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John Benjamin Gaither
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Dr. Joshua Rovey
Abstract
Electron beams can be used as a mechanism of energy deposition into a gas to enhance combustion processes. This document outlines the research objective, approach, and current findings needed to compare the effects of two electron beam energy distributions on hydrogen gas. The beams analyzed use a mono-energetic or a Maxwellian energy distribution. The analysis is conducted by generating a cross section database and performing numerical analysis on the quantities it contains. One dimensional numerical analysis for the mono-energetic beam between 0 eV and 1000 eV shows that higher gas temperatures and lower pressures lead to a larger penetration depth. Maximum penetration depth of this beam type is found to be approximately 1.4 mm for a gas pressure and temperature of 1 atm and 450 K. Most electrons in a Maxwellian distribution are shown to populate low energy regimes. From the study, it is determined that higher electron energy (>1000 eV) is required to achieve sufficient penetration depth for reactions. Future work on collision frequencies and reaction rates for comparison of the mono-energetic and Maxwellian energy distributions is also explained.
John Gaither is originally from Benton, Arkansas with a Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He is currently attending graduate school at the same university under Dr. Joshua Rovey where he is pursuing a Master's Degree in mechanisms of energy deposition by electron beams in combustion processes.
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