Spark-based combustion test system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10608418-B2
Application number	US-201815899053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2018
Priority date	Feb 19, 2018
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A combustion test system includes a power source and a corona generator coupled to the power source. The combustion test system also includes a charge storage device. The charge storage device includes a charging surface spaced apart from the corona generator such that charge carriers, motivated by an electric field of the corona generator, intersect the charging surface to charge the charge storage device. The combustion test system also includes a first electrode coupled to the charge storage device and a second electrode coupled to a reference ground. The second electrode is spaced apart from the first electrode to produce an electrical arc between the first electrode and the second electrode based on a voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A combustion test system comprising:
a power source;
a corona generator coupled to the power source;
a charge storage device comprising a charging surface spaced apart from the corona generator such that charge carriers, motivated by an electric field of the corona generator, intersect the charging surface to charge the charge storage device;
a first electrode coupled to the charge storage device; and
a second electrode coupled to a reference ground and spaced apart from the first electrode to produce an electrical arc between the first electrode and the second electrode based on a voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The combustion test system of claim 1 , further comprising a test chamber around ends of the first electrode and the second electrode and configured to enclose a test material to be subjected to the electrical arc.

3. The combustion test system of claim 1 , wherein the power source is configured to apply a time varying voltage to the corona generator.

4. The combustion test system of claim 1 , wherein the charging surface is electrically isolated from the reference ground and from the power source enabling a voltage of the charging surface to float.

5. The combustion test system of claim 1 , wherein the charge storage device comprises a capacitor including first capacitor electrode, a second capacitor electrode, and a dielectric material between the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode, wherein the first capacitor electrode includes the charging surface and the second capacitor electrode is coupled to the reference ground.

6. The combustion test system of claim 1 , further comprising an electric field probe positioned to generate electric field strength data indicating an electric field strength of at least a portion of the electric field of the corona generator.

7. The combustion test system of claim 6 , further comprising a processor and a memory accessible to the processor, the memory storing calibration data relating particular values of the electric field strength data to electrical energy levels of the electrical arc, and storing instructions executable by the processor to generate test result data based on the electric field strength data and the calibration data.

8. The combustion test system of claim 1 , further comprising a trigger mechanism to initiate the electrical arc after the voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode satisfies a threshold.

9. The combustion test system of claim 8 , wherein the trigger mechanism includes a source of excitation energy.

10. A method comprising:
storing charge at a charge storage device responsive to charge carriers directed toward the charge storage device, the charge carriers motivated by an electric field of a corona generator;
generating a voltage difference between a first electrode coupled to the charge storage device and a second electrode coupled to a reference ground; and
producing an electrical arc between the first electrode and the second electrode based on the voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are disposed within a test chamber, and further comprising:
receiving a test material in the test chamber; and
subjecting the test material to the electrical arc.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising applying a voltage to the corona generator to generate the electric field, wherein the electric field partially ionizes a gas to liberate the charge carriers.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a polarity of the voltage alternates over time.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein a polarity of the voltage is constant over time.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating, by an electric field probe, electric field strength data indicating an electric field strength of at least a portion of the electric field of the corona generator.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising generating test result data based on the electric field strength data and calibration data that relates particular values of the electric field strength data to electrical energy levels of the electrical arc.

17. A spark generation device comprising:
a charge storage device comprising a charging surface configured to store charge responsive to charge carriers motivated by an electric field of a corona generator;
a first electrode coupled to the charge storage device; and
a second electrode coupled to a reference ground and spaced apart from the first electrode to produce an electrical arc between the first electrode and the second electrode based on a voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.

18. The spark generation device of claim 17 , further comprising a test chamber around ends of the first electrode and the second electrode and configured to enclose a test material to be subjected to the electrical arc.

19. The spark generation device of claim 17 , wherein the charging surface is electrically isolated from the reference ground and from a power source of the corona generator.

20. The spark generation device of claim 17 , wherein the charge storage device comprises a capacitor including first capacitor electrode, a second capacitor electrode, and a dielectric material between the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode, wherein the first capacitor electrode includes the charging surface and the second capacitor electrode is coupled to the reference ground.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Damazo Jason S
• Kwon Eddie
• Boettcher Philipp A

Classifications

• H01T19/04

  having pointed electrodes · CPC title

• H05H1/52

  using exploding wires or spark gaps (H05H1/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F23Q3/00

  Igniters using electrically-produced sparks (sparking-plugs H01T13/00) · CPC title

• G01N25/28

  the rise in temperature of the gases resulting from combustion being measured directly · CPC title

• G01N25/52

  by determining flash-point of liquids · CPC title