External electric fields may reduce emissions and improve combustion efficiency by active control of combustion processes. In-depth, quantitative understanding of ion chemistry in flames enables predictive models to describe the effect of external electric fields on combustion plasma. This study presents detailed cation profile measurements in low-pressure, burner-stabilized, methane/oxygen/argon flames. A quadrupole molecular beam mass spectrometer (MBMS) coupled to a low-pressure (P =30Torr) combustion chamber was utilized to measure ion signals as a function of height above the burner. Lean, stoichiometric and rich flames were examined to evaluate the dependence of ion chemistry on flame stoichiometry. Additionally, for the first time, cataloging of flame cations is performed using a high mass resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) to distinguish ions with the same nominal mass. In the lean and stoichiometric flames, the dominant ions were HO, CHO , CHO, CHO and CHO, whereas large signals were measured for HO, CH and CHO in the rich flame. The spatial distribution of cations was compared with results from numerical simulations constrained by thermocouple-measured flame temperatures. Across all flames, the predicted HO decay rate was noticeably faster than observed experimentally. Sensitivity analysis showed that the mole fraction of HO is most sensitive to the rate of chemi-ionization CH+O↔CHO +E. To our knowledge, this work represents the first detailed measurements of positive ions in canonical low-pressure methane flames.

The soot formed in an N-diluted ethylene/air counterflow diffusion flame at elevated pressure was investigated using two angle light scattering/extinction technique. To provide a well-controlled pressurized environment for the flame, a novel pressure vessel was built with the required optical access. The soot parameters were measured along the centerline of the counterflow flame. These properties included soot volume fraction (f ), primary particle diameter (d ), population averaged radius of gyration (R ) and number density of primary particles (n ). The Rayleigh-Debye-Gans theory for Fractal Aggregates (RDG-FA) was used to retrieve these properties from scattering and extinction measurements. Soot volume fraction was measured via light extinction from 2 to 5atm while maintaining the same global strain rate at all pressures. Scattered light from soot particles was measured at 45° and 135° and primary particle diameter was calculated using scattering/extinction ratio and the radius of gyration was determined from the dissymmetry ratio. Soot volume fraction, primary particle diameter and radius of gyration all increased with pressure while the number density of primary particles decreased with increasing pressure.

This study is concerned with the identification and quantification of species generated during the combustion of cyclopentane in a jet stirred reactor (JSR). Experiments were carried out for temperatures between 740 and 1250K, equivalence ratios from 0.5 to 3.0, and at an operating pressure of 10atm. The fuel concentration was kept at 0.1% and the residence time of the fuel/O/N mixture was maintained at 0.7s. The reactant, product, and intermediate species concentration profiles were measured using gas chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The concentration profiles of cyclopentane indicate inhibition of reactivity between 850-1000K for ϕ = 2.0 and ϕ = 3.0. This behavior is interesting, as it has not been observed previously for other fuel molecules, cyclic or non-cyclic. A kinetic model including both low- and high-temperature reaction pathways was developed and used to simulate the JSR experiments. The pressure-dependent rate coefficients of all relevant reactions lying on the PES of cyclopentyl+O, as well as the C-C and C-H scission reactions of the cyclopentyl radical were calculated at the UCCSD(T)-F12b/cc-pVTZ-F12//M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The simulations reproduced the unique reactivity trend of cyclopentane and the measured concentration profiles of intermediate and product species. Sensitivity and reaction path analyses indicate that this reactivity trend may be attributed to differences in the reactivity of allyl radical at different conditions, and it is highly sensitive to the C-C/C-H scission branching ratio of the cyclopentyl radical decomposition.

