experimental data obtained using Entity Framework technology to the Microsoft SQL Server Database and this application performs the necessary engineering calculations. Furthermore, the data were employed to generate informative graphs, facilitating a comprehensive interpretation of the results. The obtained results contributed to revealing potential applications that are related to the usage of plasma technology in the energy sector and other fields. The study emphasizes the importance of research on the usage of plasma technology in the energy sector and more sustainable, environmentally friendly energy systems by providing recommendations for future research.