Laser probes of natural gas ignition chemistry. Annual report, January-December 1988

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5457754

Crosley, D R; Smith, G P; Golden, D M

This research, funded by the Physical Sciences Department of the Gas Research Institute, is aimed at developing and using laser-induced fluorescence of various hydrocarbon species as probes in natural gas combustion research and at developing an understanding of the mechanisms of ignition, catalytic combustion, and flame chemiluminescent emission of gas. In a collaborative effort with researchers from Yale University, LIF measurements were made of OH radicals and temperatures above a catalytically augmented gas-phase combustor at low pressure, showing the influence of catalytic surfaces at various mixing ratios. Laser-induced fluorescence diagnostics of C{sub 2}H{sub 2}, an important natural-gas ignition-chemistry intermediate, were developed in a low-pressure cell and in low pressure flames; both direct fluorescence excitation and the production of C{sub 2} photofragment luminescence were investigated. Spectral-line overlaps between O atom and O{sub 2} molecule excitations leading to photochemical interference were evaluated in flames. Unimolecular reaction-rate theory was applied to the study of the methyl and ethyl radical decomposition reactions, and several bimolecular metathesis and pressure-dependent bimolecular reactions were studied using transition-state theory. A methane flame chemistry code was implemented on the laboratory computer.

• Research Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5457754
• Report Number(s): PB-89-231583/XAB; SRI-MP--89-038
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
034000* -- Natural Gas-- Combustion
ALKANES
ALKYL RADICALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
ETHANE
FLAMMABILITY
FLUIDS
FLUORESCENCE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXYL RADICALS
IGNITION
LASER SPECTROSCOPY
LUMINESCENCE
METHANE
METHYL RADICALS
MIXTURES
NATURAL GAS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PROGRESS REPORT
RADICALS
SPECTROSCOPY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES