A detailed chemical kinetic model of high-temperature ethylene glycol gasification

In recent experimental investigations, ethylene glycol is used as a model substance for biomass-based pyrolysis oil in an entrained flow gasifier. In order to gain a deeper insight into process sequences and to conduct parametric analysis, this study describes the development and validation of a detailed chemical kinetic model of high-temperature ethylene glycol gasification. A detailed reaction mechanism based on elementary reactions has been developed considering 80 species and 1243 reactions for application in CFD software. In addition to mechanism validation based on ignition delay times, laminar flame speeds and concentration profiles, simulation results are compared to experimental data of ethylene glycol gasification under complex turbulent reactive flow conditions.     

Fluorescence quenching studies of conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene in the presence of TNT

We report fluorescence quenching of the conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene (MDMO-PPV) in the presence of nitrated explosives, such as, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). It is found that the conjugated polymer changes color from orange to brownish black when sprayed on traces of TNT within a few seconds. Fluorescence quenching of the conjugated polymer in the presence of TNT is also studied by absorption and emission spectroscopy. The conjugated polymer is highly selective for sensing TNT in daylight and ambient conditions.     

Comparison of gas-phase mechanisms applied to RDX combustion model

Two detailed gas-phase chemical mechanisms for RDX – Yetter and coworkers, herein ‘Y2’ [K. Prasad, R.A. Yetter, M.D. Smooke, Combust. Sci. Technol. 124 (1997) p. 35.]; Cal. Tech. group, herein ‘CTM’ [(a) A.D. Chakraborty, R.P. Muller, S. Dasgupta, W.A. Goddard, III, J. Phys. Chem. A 104 (2000) 2261. (b) D. Chakraborty, R.P. Muller, S. Dasgupta, W.A. Goddard, III, J. Comput. Aided Mater. Des. 8 (2001) 203. (c) D. Chakraborty, R.P. Muller, S. Dasgupta, W.A. Goddard, III, Available from: http://www.wag.caltech.edu/home/rpm/projects/hedm/] – have been tested using a recently developed combustion model. The results are compared with each other and experimental data. Burning rates predicted using CTM are about 15% higher than Y2, but both compare well with experimental data across a wide pressure range. Also, majority species profiles are in reasonable agreement with data from a 0.5 atm pressure experiment. However, comparison of predicted trace species profiles to experiments indicates neither mechanism reproduces all measured trace species well; furthermore, most of these trace species occur along main reaction pathways. Detailed chemical analysis indicates the main initial RDX reaction is surprisingly very different for the two mechanisms. NO₂ scission dominates using Y2, but HONO elimination dominates using CTM, in spite of the NO₂ scission reaction having by far the largest RDX decomposition rate coefficient in each mechanism. Analysis shows the unexpected result using CTM is due to a curious global kinetics phenomenon arising in the product pathway: the ring-opening reaction, RDXR → RDXRO, where RDXR is the cyclic radical formed upon NO₂ scission, has a much smaller rate coefficient in CTM compared to Y2. This causes the reaction to be a bottleneck, and so the NO₂ scission reaction goes into partial equilibrium rather than being forwards. Tests were performed to see how the predicted burning rates would be affected by changes in some of the most sensitive rate parameters. Some of the key parameters leading to the differing predictions have been identified. These results will help guide future efforts to understand and develop an accurate representation of the actual RDX combustion chemistry.     

Spectral uncertainty quantification, propagation and optimization of a detailed kinetic model for ethylene combustion

The ability of a reaction model to predict the combustion behavior of a fuel relies on the rigorous quantification of the kinetic rate parameter uncertainty. Although the accuracy of a detailed kinetic model may be ensured, in principle, by a multi-parameter optimization, the inherent uncertainties in the fundamental combustion targets used for optimization cause the resulting optimized model to be characterized by a finite kinetic parameter space. In this work, spectral expansion techniques are developed and employed to quantify these uncertainties, using an as-compiled, detailed, H₂/CO/C₁-C₄ kinetic model for ethylene combustion as an example. Uncertainty was quantified for both the as-compiled model and the optimized model, and propagated into a wide variety of combustion experiment and conditions. Application of the spectral uncertainty method in mechanism reduction is also discussed.     

A detailed kinetic mechanism of multistage oxidation and combustion of isooctane

This study has been focused on the construction of a detailed kinetic mechanism of oxidation and combustion of isooctane (2,2,4-trimethylpentane) to describe both high-temperature reactions and the low-temperature multistage process with separated stages of “cool” and “blue” flames and hot explosion. In accordance with the proposed mechanism, isobaric autoignition, compression-induced autoignition, and flame propagation characteristics have been calculated; the calculation results have been compared with the experimental data. Satisfactory qualitative and quantitative agreement of the calculation and experimental results has been obtained.     

