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Ammonia (NH3) has recently received much attention as a promising future fuel for mobility and power generation. The use of ammonia as a fueling vector can help curb global warming by cutting CO2
emissions because it is a carbon-free fuel and a hydrogen carrier with a high percentage of hydrogen atoms per unit volume. Liquid ammonia contains a higher volumetric density of hydrogen than liquid
hydrogen. The low reactivity of ammonia, however, hinders its direct usage as a combustible fuel. One feasible way to boost the reactivity of ammonia is to target a dual-fuel system comprising of ammonia
and a suitable combustion promoter. In this work, combustion properties of ammonia were investigated by blending it with various proportions of dimethyl ether (DME) using a rapid compression machine
(RCM) and a constant volume spherical reactor (CVSR) over a wide range of experimental conditions. DME is a highly reactive fuel that may be produced in a sustainable carbon cycle with a net zero-carbon
emission. Ignition delay times (IDTs) of NH3/DME blends were measured over a temperature (T) range of 649e950 K, pressures (P) of 20 and 40 bar, equivalence ratios (F) of 0.5 and 1 for a range of DME mole
fractions (cDME) of 0.05e0.5 in the blends. In addition, the laminar burning velocities of NH3/DME blends were measured at P ¼ 1, 3 and 5 bar, F ¼ 0.8e1.3 and T ¼ 300 K for cDME ranging from 0.18 to 0.47. Our
results suggest that DME is a good ignition promoter, resulting in a significant shortening of IDTs and an increase of flame speeds of NH3. A detailed chemical model has been developed and validated against the
experimental data. Overall, our kinetic model offered reasonable predictive capabilities capturing the experimental trends over a wide range of conditions. In the worst-case scenario, our model underpredicted IDTs by a factor of ~2.5 while overpredicting laminar flame speed by ~20%.
In this work, we investigated the combustion characteristics of ammonia (NH3) by blending it with various proportions of diethyl ether (DEE). We measured laminar flame speed of various NH3/DEE blends (DEE, 10–40% by mole) using a constant volume spherical vessel at Ti = 298 K and Pi = 3 and 5 bar and Φ = 0.8–1.3. We developed a detailed kinetic model to describe the trends of the current and previously published experimental data. For the robustness of the model, we first developed a comprehensive diethyl ether kinetic mechanism to accurately characterize neat DEE oxidation behavior. We validated the kinetic model using a large pool of experimental data comprising shock tube, rapid compression machine, jet-stirred and flow reactors, freely propagating, and burner-stabilized premixed flames. The developed kinetic model performs remarkably in capturing the combustion behavior of pure DEE and NH3. Importantly, our model captures the experimental data of laminar flame speed and ignition delay times of various NH3/DEE blends over a wide range of conditions. We found that DEE is a promising candidate to promote the combustion characteristics of NH3. A small portion of DEE (10%) enhances the laminar flame speed of NH3 by a factor of 2 at Pi = 1 bar, Ti = 298 K, and Φ = 1.0. A further doubling of the DEE mole fraction to 20% did not enhance the laminar flame speed of NH3 with the same propensity. At low temperatures, adding 5% DEE in NH3 blend has significantly expedited the system reactivity by lowering the autoignition temperature. A further 5% increment of DEE (i.e., 10% DEE in NH3) lowers the autoignition temperature by ∼120 K to achieve the same ignition delay time. The “NOsingle bondNO2” looping mechanism predominantly drives such reactivity accelerating effect. Here, the reactions, NO + HO2 = NO2 + OH and NO2 + H = NO + OH, appear to enhance the reactive radical pool by generating OH radicals. We observed that the HNO path is favored more with increasing DEE content which eventually liberates NO. Other key reactions in “NOsingle bondNO2” looping mechanism are: CH3 + NO2 = CH3O + NO, CH3O2 + NO = CH3O + NO2, C2H5 + NO2 = C2H5O + NO, C2H5O2 + NO = C2H5O + NO2. In addition, CH3 + NH2(+M) = CH3NH2(+M) reaction is also one of the important cross-reactions which leads to the formation of HCN. Therefore, cross-reactions between the nitrogen and carbon family are crucial in accurately predicting autoignition timing. This work provides a detailed chemical insight into the NH3 and DEE interaction, which could be applied to other fuel blends of NH3. The kinetic model is also validated for several C1single bondC3 fuels including their interaction with NOx.
