An experimental and kinetic modeling study of a four-component surrogate fuel for RP-3 kerosene

Detailed high-fidelity kinetic models of fuels are of great significance by providing guidance for the improvement of the combustion performance in engines and promising the reduction of design cycle of new concept combustors. However, the kinetic modeling works on Chinese RP-3 kerosene, the most widely used civil aviation fuel in China, are meager to date. In this study, a kinetic model, including a surrogate fuel and its combustion kinetic mechanism, were developed to describe the combustion of RP-3. Firstly, a surrogate comprised of components n-dodecane, 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane (PMH), n-butylcyclohexane and n-butylbenzene (22.82/31.30/19.19/26.69 mol%) was proposed based on the combustion property target matching method. These components are all within the typical molecular size (C10-C14) of jet fuels and thereby can potentially improve the ability of the surrogate in emulating the properties that depend on molecular size. Experiments were then carried out in a heated rapid compression machine and a heated shock tube to evaluate the performance of the surrogate in reproducing the combustion behavior of the target fuel over wide conditions. It is found that the surrogate can reproduce the autoignition characteristics of RP-3 very well. A chemical kinetic mechanism was developed to describe the oxidation of this surrogate. This mechanism was assembled using a published n-butylbenzene sub-mechanism and our previous sub-mechanisms for the other pure components, and was assessed against the present experimental data. The results showed that the simulations agreed well with the experimental data under the investigated conditions, demonstrating that the composition of the surrogate and its mechanism are appropriate to describe the combustion of RP-3. The first-stage ignition negative temperature coefficient behavior and the evolution of key radicals were investigated using the kinetic model.     

The development of a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism for diisobutylene and comparison to shock tube ignition times

Shock tube experiments and chemical kinetic modeling were carried out on 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene and 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-pentene, the two isomers of diisobutylene, a compound intended for use as an alkene component in a surrogate diesel. Ignition delay times were obtained behind reflected shock waves at 1 and 4 atm, and between temperatures of 1200 and 1550 K. Equivalence ratios ranging from 1.0 to 0.25 were examined for the 1-pentene isomer. A comparative study was carried out on the 2-pentene isomer and on the blend of the two isomers. It was found that the 2-pentene isomer ignited significantly faster under shock tube conditions than the 1-pentene isomer and that the ignition delay times for the blend were directly dependant on the proportions of each isomer. These characteristics were successfully predicted using a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism. It was found that reactions involving isobutene were important in the decomposition of the 1-pentene isomer. The 2-pentene isomer reacted through a different pathway involving resonantly stabilized radicals, highlighting the effect on the chemistry of a slight change in molecular structure.     

An improved detailed chemical kinetic model for C3-C4 linear and iso-alcohols and their blends with gasoline at engine-relevant conditions

Propanol and butanol isomers have received significant research attention as promising fuel additives or neat biofuels. Robust chemical kinetic models are needed that can provide accurate and efficient predictions of combustion performance across a wide range of engine relevant conditions. This study seeks to improve the understanding of ignition and combustion behavior of pure C3-C4 linear and iso-alcohols, and their blends with gasoline at engine-relevant conditions. In this work, a kinetic model with improved thermochemistry and reaction kinetics was developed based on recent theoretical calculations of H-atom abstraction and peroxy radical reaction rates. Kinetic model validations are reported, and the current model reproduces the ignition delay times of the C3 and C4 alcohols well. Variations in reactivity over a wide range of temperatures and other operating conditions are also well predicted by the current model. Recent ignition delay time measurements from a rapid compression machine of neat iso-propanol and iso-butanol [Cheng et al., Proc. Combust Inst. (2020)] and blends with a research grade gasoline [Goldsborough et al., Proc. Combust Inst. (2020)] at elevated pressure (20–40 bar) and intermediate temperatures (780–950 K) were used to demonstrate the accuracy of the current kinetic model at conditions relevant to boosted spark-ignition engines. The effects of alcohol blending with gasoline on the autoignition behavior are discussed. The current model captures the suppression of reactivity in the low-temperature and negative-temperature-coefficient (NTC) region when either isopropanol and isobutanol are added to a research grade gasoline. Sensitivity and reaction flux analysis were performed to provide insights into the relevant fuel chemistry of the C3-C4 alcohols.     

