Point-to-plane corona discharge for high-speed reacting flow visualization

We present the results of a novel technique for the high-speed visualization of a flame reaction zone using a streamer-initiated point-to-plane unipolar pulsed corona discharge. Our results show images of the flame front under conditions of natural hydrodynamic flame instability, as well as external air flow modulation induced flame instability. This technique can potentially be used as a high-speed 2-D flow visualization diagnostic tool to monitor flow instabilities in reacting and non-reacting fluids that have a density gradient. We also show that this technique does not modify the flame characteristics in any measurable way, if the high electric field region of the streamer/corona discharge is located in the downstream region.