Preignition and Autoignition Behavior of the Xylene Isomers

Abstract

The relative preignition and autoignition reactivity of o-, m- and p-xylene has been studied. Preignition experiments were conducted in a pressurized flow reactor facility at 600-850 K temperatures, 8 atm pressure, and lean equivalence ratios. Analysis of the data included carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide measurements using a nondispersive infrared analyzer and molecular oxygen measurements using an electrochemical oxygen cell. Identification of intermediate species was performed using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and a mass spectrometer. Additional experiments were conducted in a single cylinder research engine. Neat o- and m-xylene were oxidized in the reactor under preignition conditions. They showed no reactivity, so mixtures of each isomer with n-dodecane were tested and compared, and intermediate species were identified. This data helped resolve a recent controversy regarding the relative reactivity of the xylene isomers. To study the autoignition of the xylenes, the isomers neat, in binary mixtures with n-decane, and in six-component JP-8 surrogates were tested in the single cylinder research engine. The experimental data were analyzed and compared to existing chemical kinetic models, and it was concluded that at lower temperatures (<850 K), the xylenes show similar reactivity, and at higher temperatures, o-xylene is the more reactive isomer.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA519619

Entities

People

  • Robert H. Natelson

Organizations

  • Drexel University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alkanes
  • Alkenes
  • Chemical Reaction Properties
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Combustion
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Hydrocarbon Fuels
  • Materials Science
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Oxidation

Readers

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Petroleum Engineering