Criteria for selection of components for surrogates of natural gas and transportation fuels

The present paper addressed the production of soot precursors, acetylene, benzene and higher aromatics, by the paraffinic (n-, iso-, and cyclo-) and aromatic components in fuels. To this end, a normal heptane mechanism compiled from sub-models in the literature was extended to large normal-, iso-, and cyclo-paraffins by assigning generic rates to reactions involving paraffins, olefins, and alkyl radicals in the same reaction class. Lumping was used to develop other semi-detailed sub-models. The resulting mechanism for components of complex fuels (named the Utah Surrogate Mechanism) includes detailed sub-models of n-butane, n-hexane, n-heptane, n-decane, n-dodecane, n-tetradecane and n-hexadecane, and semi-detailed sub-models of i-butane, i-pentane, n-pentane, 2,4-dimethyl pentane, i-octane, 2,2,3,3-tetramethyl butane, cyclohexane, methyl cyclohexane, tetralin, 2-methyl 1-butene, 3-methyl 2-pentene and aromatics. Generic rates of reaction classes were found adequate to generate reaction mechanisms of large paraffinic components. The predicted maximum concentrations of the fuel, oxidizer, and inert species, major products and important combustion intermediates, which include critical radicals and soot precursors, were in good agreement with the experimental data of three premixed flames of composite fuels under various conditions. The relative importance in benzene formation of each component in the kerosene surrogate was found to follow the trend aromatics > cyclo-paraffins > iso-paraffins > normal-paraffins. In contrast, acetylene formation is not that sensitive to the fuel chemical structure. Therefore, in formulation of surrogate fuels, attention should be focused on selecting components that will yield benzene concentrations comparable to those produced by the fuel, with the assurance that the acetylene concentration will also be well approximated.     

From electronic structure to model application of key reactions for gasoline/alcohol combustion: Hydrogen-atom abstraction by CH3OȮ radicals

Hydrogen atom abstraction by methyl peroxy (CH₃OȮ) radicals can play an important role in gasoline/ethanol interacting chemistry for fuels that produce high concentrations of methyl radicals. Detailed kinetic reactions for hydrogen atom abstraction by CH₃OȮ radicals from the components of FGF-LLNL (a gasoline surrogate) including cyclopentane, toluene, 1-hexene, n-heptane, and isooctane have been systematically studied in this work. The M06–2X/6–311++G(d,p) level of theory was used to obtain the optimized structure and vibrational frequency for all stationary points and the low-frequency torsional modes. The 1-D hindered rotor treatment for low-frequency torsional modes was treated at M06–2X/6–31G level of theory. The UCCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVDZ-F12 and QCISD(T)/CBS level of theory were used to calculate single point energies for all species. High pressure limiting rate constants for all hydrogen atom abstraction channels were performed using conventional transition state theory with unsymmetric tunneling corrections. Individual rate constants are reported in the temperature range from 298.15 to 2000 K. Our computed results show that the abstraction of allylic hydrogen atoms from 1-hexene is the fastest at low temperatures. When the temperature increases, the hydrogen atom abstraction reaction channel at the primary alkyl site gradually becomes dominant. Thermodynamics properties for all stable species and high-pressure limiting rate constants for each reaction pathway obtained in this work were incorporated into the latest gasoline surrogate/ethanol model to investigate the influence of the rate constants calculated here on model predicted ignition delay times.     

Development of a reduced chemical kinetic mechanism for a gasoline surrogate for gasoline HCCI combustion

A reduced chemical kinetic mechanism consisting of 48 species and 67 reactions is developed and validated for a gasoline surrogate fuel. The surrogate fuel is modeled as a blend of iso-octane, n-heptane, and toluene. The mechanism reduction is performed using sensitivity analysis, investigation of species concentrations, and consideration of the main reaction path. Comparison between ignition delay times calculated using the proposed mechanism and those obtained from shock tube data show that the reduced mechanism can predict delay times with good accuracy at temperatures above 1000 K. The mechanism can also predict the two-stage ignition at the moment of ignition. A rapid compression machine (RCM) is designed to measure ignition delay times of gasoline and gasoline surrogates at temperatures between 890 and 1000 K. Our experimental results suggest that a new gasoline surrogate that has a different mixture ratio than previously defined surrogates is the most similar to gasoline. In addition, the reduced mechanism is validated for the RCM experimental conditions using CFD simulations.     

