Experimental and numerical study on laminar premixed flame characteristics of 2-ethylfuran

Abstract

2-Ethylfuran (EF2) is a potential renewable fuel which may be produced from biomass resource. As a member of the next-generation fuel, it is necessary to study its combustion characteristics. This work experimentally and theoretically investigated the laminar premixed flame characteristics of EF2 at the initial temperature of 373, 403 and 433 K and the initial pressure of 1, 2 and 4 bar over a wide equivalence ratio of 0.7 – 1.4. The laminar burning velocities were calculated by the spherically expanding flame method. The models relating the laminar burning velocity with temperature (uL=uL0(Tratio)α0+α1(1−p/p0)) and pressure (uL=uL0(pratio)β0+β1(1−T/T0)) were used. The results show that the dependence of pressure exponents on the temperature change is stronger than that of temperature exponents on different pressure ratios. A detailed kinetic model for the simulation of EF2 laminar burning velocity was constructed based on its pyrolysis mechanism. Oxidation reactions of EF2, including H-abstractions by OH and O2, OH-addition reactions and the reactions of 2-vinylfuran were provided in the current model. Sensitivity analysis was performed to demonstrate the key reactions controlling the laminar burning velocity of EF2. Besides the common reactions, formation and consumption reactions of 2-furylmethyl are the most important reactions that is closely related to the fuel in controlling the laminar burning velocity of EF2.