Tetrahydrofuran (CHO, THF) and its alkylated derivatives of the cyclic ether family are considered to be promising future biofuels. They appear as important intermediates during the low-temperature oxidation of conventional hydrocarbon fuels and of heavy biofuels such as long-chain fatty acid methyl esters. The reaction of tetrahydrofuran with OH radicals was investigated in a shock tube, over a temperature range of 800-1340 K and at pressures near 1.5 bar. Hydroxyl radicals were generated by the rapid thermal decomposition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide, and a UV laser absorption technique was used to monitor the mole fraction of OH radicals. High-level CCSD(T)/cc-pV(D,T)Z//MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ quantum chemical calculations were performed to explore the chemistry of the THF+OH reaction system. Our calculations reveal that the THF+OH (R1) reaction proceeds via either direct or indirect H-abstraction from various sites, leading to the formation of tetrahydrofuran-2-yl (THF-R2) or tetrahydrofuran-3-yl (THF-R3) radicals and water. Theoretical kinetic analysis revealed that both channels are important under conditions relevant to combustion. To our knowledge, this is the first direct experimental and theoretical kinetic study of the reaction of tetrahydrofuran with OH radicals at high temperatures. The following theoretical rate expressions (in units of cmmols) are recommended for combustion modeling in the temperature range 800-1350 K: . k1(T)=4.11×1040.16em0ex(TK)2.69exp(1316.80.16em0exKT)2.em0ex0.16em0ex(THF+OH→Products) . k2(T)=6.930.16em0ex×10110.16em0ex(TK)0.41exp(-106.80.16em0exKT)2.em0ex0.16em0ex(THF+OH→THF-R20.16em0ex+H2O) . k3(T)=4.120.16em0ex×1030.16em0ex(TK)3.02exp(456.90.16em0exKT)2.em0ex0.16em0ex(THF+OH→THF-R30.16em0ex+H2O) . .

Light naphtha is a fully blended, low-octane (RON. = 64.5, MON. = 63.5), highly paraffinic (>. 90% paraffinic content) fuel, and is one of the first distillates obtained during the crude oil refining process. Light naphtha is an attractive low-cost fuel candidate for advanced low-temperature compression ignition engines where autoignition is the primary control mechanism. We measured ignition delay times for light naphtha in a shock tube and a rapid compression machine (RCM) over a broad range of temperatures (640-1250. K), pressures (20 and 40. bar) and equivalence ratios (0.5, 1 and 2). Ignition delay times were modeled using a two-component primary reference fuel (PRF) surrogate and a multi-component surrogate. Both surrogates adequately captured the measured ignition delay times of light naphtha under shock tube conditions. However, for low-temperature RCM conditions, simulations with the multi-component surrogate showed better agreement with experimental data. These simulated surrogate trends were confirmed by measuring the ignition delay times of the PRF and multi-component surrogates in the RCM at . P = 20. bar, . ϕ = 2. Detailed kinetic analyses were undertaken to ascertain the dependence of the surrogates' reactivity on their chemical composition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fundamental autoignition study on the reactivity of a low-octane fully blended fuel and the use of a suitably formulated multi-component surrogate to model its behavior.

Understanding species evolution upon gasoline fuel oxidation can aid in mitigating harmful emissions and improving combustion efficiency. Experimentally measured speciation profiles are also important targets for surrogate fuel kinetic models. This work presents the low- and high-temperature oxidation of two alkane-rich FACE gasolines (A and C, Fuels for Advanced Combustion Engines) in a jet-stirred reactor at 10. bar and equivalence ratios from 0.5 to 2 by probe sampling combined with gas chromatography and Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectrometry analysis. Detailed speciation profiles as a function of temperature are presented and compared to understand the combustion chemistry of these two real fuels. Simulations were conducted using three surrogates (i.e., FGA2, FGC2, and FRF 84), which have similar physical and chemical properties as the two gasolines. The experimental results reveal that the reactivity and major product distributions of these two alkane-rich FACE fuels are very similar, indicating that they have similar global reactivity despite their different compositions. The simulation results using all the surrogates capture the two-stage oxidation behavior of the two FACE gasolines, but the extent of low temperature reactivity is over-predicted. The simulations were analyzed, with a focus on the n-heptane and n-butane sub-mechanisms, to help direct the future model development and surrogate fuel formulation strategies.

2-Butanone (methyl ethyl ketone) is a high-octane next-generation biofuel candidate synthesized through microbiological pathways from biomass. The flame structure and species formed in 2-butanone combustion are of interest when further considering this compound for use as a fuel. Thus species profiles within a fuel-rich laminar premixed flat flame of 2-butanone were measured. Two experiments which used different facilities and measurement techniques were combined i.e. the first using electron ionization molecular-beam mass spectrometry (MBMS) and the second relied on synchrotron-generated vacuum UV photoionization MBMS. Very good agreement between both measurements was obtained. The experiments identified the formation of a number of toxic oxygenated intermediates such as methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. 2- Butanone showed the lowest overall concentrations for species that could contribute to potentially hazardous volatile emissions underlining its attraction as a fuel also from this perspective.