Experimental and modeling study on the pyrolysis and oxidation of iso-octane

High pressure iso-octane shock tube experiments were conducted to assist in the development of a Jet A surrogate kinetic model. Jet A is a kerosene based jet fuel composed of hundreds of hydrocarbons consisting of paraffins, olefins, aromatics and naphthenes. In the formulation of the surrogate mixture, iso-octane represents the branched paraffin class of hydrocarbons present in aviation fuels like Jet A. The experimental work on iso-octane was performed in a heated high pressure single pulse shock tube. The mole fractions of the stable species were determined using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Experimental data on iso-octane oxidation and pyrolysis were obtained for temperatures from 835 to 1757 K, pressures from 21 to 65 atm, reactions times from 1.11 to 3.66 ms, and equivalence ratios from 0.52 to 1.68, and ∞. Iso-octane oxidation showed that the fuel decays through thermally driven oxygen free decomposition at conditions studied. This observation prompted an experimental and modeling study of iso-octane pyrolysis using an iso-octane sub-model taken from a recently published n-decane/iso-octane/toluene surrogate model. The revised iso-octane sub-model showed improvements in predicting intermediate species profiles from pyrolytic experiments and oxidation experiments. The modifications to the iso-octane sub-model also contributed to better agreement in predicting the formation of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide when compared to the recently published 1st Generation Surrogate model and a recently published iso-octane oxidation model. Model improvements were also seen in predicting species profiles from flow reactor oxidation experiments and ignition delay times at temperatures above 1000 K at both 10 and 50 atm.     

Experimental and kinetic modeling study of C2H4 oxidation at high pressure

A detailed chemical kinetic model for oxidation of C₂H₄ in the intermediate temperature range and high pressure has been developed and validated experimentally. New ab initio calculations and RRKM analysis of the important C₂H₃ + O₂ reaction was used to obtain rate coefficients over a wide range of conditions (0.003-100 bar, 200-3000 K). The results indicate that at 60 bar and medium temperatures vinyl peroxide, rather than CH₂O and HCO, is the dominant product. The experiments, involving C₂H₄/O₂ mixtures diluted in N₂, were carried out in a high pressure flow reactor at 600-900 K and 60 bar, varying the reaction stoichiometry from very lean to fuel-rich conditions. Model predictions are generally satisfactory. The governing reaction mechanisms are outlined based on calculations with the kinetic model. Under the investigated conditions the oxidation pathways for C₂H₄ are more complex than those prevailing at higher temperatures and lower pressures. The major differences are the importance of the hydroxyethyl (CH₂CH₂OH) and 2-hydroperoxyethyl (CH₂CH₂OOH) radicals, formed from addition of OH and HO₂ to C₂H₄, and vinyl peroxide, formed from C₂H₃ + O₂. Hydroxyethyl is oxidized through the peroxide HOCH₂CH₂OO (lean conditions) or through ethenol (low O₂ concentration), while 2-hydroperoxyethyl is converted through oxirane.     

Chemical effects of ferrocene and 2-ethylhexyl nitrate on a low-octane gasoline: An experimental and numerical RCM study

An in-depth understanding of fuel additives chemical effects is crucial for optimal use or additive design dedicated to more efficient and cleaner combustion. This study aims at investigating the effect of an organometallic octane booster additive named ferrocene on the combustion of a low-octane gasoline at engine-relevant conditions. Rapid compression machine experiments were carried out at 10 bar, from 675 to near 1000 K for stoichiometric (Φ = 1) and lean (Φ = 0.5) mixtures. The neat surrogate fuel was a blend of toluene and n-heptane whose research octane number was 84. The doping level of additive was set at 0.1% molar basis. Ferrocene does not show a remarkable effect on the 1st- stage ignition but presents a strong inhibiting effect on the main ignition of the surrogate fuel at both equivalence ratios. The inhibiting effect increases with temperature within the investigated range. The negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior of the surrogate fuel is enhanced by ferrocene. A kinetic model developed by literature data assembly as well as a novel sub-mechanism involving the formation of alcohols from the reactions of iron species is proposed. The kinetic model developed simulates the inhibiting effect of ferrocene reasonably well at both equivalence ratios. Thanks to the validated kinetic model, the chemical effect of ferrocene on the fuel combustion is explored and compared with 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (EHN), which is a conventional reactivity enhancer. Three major differences between the two additives were identified: the high-temperature stability of the fuel additive, the influence of additive on the toluene reactivity and the effect of the additive on the NTC behavior. The results presented in this study contribute to the in-depth comprehension of chemical effect of two fuel additives (ferrocene and EHN) having opposite effects on fuel reactivity.     

