Plasma-assisted ignition and combustion: nanosecond discharges and development of kinetic mechanisms

This review covers the results obtained in the period 2006–2014 in the field of plasma-assisted combustion, and in particular the results on ignition and combustion triggered or sustained by pulsed nanosecond discharges in different geometries. Some benefits of pulsed high voltage discharges for kinetic study and for applications are demonstrated. The necessity of and the possibility of building a particular kinetic mechanism of plasma-assisted ignition and combustion are discussed. The most sensitive regions of parameters for plasma–combustion kinetic mechanisms are selected. A map of the pressure and temperature parameters (P–T diagram) is suggested, to unify the available data on ignition delay times, ignition lengths and densities of intermediate species reported by different authors.