Electrical Breakdown In flames

Properties of electrical discharge in flames and influence of plasma electrons on gas neutrals are investigated by making use of the ionization cross section of air. Frames have three distinctive features. They are hot, emit light and are weakly ionized. We investigate influence of these three characteristics of flames on the electrical breakdown. It is found that the breakdown electric field in flames is inversely proportional to the flame temperature T$\_$g/, thereby easily generating plasmas in flames. A swarm of low-energy electrons in flames would allow a significant population of electronically excited states of flame molecules to be formed. Therefore, the analysis shows that the electronic excitation of flame molecules may also considerably reduce the breakdown field. Plasma electrons generate atomic oxygen by the electron attachment of oxygen molecules in high-pressure flames. These oxygen atoms are the most reactive radicals in flames for material oxidation.