Burning Velocity Of Ethanol Research Articles

Laminar burning velocities of surrogate components blended with ethanol

To provide a consistent database for all important classes of hydrocarbons considered as components of surrogate mixtures, laminar burning velocities of n-decane, p-xylene and methylcyclohexane blended with ethanol were determined using the heat flux method at atmospheric pressure and initial temperatures of 318–400 K. The results obtained at Samara University and Lund University are within overlapping experimental uncertainties. Moreover, data consistency for MCH + ethanol blends was assessed with the help of analysis of the temperature dependence of the laminar burning velocity. Present experiments were modelled using the PoliMi detailed kinetic mechanism. Its predictions were found in a good agreement with the measurements performed with n-decane, while burning velocities of methylcyclohexane and p-xylene were over- and underpredicted, respectively. In all cases, the burning velocity of ethanol is higher than that of the hydrocarbons studied, while the burning velocity of the blends is in-between the values for the neat components.

The Role of Molecule Clustering by Hydrogen Bond in Hydrous Ethanol on Laminar Burning Velocity

The role of hydrogen bond molecule clustering in laminar burning velocities was observed. The water in hydrous ethanol can change the interaction between water-ethanol molecules. A certain amount of water can become oxygenated which increases the burning velocity. The hydrogen bond interaction pattern of ethanol and water molecules was modeled. Based on the molecular model, azeotropic behavior emerges from ethanol-water hydrogen bond, which is at a 95.1%v composition. The interaction with water molecule causes the ethanol molecule to be clustered with centered oxygenated compound. So, it supplies extra oxygen and provides intermolecular empty spaces that are easily infiltrated by the air. In the azeotropic composition, the molecular bond chain is the shortest, so hypothetically the burning velocity is anticipated to increase. The laminar burning velocity of ethanol fuel was tested in a cylindrical explosion bomb in lean, stoichiometric, and rich mixtures. The experimental result showed that the maximum burning velocity occurred at hydrous ethanol of 95.5%v composition. This discrepancy is the result of the addition of energy from 7.7% free ethanol molecules that are not clustered. At the rich mixture, the burning velocity of this composition is higher than that of anhydrous ethanol.