Laminar flame speeds of dimethyl ether and dimethoxymethane at pressures from 1 to 5 bar and initial temperatures from 298 to 373 K were determined experimentally using a constant volume spherical vessel and a heat flux burner setup. This study is the first to report dimethoxymethane laminar flame speeds at a pressure higher than 1 bar. Using these experimental data along with data available in the literature, a new kinetic model for the prediction of the oxidation behavior of dimethyl ether and dimethoxymethane in freely propagating and burner stabilized premixed flames, in shock tubes, rapid compression machines, flow reactors, and a jet-stirred reactor has been developed. The experimental results from the present work and literature are interpreted with the help of the derived kinetic model. This newly developed reaction mechanism considers the redox chemistry of NOx to accommodate the influence of the oxygen level on the onset of fuel conversion and interconversion of NO and NO2. The current model suggests that an increased O2 level promotes the HO2 production, which in turn leads to the formation of OH radicals, which promotes the combustion of the fuel/air mixture under lean conditions. The increase of OH radical concentrations is mainly via the NO/NO2 interconversion reaction channel, NO+HO2=NO2+OH, NO2+H=NO+OH, CH3OCH3+NO2=CH3OCH2+HONO, followed by the thermal decomposition of HONO. This work extends the kinetic database and helps to improve the understanding of dimethyl ether and dimethoxymethane combustion behavior. The kinetic model presented in this work can serve as a base model for hydrocarbons and oxygenated fuels higher than C2.
Ammonia (NH3) is recognized as a carbon-free hydrogen-carrier fuel with a high content of hydrogen atoms per unit volume. Recently, ammonia has received increasing attention as a promising alternative fuel for internal combustion engine and gas turbine applications. However, the viability of ammonia fueling future combustion devices has several barriers to overcome. To overcome the challenge of its low reactivity, it is proposed to blend it with a high-reactivity fuel. In this work, we have investigated the combustion characteristics of ammonia/diethyl ether (NH3/DEE) blends using a rapid compression machine (RCM) and a constant volume spherical reactor (CVSR). Ignition delay times (IDTs) of NH3/DEE blends were measured using the RCM over a temperature range of 620 to 942 K, pressures near 20 and 40 bar, equivalence ratios (Φ) of 1 and 0.5, and a range of mole fractions of DEE, χDEE, from 0.05 to 0.2 (DEE/NH3 = 5 – 20%). Laminar burning velocities of NH3/DEE premixed flames were measured using the CVSR at 298 K, 1 bar, Φ of 0.9 to 1.3, and χDEE from 0.1 to 0.4. Our results indicate that DEE promotes the reactivity of fuel blends resulting in significant shortening of the ignition delay times of ammonia under RCM conditions. IDTs expectedly exhibited strong dependence on pressure and equivalence ratio for a given blend. Laminar burning velocity was found to increase with increasing fraction of DEE. The burnt gas Markstein length increased with equivalence ratio for χDEE = 0.1 as seen in NH3-air flames, while the opposite evolution of Markstein length was observed with Φ for 0.1 < χDEE ≤ 0.4, as observed in isooctane-air flames. A detailed chemical kinetics model was assembled to analyze and understand the combustion characteristics of NH3/DEE blends.
