Experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of benzene

This paper describes an experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of benzene. The low‐temperature oxidation was studied in a continuous flow stirred tank reactor with carbon‐containing products analyzed by gas chromatography. The following experimental conditions were used: 923 K, 1 atm, fuel equivalence ratios from 1.9 to 3.6, concentrations of benzene from 4 to 4.5%, and residence times ranging from 1 to 10 s corresponding to benzene conversion yields from 6 to 45%. The ignition delays of benzene–oxygen–argon mixtures with fuel equivalence ratios from 1 to 3 were measured behind shock waves. Reflected shock waves permitted to obtain temperatures from 1230 to 1970 K and pressures from 6.5 to 9.5 atm. A detailed mechanism has been proposed and allows us to reproduce satisfactorily our experimental results, as well as some data of the literature obtained in other conditions, such as in a plug flow reactor or in a laminar premixed flame. The main reaction paths have been determined for the four series of measurements by sensitivity and flux analyses. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 503–524, 2003     

Experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of xylenes

This paper describes an experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of the three isomers of xylene (ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐xylenes). For each compound, ignition delay times of hydrocarbon–oxygen–argon mixtures with fuel equivalence ratios from 0.5 to 2 were measured behind reflected shock waves for temperatures from 1330 to 1800 K and pressures from 6.7 to 9 bar. The results show a similar reactivity for the three isomers. A detailed kinetic mechanism has been proposed, which reproduces our experimental results, as well as some literature data obtained in a plug flow reactor at 1155 K showing a clear difference of reactivity between the three isomers of xylene. The main reaction paths have been determined by sensitivity and flux analyses and have allowed the differences of reactivity to be explained. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 284–302, 2006     

Experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of isobutene

This article describes an experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of isobutene. The low-temperature oxidation was studied in a continuous-flow stirred-tank reactor operated at constant temperature (from 833 to 913 K) and pressure (1 atm), with fuel equivalence ratios from 3 to 6 and space times ranging from 1 to 10 s corresponding to isobutene conversion yields from 1 to 50%. The main carbon containing products were analyzed by gas chromatography. The ignition delays of isobutene-oxygen-argon mixtures with fuel equivalence ratios from 1 to 3 were measured behind shock waves. Reflected shock waves permitted to obtain temperatures from 1230 to 1930 K and pressures from 9.5 to 10.5 atm. A mechanism has been proposed to reproduce the profiles obtained for the reactants consumption and the products formation during the slow oxidation and to compute the ignition delays in the shock tube. Simulations were performed using CHEMKIN II. A correct agreement between the simulated values and the experimental data has been obtained in both apparatuses. The main reaction paths have been determined for both series of measurements by a sensitivity and rate of production analysis. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 629–640, 1998     

Ignition and oxidation of 1‐hexene/toluene mixtures in a shock tube and a jet‐stirred reactor: Experimental and kinetic modeling study

The oxidation of several binary mixtures 1‐hexene/toluene has been investigated both in a shock tube and in a jet‐stirred reactor (JSR). The self‐ignition behavior of binary mixtures was compared to that of neat hydrocarbons studied under the same conditions. Furthermore, molecular species concentration profiles were measured by probe‐sampling and GC/MS, FID, TCD analyses for the oxidation of the mixtures in a JSR. Experiments were carried out over the temperature range 750–1860 K. Mixtures were examined under two pressures 0.2 and 1 MPa, with 0.1% initial concentration of fuel. The equivalence ratio was varied from 0.5 to 1.5. The experiments were modeled using a detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanism. The modeling study showed that interactions between hydrocarbons submechanisms were not limited to small reactive radicals. Other types of interactions involving hydrocarbon fragments derived from the oxidation of the fuel components must be considered. These interactions mainly consist of hydrogen abstraction reactions. For example, benzyl radical that is the major radical produced from the oxidation of toluene at high temperature can abstract hydrogen from 1‐hexene and their products such as hexenyl radicals. Similarly, propyl, allyl, and hexenyl radicals that are the major radicals produced during 1‐hexene oxidation at high temperature can abstract hydrogen from toluene. Improved modeling was achieved when such interaction reactions were included in the model. Good agreement between experimental and calculated data was obtained using the proposed detailed chemical kinetic scheme. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 39: 518–538, 2007     

Methyl formate oxidation: Speciation data,laminar burning velocities,ignition delay times,and a validated chemical kinetic model

The oxidation of methyl formate (CH₃OCHO) has been studied in three experimental environments over a range of applied combustion relevant conditions:

• 1. A variable‐pressure flow reactor has been used to quantify reactant, major intermediate and product species as a function of residence time at 3 atm and 0.5% fuel concentration for oxygen/fuel stoichiometries of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 at 900 K, and for pyrolysis at 975 K.
• 2. Shock tube ignition delays have been determined for CH₃OCHO/O₂/Ar mixtures at pressures of ≈ 2.7, 5.4, and 9.2 atm and temperatures of 1275–1935 K for mixture compositions of 0.5% fuel (at equivalence ratios of 1.0, 2.0, and 0.5) and 2.5% fuel (at an equivalence ratio of 1.0).
• 3. Laminar burning velocities of outwardly propagating spherical CH₃OCHO/air flames have been determined for stoichiometries ranging from 0.8–1.6, at atmospheric pressure using a pressure‐release‐type high‐pressure chamber.

