Optical Emission and Mass Spectra Observations during Hydrogen Combustion in Atmospheric Pressure Microwave Plasma

Abstract

We experimentally investigated hydrogen combustion by atmospheric pressure plasma generated by a 2.45 GHz microwave discharge. Small amounts of hydrogen and oxygen were mixed in the operational argon gas during discharge. To clarify the details of combustion, optical emission was measured. The constituents of combustion-processed gases were observed by a quadruple mass spectrometer. The degree of hydrogen oxidation, the so-called conversion rate, increased with input microwave power. The maximum hydrogen conversion rate was greater than 80% under these experimental conditions. During discharge, an optical emission peak due to OH radicals was observed.