Method and apparatus for enhancing spark channel recovery by spark- generated unsteady flows

摘要

A spark gap chamber to promote mixing and/or translation of hot residue gases into the surrounding gases in an unpurged spark gap chamber. The shock (and expansion) waves are reflected from walls and other structures within the spark gap chamber to cause the hot residue gases formed by a spark between the electrodes in the spark channel to mix with the unheated gases found elsewhere in the spark gap chamber. The spark gap chamber walls can be symmetric and shaped to cause the reflected shock wave to converge simultaneously on the spark channel or to focus on different portions of the spark channel at different appropriate times. Alternatively, the spark gap chamber walls can be asymmetric with respect to the spark channel and can force the hot residue gases away from the spark channel. In another alternative, the spark gap chamber can include structures whose pressure drop depends upon the direction of flow past the structure and, accordingly, can generate a circulation in response to the passing shock (and expansion) waves created by the spark in the spark channel.