Modeling and experimental investigation of methylcyclohexane ignition in a rapid compression machine

A new chemical kinetic reaction mechanism has been developed for the oxidation of methylcyclohexane (MCH), combining a new low temperature mechanism with a recently developed high temperature mechanism. Predictions from this kinetic model are compared with new experimentally measured ignition delay times from a rapid compression machine. Computed results were found to be particularly sensitive to isomerization rates of methylcyclohexylperoxy radicals. Three different methods were used to estimate rate constants for these isomerization reactions. Rate constants based on comparable alkylperoxy radical isomerizations corrected for the differences in the structure of MCH and the respective alkane, predicted ignition delay times in very poor agreement with the experimental results. The most significant drawback was the complete absence of a region of negative temperature coefficient (NTC) in the model results using this method, although a prominent NTC region was observed experimentally. Alternative estimates of the isomerization reaction rate constants, based on the results from previous experimental studies of low temperature cyclohexane oxidation, provided much better agreement with the present experiments, including the pronounced NTC behavior. The most important feature of the resulting methylcyclohexylperoxy radical isomerization reaction analysis was found to be the relative rates of isomerizations that proceed through 5-, 6-, and 7-membered transition state ring structures and their different impacts on the chain branching behavior of the overall mechanism. Theoretical implications of these results are discussed, with particular attention paid to how intramolecular H atom transfer reactions are influenced by the differences between linear alkane and cycloalkane structures.     

Isomer-specific influences on ignition and intermediates of two C5 ketones in an RCM

Ketones have been considered as potential biofuels and main components of blend stock for internal engines. To better understand the chemical kinetics of ketones, ignition delay times of 2-pentanone (propyl methyl ketone, PMK) and 3-pentanone (diethyl ketone, DEK) were measured at temperatures of 895–1128 K under 10 and 20 bar, at equivalence ratios (?) of 0.5 and 1.0 in a rapid compression machine (RCM). To explore the impact of carbonyl functionality and resonance stabilized structures of fuel radicals on their combustion kinetics, high-temperature pyrolysis at 1130 K and relatively low-temperature oxidation at 950 K studies were performed in an RCM, and the time-resolved species concentration profiles under these two conditions were quantified using a fast sampling system and gas chromatography (GC). A new kinetic model containing low-temperature reactions was built aiming at predicting the pyrolysis and oxidation behaviors of both ketones. The consumption pathways of the resonance stabilization fuel radicals through oxygen addition and following reactions are promoted since the decomposition rates of these radicals are about 4 orders magnitudes lower than regular fuel radicals. The occurrences of the so-called “addition-dissociation reactions”, i.e., ketones reacting with a hydrogen yielding aldehyde or reacting with a methyl radical yielding shorter-chain-length ketones, are verified in pyrolysis experiments. Based on experiments and model analysis, the carbonyl functionality in both ketones is preserved during the process of β-scissions of fuel radicals and α-scissions of fuel-related acyl radicals, resulting in the direct formation of CO and ketene. However, the position of carbonyl functionality has a significant impact on the species pools.     

An experimental and modeling study of the autoignition of 3-methylheptane

An experimental and kinetic modeling study of the autoignition of 3-methylheptane, a compound representative of the high molecular weight lightly branched alkanes found in large quantities in conventional and synthetic aviation kerosene and diesel fuels, is reported. Shock tube and rapid compression machine ignition delay time measurements are reported over a wide range of conditions of relevance to combustion engine applications: temperatures from 678 to 1356 K; pressures of 6.5, 10, 20, and 50 atm; and equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0. The wide range of temperatures examined provides observation of autoignition in three reactivity regimes, including the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) regime characteristic of paraffinic fuels. Comparisons made between the current ignition delay measurements for 3-methylheptane and previous results for n-octane and 2-methylheptane quantifies the influence of a single methyl substitution and its location on the reactivity of alkanes. It is found that the three C₈ alkane isomers have indistinguishable high-temperature ignition delay but their ignition delay times deviate in the NTC and low-temperature regimes in correlation with their research octane numbers. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of a proposed kinetic model that includes both high- and low-temperature oxidation chemistry. The model mechanistically explains the differences in reactivity for n-octane, 2-methylheptane, and 3-methylheptane in the NTC through the influence of the methyl substitution on the rates of isomerization reactions in the low-temperature chain branching pathway, that ultimately leads to ketohydroperoxide species, and the competition between low-temperature chain branching and the formation of cyclic ethers, in a chain propagating pathway.     

