As it becomes more and more difficult to find "easy" oil, various alternative fuels are introduced to the markets. These fuels have chemical properties that are different from the traditional gasoline and diesel fuels so that engine efficiency and other engine behaviors may be affected To improve engine efficiency and to identify which alternative fuel is the cleanest fuel solution, it is necessary to compile information about the ignition delay, which governs auto-ignition in spark-ignition (SI), compression-ignition (CI) and homogeneous charge compression-ignition (HCCI) engines. In this study, we measured ignition delay on the Rapid Compression Machine (RCM). RCM is a single-stroke device, which compresses uniform mixtures to engine-like condition. We can interpret from the pressure the detailed heat release process. A comprehensive ignition delay database of toluene/n-heptane mixtures and gasoline/ethanol mixtures was established The data allow us to calculate the auto-ignition behavior in engines. Depending on application the correct choice of alternative fuels may be made.

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.

This overview compiles the on-going research in Europe to enlarge and deepen the understanding of the reaction mechanisms and pathways associated with the combustion of an increased range of fuels. Focus is given to the formation of a large number of hazardous minor pollutants and the inability of current combustion models to predict the formation of minor products such as alkenes, dienes, aromatics, aldehydes and soot nano-particles which have a deleterious impact on both the environment and on human health. Cleaner Combustion describes, at a fundamental level, the reactive chemistry of minor pollutants within extensively validated detailed mechanisms for traditional fuels, but also innovative surrogates, describing the complex chemistry of new environmentally important bio-fuels. Divided into five sections, a broad yet detailed coverage of related research is provided. Beginning with the development of detailed kinetic mechanisms, chapters go on to explore techniques to obtain reliable experimental data, soot and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, mechanism reduction and uncertainty analysis, and elementary reactions. This comprehensive coverage of current research provides a solid foundation for researchers, managers, policy makers and industry operators working in or developing this innovative and globally relevant field.

A single pulse reflected shock tube was used to investigate iso-octane ignition over the temperature range of 900-1400 K at a pressure of 1 atm. To account for the anticipated long ignition delay times at the lower temperatures, long shock tube dwell times (12 ms) at lower temperature and near atmospheric pressure were achieved by using argon-helium mix as a driver gas. Chemical thermometer experiments were conducted to remove any uncertainties in determining post-reflected shock temperatures. The ignition delay data obtained in this study are in good agreement (in the overlap region) with the iso-octane ignition data from a previous shock tube study. However, the activation energy of iso-octane ignition obtained in this study in the lower temperature region (