Previously we have reported on the combustion behavior of all nine isomers of heptane in a rapid compression machine (RCM) with stoichiometric fuel and ''air'' mixtures at a compressed gas pressure of 15 atm. The dependence of autoignition delay times on molecular structure was illustrated. Here, we report some additional experimental work that was performed in order to address unusual results regarding significant differences in the ignition delay times recorded at the same fuel and oxygen composition, but with different fractions of nitrogen and argon diluent gases. Moreover, we have begun to simulate these experiments with detailed chemical kinetic mechanisms. These mechanisms are based on previous studies of other alkane molecules, in particular, n-heptane and iso-octane. We have focused our attention on n-heptane in order to systematically redevelop the chemistry and thermochemistry for this C-- isomer with the intention of extending our greater knowledge gained to the other eight isomers. The addition of new reaction types, that were not included previously, has had a significant impact on the simulations, particularly at low temperatures.

Detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanisms are developed for combustion of all nine isomers of heptane (C--H16), and these mechanisms are tested by simulating autoignition of each isomer under rapid compression machine conditions. The reaction mechanisms focus on the manner in which the molecular structure of each isomer determines the rates and product distributions of possible classes of reactions. The reaction pathways emphasize the importance of alkylperoxy radical isomerizations and addition reactions of molecular oxygen to alkyl and hydroperoxyalkyl radicals. A new reaction group has been added to past models, in which hydroperoxyalkyl radicals that originated with abstraction of an H atom from a tertiary site in the parent heptane molecule are assigned new reaction sequences involving additional internal H atom abstractions not previously allowed. This process accelerates autoignition in fuels with tertiary C-H bonds in the parent fuel. In addition, the rates of hydroperoxyalkylperoxy radical isomerization reactions have all been reduced so that they are now equal to rates of analogous alkylperoxy radical isomerizations, significantly improving agreement between computed and experimental ignition delay times in the rapid compression machine. Computed ignition delay times agree well with experimental results in the few cases where experiments have been carried out for specific heptane isomers, and predictive model calculations are reported for the remaining isomers. The computed results fall into three general groups; the first consists of the most reactive isomers, including n-heptane, 2-methyl hexane and 3-methyl hexane. The second group consists of the least reactive isomers, including 2,2-dimethyl pentane, 3,3-dimethyl pentane, 2,3-dimethyl pentane, 2,4-dimethyl pentane and 2,2,3-trimethyl butane. The remaining isomer, 3-ethyl pentane, was observed computationally to have an intermediate level of reactivity. These observations are generally consistent with knocking tendencies of these isomers, as measured by octane ratings, although the correlations are only approximate.

Detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanisms are developed for all nine chemical isomers of heptane (C--H16), following techniques and models developed previously for other smaller alkane hydrocarbon species. These reaction mechanisms are tested at high temperatures by computing shock tube ignition delay times and at lower temperatures by simulating ignition in a rapid compression machine. Although the corresponding experiments have not been reported in the literature for most of these isomers of heptane, intercomparisons between the computed results for these isomers and comparisons with available experimental results for other alkane fuels are used to validate the reaction mechanisms as much as possible. Differences in the overall reaction rates of these fuels are discussed in terms of differences in their molecular structure and the resulting variations in rates of important elementary reactions. Reaction mechanisms in this study are works in progress and the results reported here are subject to change, based on model improvements and corrections of errors not yet discovered.

A computer model is used to examine oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels in a rapid compression machine. For one of the fuels studied, n-heptane, significant fuel consumption is computed to take place during the compression stroke under some operating conditions, while for the less reactive n-pentane, no appreciable fuel consumption occurs until after the end of compression. The third fuel studied, a 60 PRF mixture of iso-octane and n-heptane, exhibits behavior that is intermediate between that of n-heptane and n-pentane. The model results indicate that computational studies of rapid compression machine ignition must consider fuel reaction during compression in order to achieve satisfactory agreement between computed and experimental results.

Mathematical Modelling of Gas-Phase Complex Reaction Systems: Pyrolysis and Combustion, Volume 45, gives an overview of the different steps involved in the development and application of detailed kinetic mechanisms, mainly relating to pyrolysis and combustion processes. The book is divided into two parts that cover the chemistry and kinetic models and then the numerical and statistical methods. It offers a comprehensive coverage of the theory and tools needed, along with the steps necessary for practical and industrial applications. - Details thermochemical properties and "ab initio" calculations of elementary reaction rates - Details kinetic mechanisms of pyrolysis and combustion processes - Explains experimental data for improving reaction models and for kinetic mechanisms assessment - Describes surrogate fuels and molecular reconstruction of hydrocarbon liquid mixtures - Describes pollutant formation in combustion systems - Solves and validates the kinetic mechanisms using numerical and statistical methods - Outlines optimal design of industrial burners and optimization and dynamic control of pyrolysis furnaces - Outlines large eddy simulation of turbulent reacting flows

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