Experimental and modeling study on the pyrolysis and oxidation of n-decane and n-dodecane

High pressure n-decane and n-dodecane shock tube experiments were conducted to assist in the development of a Jet A surrogate kinetic model. Jet A is a kerosene based jet fuel composed of hundreds of hydrocarbons consisting of paraffins, olefins, aromatics and naphthenes. In the formulation of the surrogate mixture, n-decane or n-dodecane represent the normal paraffin class of hydrocarbons present in aviation fuels like Jet A. The experimental work on both n-alkanes was performed in a heated high pressure single pulse shock tube. The mole fractions of the stable species were determined using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Experimental data on both n-decane and n-dodecane oxidation and pyrolysis were obtained for temperatures from 867 to 1739 K, pressures from 19 to 74 atm, reaction times from 1.15 to 3.47 ms, and equivalence ratios from 0.46 to 2.05, and ∞. Both n-decane and n-dodecane oxidation showed that the fuel decays through thermally driven oxygen free decomposition at the conditions studied. This observation prompted an experimental and modeling study of n-decane and n-dodecane pyrolysis using a recently submitted revised n-decane/iso-octane/toluene surrogate model. The surrogate model was extended to n-dodecane in order to facilitate the study of the species and the 1-olefin species quantified during the pyrolysis of n-dodecane and n-decane were revised with additional reactions and reaction rate constants modified with rate constants taken from literature. When compared against a recently published generalized n-alkane model and the original and revised surrogate models, the revised (based on our experimental work) and extended surrogate model showed improvements in predicting 1-olefin species profiles from pyrolytic and oxidative n-decane and n-dodecane experiments. The revised and extended model when compared to the published generalized n-alkane and surrogate models also showed improvements in predicting species profiles from flow reactor n-decane oxidation experiments, but similarly predicted n-decane and n-dodecane ignition delay times.     

An experimental and modeling study on autoignition of 2-phenylethanol and its blends with n-heptane

2-Phenylethanol (2-PE) is an aromatic alcohol with high research octane number, high octane sensitivity, and a potential to be produced using biomass. Considering that 2-PE can be used as a fuel additive for boosting the anti-knocking quality of gasoline in spark-ignition engines and as the low reactivity fuel or fuel component in dual-fuel reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) engines, it is of fundamental and practical interest to understand the autoignition chemistry of 2-PE, especially at low-to-intermediate temperatures (<1000 K). Based upon the experimental ignition delay time (IDT) results of neat 2-PE obtained from our previous rapid compression machine (RCM) investigation and the literature shock tube study, a detailed chemical kinetic model of 2-PE is developed herein, covering low-to-high temperature regimes. Besides, RCM experiments using binary fuel blends of 2-PE and n-heptane (nC7) are conducted in this work to investigate the nC7/2-PE blending effects, as they represent a dual-fuel system for RCCI operations. Furthermore, the newly developed 2-PE model is merged with a well-validated nC7 kinetic model to generate the current nC7/2-PE binary blend model. Overall, the consolidated model reasonably predicts the experimental IDT data of neat 2-PE and nC7/2-PE blends, as well as captures the experimental effects of pressure, equivalence ratio, and blending ratio on autoignition. Finally, model-based chemical kinetic analyses are carried out to understand and identify the controlling chemistry accounting for the observed blending effects in RCM experiments. The analyses reveal that nC7 enhances 2-PE autoignition via providing extra ȮH radicals to the shared radical pool, while the diminished nC7 promoting effect on 2-PE autoignition with increasing temperature is due to the negative temperature coefficient characteristics of nC7.     

