We report results of high-temperature shock tube research aimed at improving knowledge of the combustion behavior of diesel, jet and related fuels. Research was conducted in four Stanford shock tube facilities and focused on the following topics: (1) development of the aerosol shock tube; (2) ignition delay time measurements of gaseous jet fuels (JP-8 and Jet-A) and surrogate components at high pressures and low temperatures; (3) laser absorption measurements of species time-histories for OH radicals and alkanes; (4) ignition delay times of n-dodecane, jet fuel and diesel using the aerosol shock tube technique; and (5) improving shock tube performance and modeling.

The current capabilities of kinetic modeling of hydrocarbon oxidation in shock waves are discussed. The influence of molecular size and structure on ignition delay times are stressed. The n-paraffin fuels from CH4 to n-C5H12 are examined under shock tube conditions, as well as the branched chain fuel isobutane, and the computed results are compared with available experimental data. The modeling results show that it is important in the reaction mechanism to distinguish between abstraction of primary, secondary and tertiary H atom sites from the fuel molecule. This is due to the fact that both the rates and the product distributions of the subsequent alkyl radical decomposition reactions depend on which H atoms were abstracted. Applications of the reaction mechanisms to shock tube problems and to other practical problems such as engine knock are discussed.