Alkenes are known to be good octane boosters and they are major components of commercial fuels. Detailed theoretical calculations and direct kinetic measurements of elementary reactions of alkenes with combustion radicals are scarce for C4 alkenes and they are practically absent for C5 and larger alkenes. The overall rate coefficients for the reaction of OH radical with 1-butene (CH CHCH CH, k ), 1-pentene (CH CHCH CH-CH, k ), cis/trans 2-pentene (CH CHCHCH CH, k and k ), 1-hexene (CH CHCH CH CH CH, k ) and cis/trans 2-hexene (CH CHCHCH CH CH, k and k ) were measured behind reflected shock waves over the temperature range of 833-1377K and pressures near 1.5atm. The reaction progress was followed by measuring mole fraction of OH radicals near 306.7nm using UV laser absorption technique. It is found that the rate coefficients of OH+trans-2-alkenes are larger than those of OH+cis-2-alkenes, followed by OH+1-alkenes. The derived Arrhenius expressions for the overall rate coefficients (in cm.mol.s) are:. kI=(4.83±0.03)104.T2.72±0.01.exp(940.8±2.9cal/molRT)(946K-1256K) + kII=(5.66±0.54)10-1.T4.14±0.80.exp(4334±227cal/molRT)(875K-1379K) + kIII=(3.25±0.12)104.T2.76±0.5.exp(1962±83cal/molRT)(877K-1336K) + kIV=(3.42±0.09)104.T2.76±0.5.exp(1995±59cal/molRT)(833K-1265K) + kV=(7.65±0.58)10-4.T5±1.exp(5840±175cal/molRT)(836K-1387K) + kVI=(2.58±0.06)106.T2.17±0.37.exp(1461±55cal/molRT)(891K-1357K) + kVII=(3.08±0.05)106.T2.18±0.37.exp(1317±38cal/molRT)(881K-1377K) +

The responses of laminar methane-air flames to forcing by acoustic waves, AC electric fields, and nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) glow discharges are reported here. The experimental setup consists of an axisymmetric burner with a nozzle made from a quartz tube. Three different flame geometries have been studied: conical, M-shaped and V-shaped flames. A central stainless steel rod is used as a cathode for the electric field and plasma excitations. The acoustic forcing is obtained with a loudspeaker located at the bottom part of the burner. For forcing by AC electric fields, a metallic grid is placed above the rod and connected to an AC power supply. Plasma forcing is obtained by applying high-voltage pulses of 10-ns duration applied at 10 kHz, between the rod and an annular stainless steel ring, placed at the outlet of the quartz tube. The chemiluminescence of CH is used to determine the heat release rate fluctuations. For forcing by acoustic waves and plasma, the geometry of the flame plays a key role in the response of the combustion, while the flame shape does not affect the response of the combustion to electric field forcing. The flame response to acoustic forcing of about 10% of the incoming flow is similar to those obtained in the literature. The flames are found to be responsive to an AC electric field across the whole range of frequencies studied. A forcing mechanism, based on the generation of ionic wind, is proposed. The gain of the transfer function obtained for plasma forcing is found to be up to 5 times higher than for acoustic forcing. A possible mechanism of plasma forcing is introduced.

The mechanism behind improved flame propagation speeds under electric fields is not yet fully understood. Although evidence supports that ion movements cause ionic wind, how this wind affects flame propagation has not been addressed. Here, we apply alternating current electric fields to a gap between the upper and lower parts of a counterflow, annular slot burner and present the characteristics of the propagating nonpremixed edge-flames produced. Contrary to many other previous studies, flame displacement speed decreased with applied AC voltage, and, depending on the applied AC frequency, the trailing flame body took on an oscillatory wavy motion. When flame displacement speeds were corrected using measured unburned flow velocities, we found no significant difference in flame propagation speeds, indicating no thermal or chemical effects by electric fields on the burning velocity. Thus, we conclude that the generation of bidirectional ionic wind is responsible for the impact of electric fields on flames and that an interaction between this bidirectional ionic wind and the flame parameters creates visible and/or measurable phenomenological effects. We also explain that the presence of trailing flame bodies is a dynamic response to an electric body force on a reaction zone, an area that can be considered to have a net positively charged volume. In addition, we characterize the wavy motion of the transient flame as a relaxation time independent of mixture strength, strain rate, and Lewis number.