Contact (CTS)

Tel: 703-292-8371
Fax: 703-292-9054

Room 525N

E-Mail:
Webmaster

Richard O. Buckius
Division Director

Combustion and Plasma Systems

Sub-Element of the Thermal Systems Program

Program Director: Dr. Linda G. Blevins

The Combustion and Plasma Systems Program concentrates on research in fundamental engineering science in support of systems applications of combustion and plasmas.  There are many mission-oriented programs in industry and government that support applied research and development in these areas.  For the most part, this program is not an applied research program, but provides basic knowledge that can be used by others in development of systems for civil, industrial, or military applications.  Broad-based tools--computational, experimental, or diagnostic--that can be applied to a variety of problems in combustion and/or plasmas are major products of this endeavor.

The intellectual objectives of the Combustion and Plasma Systems activity include (1) the basic understanding of the fundamental physical and  chemical processes involved in combustion;  (2) providing principles for addressing major problems in the combustion arena such as pollutant formation in combustion, energy-conversion inefficiencies, and growth and spread of fires;  (3) elucidating the fundamental science and engineering principles necessary for the application of plasma technology to such situations as conversions of chemicals, processing and tailoring of materials, recovery of energy, and modification of biosystems;  and (4) demonstrating how combustion or plasma processing can be applied to solve problems in such areas as the production of fine powders or thin films, waste destruction, sterilization, and surface modification. 

Major topics covered by the Program include flame chemistry, fluid dynamics of combustion, incineration, internal combustion engines including diesels, pollutant formation from combustion, diagnostics for combustion and plasmas, plasma chemistry and physics, plasma applications, and combustion synthesis including SHS.  Program interest includes projects related to environmental quality (both prevention and amelioration), including reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, and new manufacturing techniques.  Support includes computational efforts with an emphasis on developing new methodology for both theory and simulation, development of diagnostic techniques for laboratory, process, or environmental measurements, and experimental studies on real systems.

Many problems in combustion and plasmas overlap with important issues in chemical kinetics, spectroscopy, applied or computational mathematics, reaction engineering, control theory, fluid mechanics, or heat transfer.  While the Program is willing to consider such problems, only those aspects directly relevant to Program objectives are appropriate for support;  other places in NSF support more generic efforts in these areas.  Applications and aspects of combustion and plasma processing that are heavily supported by mission agencies do not warrant additional support from NSF.  These include rocket propulsion systems (both liquid and solid), shaped-charge explosives, microgravity systems, and plasma etching of silicon.

Other Related Program Areas:

Thermal Transport and Thermal Processing

Send email to Dr. Linda G. Blevins for further information.

Policies
Contact NSF
Customize

Last updated:
23-Sep-2004