A detailed chemical kinetic model has been constructed, validated against, and used to interpret these experimental data. The kinetic model shows that methyl formate oxidation proceeds through concerted elimination reactions, principally forming methanol and carbon monoxide as well as through bimolecular hydrogen abstraction reactions. The relative importance of elimination versus abstraction was found to depend on the particular environment. In general, methyl formate is consumed exclusively through molecular decomposition in shock tube environments, while at flow reactor and freely propagating premixed flame conditions, there is significant competition between hydrogen abstraction and concerted elimination channels. It is suspected that in diffusion flame configurations the elimination channels contribute more significantly than in premixed environments. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 527–549, 2010     

A high‐temperature chemical kinetic model for primary reference fuels

A chemical kinetic mechanism has been developed to describe the high‐temperature oxidation and pyrolysis of n‐heptane, iso‐octane, and their mixtures. An approach previously developed by this laboratory was used here to partially reduce the mechanism while maintaining a desired level of detailed reaction information. The relevant mechanism involves 107 species undergoing 723 reactions and has been validated against an extensive set of experimental data gathered from the literature that includes shock tube ignition delay measurements, premixed laminar‐burning velocities, variable pressure flow reactor, and jet‐stirred reactor species profiles. The modeled experiments treat dynamic systems with pressures up to 15 atm, temperatures above 950 K, and equivalence ratios less than approximately 2.5. Given the stringent and comprehensive set of experimental conditions against which the model is tested, remarkably good agreement is obtained between experimental and model results. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 39: 399–414, 2007     

Oxidation of methyl and ethyl butanoates

This paper describes an experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of methyl and ethyl butanoates in a shock tube. The ignition delays of these two esters mixed with oxygen and argon for equivalence ratios from 0.25 to 2 and ester concentrations of 0.5% and 1% were measured behind a reflected shock wave for temperatures from 1250 to 2000 K and pressures around 8 atm. To extend the range of studied temperatures in the case of methyl butanoate, two sets of measurements were also made in a jet‐stirred reactor at 800 and 850 K, at atmospheric pressure, at residence times varying between 1.5 and 9 s and for equivalence ratios of 0.5 and 1. Detailed mechanisms for the combustion of methyl and ethyl butanoates have been automatically generated using a version of EXGAS software improved to take into account these oxygenated reactants. These mechanisms have been validated through comparison of simulated and experimental results in both types of reactor. The main reaction pathways have been derived from reaction flux and sensitivity analyses performed at different temperatures. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 226–252, 2010     

The reaction kinetics of dimethyl ether. I: High‐temperature pyrolysis and oxidation in flow reactors

Dimethyl ether reaction kinetics at high temperature were studied in two different flow reactors under highly dilute conditions. Pyrolysis of dimethyl ether was studied in a variable‐pressure flow reactor at 2.5 atm and 1118 K. Studies were also conducted in an atmospheric pressure flow reactor at about 1085 K. These experiments included trace‐oxygen‐assisted pyrolysis, as well as full oxidation experiments, with the equivalence ratio (ϕ) varying from 0.32 ≤ ϕ ≤ 3.4. On‐line, continuous, extractive sampling in conjunction with Fourier Transform Infra‐Red, Non‐Dispersive Infra‐Red (for CO and CO₂) and electrochemical (for O₂) analyses were performed to quantify species at specific locations along the axis of the turbulent flow reactors. Species concentrations were correlated against residence time in the reactor and species evolution profiles were compared to the predictions of a previously published detailed kinetic mechanism. Some changes were made to the model in order to improve agreement with the present experimental data. However, the revised model continues to reproduce previously reported high‐temperature jet‐stirred reactor and shock tube results. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet: 32: 713–740, 2000     

Oxidation of small alkenes at high temperature

If the mechanism of formation of alkenes, the main primary products of the combustion of alkanes above 1000 K, is now well understood, their ways of degradation have been much less studied. Following a previous modeling of the oxidation of propene in a static and a jet‐stirred reactors by using an automatically generated mechanism, the present paper shows new validations of the same mechanism for ignition delays in a shock tube. It also describes the extension of the rules used for the automatic generation to the case of 1‐butene. The predictions of the mechanism produced for the oxidation of 1‐butene are compared successfully with two sets of experimental results: the first obtained in a jet‐stirred reactor between 900 and 1200 K; the second being new measurements of ignitions delays behind reflected shock waves for temperatures from 1200 up to 1670 K, pressures from 6.6 to 8.9 atm, equivalence ratios from 0.5 to 2, and with argon as bath gas. Flux and sensitivity analyses show that the role of termination reactions involving the very abundant allylic radicals is less important for 1‐butene than for propene. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 666–677, 2002     

Experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of cyclohexene

Ignition delays of cyclohexene–oxygen–argon mixtures were measured behind shock. Mixtures contained 1 or 2% of hydrocarbons for equivalence ratios ranging from 0.5 to 2. Reflected shock waves permitted to obtain temperatures from 1050 to 1520 K and pressures from 7.7 to 9.1 atm. The experimental results exhibit an Arrhenius variation vs. temperature. A detailed mechanism of the combustion of cyclohexene has been written in the line of the mechanism developed previously for the reaction of C₃? C₄ unsaturated hydrocarbons (propyne, allene, 1,3‐butadiene, butynes); it is based on recent kinetic data values published in the literature and is consistent with thermochemistry. This mechanism has been validated by comparing the results of the simulations to the experimental results obtained for ignition delays. The main reaction pathways have been derived from flow rate and sensitivity analyses for the different temperature areas studied. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 273–285, 2003     

Gas‐Phase Oxidation of Methyl‐10‐undecenoate in a Jet‐Stirred Reactor

To better understand the chemistry of biodiesel surrogates, the gas‐phase oxidation of a C₁₂ unsaturated methyl ester, methyl‐10‐undecenoate, has been studied in a jet‐stirred reactor in the temperature range 500–1100 K. These experiments were performed using neat fuel synthesized in the laboratory, with an initial fuel mole fraction set as 0.0021, at quasi‐atmospheric pressure (1.07 bar), at a residence time of 1.5 s with dilute mixtures in helium of equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0. The maximum obtained conversion was shown to be more than twice lower than that of methyl decanoate under the same conditions. This difference cannot be reproduced by the only published model for an unsaturated ester with a close number of carbon atoms (methyl‐9‐decenoate). A large range of products was quantified in addition to common oxidation products: saturated and unsaturated aldehydes, saturated and unsaturated methyl esters with a second carbonyl function, C₂–C₁₀ alkenes, C₄–C₁₀ dienes, C₄–C₁₀ unsaturated methyl esters, C₈–C₉ saturated methyl esters, and saturated, unsaturated, and hydroxyl methyl esters involving a cyclic ether. Pathways of formation for the products specific to unsaturated ester oxidation were proposed, and possible model improvements were discussed.     

Experimental and modeling study of shock‐tube oxidation of acetylene

Nine mixtures of acetylene and oxygen diluted in argon were studied behind reflected shock waves at temperatures of 1150–2132 K and pressures of 0.9–1.9 atm. Initial compositions were varied from very fuel‐lean to moderately fuel‐rich, covering equivalence ratios of 0.0625–1.66. Two more mixtures with added ethylene were used to boost the sensitivity to reactions of vinyl oxidation. The progress of reaction was monitored by laser absorption of CO molecules. The collected experimental data were subjected to extensive detailed chemical kinetics analysis. The initial kinetic model was assembled based on recent literature data and then optimized using the solution mapping technique. The analysis was extended to include recent experimental observations of Hidaka and co‐workers (Combust Flame 1996, 107, 401). The derived model reproduces closely both sets of experimental data, the result obtained by modifying nine rate coefficients and three enthalpies of formation of intermediate species. The identified parameter tradeoffs and justification for the changes are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 391–414, 2003     

Detailed kinetic modeling of 1,3‐butadiene oxidation at high temperatures

The high‐temperature kinetics of 1,3‐butadiene oxidation was examined with detailed kinetic modeling. To facilitate model validation, flow reactor experiments were carried out for 1,3‐butadiene pyrolysis and oxidation over the temperature range 1035–1185 K and at atmospheric pressure, extending similar experiments found in the literature to a wider range of equivalence ratio and temperature. The kinetic model was compiled on the basis of an extensive review of literature data and thermochemical considerations. The model was critically validated against a range of experimental data. It is shown that the kinetic model compiled in this study is capable of closely predicting a wide range of high‐temperature oxidation and combustion responses. Based on this model, three separate pathways were identified for 1,3‐butadiene oxidation, with the chemically activated reaction of H^· and 1,3‐butadiene to produce ethylene and the vinyl radical being the most important channel over all experimental conditions. The remaining uncertainty in the butadiene chemistry is also discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 589–614, 2000     

Experimental measurements and kinetic modeling of CH4/O2 and CH4/C2H6/O2 conversion at high pressure

