Novel Initiators for Pulse Detonation Engines

In this project a novel plasma source known as a CAPS will be used to produce high-density plasma for rapid and reliable detonation initiation for Pulse Detonation Engines (PDE). The CAPS will be run at 100's of Hz and deliver 1-2 J of energy per pulse. CAPS plasma sources produce dense, hypersonic plasma with electron energies of 7-20 eV, sufficient to disassociate atoms and create radicals that can initiate and accelerate the combustion process. The advantage of this approach is that there are no moving parts, so it is very reliable and robust. It is capable of being energized in a matter of microseconds compared to at least milliseconds for mechanical systems. Other plasma devices require kilovolts to operate. The CAPS only uses 100-600 V to ignite and operates at 20 V bias, which reduces noise and the danger of breakdown outside the combustion chamber.