Transforming data into knowledge—Process Informatics for combustion chemistry

The present frontier of combustion chemistry is the development of predictive reaction models, namely, chemical kinetics models capable of accurate numerical predictions with quantifiable uncertainties. While the usual factors like deficient knowledge of reaction pathways and insufficient accuracy of individual measurements and/or theoretical calculations impede progress, the key obstacle is the inconsistency of accumulating data and proliferating reaction mechanisms. Process Informatics introduces a new paradigm. It relies on three major components: proper organization of scientific data, availability of scientific tools for analysis and processing of these data, and engagement of the entire scientific community in the data collection and analysis. The proper infrastructure will enable a new form of scientific method by considering the entire content of information available, assessing and assuring mutual scientific consistency of the data, rigorously assessing data uncertainty, identifying problems with the available data, evaluating model predictability, suggesting new experimental and theoretical work with the highest possible impact, reaching community consensus, and merging the assembled data into new knowledge.     

A chemical kinetic model for chemical vapor deposition of carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are classified among the most promising novel materials due to their exceptional physical properties. Still, optimal fabrication of carbon nanotubes involves a number of challenges. Whatever be the fabrication method, a process optimization can be evolved only on the basis of a good theoretical model to predict the parametric influences on the final product. The work reported here investigates the dependence of the deposition parameters on the controllable parameters for carbon nanotube growth during Chemical vapor deposition (CVD), through a chemical kinetic model. The theoretical model consisted of the design equations and the energy balance equations, based on the reaction kinetics, for the plug flow and the batch reactor, which simulate the CVD system. The numerical simulation code was developed in-house in a g++ environment. The results predicted the growth conditions for CNT: the deposition temperature, pressure and number of atoms, which were found to be influenced substantially by the initial controllable parameters namely the temperature, volumetric flow rate of the carbon precursor, and the reaction time. An experimental study was also conducted on a CVD system developed in the laboratory, to benchmark the computational results. The experimental results were found to agree well with the theoretical predictions obtained from the model.     

Analysis of RDX-TAGzT pseudo-propellant combustion with detailed chemical kinetics

A detailed model of steady-state combustion of a pseudo-propellant containing cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX) and triaminoguanidinium azotetrazolate (TAGzT) is presented. The physicochemical processes occurring within the foam layer, comprised of a liquid and gas bubbles, and a gas-phase region above the burning surface are considered. The chemical kinetics is represented by a global thermal decomposition mechanism within the liquid by considering 18 species and eight chemical reactions. The reactions governing decomposition of TAGzT were deduced from separate confined rapid thermolysis experiments using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Within the gas bubbles and gas-phase region, a detailed chemical kinetics mechanism was used by considering up to 93 species and 504 reactions. The pseudo-propellant burn rate was found to be highly sensitive to the global decomposition reactions of TAGzT. The predicted results of burn rate agree well with experimental burn-rate data. The increase in burn rate by inclusion of TAGzT is due in part from exothermic decomposition of the azotetrazolate within the foam layer, and from fast gas-phase reactions between triaminoguanidine decomposition products, such as hydrazine, and oxidiser products from the nitramine decomposition.     

Premixed turbulent combustion modeling using tabulated detailed chemistry and PDF

Tabulated chemistry and presumed probability density function (PDF) approaches are combined to perform RANS modeling of premixed turbulent combustion. The chemistry is tabulated from premixed flamelets with three independent parameters: the equivalence ratio of the mixture, the progress of reaction, and the specific enthalpy, to account for heat losses at walls. Mean quantities are estimated from presumed PDFs. This approach is used to numerically predict a turbulent premixed flame diluted by hot burnt products at an equivalence ratio that differs from the main stream of reactants. The investigated flame, subjected to high velocity fluctuations, has a thickened-wrinkled structure. A recently proposed closure for scalar dissipation rate that includes an estimation of the coupling between flame wrinkling and micromixing is retained. Comparisons of simulations with experimental measurements of mean velocity, temperature, and reactants are performed.     

A detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanism for oxidation of four small alkyl esters in laminar premixed flames

A detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanism has been developed for a group of four small alkyl ester fuels, consisting of methyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl formate, and ethyl acetate. This mechanism is validated by comparisons between computed results and recently measured intermediate species mole fractions in fuel-rich, low-pressure, premixed laminar flames. The model development employs a principle of similarity of functional groups in constraining the H atom abstraction and unimolecular decomposition reactions for each of these fuels. As a result, the reaction mechanism and formalism for mechanism development are suitable for extension to larger oxygenated hydrocarbon fuels, together with an improved kinetic understanding of the structure and chemical kinetics of alkyl ester fuels that can be extended to biodiesel fuels. Variations in concentrations of intermediate species levels in these flames are traced to differences in the molecular structure of the fuel molecules.     