Ammonia (NH3) is considered a promising carbon-neutral fuel, with a high hydrogen content, that can diversify the global energy system. Blending ammonia with a highly reactive fuel is one possible strategy to enhance its combustion characteristics. Here, an investigation of blends of NH3 and dimethoxymethane (DMM), a biofuel with high fuel-born oxygen content and no carbon–carbon bonds, is reported. Unstretched laminar burning velocity (SL) and Markstein length of different NH3/DMM blends were experimentally determined using spherically propagating premixed flames. The DMM mole fraction was varied from 0.2 to 0.6 while measuring SL at 298 K, 0.1 MPa, and equivalence ratios (Φ) over the range of 0.8–1.3. The addition of DMM was found to immensely enhance the combustion characteristics of ammonia. DMM 20% (by mole fraction) in the NH3/DMM blend increased SL by more than a factor of 3 over neat ammonia; such enhancement was found to be comparable to 60% CH4 in NH3 (Φ = 0.9–1.1) blends. Increasing Φ was found to significantly decrease the burned gas Markstein length for lean cases, whereas a negligible effect was observed for rich mixtures. A composite chemical kinetic model of DMM/NH3, aimed at interpreting the high-temperature combustion chemistry, was able to reliably predict SL for neat NH3 and DMM flames. Also, the predictive capability of the kinetic model to describe SL for DMM/NH3 blends is reasonably good. Sensitivity analysis and reaction path analysis indicated that the NH3/DMM blends could be understood as dual oxidation processes of the individual fuels that are competing for the same radical pool.
Enhancement of ammonia reactivity is crucial for potential applications of ammonia as an engine and gas turbine fuel. A common strategy for improving ammonia's poor reactivity is blending it with more reactive fuels like hydrogen and methane. However, fundamental studies of ammonia combustion with higher hydrocarbons and key intermediate oxidation species of higher alkanes such as propene do not exist. Thus, this work presents an effort to study the laminar flame propagation of ammonia blended with propene. Laminar burning velocity (SL) of NH3/C3H6/air mixtures was measured at 298 K, pressures up to 5 bar, equivalence ratios of 0.7 to 1.3, and various propene to ammonia ratios (i.e.,% propene to ammonia mole fraction, xC3H6 = 10 to 50) in a high-pressure spherical propagating flame vessel. A kinetic model was developed based on our previous work to characterize the combustion behavior of NH3/C3H6/air mixture. The model reasonably agrees with the experimental data and follows the observed trends very well. The results showed that blending NH3 with C3H6 positively enhanced SL of NH3 by promoting the formation of key radicals e.g., O, OH, and H. Relative to a neat ammonia/air mixture, co-firing ammonia with propene leads to a reduced pressure dependence of the laminar burning velocity. However, the reaction H + O2(+M)=HO2(+M) leads to strong pressure dependency of lean NH3/C3H6 mixtures compared to rich mixtures. The model reveals that besides fuel-NO coming from NH3, prompt NO also actively contributes to NO formation. It is seen that N2O formation is significantly suppressed with increasing pressure or increasing C3H6 content in the fuel blend. In contrast to NO and N2O, NO2 concentration increases slightly with an increase in pressure. The reported experimental data and model will be useful in understanding the interaction between NH3 and alkenes.
This work reports laminar flame speeds and ignition delay times of 1,3-dioxolane/O2/inert gases over a wide range of conditions. Laminar flame speeds were determined experimentally at pressures of 1 and 3 bar, the temperature of 300 K, and equivalence ratios ranging from 0.7 to 1.4 using a constant-volume spherical chamber, whereas ignition delay times were measured in a shock tube at a pressure of 1 bar, the temperature range of 1000–1265 K, and equivalence ratios of 0.5 and 1.0. A detailed kinetic model is developed to predict the oxidation of 1,3-dioxolane utilizing our new experimental data and published datasets on the oxidation of 1,3-dioxolane in freely propagating flames, autoignition in rapid compression machines and shock tubes, and speciation in a jet-stirred reactor. Model predictions are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. Laminar flame speeds and ignition delay times of 1,3-dioxolane (cyclic ether) are compared with those of dimethoxymethane (acyclic ether). It is found that 1,3-dioxolane has a higher laminar flame speed than that of dimethoxymethane, which may be attributed to the formation of C2H4, C2H2, and the H atom from 1,3-dioxolane. On the contrary, ignition delay times of 1,3-dioxolane are longer than those of dimethoxymethane below 1000 K and shorter above 1000 K for the same dilution level. The reaction ȮCHO = CO2 + H is critical for accurately predicting 1,3-dioxolane oxidation, and it significantly influences model predictions under low-pressure conditions. The model developed in this work will serve as the base mechanism for higher cyclic and acyclic ethers.