激光等离子体点火以其点火位置和时序方便可控、工况适应性好、电磁干扰小、启动快、可实现重复点火等优点, 成为航空航天动力系统极具潜力的一种点火技术。介绍了激光等离子体点火的技术特点及其基本物理过程; 其次, 回顾了激光等离子体点火在航空航天动力系统应用的研究现状, 尤其是哈尔滨工业大学近年来取得的研究成果; 最后, 分析了激光等离子体点火面临的问题, 并对其发展前景进行了展望。分析表明, 激光等离子体点火在无毒非自燃推进剂的火箭发动机和碳氢燃料的超燃冲压发动机的可靠重复点火上具有广泛的应用前景, 但要实现工程应用, 仍需要解决激光点火器与航空航天动力系统的一体化设计、激光点火器的小型化和工程化等问题。

Laser plasma ignition(LPI) is viewed as a promising ignition technique for aerospace propulsion systems with its many merits over conventional ignition techniques, including easier control of the ignition position and timing, wider working condition, less electromagnetic interference, rapid response and feasibility of reliable re-ignitions, etc.. Firstly, an introduction to the technical benefits and physical processes of the LPI technique was given. Then the developments in the applications of the LPI in aerospace propulsion systems were summarized, especially the achievements that had been made in National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Tunable Laser, Harbin Institute of Technology. Finally, the challenges and prospects in the application of the LPI in aerospace propulsion systems were analyzed. The LPI has demonstrated great prospects in reliable re-ignition of the rocket engines fueled with non-toxic non-hypergolic propellants and scramjet engines fueled with hydrocarbon fuels. However, to facilitate the in orbit and on board applications, further progress should be made in the integrated system design of the LPI system with the propulsion systems, and in the miniaturization and engineering design of the LPI system.