Unimolecular reactions of the resonance-stabilized cyclopentadienyl radicals and their role in the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation

Resonance-stabilized cyclopentadienyl radicals are important intermediate species in the combustion of transportation fuels. It not only serves as precursors for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) formation, but also involves in the formation of fundamental PAH precursors such as propargyl and acetylene. In this work, the unimolecular reactions of the cyclopentadienyl radicals are theoretically studied based on high-level quantum chemistry and RRKM/master equation calculations. Stationary points on the potential energy surface (PES) are calculated at the CCSD(T)/CBS//M06–2X/6–311++(d,p) level of theory. The branching ratios of unimolecular reactions of the cyclopentadienyl radicals are analyzed for a broad temperature range from 500 to 2500 K and pressures from 0.01 to 100 atm. It is found that the isomerization reaction of the cyclopentadienyl radical via 1,2-hydrogen transfer dominates at low temperatures and high pressures, while the well-skipping decomposition reaction which forms propargyl and acetylene is important at high temperatures and low pressures. Both the decomposition reaction of the cyclopentadienyl radicals and its reverse reaction show pronounced pressure dependence, and their reaction rate constants are compared against available low-pressure experimental measurements and theoretical studies. The temperature- and pressure-dependent rate coefficients for important reactions involved on the C₅H₅ PES are calculated and updated in a chemical kinetic model. Impacts of the unimolecular reactions of the cyclopentadienyl radicals on the PAH formation are explored by the numerical modeling of a low-pressure cyclopentene counterflow diffusion flame.     

A comparative reactivity study of 1-alkene fuels from ethylene to 1-heptene

A comparative reactivity study of 1-alkene fuels from ethylene to 1-heptene has been performed using ignition delay time (IDT) measurements from both a high-pressure shock tube and a rapid compression machine, at an equivalence ratio of 1.0 in ‘air’, at a pressure of 30 atm in the temperature range of 600–1300 K. At low temperatures (< 950 K), the results show that 1-alkenes with longer carbon chains show higher fuel reactivity, with 1-pentene being the first fuel to show negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior followed by 1-hexene and 1-heptene. At high temperatures (> 950 K), the experimental results show that all of the fuels except propene show very similar fuel reactivity, with the IDTs of propene being approximately four times longer than for all of the other 1-alkenes. To analyze the experimental results, a chemistry mechanism has been developed using consistent rate constants for these alkenes. At 650 K, flux analyses show that hydroxyl radicals add to the double bond, followed by addition to molecular oxygen producing hydroxy?alkylperoxy radicals, which can proceed via the Waddington mechanism or alternate internal H-atom isomerizations in chain branching similar to those for alkanes. We have found that the major chain propagation reaction pathways that compete with chain branching pathyways mainly produce hydroxyl rather than hydroperoxyl radicals, which explains the less pronounced NTC behavior for larger 1-alkenes compared to their corresponding alkanes. At 1200 K, flux analyses show that the accumulation of hydroperoxyl radicals is important for the auto-ignition of 1-alkenes from propene to 1-heptene. The rate of production of hydroperoxyl radicals for 1-alkenes from 1-butene to 1-heptene is higher than that for propene, which is due to the longer carbon chain facilitating hydroperoxyl radical formation via more efficient reaction pathways. This is the major reason that propene presents lower fuel reactivity than the other 1-alkenes at high temperatures.     

Experimental and kinetic modeling study of combustion of JP-8, its surrogates and components in laminar premixed flows

Experimental and kinetic modeling studies are carried out to characterize premixed combustion of jet fuels, their surrogates, and reference components in laminar nonuniform flows. In previous studies, it was established that the Aachen surrogate made up of 80 % n-decane and 20 % trimethylbenzene by weight, and surrogate C made up of 57 % n-dodecane, 21 % methylcyclohexane and 22 % o-xylene by weight, reproduce key aspects of combustion of jet fuels in laminar nonpremixed flows. Here, these surrogates and a jet fuel are tested in premixed, nonuniform flows. The counterflow configuration is employed, and critical conditions of extinction are measured. In addition, the reference components tested are n-heptane, n-decane, n-dodecane, methylcyclohexane, trimethylbenzene, and o-xylene. Measured critical conditions of extinction of the Aachen surrogate and surrogate C are compared with those for the jet fuel. In general the alkanes n-heptane, n-decane, and n-dodecane, and methylcyclohexane are found to be more reactive than the aromatics o-xylene and trimethylbenzene. Flame structure and critical conditions of extinction are predicted for the reference components and the surrogates using a semi-detailed kinetic model. The predicted values are compared with experimental data. Sensitivity analysis shows that the lower reactivity of the aromatic species arises from the formation of resonantly stabilized radicals. These radicals are found to have a scavenging effect. The present study on premixed flows together with previous studies on nonpremixed flows show that the Aachen surrogate and surrogate C reproduce many aspects of premixed and nonpremixed combustion of jet fuels.     

