Chemical kinetics of octane sensitivity in a spark-ignition engine

Abstract

This paper uses a chemical kinetic modeling approach to study the influences of fuel molecular structure on Octane Sensitivity (OS) in Spark Ignition (SI) engines. Octane Sensitivity has the potential to identify fuels that can be used in next-generation high compression, turbocharged SI engines to avoid unwanted knocking conditions and extend the range of operating conditions that can be used in such engines. While the concept of octane numbers of different fuels has been familiar for many years, the variations of their values and their role in determining Octane Sensitivity have not been addressed previously in terms of the basic structures of the fuel molecules. In particular, the importance of electron delocalization on low temperature hydrocarbon reactivity and its role in determining OS in engine fuel is described here for the first time. The role of electron delocalization on fuel reactivity and Octane Sensitivity is illustrated for a very wide range of engine fuel types, including n-alkane, 1-olefin, n-alcohol, and n-alkyl benzenes, and the unifying features of these fuels and their common trends, using existing detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanisms that have been collected and unified to produce an overall model with unprecedented capabilities.