A detailed chemical kinetic model for homogeneous combustion of the light hydrocarbon fuels CH₄ and C₂H₆ in the intermediate temperature range roughly 500–1100 K, and pressures up to 100 bar has been developed and validated experimentally. Rate constants have been obtained from critical evaluation of data for individual elementary reactions reported in the literature with particular emphasis on the conditions relevant to the present work. The experiments, involving CH₄/O₂ and CH₄/C₂H₆/O₂ mixtures diluted in N₂, have been carried out in a high‐pressure flow reactor at 600–900 K, 50–100 bar, and reaction stoichiometries ranging 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. Finally, the mechanism was extended with a number of reactions important at high temperature and tested against data from shock tubes, laminar flames, and flow reactors. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 778–807, 2008     

Ethane oxidation and pyrolysis from 5 bar to 1000 bar: Experiments and simulation

An extensive experimental study of ethane oxidation and pyrolysis has been conducted in the high pressure shock tube at UIC covering reflected shock pressures from 5–1000 bar, reaction temperatures up to 1550 K and stoichiometric (Φ = 1), fuel rich (Φ = 5), and pyrolytic mixtures. The experimental data has been used to develop a single model that can simulate the whole dataset very well and is the first ethane model capable of simulating experimental results over such an extensive range of pressure, temperature, and stoichiometry. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 306–331, 2005     

The gas‐phase oxidation of n‐hexadecane

Since n‐hexadecane or cetane is a reference fuel for the estimation of cetane numbers in diesel engines, a detailed chemical model of its gas‐phase oxidation and combustion will help to enhance diesel performance and reduce the emission of pollutants at their outlet. However, until recently the gas‐phase reactions of n‐hexadecane had not been experimentally studied, prohibiting a validation of oxidation models which could be written. This paper presents a modeling study of the oxidation of n‐hexadecane based on experiments performed in a jet‐stirred reactor, at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1250 K, 1‐atm pressure, a constant mean residence time of 0.07 s, and high degree of nitrogen dilution (0.03 mol% of fuel) for equivalence ratios equal to 0.5, 1, and 1.5. A detailed kinetic mechanism was automatically generated by using the computer package (EXGAS) developed in Nancy. The long linear chain of this alkane necessitates the use of a detailed secondary mechanism for the consumption of the alkenes formed as a result of primary parent fuel decomposition. This high‐temperature mechanism includes 1787 reactions and 265 species, featuring satisfactory agreement for both the consumption of reactants and the formation of products. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 574–586, 2001     

Experimental and modeling study of the oxidation of 1‐pentene at high temperature

Ignition delay times of 1‐pentene–oxygen–argon mixtures have been measured behind shock wave, the onset of ignition being detected by OH radical emission. Mixtures contained 1 or 2% of hydrocarbon for equivalence ratios ranging from 0.5 to 2. Reflected shock waves allowed temperatures from 1130 to 1620 K and pressures from 7.3 to 9.5 atm to be obtained. A detailed mechanism of combustion of 1‐pentene has been automatically generated using EXGAS software. This mechanism has been validated by comparing the results of the simulations to the experimental ignition delay times. The main reaction pathways have been derived from flow rate and sensitivity analyses at different temperatures. Comparisons with 1‐butene and 1‐hexene in the same conditions show that 1‐pentene has a higher reactivity which seems to be due to its decomposition to give ethyl radicals, which rapidly yields very reactive hydrogen atoms, while the decomposition of 1‐butene and 1‐hexene leads to less reactive methyl radicals. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 451–463, 2005     

Kinetic study of n-heptane oxidation

The oxidation of n-heptane has been studied in a jet-stirred flow reactor in the temperature range 950–1200 K at atmospheric pressure for a wide range of fuel-oxygen equivalence ratios (0.2 to 2.0). A chemical kinetic reaction mechanism developed from previous studies on smaller hydrocarbons and extended to C₆ and C₇ species was used to reproduce the experimental data. Good agreement between computed and measured concentrations of major chemical species was obtained for the entire range of experimental conditions. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to identify the reactions having the greatest influence on the modeling results. The major reaction paths for n-heptane consumption and for the formation of the main products have been identified. In addition n-heptane ignition delays behind a reflected shock wave measured by other investigators were used to validate the present reaction mechanism at higher temperature and pressure.     

Preliminary observations on the high temperature oxidation of ethyl tert-butyl ether

The high temperature oxidation of ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) with oxygen in argon diluent has been studied in reflected shock waves over the temperature range 1160 to 1830 K, with pressures of 3.5 bar and with varying equivalence ratios from 0.3 to 2.4. Measurements of the ignition delay times, characterized by chemiluminescence and pressure rise, show that the rate of oxidation is very similar to that of methyl tert-butyl ether.