A theoretical kinetics study on low-temperature oxidation of n-C4H9 radicals

The low-temperature oxidation mechanism of n?butyl radicals (n-C₄H₉) has been investigated by high level quantum chemical calculations coupled with the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus/Master Equation (RRKM/ME) theory. The potential energy surfaces (PES) were explored at the QCISD(T)/CBS//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level. The temperature- and pressure-dependent rate constants were computed and fitted in modified Arrhenius parameters. The major reaction channels were discussed to more deeply understand the competing relationships between chain branching, chain propagation and termination reactions. The results show that the 1,5 H-shift reaction is more competitive than the 1,6 H-shift and 1,4 H-shift for isomerization reactions of n?butyl peroxy radicals, and the concerted HO₂ elimination channel to form butene becomes more important at high temperatures. Furthermore, based on our calculations, a revised kinetic model was developed to describe n-butane oxidation. Good consistency between model predictions and experimental data was shown. This study enhances our understanding of the combustion mechanism of n-butane and can be used as a reliable reference for mechanistic understanding of larger alkanes.     

Combustion kinetic model development using surrogate model similarity method

An ideal combustion kinetic model needs to be validated by different experimental targets over a wide range of temperatures and pressures that represent operating conditions in real engines. However, conditions of laboratory experiments for model validation are often limited by the constraint of experimental techniques. In order to improve model predictions under certain conditions (for example, at a relatively higher pressure), it is often needed to use the experimental data obtained under other conditions. In this work, the surrogate model similarity (SMS) method is proposed to find the experimental conditions or targets for model optimisation under certain conditions where the experiments are hard to be conducted. The similarity coefficient is calculated by the cosine similarity between the characteristic coefficients (vectors) of the High Dimensional Model Representation (HDMR) models for different model predictions. A larger similarity coefficient represents a closer relationship between two model predictions. The experimental data with larger similarity coefficients could be more effective to model uncertainty reduction under the concerned conditions. To demonstrate this method, simulations were conducted for two selected combustion systems with hydrogen or methanol as the fuel. In addition to its strength in available experimental data selection for model optimization, this method can be used to screen out experimental targets with strong constraint effect beforehand, thus providing an effective way to maximise utilisation of experimental resources.     

Effects of isoalcohol blending with gasoline on autoignition behavior in a rapid compression machine: Isopropanol and isobutanol

Alcohols, and particularly isoalcohols, are potentially advantageous blendstocks towards achieving efficient, low-carbon intensity internal combustion engines. Their use in advanced configurations, such as boosted spark-ignition or spark-assisted compression ignition, requires a comprehensive understanding of their blending effects on the low- and intermediate-temperature autoignition behavior of petroleum-derived gasoline. This work reports an experimental and modeling study of such autoignition characteristics quantified in a twin-piston rapid compression machine. Isopropanol and isobutanol are blended into a research-grade gasoline (FACE-F) at oxygenate blend levels of 0 to 30% vol/vol, with tests conducted at pressures of 20 and 40 bar, temperatures from 700 to 1000 K, and dilute stoichiometric fuel loadings. Changes to overall reactivity, including first-stage and main ignition times, and preliminary exothermicity are established, with comparisons made to previous measurements with ethanol-blended FACE-F gasoline.It is found that at low-temperature/NTC conditions (700–860 K) the isoalcohols suppress first-stage reactivity and associated heat release while main ignition times are extended. At NTC/intermediate-temperature (860–1000 K) conditions changes to fuel reactivity are less significant with isopropanol slightly suppressing reactivity and isobutanol promoting ignition. Detailed chemical kinetic modeling is used to interpret the experimental measurements. Overall trends of suppression or promotion in the blending behavior are reasonably captured by the model. Sensitivity and rate of production analyses indicate that at lower temperatures H-atom abstraction reactions from the surrogate fuel molecules (e.g., cyclopentane, isooctane) and the isoalcohols via ?H are important leading to TC3H6OH and IC4H8OH–C radicals, for isopropanol and isobutanol respectively, which act as scavengers in the system. At higher temperatures, similar chemistries are dominant, but there is an increasing importance of abstraction by HO₂. The kinetic modeling also indicates that the promoting effect of isobutanol at higher temperatures is due to the increased abstractions at the γ-sites, while at lower temperatures abstraction at the α-site leads to greater reactivity suppression.