Comparative Evaluation of Extinction through Strain among Three Alcoholic Butanol Isomers in Non-Premixed Counterflow Flames
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 3
Abstract
Butanol isomer diffusion flames were studied experimentally in a counterflow burner configuration with an emphasis on establishing a difference in extinction strain rate among three fuels with practically identical thermochemistry. An effect of molecular structure on the extinction strain rates of butanol isomers was observed and analyzed in terms of bond dissociation energies. The results indicate that although all isomers share essentially the same adiabatic flame temperature, -butanol flames can sustain a consistently higher extinction strain rate than the flames of other isomers (isobutanol and sec-butanol). Extinction strain rates of isobutanol and sec-butanol were equal, within experimental error. Numerical simulation of -butanol diffusion flames produced results consistent with those measured experimentally and provided insight into the distribution of major species and combustion intermediates. Stable annular flames were observed for all three isomers as a temporary step before extinction.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the support of the International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research (), sponsored by the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), MEXT, Japan.
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Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 3 • September 2014
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 6, 2013
Accepted: Jul 17, 2013
Published online: Jul 19, 2013
Discussion open until: Jul 5, 2014
Published in print: Sep 1, 2014
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