Dual timestepping methods for detailed combustion chemistry

In this work, we develop and study several dual time integration methods for the solution of stiff, explosive differential equations governing combustion chemistry. Dual time integration is an implicit method wherein the sub-iteration process of each timestep is performed as a steady-state integration process, rather than the commonly used Newton–Raphson method. This allows stabilisation when nonlinear ignition events are contained within a timestep, providing considerable freedom in the choice of resolved phenomena. Timesteps may be chosen so as to resolve relatively long process timescales accurately rather than fast chemical timescales, something not possible with the common Newton's method. We illustrate this method using several backward difference formula methods and demonstrate the efficacy of our method in resolving low-frequency solutions of continuous flow stirred-tank reactors with periodic ignition–extinction events. We are able to step over ignition–extinction events with our stable, adaptive dual time method, and we study numerical convergence and error scaling on process timescales.     

A semi-detailed kinetic model of char combustion with consideration of thermal annealing

The present paper presents a semi-detailed kinetic model of coal char combustion which embodies consideration of thermal annealing as a mechanism leading to the loss of char combustion reactivity along burn off. The distinctive feature of this model is that deactivation induced by thermal annealing is followed along with combustion. Thermodeactivation is modelled according to the power-law equation proposed by Senneca and Salatino [1]. A semi-detailed combustion mechanism was taken after Hurt and Calo [2] and includes three steps: formation of carbon–oxygen complexes (chemisorption), switch-over of surface oxides and desorption of oxygen complexes to yield combustion products. Computation results allow to discuss the impact of thermal annealing on char combustion under conditions of practical interest.     

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.     

Use of molecular beams for kinetic measurements of chemical reactions on solid surfaces

In this review we survey the contributions that molecular beam experiments have provided to our understanding of the dynamics and kinetics of chemical interactions of gas molecules with solid surfaces. First, we describe the experimental details of the different instrumental setups and approaches available for the study of these systems under the ultrahigh vacuum conditions and with the model planar surfaces often used in modern surface-science experiments. Next, a discussion is provided of the most important fundamental aspects of the dynamics of chemical adsorption that have been elucidated with the help of molecular beam experiments, which include the development of potential energy surfaces, the determination of the different channels for energy exchange between the incoming molecules and the surface, the identification of adsorption precursor states, the understanding of dissociative chemisorption, the determination of the contributions of corrugation, steps, and other structural details of the surface to the adsorption process, the effect to molecular steering, the identification of avenues for assisting adsorption, and the molecular details associated with the kinetics of the uptake of adsorbates as a function of coverage. We follow with a summary of the work directed at the determination of kinetic parameters and mechanistic details of surface reactions associated with catalysis, mostly those promoted by late transition metals. This discussion we initiate with an overview of what has been learned about simple bimolecular reactions such as the oxidation of CO and H₂ with O₂ and the reaction of CO with NO, and continue with the review of the studies of more complex systems such as the oxidation of alcohols, the conversion of organic acids, the hydrogenation and isomerization of olefins, and the oxidative activation of alkanes under conditions of short contact times. 6 Reactions on supported nanoparticles: Materials gap, 7 Low-probability reactions: Pressure gap of this review deal with the advances made in the use of molecular beams with more realistic models for catalysis, using surfaces comprised of metal nanoparticles dispersed on the oxide surfaces used as catalyst support and high-flux beams to approach the pressures used in catalysis. The next section deals with the study of systems associated with fields other than catalysis, mainly with the etching and oxidation of semiconductor surfaces and with the chemistry used to grow thin solid films by chemical means (chemical vapor deposition, CVD, or atomic layer deposition, ALD). We end with a personal assessment of the past accomplishments, present state, and future promise of the use of molecular beams for the study of the kinetics of surface reactions relevant to practical applications.     

The effect of bulk gas diffusivity on apparent pulverized coal char combustion kinetics

Apparent char kinetic rates are commonly used to predict pulverized coal char burning rates. These kinetic rates quantify the char burning rate based on the temperature of the particle and the oxygen concentration at the external particle surface, inherently neglecting the impact of variations in the internal diffusion rate and penetration of oxygen. To investigate the impact of bulk gas diffusivity on these phenomena during Zone II burning conditions, experimental measurements were performed of char particle combustion temperature and burnout for a subbituminous coal burning in an optical entrained flow reactor with helium and nitrogen diluents. The combination of much higher thermal conductivity and mass diffusivity in the helium environments resulted in cooler char combustion temperatures than in equivalent N₂ environments. Measured char burnout was similar in the two environments for a given bulk oxygen concentration but was approximately 60% higher in helium environments for a given char combustion temperature. To augment the experimental measurements, detailed particle simulations of the experimental conditions were conducted with the SKIPPY code. These simulations also showed a 60% higher burning rate in the helium environments for a given char particle combustion temperature. To differentiate the effect of enhanced diffusion through the external boundary layer from the effect of enhanced diffusion through the particle, additional SKIPPY simulations were conducted under selected conditions in N₂ and He environments for which the temperature and concentrations of reactants (oxygen and steam) were identical on the external char surface. Under these conditions, which yield matching apparent char burning rates, the computed char burning rate for He was 50% larger, demonstrating the potential for significant errors with the apparent kinetics approach. However, for specific application to oxy-fuel combustion in CO₂ environments, these results suggest the error to be as low as 3% when applying apparent char burning rates from nitrogen environments.     

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.